# New Starship in Space Dock



## Flatband (Dec 18, 2009)

I had started this frame a few months ago and it had to be shelved for other projects. I got a chance today to do some work on her. Materials were: 2 -36" lengths of 3/8" Diameter Aluminum Rod bent in a vise and embedded in a length of Curly Maple anchored with Epoxy and 6 studs through the rods and into the wood. The bottom piece of wood is simply a 1/4" thick piece of pine to close everything up and make it look clean. Did some rough out today but was a little too cold on the fingers so surrendered to the warm house! This Starship will have a total draw of 40"s and the prongs are 3"s apart and only 1 inch above the frame-adding to an already inherently stable shooting platform. She needs more trimming out and a proper handle but she''ll be flying soon! I already bought the Aluminum rods for the next one which will be a "Prongs Forward design"(40" also) with an inside the throat band attachment. I LOVE THIS STUFF !!!! Flatband


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## HOE (Nov 13, 2010)

I have problem viewing your pictures. I'm really curious how she looks like.

I'm now a big fan of Starship.


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## lucifer93 (May 4, 2010)

Your slingshot Crazy Flatband,







I know the condition because i have it too.


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## Flatband (Dec 18, 2009)

Thanks Louis, yeah we're sick Bud-all of us! But it is so cool that so many have it-I LOVE IT! Hey HOE, check this link out and maybe you can view all of the pictures Bud! Flatband









http://www.glowfoto.com/users2/Flatband/view.php?aid=36747


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## HOE (Nov 13, 2010)

You got a great photo album there! Glowfoto just doesn't always work with my computer sometimes. Now I saw it, great stuff! I love Forward-Prong design. Fast band changing, ease of taking off the bands.

I feel that I shoot an extended Starship better with finger support, as if I'm holding a handsaw, with my thumb and forefinger pointing forward. That way I get the natural feel like I'm shooting a simple fork, so that the extended fork doesn't move around. MAYBE I should design a finger support for my Starship.


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## harpersgrace (Jan 28, 2010)

Looking good so far....looks like it will "boldly go where no slingshot has gone before..."


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## ERdept (Jun 10, 2010)

Looks like a waterbug.


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## NaturalFork (Jan 21, 2010)

I just looked at your entire album. You are the man!


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## Flatband (Dec 18, 2009)

THE SICKNESS DWELLS WITHIN ME!!!!!!!! (And apparently with a lot of others on here too!)







Long LIve Slingshots!!!!!


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## Nico (Sep 10, 2010)

I really like those starships you make Gary.. One painted in black would be awesome!


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## Gib (Sep 21, 2010)

One day I may try these, Looks good so far!


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## philly (Jun 13, 2010)

Gary, way to go, love the maple, should finish up awesome.Think spring Bud, Oyster Bay Cove is calling.
Philly


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## Flatband (Dec 18, 2009)

After finishing snow removal from work, I hung out a little to work on my Starship. I put a coat of "Jacobean" stain over the Curly Maple stock, let her dry,then sanded and sealed it the next day with two coats of Spar Urethane. The stain really brought out the Curls. I just have to get a suitable piece of leather for the wrist brace and she be ready to sing! She'll have a 40" draw with an extremely low prong to bed clearance ( 1 1/2"s) ( Hope it's enough?) WE'll find out soon enough! I love these things!







Flatband


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## smitty (Dec 17, 2009)

Beautiful slingshot Flatband !


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## NaturalFork (Jan 21, 2010)

Thats about as good as it gets.


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## philly (Jun 13, 2010)

Awesome bud!
Philly


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## harpersgrace (Jan 28, 2010)

WOW, Just WOW!!! Watch out Klingons you're about to get your butts kicked..


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## mxred91 (Aug 8, 2010)

Boy that looks really good. Nice design. Curly Maple Yea! (the Yea is a direct quote from many of Dgui's posts, I like it, it adds punch, Yea!)


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## HOE (Nov 13, 2010)

I seem to have a big problem with glowfoto, your album 1st page looks blank to me, can't see anything new except for the old photos.


