# gotta love enthusiasm



## caterpillar (Sep 19, 2017)

I was watching a video, gamekeeper I think. I notice he and others make a pinky hole! What is the purpose of said orifice?
Also the distance between the arms is there accepted dimensions or more a visual thing.


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## jazz (May 15, 2012)

pinky hole is for pinky finger to stuck it in.. makes better grip

there are no obligatory dimensions between hands, but once when you decide how you are going to hold the slingshot and where to anchor the pouch, then when you measure that distance you get the "dimension" - or I misunderstood your question in which case sorry.

cheers,

jazz


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## Hobbit With A Slingshot (Mar 14, 2017)

If by 'difference between the arms' you mean the difference between fork tips, then no, there is no single fork width, and some (pickle fork people I'm looking at you) have used just a single stick with no fork. It's all personal preference. Hope this helps


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## mattwalt (Jan 5, 2017)

Apparently narrower forks are slower than wide ones and more prone to fork-hits... But its down to preference - grip / hand size / pocket ability etc.

Pinkie holes allow for your little finger to 'lock' into a frame thereby a more repeatable grip - which should help accuracy. It also can also help prevent a loss of grip in some cases and being smacked in the face by a an unruly frame (finger acts like a stop) - a little bit like a lanyard would do...


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## scouser (Jul 18, 2017)

mattwalt said:


> Apparently narrower forks are slower than wide ones and more prone to fork-hits... But its down to preference - grip / hand size / pocket ability etc.
> 
> Pinkie holes allow for your little finger to 'lock' into a frame thereby a more repeatable grip - which should help accuracy. It also can also help prevent a loss of grip in some cases and being smacked in the face by a an unruly frame (finger acts like a stop) - a little bit like a lanyard would do...


Hi Mattwalt,

I have currently read about this "fork width and speed" thing and I think you might be wrong. Provided that you adjust the band length of the different slingshots with different fork width appropriately (the active band length has to be different because the distance between the fork tip and the anchoir point is not the same, the fork tip of a wider fork is further from the anchoir point) one can achieve a higher speed with a narrower fork.

However a wider fork might be faster in case you apply the same band with same geometry, no matter you will not maintain the 5:1 draw length:active band length "rule".

You can find some more information about it here (http://slingshotforum.com/topic/21898-fork-width-and-speed-two-different-test-results/). Charles wrote a much better summary about it than me.


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## mattwalt (Jan 5, 2017)

This was based on testing done by Bill Hays.






More speed is generally down to draw length - then longer the draw the more energy can be transferred to the projectile. In fact if you watch John;'s video you'll see he's getting a much longer draw on the PFS (not surprising with the setup)... hence more speed. Not exactly the most scientific testing I've ever seen. As you sort of point out - you'd need to adjust the elastic length to get the correct draw - so using the same length and widening the forks is actually not an accurate approach. The wider forks would require more elastic to make up for the width difference.

Actually a thought: Projectile release point. I suspect the ammo would leave the pouch later in the return on a wider fork, which also would add some energy. You probably find there so little discernible difference.


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## scouser (Jul 18, 2017)

mattwalt said:


> This was based on testing done by Bill Hays.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Now, I'm totally confused.  I saw the other three videos of Bill (see the below links) which were not fully representative (the same 5:1 ratio was not provided in all cases) but I have not seen this forth one that you show me before.
















Now I can just say what Bill said at the end of his video "it goes against all logic but that is just the way it is", no matter what the vectors addition rules are.


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## mattwalt (Jan 5, 2017)

LOL. We need Tremo to sort this out once and for all.

" Its pure science, science. OK..." - thats definitive enough for me.


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## scouser (Jul 18, 2017)

"It does not matter what the science, physics say behind it, reality is what counts here..."

This is my problem. I'm a freakin engineer, for me science does count.


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## mattwalt (Jan 5, 2017)

Well - the vectoring aspect of it is interesting.

My assumptions.

1: I would assume it adds leverage. So the wider the forks are the band is contracting in the direction of the fork. So the centre path would be faster than if the bands were almost parallel to the path?

2: I would assume as the bands are under slightly more tension at 'relaxed' position that the pouch would be in contact with the projectile for a longer period of the energy transfer cycle = more speed.

The last video you have of Bill measuring the draw force - is odd though - didn't expect that. As I assumed as Charles mentioned in the other post - as you go wider the more the bands are required to stretch - so assumably the more force required...

it seems elastic has some freaky-dark-magic-mojo...


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## scouser (Jul 18, 2017)

mattwalt said:


> Well - the vectoring aspect of it is interesting.
> 
> My assumptions.
> 
> ...


As you say in your first point, the centre path should be faster (the projectile spends less time in the pouch) in case of wider forks. But in that case the energy transfer cycle time should also be less than in case of the "paralell" bands (narrower forks) where the bands have more time to transfer the energy due to the longer projectile transporting rout.

I do not know... The more I think about it the more I get the feeling this is a kind of thing that should be accapted not understood (like in case woman).


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## mattwalt (Jan 5, 2017)

No sorry. The ball is in the pouch for more of the distance (may not be time) - so more energy transfer. - with wider forks. At least how I see it.

But I think you are correct. Elastic is slightly more difficult to grasp than my wife... just...


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## caterpillar (Sep 19, 2017)

Thanks guys for interpreting my terminology I did in deed mean forks!


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## VAshooter (Feb 10, 2015)

What does this have to do with having fun?


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