# HDPE annimae



## lexlow (Aug 13, 2012)

well here is a first for me, i wanna do a give away coz my latest little gal was born on monday. her name is annimae (annie-may). i would like it to be a casual comp, and its gonna be a build off  i would like people to build themselves a slingshot out of HDPE, only rules are,

1= it must be completely made by you from scratch.

2= if you want to vote you must build as well.

3=previous builds can be entered

4=must only be HDPE, no composites or anything (like only palm swells hdpe)

comp starts now, and all entries must have their pics in by the 19th of sept 2013

votes will be taken over the week following the end of the comp.

i will post the prize anywhere in the world.





  








annimae




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lexlow


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Aug 22, 2013


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2







this slingshot is hdpe, has my slightly unique band attachment with double theraband tappered and has a recycled leather pouch done in the tobse style of attachment.

the hdpe is ketchup bottle and milk bottles. hope people like it and use it as an excuse to build 

good luck.


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## Dr J (Apr 22, 2013)

Congrats on the new born, may she make you proud!


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## ash (Apr 23, 2013)

I'm In!










Time to get in ur recyclin' bin - collectin' ur HDPEz.


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## mr. green (Nov 3, 2012)

Congratulations on your baby girl.


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## bigron (Nov 29, 2012)

congrats on your new little treasure i wish you and yours nothing but the best :cookie:


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## Beanflip (Sep 11, 2010)

Can we enter more than once?


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## Beanflip (Sep 11, 2010)

I am going to go ahead and enter this one. It's my first and only using the information from your thread. I call it the Hulk. 
"Hulk smash!"


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## Beanflip (Sep 11, 2010)

Ash suggested orange and purple. It may be time to turn the Tide.


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## Beanflip (Sep 11, 2010)

Maybe not. It's not to pretty on the inside.


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## ash (Apr 23, 2013)

It might just be the bleach/detergent has discoloured the surface?

I'm on the hunt for materials now. Plenty of black and white around, but I'm going to look for brighter colours. We had a bunch of old thin chopping boards at home, but they have disappeared.


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## lexlow (Aug 13, 2012)

yeah beanflip its ok to enter more than one, no probs.

and as ash said, i'm pretty sure its just the bleach made that look funny. i had a blue bottle like that that worked out fine. before melting though it looked like the blue had been painted on and that the inside was different. melt one on its own to be sure if you want.


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## Viper010 (Apr 21, 2012)

Hey Lexlow congrats on the new born!


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## lexlow (Aug 13, 2012)

not to many people entering  if i do a second and third place i think you'l all get one lol


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## Mr.Teh (Feb 28, 2012)

Awesome shooter you create from start to finish, so cool


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## Dr J (Apr 22, 2013)

LOL, can I enter one of my PVC SS ? Just joking !


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## ash (Apr 23, 2013)

lexlow said:


> not to many people entering  if i do a second and third place i think you'l all get one lol


Most people aren't interested in putting in any more effort than an "I'm in" 

Even asking for a photo cuts entry numbers!

No me though. A LOL Rat for now, and when I've collected some material, HDPE goodness will explode everywhere!


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## Beanflip (Sep 11, 2010)

I wait in eager anticipation to see what you create Ash.


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## hickymick (Feb 23, 2011)




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## hickymick (Feb 23, 2011)

hickymick said:


>


this Is my first one before I burnt my finger melting plastic in oil :/.. matika power tool boxes are HDPE2


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## lexlow (Aug 13, 2012)

i really love that colour combo, almost quartz effect, nice shooter to. your greedy ash, and dam skillful to lol this lot had better bring there a game with you ere 

ok, i have not made it yet, but there will be a second place which will be from my first range up for sale (when i get the official start date set)


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## ash (Apr 23, 2013)

That looks like some kind of ice cream, Mick!


