Bill that is the best and quick attachment method I ever saw. Good job.

 

Awesome. I'm going to try it. Thanks

 

Bill, just an idea. Maybe cut the slot on a slight bias; front towards the back. That might eliminate any slips. Let me know what you think.

 

Genius. That vies with the Dankung method for quick change. Might just have to get myself some theraband...

 

I have to say that is a cleaner looking than on the front like I did. I will give that a try but like Rockape66 I am going to angle the slots slightly. It would be nice to have an over the top method without hand slap for us sissy's.

 

I think that Wingshooter has been doing that. It is something that we looked at in 2006. Be careful of bands pulling off to the side by newcomers. -- Tex -- Edit -- Wingshooter beat me with a post!

 

Could that be done and have a shaft pushed into the center of the roll that would keep it in the slot?

 

It looks great, and would make band changes a real snap. I have NO experience with this ... and Bill, I trust you. But I cannot help but feel very uneasy about the bands slipping out ... just my psychology. Perhaps after a lot of experience, I would come to trust it. However, I figure that if it can be done wrong, then I will do it!!!

Cheers ...... Charles

 

Bill I had to try it and it works darn good. I have been shooting the 3/8 steel with my 1" bands pulled to 34" and no hand slap. I slanted my slots slightly and stayed with a flat top. These forks are 1 1 /8" high so I should have got some hand slap. Pretty cool idea.

 

Seeing your other method reminded me of this one so I posted it. You're very innovative and are always thinking... I'm very happy that you like it!

 

I put a set of 3/4 bands in this top slot setup to see how they would react. I have been shooting it all afternoon from an anchor, I don't generally shoot from an anchor anymore. In my opinion it is an exellant way to shoot. What I noticed right away was that it had a clean look about it. Another one to go in my favorite pile.

 

very nice, simple idea.

im gunna give this a try for sure.

 

Point well made about personal usage vs suitabity to mass.

 

Next natural I make is going to have this feature. Thanks for posting this, guys.

 

Another one to put in our list of methods for slingshots.

 

I tried this attachment today. I love it. No more hand slaps! Works like Bill said even with light ammo. No way are the bands going to pull out if you make it tight. Shoots great. You must try this. Thanks Bill Hayes!

 

 

So you like it, then?

 

Very inventive way of attaching bands...What size would the channel ( hole ) be?...Would this vary with different thicknesses of banding material?...Will this technique work with metal, and other slick plastics, like cutting boards used for making slingshots?...Have you noticed any variations in the lengths of band sets after extended use?...Do the band sets wear well compared to other tying methods?...This technique is well worth exploring...Thanks for giving us the information!

 

I made myself another one taking a little more care. I used a 3/16 bit for the hole. The slot is the same size as a regular hacksaw blade. I use a pull style cutoff saw to cut it. I put a slight foward angle in it to add just a little more hold to the bands. I came in from the back and down from the top 3/8 for the hole. The slot starts 1/4 in from the back and I cut to the back side of the hole to give a little more offset to the band. I sanded lightly with 100 grit folded in three layers. The leading edge I rounded slightly just to make sure there are no sharp edges. You will notice i made the top of the slingshot flat I am sure this helps.
I fold the ends of the bands twice about a quater of an inch Then stretch them from side to side and slide them down into the slot you can feel when they snap in to place. I use the .030 latex but I put a set of theraband bands on one and they fit fine. I also tried a set of 3/4 bands same results.
Shooting, absolutly excellant results very accurate I may covert back to over the top I am so enthused. I was out shooting early and found a couple of 3/8 that were by my catch box I shot them this morning with cold hands and no hand slap. Some times you find ways of doing things that just feel right from the very begining This is one of them. I shoot sideways and have had no slippage at all with the bands.
Bill may not recomend it but Ido. After all we are the same bunch that holds heavy rubber bands streched out as far as we can get them then hold one end to our face and hope they don't break not only once but many times. mmmm.

 

Hmmmm...
I'll be waiting to see a Recurve Hunter in spectraply featuring this attachment method!

 

Exactly what Roger said.
Hacksaw sized slot, and a 1/8" drilled hole is what I use... 3/16 works fine as well.

