# Where to weld?



## Voidshape (Feb 5, 2015)

I'm fairly new to slingshots. I picked up a daisy forearm brace model about a year ago, and went through the bands pretty fast. I moved up to a Pocket Predator Hathcock Sniper, and have just started replacing the bands on it using the spare bands sets I purchased with the PP. I've just ordered some bulk theraband gold, and intend to start cutting my own bands. -for which I need to know my draw length... For which I need to have my weld established. Which brings me to my question:

Where do I weld?

I've been experimenting with different weld locations. Near the mouth, on the cheekbone, and further back in a floating (I presume that means not touching the face or head) weld to get more draw length.

I'm really just looking for the standard. The consensus. Where do y'all put your thumb knuckle? From what I've gathered, putting the thumb knuckle (the joint nearest the nail) on the peak of the cheek bone seems common. Is that the standard?

Thanks in advance.


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## Can-Opener (May 11, 2013)

I think the more common name for your weld is anchor point  It dose not matter what the most common anchor point is. I suggest you should try them all and use the one that works best for you.

I personally use a floating anchor. Yes that dose mean it is behind the face floating in the air. 

Once you are able to make your own band sets trying different lengths will be easy. Then you can experiment with all the different anchor points


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## bigron (Nov 29, 2012)

:yeahthat: listen to the can man


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## Lee Silva (Feb 9, 2013)

No welding allowed.... (unless it's the very safe and professionally executed type like on Henrie's RH)

Oh, and ........

*Please No dangerous zinc alloy slingshot!!!!!*

*Hehehehe*

*Yeah "Anchor" would be the word, for sure.... *

*I've actually never heard it being called "weld" *

*Really just need to put in the time and find the spot that gets you the best shot.. *

*Best of luck!*


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## Nobodo (Nov 5, 2014)

:yeahthat: listen to the forged Silva Dankung man


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## Charles (Aug 26, 2010)

I agree with the others ... try out a variety and then stick to what works best for you. We are all different (or we would be watching TV instead of fooling around with these dern things ...).

Cheers .... Charles


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## Henry the Hermit (Jun 2, 2010)

"Spot weld" is a military rifle training term. It involves "welding" you cheek to your thumb when aiming an iron sighted rifle and ensures a repeatable sight picture.


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## Chuck Daehler (Mar 17, 2015)

Ah Panama! You must be ex military also! Yeah, I remember my drill sgt hollering stuff about a spot weld. Since I was shooting since 4 years old (.22 single shot Springfield then with the stock stuck out behind my arm pit I was so small) so my retired colonel dad taught me "spot weld, son, spot weld!!) Yes, it's anchor point just like in archery. Charles and the rest are suggesting you just start experimenting. The champs seem to use a floating anchor point...how they light matches and shoot pennies like that I don't know but they can. I can't. And won't. With any anchor point! hehe (well, pennies sometimes)

So off you go to the catch box and start shooting and experimenting. Remember, the catch box makes experimentation free of charge, unlike buying cartridges or arrows that get flitzed. I just got sent to me 2 dozen carbon arrows for over $100, because I know some will get flitzed. (technical word). Shoot a few thousand slingshot rounds with various band lengths and anchor points, you'll find what you are looking for. The longer the ball stays in the pouch, the more your velocity with X width bands, that's why floating anchor points are used, flatter trajectory without tremendous pull at chin length. It might pay to just practice a couple thousand rounds to see if you can get used to a floating anchor point. I tried, am bad at it...but many are dead on accurate with it...you may be one of those folks.

Somewhere on this forum is a match where Bill Hays is shooting competition...and his vids on youtube...he uses a floating anchor point, about a half butterfly.

A jaw or chin anchor point is OK IF and only if your head is in the same position each shot...think about it.

Where you from in WVa? I used to ride my Harley hog back in my "easy rider bearded crazy days" from Portsmouth OH down to Huntington for pizza and beer at "Gino's" with my side kicks. The owner was a policeman. He offered a free pitcher of beer to anyone who could chug that pitcher of beer without it coming back up. He'd wait with an empty pitcher near your chin to catch it if it did so there'd be no mess on the floor. Funny days. If you hurled your beer in "a Technicolor yawn" you had to pay for it. If you kept it down, it was yours free. I never tried.


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## Bill Hays (Aug 9, 2010)

Seems like you may have watched one of my old videos... where I used to refer to the cheek weld instead of anchor point... occasionally when I don't think about it, I let it slip again...

Cheek weld comes from the way in which you press your cheek into the buttstock of the rifle when aiming... a good hard and consistent "cheek weld" is one of the keys to reliable accuracy when shooting with a rifle... as you get the same sight picture relationship with each shot.

The same concept holds true for slingshot shooting.. but instead of pressing the stock and cheek into each other, you use a part of your hand instead...

Some shoot with a thumb down and some with a thumb up hold, so it's quite possible to have a very different part of the hand being "welded" to the cheek...

