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Proud

3K views 28 replies 16 participants last post by  Flatband 
#1 ·
As of November 9th I’ve been a member of the Forum for 12 years but have only posted around 1,300 times.
If you were to subtract 300-400 of those as being one or two liners related to encouraging contestants in the half dozen or so contests that I have hosted then my yearly average has been well under 100 posts per year.
I’m proud of that number.
I marvel at those who crank out thousands of posts in a year or many thousands in a few years. There are exceptions to this of course. (One of the several exceptions is Tag who is a World Class Encourager - I’ve got nothing but admiration and appreciation for Tag.)
Every post I have ever written has been grounded in the knowledge I have gained through experience and experimentation and near-obsessive consideration of assorted variables within the sport.
I have only a scroll saw and something like a Dremel (I’m a retired dentist), a knife and assorted grades of sandpaper. No vise - every slingshot I have ever made has been made in my lap.
I’ve made slingshots out of assorted types of wood stock, natural forks, walrus ivory, boiled leather, plastic, assorted micarta types, cow hoofs, horn, antler, bone and more.
I’ve built more naturals and off-set naturals than I can think of. Slingshots with built-in ball storage and magnetic dispensers. Push button dispensers. Double ended slingshots. BB Shooters that fit on a keyring. Keyring shooters with band storage compartments. Many slingshots that will unfold or be assembled from out of an Altoids tin (slingshots that disassemble, compact slingshots that hinge open, swivel and lock. (Love and still occasionally use my mini Altoids starship)).
I’ve taught Slingshot Building Classes and given away a hundred slingshots or more through the years.
I’ve cut hundreds and hundreds of bands of varying lengths and tapers ranging from full butterfly, which I shot for years, to half butterfly to “short” butterfly down to mini bands to fit keychain shooters.
For many years I chronographed nearly everything I made for the various loads and band combinations I built.
For ten years I cut and molded all of my pouches using assorted leathers.
I’ve shot mostly steel but have also both purchased and poured my own assorted lead loads as well.
And, for 10 years I’ve carried a slingshot in my pocket, literally, all of the time and, as a result, taken thousands of shots at times and in places that others simply never considered.
But, I’ve averaged fewer than a hundred “real”posts per year.
I like to think that when I do post that it is practical, helpful and grounded in experience. I hope I’m right.
It’s been a good 12 years!
 
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#12 ·
G
Whytey,
I love guys like you. What you just wrote represents the first time in 12 years that anyone has come after and insulted me or anyone else here on the Forum that I have seen.
You, of course, don’t represent the first sanctimonious person I’ve come across over the years that has attempted to insinuate or advance themselves within a group by putting others down. Just the first I’ve seen in my 12 years here on theForum.
It’s fascinating that you do so under the guise of promoting/protecting …”the current social and welcoming atmosphere “… here on the Forum.
Pretty interesting racket you’re running. How’s that social and welcoming BS working for you at home?
 
#7 ·
Doc, if I could ever live up to your example I'd be proud too. You've led a life of exceptional service to your family, patients, and fellow hobbyists. Your banding advice alone has saved me money and bags of aggravation. It is an honor to share this board with you. Sling on Doc, this place wouldn't be the same without you!

PS- Normally not a gusher, but I felt compelled.
 
#8 ·
As of November 9th I’ve been a member of the Forum for 12 years but have only posted around 1,300 times.
If you were to subtract 300-400 of those as being one or two liners related to encouraging contestants in the half dozen or so contests that I have hosted then my yearly average has been well under 100 posts per year.
I’m proud of that number.
I marvel at those who crank out thousands of posts in a year or many thousands in a few years. There are exceptions to this of course. (One of the several exceptions is Tag who is a World Class Encourager - I’ve got nothing but admiration and appreciation for Tag.)
Every post I have ever written has been grounded in the knowledge I have gained through experience and experimentation and near-obsessive consideration of assorted variables within the sport.
I have only a scroll saw and something like a Dremel (I’m a retired dentist), a knife and assorted grades of sandpaper. No vise - every slingshot I have ever made has been made in my lap.
I’ve made slingshots out of assorted types of wood stock, natural forks, walrus ivory, boiled leather, plastic, assorted micarta types, cow hoofs, horn, antler, bone and more.
I’ve built more naturals and off-set naturals than I can think of. Slingshots with built-in ball storage and magnetic dispensers. Push button dispensers. Double ended slingshots. BB Shooters that fit on a keyring. Keyring shooters with band storage compartments. Many slingshots that will unfold or be assembled from out of an Altoids tin (slingshots that disassemble, compact slingshots that hinge open, swivel and lock. (Love and still occasionally use my mini Altoids starship)).
I’ve taught Slingshot Building Classes and given away a hundred slingshots or more through the years.
I’ve cut hundreds and hundreds of bands of varying lengths and tapers ranging from full butterfly, which I shot for years, to half butterfly to “short” butterfly down to mini bands to fit keychain shooters.
For many years I chronographed nearly everything I made for the various loads and band combinations I built.
For ten years I cut and molded all of my pouches using assorted leathers.
I’ve shot mostly steel but have also both purchased and poured my own assorted lead loads as well.
And, for 10 years I’ve carried a slingshot in my pocket, literally, all of the time and, as a result, taken thousands of shots at times and in places that others simply never considered.
But, I’ve averaged fewer than a hundred “real”posts per year.
I like to think that when I do post that it is practical, helpful and grounded in experience. I hope I’m right.
It’s been a good 12 years!
 
#17 ·
Yea sarcasm doesn't come across well on the intranets.

It's all fine and good to only post pertinent information, amd if thats your deal then you do you.. But... a lot of the success of these forums is the daily banter and comrodery that's brings people here on a more regular basis. Lots of forums go stale and die off.
No sarcasm from this up to date and with the times guy.:)🎯
 
#18 ·
Winnie, I've always enjoyed your posts.