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## lexlow (Aug 13, 2012)

what i like is that just the fact everyone cuts up there plastic different and maybe the difference in the way they handle the plastic seems to make everones results almost have there own style. like clean , bitty, swirly or chunky, and as with the last one, dirty sorta colour, but they all come good once they have been worked into the creators shape.

i'm really glad that i could not afford materials and was obsessed enough with slingshots to search for free materials. dont forget alot of places in the world recycle "EVERYTHING" and this has (i hope) opened up peoples ideas about materials and wastage. you dont have to dump it at the recycling plant, YOU can use it and save money, as well as doing your bit. especially since the hdpe thing, i have used everything i can, my shed is a good 2 by 2 meter recycled tin shed, (pain to move), all shelves and tool tidies are from old broken beds and broken sofas. tools are second hand or donated when people see you are going to use them for a good cause.all my pouches are made from selected womens boots too.

but i know keeping a job going, and keeping the family normal (not obsessed recyclers) and just the daily grind of consuming and time saving purchasing is how alot of us live, and thats the way we have been raised (alot of us).

anyway, i'm preaching to the converted lol so well done, good stuff and great slingshots.


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## Mr.Teh (Feb 28, 2012)

I like the recycling from stuff for the different use :thumbsup:


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## hickymick (Feb 23, 2011)

ash said:


> That looks like some kind of ice cream, Mick!


Maybe thats how I burnt my finger ... :hmm:


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## lexlow (Aug 13, 2012)

hickymick said:


> ash said:
> 
> 
> > That looks like some kind of ice cream, Mick!
> ...


yeah prob not a good idea to eat it


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## stej (Jan 16, 2013)

ash said:


> lexlow said:
> 
> 
> > not to many people entering  if i do a second and third place i think you'l all get one lol
> ...


Maybe some people just started and still haven't posted here anything. I did it in other way, because I can do it with stuff I already have.

























However, I screwed it up as after I took it out of the oven to cool down, it bended and twisted. I forgot to put some weight on it. So I'll have to do it once again.


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## lexlow (Aug 13, 2012)

ah ha stej, i used to do that, then by the time i remembered to weigh it down it was to late and would have gaps inside.


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## Dr J (Apr 22, 2013)

The video was quite clear on the point of weighing down. His turned out quite smooth although a bit thin. That oven appears to work very well indeed. 
I still have not been able to test my Vulcanizer, too many irons in the fire. I still think it will work as both top and bottom are been heated, and pressure can be applied using the wheel. I do not have the energy I once had, the mind is willing, the body asks who you talking to!


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## stej (Jan 16, 2013)

Here is my first attempt. It's far from perfect and I know what I will do better next time, but I'm glad I tried


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## lexlow (Aug 13, 2012)

stej! nice one dude, i likey


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## hickymick (Feb 23, 2011)

Well one good catty made from HDPE2 and loads of fails I think its the rape seed oil I added .. No more oil added and its set of fire I was melting it in a pan on my fire ,, works better in the oven ... and Milk bottles just seem to set harder .. I have a great idea for my next HDPE2 just waiting for a old oven ,,, am sure you will like it


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## lexlow (Aug 13, 2012)

great hicky, yup oven for sure lol sounds obvious now, but a pan def makes a mess. cants wait to see ya next one


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## PorkChopSling (Jan 17, 2013)

This looks like great fun, but if I put anything but food in the oven my wife will murder me. That and I have more projects then time. But, awesome work everyone!! Really cool what you are all creating!


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## lexlow (Aug 13, 2012)

yes the food oven scenario hmmm , i found it helpful to show details i found online about it not producing harmful fumes ... i'll dig it out if i can find it.


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## ash (Apr 23, 2013)

I'm looking up panini presses and electric frying pans as alternatives to the oven. I reckon they might work ok as the self heating walls of the press arrangement I sketched last week.


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## lexlow (Aug 13, 2012)

good idea ash, there are ones the same as the press in that youtube vid on amazon, i think they are about thirty quid? and they go to the correct temp, which is adjustable.

i think with a bit of engineering it would def suite your design.

ahh, and back in the shed tomorrow getting back on track after the tiring first week or so of dodgy night sleeps and non stop busy busy of having four kids now lol, luv it ;-)


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## lexlow (Aug 13, 2012)

got these two for sale in the for sale thread here http://slingshotforum.com/topic/26175-hdpe-pinky-and-fire/





  








pinky fire




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lexlow


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Sep 2, 2013


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## ash (Apr 23, 2013)

Here's a progress report on my HDPE experiments on the sandwich press:

Some caps lined up on baking paper:









Squashed under 6kg:









And after five minutes, the blue sheet comes out to cool down:









A couple of plain milk bottles enter the arena:









Add a few light-proof milk bottles (black/white damascus look) and coloured caps and fold it in half:









Fold it in half again and make height stops with stacks of coins in each corner. I learned that they need to be nearly twice your desired thickness as the HDPE will shrink a lot!