In my opinion the cheek weld or anchor point, or whatever you want to call it, is in part one of the easiest methods to attain real good accuracy very quickly...

There's a LOT of real good shooters on this forum, I'd say that maybe 90% of them use a cheek weld or archer's length anchor point... I myself shoot a little to a lot better when I use one too... but in the end it comes down to what makes you happy and is more fun for you..

So I use a longer draw instead of the cheek weld and am still a decent shot... I just like the added power of the longer draw... BUT, at the same time there's shooters like Treefork, Beanflip, Rayshot and others who are at least as good as me... and all of them use the more consistently accurate archer's anchor point draw length with a type of cheek weld.


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## Lee Silva (Feb 9, 2013)

"Floating Anchor".......... *"Floating Anchor"....* * "Floating Anchor"?? anic:* 

*Am* I the only one thinking this term should be the focus of an entirely different thread??!?!?! I just don't understand what it is that other people think they understand about "Floating Anchors"!!! Come on, guys.... Say aye if you think it's about time to let some of the air out of this so called anchor......


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## Lee Silva (Feb 9, 2013)

Can-Opener said:


> I think the more common name for your weld is anchor point  It dose not matter what the most common anchor point is. I suggest you should try them all and use the one that works best for you.
> 
> I personally use a floating anchor. Yes that dose mean it is behind the face floating in the air.
> 
> Once you are able to make your own band sets trying different lengths will be easy. Then you can experiment with all the different anchor points


Good example.....

I've seen your videos, and although your draw has no positive indicator, I would still say that you are using an anchor point. Do you not gauge the elevation of your shot somewhere on your face by actually making contact with one of the bands?


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## Voidshape (Feb 5, 2015)

Thanks for all the help, everyone!

I'm not sure where I got "weld," but I certainly have watched some of your videos, Bill, so that's my guess. "Anchor" makes a bit more sense.

I've been experimenting for a while, and definitely feel most accurate with my anchor point somewhere between my cheek bone and the corner of my mouth. However, I can get more power out of a longer pull, so I've been fooling with alternate anchor points. -but moving my anchor really throws off my accuracy, so it's something I want to lock down ASAP. Based on what you helpful people have said, I'm going to stick to my cheek anchor for now.

Chuck- I'm in Charleston. The wife's family lives in Huntington, and we're all over the state for roller derby. Gino's Pizza is a classic, just like Tudor's biscuits. You ever hit South Dakota? Sturgis? We lived in NE Wyoming for a while too. Badlands.


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## Can-Opener (May 11, 2013)

Lee Silva said:


> Can-Opener said:
> 
> 
> > I think the more common name for your weld is anchor point  It dose not matter what the most common anchor point is. I suggest you should try them all and use the one that works best for you.
> ...


A floating anchor dose seem to be a oxymoron in terminology. So maybe we should make a new term and call it ?????

Air Anchor

Orbital Anchor

Special Spot

Sweet Spot

Welded Anchor  I bet you like this one Lee 

I shoot semi butterfly and full butterfly in both styles I feel the top band on my cheek to locate my head. I learned this from Bill Hays videos. Bill has everything you need to know to get started at becoming a good shot on his excellent youtube videos. 

This is so sensitive for me that I make sure my beard is trimmed the same length so it dose not affect the touch area on my cheek.

It is great to learn where the term weld came from in shooting sports. I have been a shooter all my life and never herd this before.  We can all learn new stuff from each other which is one of the things I love about this forum.


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## Nobodo (Nov 5, 2014)

Lee Silva said:


> "Floating Anchor".......... *"Floating Anchor"....* * "Floating Anchor"?? anic:*
> 
> *Am* I the only one thinking this term should be the focus of an entirely different thread??!?!?! I just don't understand what it is that other people think they understand about "Floating Anchors"!!! Come on, guys.... Say aye if you think it's about time to let some of the air out of this so called anchor......


do you prefer....

"*Floating Weld*"?

I personally like

"*Drifting Anchorless*" !

:looney:


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## Lee Silva (Feb 9, 2013)

To me, as soon as your hand draws past your head the only thing changing is draw length. The anchor remains. Only, instead of some bit of your hand touching some bit of your face, it gets done by some bit of band touching some bit of face......Yes, i'm saying I lay my face right on the band. Thus establishing a constant physical stop. Of course, I don't always touch the face... Shooting a swinging active shot with an anchor is quite difficult and the anchor is often neglected. Consistency suffers as you're left with only instinct to guide you. On these shots I can see using the floating anchor term .... But it is still kinda silly


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## Nobodo (Nov 5, 2014)

Some people have more anchor points than others.


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## Lee Silva (Feb 9, 2013)

LMAO!!!


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## Charles (Aug 26, 2010)

Hmmmm ... maybe "sea anchor", as these are often floating ...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sea_anchor

Cheers ... Charles


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## Lee Silva (Feb 9, 2013)

Not once their line's cut... hehehehe I tease.....


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