[wilbanba]

http://cgi.ebay.com/Bowfishing-Slingbow-/260588419782?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3cac47bac6

not my auction
i thought it was interesting for three reasons:
1. who is going to pay 100 for a slingshot?!
2. attachment method at the pouch - looks like the tubes are inverted with a ball detente
3. odd colored wood for handle (rainbow eucalyptus perhaps?)

 

[pelleteer]

That's one of Randy Edwards' Bow Fishing Slingshots (Falcon Archery). THe handle is dyed laminated hardwood. The "pouch" is a piece of bowstring with a paracord loop for shooting fiberglass fishing arrows. The $100 price tag is surprising. They used to sell at SlingshotsUSA for about $50 with a standard hardwood grip (poplar, IIRC), and the custom grip was like $20 or so extra (again, IIRC). Check out some of the vids:

Bow Fishing Slingshot

 

[ZDP-189]

I reckon spending $100 is better than the time I'd spend scratch-making one.

 

[JoergS]

The attachment seems to be the knot-in-tube method, IMHO the best pouch attachment for tubular rubber.

The slingshot shoots heavy arrows, so the usage of tubes is OK, the arrows will fly fairly slow anyway.

100 dollars is OK for a handmade product like that. Come on, how many hours did the maker invest? Keep in mind what a plumber charges per hour. At that rate, the slingshot would have to cost like 400 dollars.

 

[harpersgrace]

That's one of Randy Edwards' Bow Fishing Slingshots (Falcon Archery). THe handle is dyed laminated hardwood. The "pouch" is a piece of bowstring with a paracord loop for shooting fiberglass fishing arrows. The $100 price tag is surprising. They used to sell at SlingshotsUSA for about $50 with a standard hardwood grip (poplar, IIRC), and the custom grip was like $20 or so extra (again, IIRC). Check out some of the vids:

Bow Fishing Slingshot

Looked kind of interesting so I went to his web site looks like he tried mass-producing for a while till his manufacture failed to produce the product and then he went back to hand making them which probably explains the price difference.

 

[Brooklyn00003]

I think it is expensive .Anyway the last one he sold it for 50 bucks.

 

[pelleteer]

Looked kind of interesting so I went to his web site looks like he tried mass-producing for a while till his manufacture failed to produce the product and then he went back to hand making them which probably explains the price difference.

Ah! Too bad the mass production thing didn't work out. I hope he can find someone else eventually to get things going on a large scale again.

 

[harpersgrace]

I think it is expensive .Anyway the last one he sold it for 50 bucks.

So do I, but then I make my own or buy 50 yr old Wham O's and Victor's so it's really not my thing. I'm sure there are people who think it's more than reasonable.

 

[NightKnight]

100 dollars is OK for a handmade product like that. Come on, how many hours did the maker invest? Keep in mind what a plumber charges per hour. At that rate, the slingshot would have to cost like 400 dollars.

I agree 100%! People's expectation of the cost of hand made equipment is very unrealistic. I think it actually hurts the innovation of the slingshot industry.

 

[A+ Slingshots]

100 dollars is OK for a handmade product like that. Come on, how many hours did the maker invest? Keep in mind what a plumber charges per hour. At that rate, the slingshot would have to cost like 400 dollars.

I agree 100%! People's expectation of the cost of hand made equipment is very unrealistic. I think it actually hurts the innovation of the slingshot industry.
[/quote]

I totally agree with both Joerg's and your assessment Aaron. Even small wooden slingshots and bands like I make take considerable time, tools, and effort to produce. There seems to be a bit of a "It's only a slingshot!" mentality that many people have especially here in the USA. Maybe it's because of "childhood toy" status that still has a grip on slingshots for many.

 

[sanjay]

I bought one from him directly last year and it is a solid, well-crafted product. He even sent me a couple of arrows since I didn't own any. It is built like a tank and very solid. Mine doesn't have the fancy handle though- just wooden.

 

[christopher]

I guess the market will decide if it's value holds to its cost.

For me that's over the top pricey. The value of $100 (US) is much more valuable to me than what the news reports about the value of the dollar is. Whether that took him an hour or 6 months, I couldn't see spending $100 on bent steel, some wood, surgical tubing, and some string regardless how many time or how long his hands had to touch it. He would have to had the Pope bless it, before I'd think about slapping down five twenties for it. I bet the quality of craftsmanship is good if not excellent, but is it so good I couldn't do the exact same thing at a quarter of the asking price myself? Like Trumark's story has it, the first was made on the bumper of a car.

For the record I think an all chrome "W" design with roller bearings I'd probably pay $100 for. Because that's something that has far advancing mechanical design over cut wood or simple bent rod.

But that's just how I see things.

 

[Brooklyn00003]

Hmmm There is this guy on the Uk Ebay he sells handmade wooden slingshots for 0.99 and shipping 3.50 nobody seems to buy it now . He started to sell them for 0.99 and 1 pound for shipping people bought them .He even sell them with there band gold as well. They look nice, handmade. I cant imagine how it worth for him to sell them .I wonder if he is here on this forum???

 

[ZDP-189]

Got a link?

 

[Brooklyn00003]

Got a link?

http://cgi.ebay.co.u...=item335c658c52 He just reduced the shipping back to 1.50 great deal! Anybody who wants to buy check it out.Its virtualy free now lol.

 

[A+ Slingshots]

All I know is that one of the truths I've learned in life is "You get what you pay for!"

 

[harpersgrace]

and it's only worth what someone is willing to pay.

 

[pelleteer]

http://cgi.ebay.co.u...=item335c658c52 He just reduced the shipping back to 1.50 great deal! Anybody who wants to buy check it out.Its virtualy free now lol.

Doesn't look too bad. I've never seen the Dankung fork attachment method on a wood catty before. Looks like he did a fine job of it, but I'd make sure the front edges of the band holes were well chamfered so as not to wear into the bands just behind the bearings. That would be easy enough to do on your own with a countersink, though. I hope one of our UK members will give one a go and report on it (hint, hint

).

 

[A+ Slingshots]

and it's only worth what someone is willing to pay.

Agreed.... and their market will be the same as mine... those who can't or don't want to make for themselves or who are collectors. I hope they find a big market and do well.

 

[harpersgrace]

and it's only worth what someone is willing to pay.

Agreed.... and their market will be the same as mine... those who can't or don't want to make for themselves or who are collectors. I hope they find a big market and do well.

[/quote]

So do I, the bigger the market the better the variety of product available at all price ranges, more diversity and innovation is better for everyone.