Here it is being squashed to thickness - nearly there:









Et voila!









And here's is the omelette ready to serve:


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## lexlow (Aug 13, 2012)

wow, nice one dude! i like the way it comes through with the colours mixed really fine from the folding, i think that would benefit from some really shallow type cuts and engravings, wicked, i likey.

MORE please ash


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## lexlow (Aug 13, 2012)

oh and ash, i can see some of the surface is a bit wonkey ? or is it just the pattern making it look like it? if it is wonkey, it will be from the cooling period, to fix that, just leave it to cool with a flat surface top and bottom for at least half hour pref an hour though, and looking at the lovely size of that sheet, it would need a fare bit of cooling to keep it flat.


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## ash (Apr 23, 2013)

Yes, I agree that engraving and 3D shaping will be the best to bring out the layers. Just like damascene blades or wood grain.

The surface is indeed wonky and it is indeed from the cooling period. I didn't realise that it would shrink so much and left it to cool in the press, but with the coin stacks still in place. I should have taken those out or turned the heat off before it got to that thickness. It's too thin as it is, so I'm going to heat it again and press the two halves back-to-back and try for a smoother, thicker block.

The sandwich press offers a lot of modification opportunities to do a better job. I reckon you could remove the handles and hinges altogether and build up the sides of the bottom platen to make a kind of self-heating box mould. Dump a weighed amount of HDPE scrap into the box, turn it on and then lay the top platen onto the scrap pile in the top of the box. Weight or a screw press can then push the top platen down as the scrap melts and fuses. Because you put a known weight of material into the mould, the final result would be a rectangular slab of known thickness, the same size as the full area of the top platen.


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## lexlow (Aug 13, 2012)

you mentioned an idea like that, and i can see it happening  i will keep my eye out for a press myself, def recon thats the way to go. when i take the blob out the oven and put it into a mold, i think the cold metal faces help keep it flat to, so maybe with the press we could think of a cooling system?

sounds adventurous, but boy i could do with it lol


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## ash (Apr 23, 2013)

Yeah, I was thinking of a cooling system. Air or water cooling is hard to get into a pressed system, though.

Perhaps the answer is to hot-press the slab, let it cool just enough to be safely removed from the mould and then let it cool in another, simpler flattening press? You could have a wooden press with formica covered MDF plates in between each slab and stack them one on top of the other as they come out of the hot press. A weight or lots of tight rubber bands to keep the pressure on as they cool and shrink. You'd end up with a stack of maybe 20 slabs cooling away, pressed flat between the formica plates, one on top of the other.

In fact, the weight could be hung from a pulley/rope to the roof for a quick remove weight/add a layer/reapply weight procedure after each hot pressing.

I reckon like that you could spend one day (or night if the power is cheaper at night) a week busting out slabs big enough to make four or five slingshots each. Maybe have two or three sandwich presses going at once to feed the stack... Bring the stack inside to act as a free space heater in winter!

You'd need to train the kids to raid every recycling bin in Kent to keep up!


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## Dr J (Apr 22, 2013)

Interesting Ash, exactly how much weight is needed during cooling?


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## lexlow (Aug 13, 2012)

my kids already spot stuff for me ash lol  they got better eyes. not to much pressure is needed, the more melty you get it the less it will need as it will be slightly more runny, which remids ya that each person needs to try whats best for there set up, as it has so many variables.


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## ash (Apr 23, 2013)

The trick is to maintain the pressure as it cools and shrinks. For this reason weight, stretched rubber or hydraulic pressure is better than clamps or screws.