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## Flatband (Dec 18, 2009)

Well ,I couldn't wait (find) a suitable piece of leather so I went ahead and duct taped a brace for this monster for the time being so I could shoot her. I might have cut this one a little too close to the bed-an inch- inch and a quarter is not much. First shot I took I experienced a fork hit! Haven't had one in awhile and it sure as heck got my attention! Very dicey frame this one is. I had to bulk up the brace a bit. When I finally got her shooting she was VERY fast and quite accurate but you have to make sure you are dead parallel with the base or else. You also have to make dead sure you are centered because it is a "Through the throat" attachment and only 2 3/4"s for the opening. Gotta watch these big boys, they can be quite challenging. I have to tweek a few things here and there but she really does fly!!!! I still love them but she is moody for sure!







Flatband


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## philly (Jun 13, 2010)

Can't wait to see it Bud. It looks like a beauty. Hey, when are we going to get together for another shoot? You need to retire man.
Philly


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## Brewman (Feb 1, 2010)

Beam me up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Flatband said:


> I had started this frame a few months ago and it had to be shelved for other projects. I got a chance today to do some work on her. Materials were: 2 -36" lengths of 3/8" Diameter Aluminum Rod bent in a vise and embedded in a length of Curly Maple anchored with Epoxy and 6 studs through the rods and into the wood. The bottom piece of wood is simply a 1/4" thick piece of pine to close everything up and make it look clean. Did some rough out today but was a little too cold on the fingers so surrendered to the warm house! This Starship will have a total draw of 40"s and the prongs are 3"s apart and only 1 inch above the frame-adding to an already inherently stable shooting platform. She needs more trimming out and a proper handle but she''ll be flying soon! I already bought the Aluminum rods for the next one which will be a "Prongs Forward design"(40" also) with an inside the throat band attachment. I LOVE THIS STUFF !!!! Flatband
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## Brewman (Feb 1, 2010)

Flatband said:


> I had started this frame a few months ago and it had to be shelved for other projects. I got a chance today to do some work on her. Materials were: 2 -36" lengths of 3/8" Diameter Aluminum Rod bent in a vise and embedded in a length of Curly Maple anchored with Epoxy and 6 studs through the rods and into the wood. The bottom piece of wood is simply a 1/4" thick piece of pine to close everything up and make it look clean. Did some rough out today but was a little too cold on the fingers so surrendered to the warm house! This Starship will have a total draw of 40"s and the prongs are 3"s apart and only 1 inch above the frame-adding to an already inherently stable shooting platform. She needs more trimming out and a proper handle but she''ll be flying soon! I already bought the Aluminum rods for the next one which will be a "Prongs Forward design"(40" also) with an inside the throat band attachment. I LOVE THIS STUFF !!!! Flatband
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## slingshot awesome (Dec 7, 2010)

send me one if u can thnks


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## Martin (Jan 17, 2010)

Flatband said:


> After finishing snow removal from work, I hung out a little to work on my Starship. I put a coat of "Jacobean" stain over the Curly Maple stock, let her dry,then sanded and sealed it the next day with two coats of Spar Urethane. The stain really brought out the Curls. I just have to get a suitable piece of leather for the wrist brace and she be ready to sing! She'll have a 40" draw with an extremely low prong to bed clearance ( 1 1/2"s) ( Hope it's enough?) WE'll find out soon enough! I love these things!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


WOW that looks great, you've made a beautiful job of that. I love the finish.


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## Flatband (Dec 18, 2009)

Thanks Mart,
real dicey frame too shoot though! I think I might have taken this one a little too close to the edge as far as tolerances. Forks might be too close to the deck and I think I may have made the throat too narrow for a "Through the throat" style(which is what I like). No real problem though, I can just make her into an "over the top" style which will give more clearance and less slap. Extremely fast set-up and very accurate. I really like the extra stability a Starship gives you. It really helps an Aimer type shooter which I am.I already have the next one halfway done. This one will be a full over the top attachment style-Prongs forward design-cool!!! Flatband


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## Martin (Jan 17, 2010)

I would like to make one of these, my only concern is the wrist brace. Ive tried several commercial 
wrist braced designs. I find them way to uncomfortable to shoot with the brace, I always end up removing
the brace or giving the slingshot away.
Do you have any suggestions to get around this? Any help would be appreciated.
Martin


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## John-Boy (Oct 15, 2010)

Martin said:


> I would like to make one of these, my only concern is the wrist brace. Ive tried several commercial
> wrist braced designs. I find them way to uncomfortable to shoot with the brace, I always end up removing
> the brace or giving the slingshot away.
> Do you have any suggestions to get around this? Any help would be appreciated.
> Martin


Hey Martin, By commercial i take it you mean barnett black widows, diablos etc.? I also found these to be a pain to use, but extending the brace further up the arm and replacing the plastic brace for leather helped also!!


