# I Need Slingshot making Tips



## Aries666 (Feb 22, 2014)

So I thimk its about that time. I have very crafty hands and its time ti roll up my sleeves and make some naturals. So I plan to start off with some y shape firewood sized pieces and just whittle out the shape I want. That's my plan. But so far that all I got so if you guys could give me a tip out two that would be great. Like should my wood be cut from live or dead? How do I know if what I have selected is worth msking into a slingshot (other thsn its shape)
Thatnks


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## Sunchierefram (Nov 16, 2013)

Either live or dead is fine. Just make sure it's strong and stable.


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## ghost0311/8541 (Jan 6, 2013)

Any wood that has a nut or fruit on it hard woods.


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## Narcaleptic sling shotter (Feb 27, 2014)

One thing you should be careful about is if the fork isn't dry before you work, it will crack! If you cut a branch off a live tree wait atleast Two weeks to start working. If you do notice a crack cover in wood glue or latex paint.

-Nathanael


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## Aries666 (Feb 22, 2014)

Thanks


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## Aries666 (Feb 22, 2014)

One more question to anyone who can help. So far I have done everything by hand. Just a saw and sandpaper. I plan to get in a little deeper as far as the complexity. What power tools should I never be without???


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## MagicTorch100 (Jun 4, 2013)

Hi Aries

All the usual power tools would probably be very useful, belt sander, drill press, band saw etc. You probably can't go far wrong with a decent Dremel, with the right attachments they do most things.
I'd love to add a band saw to my bench, all the other jobs I'm happy doing by hand


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## Marnix (Mar 29, 2014)

The dremel is a great idea, and has helped me immensely. I use the sanding band accessory the most by far though. If you aren't ready to make the investments for expensive power tools, you have two ways to go. Low budget and Low medium. Medium/High would be the tools Magictorch listed. I use all the tools I am listing here.

Low budget- More extensive hand tools(Can all be had for under $20)

1. Tree saw for cutting limbs for natural slingshots

2. An assortment of rasps and files. Rasps are amazing for rough shaping, and files for finer work. Even though I own some fancier tools, and I can do this very well with the dremel, I still use the rasps extensively because they are easier and require less setup.

3. Sanding sponges: These are easier for contours than sandpaper

4. Perhaps the most important of this whole list: A coping saw. For less than $10 you can own one of the best ways to cut curves and tight corners. This is the hand tool equivalent of a band/scroll saw

Medium- Low budget: Simpler power tools( Can be had for under $100

1. A palm sander. I use a $50 model. They use 1/4 sheets of normal sandpaper, and while they can't sand corners and curves, they do well on the rougher (up to 220) grit of sanding on the flat part of boardcuts

2. A drill. Useful not only for drilling holes for pins and drilling out curves a saw may not be able to make, but when combined with a drum/spindle sander attachment can also sand corners and curves

3. A corded Dremel for curves, and also for cutting/grinding metal pin rods.

4. A scroll saw. A little bit higher end, but much cheaper than a bandsaw for cutting curves. A motorized coping saw.

Hope this helps a little.

Marnix


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## PorkChopSling (Jan 17, 2013)

I'll second what Marnix said 

Have a Harbor Fright around, good place for cheap tools.

And, to add to the list some claps for lam work, butt caps and fork tips. Also very helpful is a bench clamp, or you can take two large wood clamps to use as kind of a bench clamp, I did that for months until my wife got me a Jawhorse, which I love.

Good luck!!


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## Greavous (Sep 29, 2013)

Aries666 said:


> One more question to anyone who can help. So far I have done everything by hand. Just a saw and sandpaper. I plan to get in a little deeper as far as the complexity. What power tools should I never be without???


All of them if you ask me! But the above recommendations are all solid advice.

The lessons Ive learned over the years cant be summed up in a post but when it comes to making most anything from wood:

If you are shaping wood by hand with basic tools try to think of it as a progression. "Roughing in/out" a shape is just that, ROUGH so dont be using tools which leave ultra fine results. Examples would include.... dont use a file to do the job of a rasp when roughing out a shape. A suitable file will clean up the rough traces of a rasp in no time. The same applies to sand paper use. If you are after some contour use a piece of 36 grit and bang it out, then move to the finer grits. I hold myself to a personal rule when sanding... never push around dull sandpaper. Not saying waste paper but you can sure waste a lot of time if you are too tight with the fresh paper. The main concept is to turn large scratches into fine scratches in progression.


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## Djones02021985 (Apr 9, 2014)

at the moment i'm doing all my work with a hand saw, diving knife, cheap metal file and sandpaper. not the easiest.


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