[BaneofSmallGame]

Hello again everyone,

Yes, I've been dragging my wagon but I've had a ton of time sit around at home so I set up a little working station in my mud room to pass some time and get some work done where its warm. I cut the basic frame out of some scrap oak with a jig saw about a week ago but I just got going on it on Wednesday with hand tools only. I actually finished it up that day as I was working at quite a pace in order to see how fast I could do an oak boardcut by hand for future reference....The shape was actually partially inspired by the recent works of Mxred and Hrawk, and the wonderful boardcuts from Chaneke_Josh.....I basically just made some basic measurements to my liking in a frame, and then free handed the rest, so it is really a one off. Just another sturdy frame to have around.

Yesterday it went off to the staining station for some colonial maple (yes on oak, it's a bit strange)........after 2 coats, it looks good! There is some spots where it pooled up a bit because there is a small amount of inconsistency in some spots as seasoned oak is tough to work by hand. Other than that it's a good looking color that brings out the grain quite well.

I strapped up with some thera-gold that I cut a long time ago and never really got around to using. It's folded and its tapered.. 1 1/8" x 3/4" x 9 3/4" .. it works great stretching back to my 31" draw and I don't think it's maximized in stretching so that should help with longevity. Did some shooting today with it, I was again impressed by the power, but I'm no big thera-band fan. To me it's too fussy measure, cut, strap up, and readjust after every shot. And it won't last as long as most of my other bands...yes I realize there are makers out there with very long lasting thera-band sets, but I'm just going by those made by me. To each their own.....I have quite a bit of the stuff I got for a free so yes I plan on using it in spurts, but I wouldn't take it hunting with me

Some pics before banding up so you can see the grain and the grip on it better. It has a 2 1/2 in fork gap as well, perfect for those new to slinging. click to enlarge:

Nothing to special, and certainly a far cry from perfection. In all honesty I made it to be a frame for new shooters, or those I don't trust to much, to shoot with me. You never want a newbie flinging hex nuts down range on one of your treasured beauties!

I hope you like, I'd love to hear you comments, it certainly was a joy to craft with simple files and sandpaper. I'm certainly no master craftsman with boardcuts, they simply aren't my forte, but I'll continue to make them and shoot them on occassion as I enjoy everything that has to do with slingshots.

Take Care - John

 

[mxred91]

John you have been busy, the beech fork and this oak board cut. I never thought about a wide grip (2-1/4?). I will have to give that a try. I am not sure if it would fit my average size hands, it does seem like a good idea. I just used oak for the first time (in a slingshot). It is nice to work with. Do you have a 4 in hand rasp? It makes short work of shaping.

Chuck S.

 

[Dayhiker]

That's the kind of slingshot that will slip easy into your back pocket, right? Nice for a concealed hunter. You did a real good job with the bands and pouch too.

Good work, John.

 

[lucifer93]

Great job again John, i don't think you can beat a nice oak board cut.

 

[Nico]

I like it John and I can see many variations to attachment methods with your frame which we can talk about later..
A wide handle is perfect and comfortable in large hands like mine and its why I enjoy thicker naturals: notice I said enjoy not prefer as I have been deadly accurate with medium width forks as well. Good work John..

Nico

 

[Nico]

That's the kind of slingshot that will slip easy into your back pocket, right? Nice for a concealed hunter. You did a real good job with the bands and pouch too.

Good work, John.

Concealed hunter

Tu tioricas mi totacha

Thou speaketh mine language..

 

[BaneofSmallGame]

Thank you so much everyone, always good to hear it from all of you, makes me want to go out and turn out another...and another...and another...

Seems I have been quite a busy bee Mx, I did that ergo fork this week as well....
As to the width of the finger grip, I'd say thats about 2 5/8" wide, yes pretty wide but I have large hands so it's comfortable for me. And as to the 4 way rasp, indeed I do have and use one very often, I'm just down in the dumps with pneumonia so it was slow work as I was weak with the file.

Ahh yes Nico and DH, although it is larger than many of my naturals, this would conceal well...for lets just say urban hunting environments....
La tecnología ajena obsesionado gente de este mundo moderno no se dará cuenta de una muerte rápida y limpia por las manos de este aguijón poco !.... justo debajo de la nariz, así

It is hard to beat a nice solid oak boardcut, it'll certainly last for me.....I plan on drilling 1/4" tube holes in the forks tomorrow, in hopes to accommodate some round solids I ordered for the coming week. I will update you when it's strapped up with them. By that time, with the wide forks and hefty long lasting laccy, it'll be on the fast track to getting quite bit of run as a go to stone hunter.

Take everyone, thanks for the compliments
- John

 

[e~shot]

 

[ZDP-189]

That's a good effort and a fine result, John.

Consider making your handles narrow enough to wrap uour fingers round.

 

[Dan the Slingshot Man]

really nice what type of oak is it

 

[BaneofSmallGame]

That's a good effort and a fine result, John.

Consider making your handles narrow enough to wrap uour fingers round.

Thank you Dan, always good to here it from you........as to the handle, honestly it's great as is. Like Nico said, the beefy rounded handle is better suited for the size of my hands. I crafted it just that way so as to have it more comfortable to shoot. This slingshot, as it was basically free measured to my preferred sizes and shape, is an excellent fit to hand. I greatly appreciate your tips, but at least in this case, I'll get along with the handle just fine.

@ Dan as to the type of oak, I'm not entirely sure, just seasoned oak from the off-cut pile.

My solid laccy will ship ship out Monday, fingers crossed for fast shipping and good shooting .......I cannot wait to strap up on this frame with them......then you'll have an update.

Cheers - John

 

[jmplsnt]

Hi John....looks like a good shooter. I like it and hope it gives you good service.

You're a smart man to have a "user" for "company" that "wants" to shoot. People don't understand how much effort goes into one of these and when they ruin something they just hand it to you and walk off. I don't like that at all.....had one of my all-time favorites ruined like that, though I did recently resurrect it from the dead. In fact, I'll have to do a post on it after I get home later this week.

Keep us posted on how it works and it's good to see you become a well-rounded shooter with the naturals, board cuts, tubes, stones, solids, flatbands, tabs, chains, and the list goes on.....

 

[BCLuxor]

Is that pouch Basket Ball leather? If so how does it hold up somebody posted a while back about using this but never put back anything about the performance....

Nice fork btw!

 

[BaneofSmallGame]

Yes indeed it is Luxor, I was the one who posted about it and at this point I have about 6 pouches of the stuff. Yet, as I said in that thread it is just to darn cold here to do any extensive shooting. So no pouch has been subject to anything past 75 shots. To that point though, they have all held up perfectly fine......and they are very light and supple so I prefer them at this point.

Here is the thread: http://slingshotforu...her-experiment/

Cheers
- John