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## HOE (Nov 13, 2010)

Martin said:


> I would like to make one of these, my only concern is the wrist brace. Ive tried several commercial
> wrist braced designs. I find them way to uncomfortable to shoot with the brace, I always end up removing
> the brace or giving the slingshot away.
> Do you have any suggestions to get around this? Any help would be appreciated.
> Martin


From my own experience in shooting various commercial wristbraced slingshots and my own wooden Starship, the wristbrace should be slightly positioned to the side where your hand holds the slingshot. If you centre your brace and your hand parallel to the "throat", it will feel weird.


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## HOE (Nov 13, 2010)

John-Boy said:


> Hey Martin, By commercial i take it you mean barnett black widows, diablos etc.? I also found these to be a pain to use, but extending the brace further up the arm and replacing the plastic brace for leather helped also!!


Yes, this too.







The original angle is just bad.


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## Martin (Jan 17, 2010)

John-Boy said:


> I would like to make one of these, my only concern is the wrist brace. Ive tried several commercial
> wrist braced designs. I find them way to uncomfortable to shoot with the brace, I always end up removing
> the brace or giving the slingshot away.
> Do you have any suggestions to get around this? Any help would be appreciated.
> Martin


Hey Martin, By commercial i take it you mean Barnett black widows, diablos etc.? I also found these to be a pain to use, but extending the brace further up the arm and replacing the plastic brace for leather helped also!!
[/quote]
Yes Black widow an old Diablo and a couple of American models who's names I cannot remember, The braces seemed to short and the angle was all wrong.
I'm thinking of making the forks and the brace separately, that way I may be able to come up with an adjustable brace.
Martin


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## Martin (Jan 17, 2010)

HOE said:


> I would like to make one of these, my only concern is the wrist brace. Ive tried several commercial
> wrist braced designs. I find them way to uncomfortable to shoot with the brace, I always end up removing
> the brace or giving the slingshot away.
> Do you have any suggestions to get around this? Any help would be appreciated.
> Martin


From my own experience in shooting various commercial wristbraced slingshots and my own wooden Starship, the wristbrace should be slightly positioned to the side where your hand holds the slingshot. If you centre your brace and your hand parallel to the "throat", it will feel weird.
[/quote]
This is something I had not thought about, there is a lot to take into consideration when making one of these.
Martin


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## Flatband (Dec 18, 2009)

I've said it before the toughest thing about these big boys is #1 making the handle and #2 getting the wrist brace just right. Hoe is right,having an offset handle is a real plus. I make my wrist opening wider then usual so I can position my arm where I want relative to the shot. Jack Koehler took care of that problem with his King Kat by making the brace movable. Getting the proper height on the brace is paramount in importance. Too high,and the whole frame will lift up on you ,too low and you risk smacking the frame. There is a limit as too how long these things can be and still have a margin of safety. The bigger they get,the more dangerous they are. Flatband


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## Performance Catapults (Feb 3, 2010)

Outstanding Gary!!!


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## HOE (Nov 13, 2010)

Hand making a wristbrace is a real serious business, you have to be real careful when adjusting the angle of the brace. If you want the Starship to be ambidextrous, just make the brace FLAT and wide. So when you shoot with that kind of brace, you will see how your hand will position itself naturally. And because this flat brace doesn't lock into my arm, I have to do finger-support by pointing my thumb and index finger forward, like how you hold a handsaw, this way I can point where I want it to.


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## Martin (Jan 17, 2010)

Thanks for the advice guys, I will take everything on-board. I'm not rushing things I have everything on order but will be giving myself
plenty of time for this project.
I have an idea for an adjustable brace, I'm going to try a mock up first just to see if it works.
I'm looking forward to this its new to me and should be interesting.
Martin


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