round fork heads

758 Views 23 Replies 13 Participants Last post by skarrd, 5 d ago

Chicxulub

Hi,
I plan building something like this,
the idea is to use those wooden beech balls with a hole in them as fork heads. Since round fork heads would have more than 50% extra of circumference as a standard one. So you can fit extra wide bands (tapers) onto
easily. only aiming with those round fork tips would be less advanced, but I could spend it a pistol front sight / grain.
also the rubber should last a bit longer than on normal fork tips, because the rubber gets less stretched on the outsides, so the spots where it tears first will be less tense.

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Chicxulub

Discussion Starter · #12 · 15 d ago (Edited)

thanks for all the nice and helpful comments!
notice to myself: plastic balls are a good idea. maybe 3d printed ABS, only I don't have a printer but I know somebody who could do it for me maybe...

My drawing skills aren't that great to show how I would build it, it's just a basic sketch... but I imagine this would work well, at least for instinctive shooting in what i'm not into yet, as aiming over the bands would be hardier. the slingshot will be build ergonomically,
As I have several different commercial frames of course the slingshot will be as ergonomic and build with basic knowledge about good shooters... (lowest fork height possible, what grip will be used etc.)

btw: Rods can be bent easily with homemade DIY stuff. but yes, a bender would be the better option to make some more of them...
however safety issues are noticed and if I would commercially sell them, strong plastic should be fine as for safety.
PS: I think for the most bands the wooden (beech) balls will be sufficient. we are only talking about maybe up to 6kg per side as a maximum, and using epoxy glue should stabilzie the wood a bit at the spots with the highest tension...

here an iteration, It need a welder.

Basketball Basketball hoop Ball Sports equipment Playing sports

for other grip designs I could add wood on the forks.

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Chicxulub

Discussion Starter · #19 · 6 d ago (Edited)

Next idea, is getting away from the steel wire frame.
However, I would go for this slingshot with 25mm beads first now... these have a 10mm hole drilled to them. I will either glue them to an alu pipe or rod and glue it or screw it into the (chunky) wooden frame.

with 25mm fork width it should take bandsets up to 40mm.

edit: probably a better idea is, to take threaded knobs, they come in all sices and are made from durable plastic with brass and steel threads.
I'm thinking of buying 36mm knobs, then I could attach about almost 60mm wide tapers...