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## Mr.Teh (Feb 28, 2012)

Wow ash what a cool experiment, i'm very excited what you make from it, I hope you build a slingshot :rofl:


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## lexlow (Aug 13, 2012)

saying that though ash, my bottle jack method is working good for me, i think the initial squash forces the hdpe against the sides, and then as it cools it kinda keeps the wibbly texture on the faces, for me, and maybe not for everyone, i like the wibble (as long as its an even wibble) as it adds an almost random grip and differs from the machined curves and sides. i guess i have probably made a mental decision to except it lol would very much like a table plain though, to level things, it would probably look wicked as it would plain down through the layers to level it out hmmmm


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## ash (Apr 23, 2013)

More experiments. I have discovered that not all sandwich presses are hot enough for the job. The one at work sucks, the one at home is good.

Furthermore, it is extremely difficult to get a good slab thicker than 10mm with a sandwich press. Folding the blob puts the important fusion interface farthest from the hot surface, and it will crack when cooled. if you don't fold it just squeezes thinner and thinner until cold. I think the sandwich press would be best with a wall around the lower plate and enough material to make a slab as big as the whole plate.

There are other ways using mould shapes and cookie cutter style dies, but I think they're harder to do than a seperate press. The massive shrinkage of HDPE really kills the chances of low pressure moulding coming out smooth.

Some pics from round 2:


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## lexlow (Aug 13, 2012)

oooo i have my fingers crossed that the center join holds! eek , if it does it will look wicked :-o


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## ash (Apr 23, 2013)

it didn't 

When the big roundover bit chomped into it, it ripped the plastic to pieces and threw it at me! anic:

So I melted it down again and tried a mould like yours but shaped for any/all of my current slingshot frame designs. It went a little bit like this:


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## Beanflip (Sep 11, 2010)

ash said:


> it didn't
> 
> When the big roundover bit chomped into it, it ripped the plastic to pieces and threw it at me! anic:
> 
> So I melted it down again and tried a mould like yours but shaped for any/all of my current slingshot frame designs. It went a little bit like this:


 Wow, that was cool. Awesome tools and clearly a deep well of knowledge to use them. 
I like the frame shape.


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## Mr.Teh (Feb 28, 2012)

I am total thilled ash, very cool to see your work with a router and your tools,

and this slinga thrilled me too, that's cool recycling :thumbsup:


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## Btoon84 (Nov 22, 2011)

Awesome ash. Cool video


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## lexlow (Aug 13, 2012)

lol i just watched the first minute gotta go, but the toaster falling off made me cry with laughter for some reason :-D

off to mums with family now, will watch later ;-)


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## lexlow (Aug 13, 2012)

nice vid, that router set up is like something from a dream  you made that look so easy, i gonna have to get a vid made!


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## lexlow (Aug 13, 2012)

TEN DAYS (depending on ya time zone lol)

only a few pics in so far, plenty of time for people to throw an entry or two in, and i;m gonna switch it up, as the slingshot featured so far is one of my old designs, i.m gonna give the winner the choice of that slingshot, or one of my new business launch ones 

pics of that one will be posted at competition end at the beginning of the voting week.


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## Jaximus (Jun 1, 2013)

That's pretty sick, ash. I wish I would have seen this a little sooner. I'm always looking for an excuse to burn something in my oven. I'm not sure if I'll be able to get enough materials together, but if I can I'll go for it.


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## ash (Apr 23, 2013)

The materials are everywhere. A sly raid of the neighbour's recycling bins gave me more than I know what to do with! I now have a 20 litre and 5 litre detergent packs next to me and they'll be good for 3 or 4 shooters by themselves. That reminds me... the recycling bins should be out again tonight :naughty:

Amusingly enough the recycling bins are themselves made of HDPE  I wonder how many shooters I could get out of a 20kg plastic wheelie bin!?! :king:


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## Tube_Shooter (Dec 8, 2012)

No I'd best not go there my wife is having a new cooker delivered today,maybe when its had some use for food cooking :rofl:

Oh and I'm in a happy place right now my wife spends her spare cash on household essentials and I spend mine on slingshot stuffs haha!


