# Altorus ... Another Altoid Tin Slingshot



## Charles

After I went to bed last night, I could not stop thinking about Altoid tin slingshots. I remembered the ringshot that Bullseyeben posted here some time ago:

http://slingshotforu...__fromsearch__1

I checked it against an Altoid tin, and it is actually a fair bit smaller than the tin. I decided to design something similar, but a bit larger, and with more rounded contours. I called it the Altorus ... a combination of "Altoid" and "torus". The word "torus" just means "ring", and is a nod to Bullseyeben's original concept. Here is my design:










I had a few small pieces of that 3/16 inch thick aluminum plate and thought that would be suitable material. I decided to drill the forks so that I could use Gypsy tabs attached with small bolts and acorn nuts. I banded it with braids, made with 8 links of #64 rubberbands per side. In that configuration I shoot 3/4 butterfly and get adequate speed with heavy ammo for hunting. Here is Altorus in the tin:










The bands do not have to be removed from the frame for storage. But they do not fold neatly, and the tin must have a rubber band to keep the lid closed ... I just consider that to be a convenient way to store a few spares. Here it is out of the tin.










And here it is in my hand, showing the other side.










It is designed to be held with an index finger hook and thumb brace, with the ring finger through the hole. I have no trouble holding it, and it shoots really well.

I think the aluminum plate is pretty ideal for this application. I would not hesitate to use 1/8 inch thick plate rather than 3/16. On the other hand, the design would also do well in thin HDPE (high density polyethylene), say from an old cutting board. If you use a cutting board with juice grooves, you could set it up so the juice grooves lie across the forks, making a secure notch for tieing on flatbands. However, if you use juice grooves, do not drill the forks for Gypsy tabs as I have shown here, as the material would then be too weak and breakage would be a high probability. Of course the HDPE would be thicker than my aluminum plate, making it a bit harder to fit the bands into the tin.

I have been shooting this little fellow all afternoon, and I am as accurate with it as with anything else. I have been shooting my hunting ammo, which are cylinders 3/8 inch in diameter and 1/2 inch long. I have had no trouble with fork hits, even though the fork gap is only 1 inch. However, I always twist the pouch, and I am careful with my release.

This thing is so small, it will take you no time to make one up. Give it a try. Here is the pdf for those who want it.

View attachment Altorus.pdf


Cheers ...... Charles


----------



## Danny0663

Thats really neat.
I'm running low on my aluminium supply, but i'll save the design








Thanks


----------



## Sharkman

That's awesome Charles. Do you have to shoot it OTF? I haven't perfected that yet.


----------



## newconvert

thats cool Charles, you and Ben have a nice little shooter there! nice use of the gypsy tabs!


----------



## linuxmail

Okay Charles, I see you have raised the bar another inch!

Good Job and nice bands.

Brian


----------



## treefork

Does it shoot well?


----------



## Karok01

That is very fine! Love the band attachments.


----------



## Charles

Sharkman said:


> That's awesome Charles. Do you have to shoot it OTF? I haven't perfected that yet.


I have it set up for the bands to run Over The Top (OTT), in part because that is my preferred orientation, but also in part to make it easier to fit into the Altoid tin. But with those Gypsy tabs, after you take it out of the tin, you could just turn the tabs to the sides so that the bands run Outside The Forks (OTF) and shoot it that way. I have made some OTF shooters, but do not like them as well as the OTT arrangement. It is basically what you are used to and a matter of personal taste.

If you put flat bands on this one, without Gypsy tabs, I think it just about has to have an OTT arangement. There just isn't any place to tie flatbands onto the forks so that the bands run outside the forks.

Cheers ..... Charles


----------



## Charles

treefork said:


> Does it shoot well?


I am as accurate with it as with anything else that I shoot. Each slingshot has its own peculiarities, but after a few shots it is not hard to figure out what they are. With this one I have a tendency to shoot just a little high ... about an inch at 7 meters = 21 feet. Once I saw that, I was pretty well bang on with it.

Cheers ..... Charles


----------



## e~shot

Charles, I love your beard and the slingshot


----------



## Devoman

Another very cool idea, keep em' coming! I like this Altoid tin challenge. When I get some time, I will try my hand at one.