Your "ammo notch" caught my attention many times.

The Altoids competitions are always a hoot.

Your recent post of nighttime shooting was an inspiration and I long to shoot things in the dark without lighting 😛

But I have to say, the posts I enjoyed the most, were about you and your son.

Glad you joined the forum.
 
#19 ·
Thanks Mohave Mo.
Those many years of caring for Christopher were hard but one of my life’s great pleasures was “Guy Time” every evening from 7:00 to 8:00 when I’d have my feet up on his bed hanging out with him and, more often than not, his younger brother too. Often I’d have my band kit with me and I’d talk through my latest idea, cut them and mount them and then step out his door onto the patio and let fly. Everything I could involve him in I did as best I could. We had a lot of fun.
Miss him.
 
#20 ·
When I came on a couple years ago I did so with a lot of enthusiasm. I loved this new sport I’d found and just about everything was interesting to me. I was also a shut-in recovering from depression and the friendliness here was a breath of fresh air, especially for the internet. Looking back on it now I can see I’ve made so many posts maybe it was ridiculous. This is my only form of social media though and my first forum and I don’t know, I guess I never really cared much about post numbers. I do a lot of encouraging though, and these days post less now that some of the new guy enthusiasm has worn off. Can’t take it back, but I can’t say it bothers me any.
 
#21 ·
I completely get it. Everyone has their own style. I obsessed over slingshots and spent hours on the forum every week for years. Don’t get me wrong - I’ve got my issues - and the comradery I have found chatting with other shooters has been an important part of my life over the last decade. I’m just a bit more deliberative than some and I’ve found great pleasure in delving deep into the sport, trying and analyzing different bands, shooters and forms. I never (well almost never) write anything that I haven’t spent a fair amount of time thinking about and obsessing over for some time. It’s how I do things and it’s how I have found pleasure in the sport. 100 posts for me gives me the pleasure that 1,000 posts does for others.
 
#23 ·
As of November 9th I’ve been a member of the Forum for 12 years but have only posted around 1,300 times.
If you were to subtract 300-400 of those as being one or two liners related to encouraging contestants in the half dozen or so contests that I have hosted then my yearly average has been well under 100 posts per year.
I’m proud of that number.
I marvel at those who crank out thousands of posts in a year or many thousands in a few years. There are exceptions to this of course. (One of the several exceptions is Tag who is a World Class Encourager - I’ve got nothing but admiration and appreciation for Tag.)
Every post I have ever written has been grounded in the knowledge I have gained through experience and experimentation and near-obsessive consideration of assorted variables within the sport.
I have only a scroll saw and something like a Dremel (I’m a retired dentist), a knife and assorted grades of sandpaper. No vise - every slingshot I have ever made has been made in my lap.
I’ve made slingshots out of assorted types of wood stock, natural forks, walrus ivory, boiled leather, plastic, assorted micarta types, cow hoofs, horn, antler, bone and more.
I’ve built more naturals and off-set naturals than I can think of. Slingshots with built-in ball storage and magnetic dispensers. Push button dispensers. Double ended slingshots. BB Shooters that fit on a keyring. Keyring shooters with band storage compartments. Many slingshots that will unfold or be assembled from out of an Altoids tin (slingshots that disassemble, compact slingshots that hinge open, swivel and lock. (Love and still occasionally use my mini Altoids starship)).
I’ve taught Slingshot Building Classes and given away a hundred slingshots or more through the years.
I’ve cut hundreds and hundreds of bands of varying lengths and tapers ranging from full butterfly, which I shot for years, to half butterfly to “short” butterfly down to mini bands to fit keychain shooters.
For many years I chronographed nearly everything I made for the various loads and band combinations I built.
For ten years I cut and molded all of my pouches using assorted leathers.
I’ve shot mostly steel but have also both purchased and poured my own assorted lead loads as well.
And, for 10 years I’ve carried a slingshot in my pocket, literally, all of the time and, as a result, taken thousands of shots at times and in places that others simply never considered.
But, I’ve averaged fewer than a hundred “real”posts per year.
I like to think that when I do post that it is practical, helpful and grounded in experience. I hope I’m right.
It’s been a good 12 years!

“I’ve” been on the forum for about a month and this will be my 20th post. Now if you do the math and extrapolate that out for 12 years, OMG!! Start “marveling”. 😂
 
#24 ·
Thanks, Winnie.

You've been very helpful to me and many others. And you have been a gracious host and consistent long time member in this online community. I hold you in high esteem.


If some of the new members follow your lead and folks like Tag and lot of other senior members this place will continue be an isle of peace and kindness in an internet ocean of keyboarding ugly.

Time will tell.

You done shown your nature over 12 years. Your dues are paid and you've paid it forward.

Mako Out.
 
#26 ·
The tone of Winnie's post is one of gratitude and not literally pride. Much more of a self reflection post of his journey. See, most slingers on here have come to a place of not just accepting others and the variety of different styles, but even encouraging them to explore and share.

I believe any other interpretation of this is likely a projection of the reader whom I hope completes their journey to a place of acceptance and proves to themselves a level of true confidence and self worth... that they can carry on in the same vein of kindness as these long toothed mad men of flippery.

Winnie and the Old Timers are going to be just fine regardless...
 

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#27 ·
This is a very inspiring post and congratulations on the 12 years! I'm from Auburn, WA and we have a small group, predominantly composed of beginners and kids, growing in number as well as having a venue where we're going to meet regularly. Maybe join and host a few tournaments in the future. Perhaps you'd be so kind to share a bit of knowledge to a new tribe you
might also want to be part of? We have beer. lol. Cheers Winnie!
 
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