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## lexlow (Aug 13, 2012)

any suggestions for tubes would be good, i have a tube shooter designed, and would like to buy a strong tube comparable with double tbg, and also one similar to single tbg.


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## Tube_Shooter (Dec 8, 2012)

lexlow said:


> any suggestions for tubes would be good, i have a tube shooter designed, and would like to buy a strong tube comparable with double tbg, and also one similar to single tbg.


A good start I would suggest 3050 looped tubes,they're fast suitable for 10mm lead but ok with 9.5mm steel too


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## Tube_Shooter (Dec 8, 2012)

P.S I have some I could send you to try PM me your addy


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## BC-Slinger (Jan 6, 2013)

Took a stab at this HDPE business and I can say it is fun and easy to work with. I really like the fact colors are endless and limitless to what you can find.

Here are a few pics of my first crack at it and it is my OTF/TTF Pitbull frame.


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## lexlow (Aug 13, 2012)

ok, so with just over a week to get pics in, we have:

beanflips entry

hicky micky

B_C slinger

and i believe i'm missing the pics of ash's entry and steg did you finish that white yellow and green one?


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## ash (Apr 23, 2013)

Here's mine.



I tried do do another two today but messed them both up. Re-melt tomorrow.


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## lexlow (Aug 13, 2012)

is comical that ya can do that aint it lol


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## ash (Apr 23, 2013)

Here's the two that I messed up. The router grabbed them and ripped them off the template. HDPE is too slippery for the locating pins, so I'll have to screw them down next time. Both of these have been recycled into new slabs.


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## lexlow (Aug 13, 2012)

yes ash, this stuff is def hard work, i have had soooo much trial and error getting it to the point i am, still a way to go, perfection would be nice, but hey.


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## ash (Apr 23, 2013)

I'm experimenting right now with another step towards perfection that might be of interest to you. I have a few bandsawed HDPE frames sitting in the hot sandwich press base with weight on top of them. I heated it up until the wobbly surface melted and then turned off the power. Hopefully, the melted surface will conform to the texture of the teflon coating and solidify to a nice consistent texture. I've tried it with another frame and it worked quite well.

Might be a good technique for smoothing up frames without having them warp or shrink.


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## lexlow (Aug 13, 2012)

i like the idea, and i would gues you get a little over spill on the edges after, but i should think it is very easy to snap of or run back on the router to skim it  nice work and good thinking (i expect nothing less from ash .

i will watch with interest ash, but also, i have become attached to my wobbly faces  part of my trademark i think lol.


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## ash (Apr 23, 2013)

Yeah, your shooters look ace on the front and back. The big one I did looks good, but the small ones warped heaps, so I'm doing them again both faces at once.


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## lexlow (Aug 13, 2012)

i have been told that i have been working till ten all week, and got the subtle impression i should be having a family day today. hint taken i have narrowed todays work schedule 

so ash, need a simple jig set up for putting a curve into the things, but it would have to be curved after the routing and rounding has been done...... obviously it can be touched up after (trimmed).

my tools and materials are : an electric paint stripper, various wood for frame etc,screws, metal from large milk tins,an oven, prob a few other simple things.

the idea is forming in my head, but, if anyone wants to try and come up with their own setup using those materials then :-D

bit like the apollo 13 thing 

that makes me the astronaut stuck in space, and you guys with the brains to get em there and back..... lol


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## Beanflip (Sep 11, 2010)

Here is a sling I cut this morning from the extra that squeezed out of my King Starboard melt. It's Geko's pattern. The first one I have made of his. I can't wait to shoot it.
View attachment 41297


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## Beanflip (Sep 11, 2010)




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## lexlow (Aug 13, 2012)

nice little shooter beanflip, when its unified like that, its surprising how strong it is aint it. four days to go i think if i'm correct.


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## Beanflip (Sep 11, 2010)

lexlow said:


> nice little shooter beanflip, when its unified like that, its surprising how strong it is aint it. four days to go i think if i'm correct.


 You bet! I love this stuff. I loved it before, but now that I can make patterns of color, I'm even more excited about it.


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## ash (Apr 23, 2013)

I have some blanks to cut tomorrow. Hopefully not of the self-destructing kind!


