[Ubamajuba]

I have been wondering lately about the tips of my slingshot. Im shooting OTT, gangster and use the flat of the tips to see if i hold the frame in the right posission. Ive seen lots of frames with curved tips, but why? Some one mentioned that you only want 1 edge, does the curved tips/tops, why is this?

Are there any pros/cons for curved/flat tips/tops? i ask because im wondering if i should mod my frame a bit.

/uba

 

[mattwalt]

The curved tips can help align the bands through the draw - larger benefit when using tubes. They can look cool though

There is a possibility that it could result in a (extremely) slight uneven band length if bands aren't 100% centred (though the reason to have them is to aid alignment) - where flat tops would mitigate this as they would simply follow their own line. Also when making your own forks its much easier to get the tips flat accurately.

So probably the pros and cons even out.

 

[Winnie]

Your technique uses a portion of the slingshot as a sight or reference point when shooting. Many of us shoot "instinctively" in that we do not aim but feel where the shot will/should go. When you are shooting instinctively it makes no difference how the forks are shaped. It sort of frees you up.

 

[Ubamajuba]

So nothing to do with extending band life. Thnx for the input. Maybe another 10 years and i can shoot instinctively too

 

[SLINGDUDE]

It really boils down to user preference. Any difference in band life would be negligible.

 

[stevekt]

The round tips on an Ocularis slingshot also allow you to position the band at OTT, TTF, or any angle in between. I believe Nathan Masters likes to shoot his Axiom Ocularis with the bands at a 45 degree angle from the fork tips.

 

[raventree78]

I aim with the top corner of the frame so I got rid of my rounded off frames. I found through trial and error that this is what works for me, but we are all different that is what keeps it fun

 

[skropi]

When I shoot OTT, I don't hard aim, I rely more on feel, so, even though I prefer flat tips for an easier reference, it really doesn't matter much. On the other hand, when I shoot TTF, I do hard aim, but because of the TTF band orientation, I don't care at all about fork tip shape.
All in all, for me, there is a very very minor preference for flat tips, but it is so minor that I don't even pay attention to it.

 

[urbanshooter]

For OTT, concave curved tips help to seat tubes when drawn back but it probably doesn't matter for flatbands. If you shoot tubes, you'll probably like the concave. If you shoot flatbands you'll probably prefer the tip to be flat. In the end it doesn't matter cos we tend to build up a collection of frames and use different set-ups for different frames. You'll just do whatever works best for a given frame...

 

[jazz]

Hi Ubamajuba,

There are four ways I make tips, as in the picture below:

One, I make somewhat rounded tips, half a circle you might say, of course, in practice it is only close so (as in a);

Two, I make tips so that they resemble catenary function, again, only close so (as in b

Three, flat tips (as in c);

And four, flat tips with the top line slightly slanted down so that the contact of the rubber and the tips is minimal (as in d).

There are two criteria for selection for me in this case: coolness and precision.

Since in many aspects of slingshot shooting I am more after things that are cool than after those that allow me somewhat higher precision (as in OTT which I find more cool vs TTF with which I am more precise), my order of preference is from left to right, as in the picture below:

cheers,

jazz

 

[skropi]

Hi Ubamajuba,

There are four ways I make tips, as in the picture below:

One, I make somewhat rounded tips, half a circle you might say, of course, in practice it is only close so (as in a);

Two, I make tips so that they resemble catenary function, again, only close so (as in b

Three, flat tips (as in c);

And four, flat tips with the top line slightly slanted down so that the contact of the rubber and the tips is minimal (as in d).

There are two criteria for selection for me in this case: coolness and precision.

Since in many aspects of slingshot shooting I am more after things that are cool than after those that allow me somewhat higher precision (as in OTT which I find more cool vs TTF with which I am more precise), my order of preference is from left to right, as in the picture below:
tips.jpg

cheers,

jazz

And I thought I was the only one putting style higher in hierarchy than precision ????

 

[MikeyLikesIt]

Hi Ubamajuba,

There are four ways I make tips, as in the picture below:

One, I make somewhat rounded tips, half a circle you might say, of course, in practice it is only close so (as in a);

Two, I make tips so that they resemble catenary function, again, only close so (as in b

Three, flat tips (as in c);

And four, flat tips with the top line slightly slanted down so that the contact of the rubber and the tips is minimal (as in d).

There are two criteria for selection for me in this case: coolness and precision.

Since in many aspects of slingshot shooting I am more after things that are cool than after those that allow me somewhat higher precision (as in OTT which I find more cool vs TTF with which I am more precise), my order of preference is from left to right, as in the picture below:
tips.jpg

cheers,

jazz

And I thought I was the only one putting style higher in hierarchy than precision

Nah, I'm with you guys. I'd rather miss a barn while looking cool with a stylish frame than cut a card with an ugly/functional frame. Of course the best of both worlds is available, you just have to look for those gems!