----------



## sling-N-bb

wow that is very cool...


----------



## mr.joel

Looks quite similar to Dan's that were made of red acrylic.


----------



## Charles

e~shot said:


> Charles, I love your beard and the slingshot


Thanks! The beard has been with me for 47 years.

Cheers ....... Charles


----------



## Charles

mr.joel said:


> Looks quite similar to Dan's that were made of red acrylic.


Didn't mean to slight anyone ... As mentioned, I got my idea from Bullseyeben. If you have a link to the slingshot you are thinking of, I would really appreciate it.

Cheers ..... Charles


----------



## linuxmail

Charles, what kind of velocity can you generate with #64 bands in this fashion?

Brian


----------



## mr.joel

Charles said:


> Looks quite similar to Dan's that were made of red acrylic.


Didn't mean to slight anyone ... As mentioned, I got my idea from Bullseyeben. If you have a link to the slingshot you are thinking of, I would really appreciate it.

Cheers ..... Charles
[/quote]

There are only so many ways to make a set of forks fit in an Altoids tin.


----------



## Charles

Thanks, Mr.Joel ... I do not recall having seen this one before. Was it previously posted on this forum?

Cheers ..... Charles


----------



## Charles

linuxmail said:


> Charles, what kind of velocity can you generate with #64 bands in this fashion?
> 
> Brian


About 190 fps with 3/8 inch (9.5 mm) lead ball (79 gr). About 170 fps with my hunting slugs (140 gr).

Cheers ........ Charles


----------



## mr.joel

there you go: http://slingshotforum.com/topic/3873-zdp-189s-a-series/page__hl__altoids__fromsearch__1


----------



## Charles

mr.joel said:


> there you go: http://slingshotforu...__fromsearch__1


Thanks for the link. That was posted shortlly after I joined the forum, so I must have missed it. Yet one more to add to the list of Altoid tin slingshots!!

Cheers ............ Charles


----------



## newconvert

looks like one i can get my hands on too.


----------



## Pawpawsailor

Charles,

I love your little Altorus, and I hope you'll forgive me for making a slight adaptation to your design. I sort of PFS'd it. I make these and give them as gifts to friends and family. This one is made from Spanish Live Oak. In the last photo it is shown next to a bamboo variation.

Perry


----------



## leon13

Danny0663 said:


> Thats really neat.
> I'm running low on my aluminium supply, but i'll save the design
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks


I'm running low on my aluminium supply,

Bad News. Lol
Chears


----------



## Old Salt

Does anyone sell these?


----------



## Charles

Old Salt said:


> Does anyone sell these?


I am sure someone like Bill Hays could make a slingshot for you in basically any design you like. But these things are so easy to make, so you should just try your hand at making your own.

Cheers ...... Charles


----------



## Old Salt

Big wind storm last night . Birch forks all over the place. :rofl:


----------



## One Shot-Corey

i would like to try making this were would 1 go to get the aluminium to make it


----------



## Individual

One Shot-Corey said:


> i would like to try making this were would 1 go to get the aluminium to make it


Ebay, local garage might have some, ebays probably easiest..


----------



## Charles

Boat repair shop or sheet metal fabrication shop. Or look around at second hand stores. I often see old, heavy aluminum pots with flat bottoms. Most folks are quite leery of aluminum cookware, so such pots are very cheap here. You can cut aluminum with normal woodworking tools.

Cheers ..... Charles


----------



## One Shot-Corey

tks charles ill have to check some of those shops out


----------



## Larry Bourgeois

Charles said:


> Boat repair shop or sheet metal fabrication shop. Or look around at second hand stores. I often see old, heavy aluminum pots with flat bottoms. Most folks are quite leery of aluminum cookware, so such pots are very cheap here. You can cut aluminum with normal woodworking tools.
> 
> Cheers ..... Charles


Really? Oh man I've walked by a lot of aluminum posts and never thought they could be cut with woodworking tools. I guess I'll have to give that a try soon. Thanks Charles. lb


----------