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## lexlow (Aug 13, 2012)

oven baked? or grilled lol


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## stej (Jan 16, 2013)

So excited to see your slingshots here. I made my first brick yesterday, so I'm curious whether I manage it to make one until deadline. I have only one hand saw and I suspect it will be a hard work .


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## lexlow (Aug 13, 2012)

i am sure you'l find a way, i have another comp idea after this one, it should be good, so dont fret if ya run out of time with limited tools, story of my life lol ask ash, our entries for the slingshot santa took ages through set backs  always worth taking ya time ;-)


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## Beanflip (Sep 11, 2010)




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## ash (Apr 23, 2013)

ZEBRA!


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## lexlow (Aug 13, 2012)

nice zebra :-D wicked paterns


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## ash (Apr 23, 2013)

Here are some attempts from the last few days. The green one at the bottom is the best overall.

Swedish Eggs

















The green ones will go back into the pot after I melted them trying to texture the face surfaces with the sandwich press:

























These ones got messed up on the router and went back into the pot to make the Abalone Tornado:

















The Abalone Tornado is the best of all of them:


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## lexlow (Aug 13, 2012)

love em all  bean i like the clean white, shows you know the best temp for your oven/heater.

and ash.. how did you get that effect, nice!


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## Lacumo (Aug 18, 2013)

The coloration on those bottom two is knockout! How did you achieve that effect?


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## lexlow (Aug 13, 2012)

i think its the result of using the toaster grill, all the folding and pressing makes the layers get thinner, but mostly stay seperate, except as some of you may know some hdpe (milk bottle tops especially) goes very runny, and kinda bleeds, top coloration to. one thing i wanna say ASH how close are you to making guitar parts :-D those colors would be so unique, i can see you are gonna be producing some very individual guitars ! (and of course slingshots)

ps i've always wanted to learn base guitar ;-)


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## stej (Jan 16, 2013)

I got a lot of bottle cups. So sometimes in the future, I'm going for a mixture of a lot of different color. I'm quite looking forward to it.

Ash, great work, love your determination


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## stej (Jan 16, 2013)

Btw, what would you use if you hadn't a router? Rasp and file (+ sand paper) leaves the surface rough..


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## lexlow (Aug 13, 2012)

there has been much discussion on that subject, in fact, truth be told, it was the search for the answer to that question that drove me to start threads here.

but since then i have found at least one way that works. shape your slingshot is part one. then sand it relatively smooth. then you can gat an ok result by using a stone wheel, i used a hobby drill one, yes it does clog alot, but it does leave a shiny finish.


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## B.P.R (Dec 28, 2012)

My absolute favourite... free.... homemade...floatable...deadly!


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## Beanflip (Sep 11, 2010)




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## treefork (Feb 1, 2010)

Nice Bean!


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## ash (Apr 23, 2013)

Another nice zebra 

That's definitely your style.



lexlow said:


> i think its the result of using the toaster grill, all the folding and pressing makes the layers get thinner, but mostly stay seperate, except as some of you may know some hdpe (milk bottle tops especially) goes very runny, and kinda bleeds, top coloration to. one thing i wanna say ASH how close are you to making guitar parts :-D those colors would be so unique, i can see you are gonna be producing some very individual guitars ! (and of course slingshots)
> 
> ps i've always wanted to learn base guitar ;-)


Yes, it's the flat press combined with folding. The green one was recycled from all those failures and offcuts, so it's a bit of a mishmash. Both of those are mostly plain hdpe chunks with the odd bit of black or solid white bottle caps mixed in. That's what makes the marble look, I think. When that's all a gooey pancake, I add a layer of one colour and start folding. then add another colour and fold a few more times until it's a thick block and then put it into a ceramic dish to press. I think it helps if the dish is warm/hot when you put the block in. A cold dish makes the bottom surface wrinkle. Maybe an oven-proof pyrex or metal dish and a shaped plywood top is the easy answer.



stej said:


> Btw, what would you use if you hadn't a router? Rasp and file (+ sand paper) leaves the surface rough..


I'd probably stick to wood 

HDPE with hand tools - coping saw, carving knife, small draw knife, drill, heat gun.