Whenever I do videos I try to use the exact same type of attachments and generally the same type of slingshots I sell... or if checking out someone else's, like I've done with some of Roger's, those.
What I don't show is MANY other ideas that may or may not work for just everybody. Some things works very well and just need a little more testing before releasing, and some things are a little wonky to be released to the general public.
This particular attachment method is the one I use on my own little pocket sized shooters that I take out with me when I'm working on the farm... as the bands can be taken off, changed or whatever in seconds and the mini sized slingshot doesn't get in the way while working.... I have shot using this method many thousands of rounds and have been through maybe 30 bandsets, some doubles but mainly singles of varying thicknesses of latexes.... and I have NEVER had even one failure, slippage or any other problems with it.

Again, the ONLY reason I never released this is we were just afraid some kid would not roll or fold the edge so there's a minimum of three layers in the channel or slot to hold it tightly enough... he/she would pull back and SNAP a band pops out and hits them in the eye... then because I sold it to them... well, in this litigious society you know what comes next!

And again, so long as you roll or fold the end of the band like Roger or I have shown in the pics above... stretch it out, pull all the way down to the hole, center the thing and release into the hole/channel... it works BETTER than tying. It's faster, easier, can be done "in the field", and the sight picture is more "pure" and unobstructed as well.
It really IS the best method for OTT shooting.

 

O.K., O.K. ... you have convinced me to try it. As soon as I get back from Belize I will give it a go.

Cheers ...... Charles

 

I was playing around with this a little just now... trying to figure out a way to make it "idiot" proof... and there is a way!
Pretty simple too... all you've got to do is fold the latex flat around a short piece of 1745 tube... stretch the sides while inserting into the slot and hole... voila easy as that!

 

thats the method iv been tinking of to prevent the bands from sliping even a single match atachment maybe great to . isnt it guys?

 

Bill or Wingshooter,
If y'all don't mind continuing to share...
what is the width of your kerf for the slot? What size is the drilled hole? I don't wanna wreck a ss by experimenting if I don't have to.

 

The slot is as wide as a standard hacksaw blade makes it... the hole I use is 1/8" and Roger's is 3/16".

 

Thank you sir. The ss community is awesome. Kind of eutopian.

 

Oops, Utopian, I mean

 

I don't know about Utopian... but we all do tend to share a lot.
Anyway, use this method of band attachement and you'll wonder why you ever tied 'em on in the first place as it makes tying totally passe.... as it's faster to change bandsets, improved site picture with a cleaner look, changes can be done without tools or ties, the bands last longer and it helps to reduce the potential for that wicked handslap thing!

 

I wanted to chime in and confirm that this method is super for minimizing band slap! I'm attaching a couple of pics of the first of many forks I (plan to anyway) modify with this. This was my "squashed" version of bills ranger

http://slingshotforu...__fromsearch__1

but honestly, I had pretty much sidelined it because of the nasty slap even with fairly light bands and heavy ammo. A 10 minute modification, and I put the same bands back on, and ran about 50 or 60 rounds of 1/4 and 5/16 steel through it. Even with very light ammo the slap was minimal, I could hear the pouch smacking the front of the forks. It was rebounding almost straight back and not even dropping the less than 1 inch needed to smack my left index finger most of the time! I'm amazed!

My next try will use a slightly larger drill bit so I can use a piece of 1745 the width of the forks to wrap the band around, as I like the idea of the extra security the tube expanding to lock the band into the hole on all sides seems like it would give. It also seems to be a bit more idiot proof, as we all know how darn inventive those idiots out there can be. I also plan to drill a bit closer to the tip, shortening the slot some. But I honestly can't see a downside to this method, and the improvement is immense so far.

Thanks Bill!

Pardon the unretouched cell phone pics

 

Hey, that is a sweet looking Ranger natural!
I'm glad you like the attachment method... it's all I use on my own personal OTT shooters. Yes you can do it without the hole, but as Roger points out the hole makes attaching doubles easier.... and that's what I used to shoot with all the time until I figured out that I'm not shooting .50 or larger cal lead so the 2nd band only adds maybe 20 fps... which I more than make up for with a longer pull due to a lighter draw weight!

I was advised by a couple of different people in the past on what would make a good slingshot for general selling... one of the things I was told was that for liability reasons the fork ends need to be at least an inch away from the hand.
With this attachment, the band backlash hits a maximum of 1" from the top of the fork, and with a lot less energy than the tied on bands rebound with as well... So long as the forktips are 1" away you should never get a handslap... and even if they're less than an inch, for example 1/2" like on my own minis, you still only get a minor tickle every now and then... nothing like the full blown whipcrack you sometimes get from the tied on bands.

Also, it same thing works just fine with a shorter slot... so long as you have an edge to stretch the band against... you'll be fine. However I wouldn't recommend shorter than diameter of your retaining hole/channel.