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Earlier this week, I rigged up some nice natural Gum rubber that I have. I usually shoot single strap- tapered .030" latex but was looking for something that lasted longer. Rigged up the Gum set on my current favorite slingshot (changes every month-sound familiar?) Anyway,took the first shot and completely missed the catchbox from 10 meters! After a few shots still not hitting the box-going way high-I checked the frame,everything was fine. What's up? Rechecked band length and also the cut and everything seemed okay. I was having to adjust my aim to a spot nearly a foot under the target to get anywhere near it!. This was crazy! I took everything off and re-tied being very careful of placement. I cut an inch off the end bringing the set up to 90% of max figuring that may help. Still wild shooting way off the mark! Finally I noticed something very faint, it was the mating line where the manufacturers mate two long strips of material on the belt to form one big continuos roll when coming out of the extruder. Usually I pick this mating line up when I get my rolls of rubber. This one was done so expertly I missed it on first glance. What I found was that at the weld the material was considerably thinner(never saw that happen before) on one side then the other. I had happened to cut the bands exactly down the one thin side and the other thicker side. I threw that thinner piece away and cut a new band and was fine after that. I've seen attachment lines on rubber before and I usually cut that section out. This was a first for me. Talk about something driving you crazy! I'm very glad I got this set instead of one of my customers! You never stop learning about this little forked stick of ours! Flatband
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