I would probably look into methods that minimise cutting. perhaps making a shaped mould and pressing the hot HDPE into it. Or perhaps making "sausages" of hot HDPE and bending/twisting/squeezing them together (using tongs and/or gloves) like you would use Play Doh or plasticine.


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## stej (Jan 16, 2013)

The zebra is a looker!


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## ash (Apr 23, 2013)

Another thought... Apart from the video, I usually use baking paper on the sandwich press, both sides of the HDPE blob. The blob sticks to it when it's hottest, but lets go as soon as the temp drops a bit. This makes it really easy to handle and shape because you can just grab the paper and fold it and then peel the paper back, or lift the whole thing up by the paper or press it to whatever shape you need.

Give it a try in the oven, perhaps in a flat dish or something. Perhaps it's possible to make a pancake and form it over a cylinder like a saucepan side before cutting into one of the pipe-based shooters.


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## stej (Jan 16, 2013)

ash said:


> Another thought... Apart from the video, I usually use baking paper on the sandwich press, both sides of the HDPE blob. The blob sticks to it when it's hottest, but lets go as soon as the temp drops a bit. This makes it really easy to handle and shape because you can just grab the paper and fold it and then peel the paper back, or lift the whole thing up by the paper or press it to whatever shape you need.
> 
> Give it a try in the oven, perhaps in a flat dish or something. Perhaps it's possible to make a pancake and form it over a cylinder like a saucepan side before cutting into one of the pipe-based shooters.


Yep, I also noticed how it sticks on the baking paper. Tried to whip off and saw that the hdpe can be easily shaped by hand (using gloves of course).

Also white HDPE is absolutely clear when hot and blurry when cooled down. And from my experience white HDPE doesn't stick as much as the colored bottle tops.


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## Withak (Aug 26, 2013)

I'm coming in to this thread far too late to participate, but I wanted to say there are some really amazing looking slingshots already posted. Great work folks. So a question for you - is there a thread that gives some detail on working with HDPE? I just recently watched a couple of YT videos that showed a guy using a sandwich press, another melting the HDPE in a pot in vegetable oil. What methods work best? I love the marbled look and would like to try this myself.


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## lexlow (Aug 13, 2012)

i got a couple of threads on here saying how, take a look at hdpe sheet, and hdpe micarta


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## ash (Apr 23, 2013)

Got a few more made today. Pics tomorrow.


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## lexlow (Aug 13, 2012)

nice one everyone, last entries in by six pm gmt on the 19th. so i make that 27 hours to go ;-)


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## stej (Jan 16, 2013)

Ok, ok, so now I have to find my mobile phone and take a picture


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## stej (Jan 16, 2013)

So I made two slingshots for this contest. The one on the right is from properly cut pieces with some bottle caps. The left one is made from layers that were laid one on the other. At the end I also thought that I don't have enough material so I added my very first attempt - pfs also from layers (green, black, white).

















Here some more detail:









This one is the old pfs now melted


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## lexlow (Aug 13, 2012)

nice one


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## ash (Apr 23, 2013)

OK, here are some more entries from me:

Tornado "Ocean"





  








hdpe 025




__
ash


__
Sep 19, 2013




Tornado "Ocean"






Tornado "Black Widow"





  








hdpe 040




__
ash


__
Sep 19, 2013




Nice colours and swirls in the Black Widow's fork gap.






Colt "Galaxy"





  








hdpe 035




__
ash


__
Sep 19, 2013


__
2



Colt "Galaxy" - names for the interstellar swirls on the back.






Tornado "Abalone"





  








hdpe 024




__
ash


__
Sep 19, 2013


__
2



Tornado "Abalone"

This was the first of the batch and came out very well. Probably keeper.






Fury "Slime"





  








hdpe 021




__
ash


__
Sep 19, 2013




Fury "Slime" Milk bottle, mayo lid, drink lid, lightproof bottle and detergent barrel.


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## lexlow (Aug 13, 2012)

i likey very much, tornado black widow 

ok, so tonight/ tomorrow morning, i will re post pics of all entries, then i will go over the vote process (easy peasy).

also have to do pics of all my stuff later for ebay blah.

some have said (non slingshot friends) that why encourage and tell people how to make things i want to sell online myself...... i have to tell them that i have learned ten times what i could have if i had just struggled through myself.

i cant wait for the next comp, its gonna be cool, not sure if its been done before


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## lexlow (Aug 13, 2012)

ok, thats it people, last entries are in . i will post pics tomorrow, but in the meantime, if aanyone wants to vote as they already know which slingshot then send a message to me, put the name of the slingshot if it has one, and the builder and the page number of the thread. as i said easy peasy 

i figured an anonymous vote, as everyone is so nice that i'm sure they will feel sorry for anyone who has a low vote 

ps i will give a run down of the votes and post a screen pic or something if anyone dont trust me :-D


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## lexlow (Aug 13, 2012)

as i predicted, i got far to engrossed in shed work to do what i said i would do  but i think everyone knows what one they want to vote for lol. i have only had two pm votes in as yet :-o


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## alfshooter (May 11, 2011)

Thank you very much guys, excellent information and experimental work.

Greetings ..... Alf


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## stej (Jan 16, 2013)

At conference, going to vote during the weekend.


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## lexlow (Aug 13, 2012)

we have votes in from stej ash bard and lacumo , results thursday  when whoever wins gets the choice of old red or any of the new designs in any of the available colors


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## lexlow (Aug 13, 2012)

well as quiet as this thread has gone, there is still a winner, and although a small group, the results were excellent and showed me loads 

the winning slingshot was beanflips very nice zebra patterned second attempt wow, nice.

http://slingshotforum.com/uploads/monthly_09_2013/post-744-13793790628633_thumb.jpg

so now as said beanflip, either have the old red, or take a look at the ones in the for sale album and pic a design, and a color variation and it'll be on its way to you, well done.

i must say well done to everyone though, and ash.... you got alot of votes but they all loved a different slingshot.


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## stej (Jan 16, 2013)

Congrats Beanflip Ash, you made a many a great slingshots. Maybe too many for this competition 

Thanks everyone, it was great fun!


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## squirrel squasher (May 17, 2013)

Congrats bean flip. Good thing I did not have to vote it would have been too hard.


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## ash (Apr 23, 2013)

Nice one ******! I voted for your Zebra. 

I'm going to keep the Abalone one for myself and make the others available for trade or offers. Lexlow gets first call on the Black Widow in thanks for his sharing of info about HDPE working and this contest.

Nice work, everyone!


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## Btoon84 (Nov 22, 2011)

Very cool! This was a fun thread to follow. Congrats Beanflip.


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## lexlow (Aug 13, 2012)

yes indeed ash, you was just to good for your own good lol. but everyone did great, really really liked everyones results. i will definatelt be pm'ing you later ash ;-)

where be beanflip?


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## Beanflip (Sep 11, 2010)

Thank you everyone. Especially you Lexlow. You started it all buddy. It's been fun creating together and seeing everyone's efforts.


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## Beanflip (Sep 11, 2010)

ash said:


> Nice one ******! I voted for your Zebra.
> 
> I'm going to keep the Abalone one for myself and make the others available for trade or offers. Lexlow gets first call on the Black Widow in thanks for his sharing of info about HDPE working and this contest.
> 
> Nice work, everyone!


Thanks Ash. Your Galaxy mix was beautiful. So much work! Fantastic!


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## Individual (Nov 6, 2013)

Another contest like this would be awesome xD

Learnt a lot just by reading through

After I gather enough.

I'l be attempting myself.

I'l be melting on a small tray, and folding in the oven

Then putting it into a mould.

and waiting to cool.

Then cut of the rest, use a rotary tool to smooth the edges, then metal file and sand.

Will I be good to go then?


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## lexlow (Aug 13, 2012)

nup lol, well not from my experience anyway, i always machine blade each frame, sanding for me, always ended in a rough finish, but i think some others have had some success with torching the surface ? Go to the hdpe sheet tutorial and chuck a question on there mate, don't be put off, you will have a nice cattie at the end of a little bit of trying i am sure.

good luck


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