[MOJAVE MO]

The really old timers on the Forum have already been down this road. I didn't find the Wrap-n-Tuck formula until three years ago and complained about it for awhile because my older fingers didn't want to jerk around with something I thought was sort of remedial compared to my familiarity with my old Wrist-Rocket and my Daisy before that.

So over the last few years I really wanted to get ahold of a Clipped Fork so I could alleviate the Wrap-n-Tuck business because I was absolutely certain this is what a 'pro-shooter' would use any day of the week.

However, I have learned a few things in my personal journey that I thought I would share. Or at the very least let some of you guys correct my thought process because I may be missing something. So first on the list is likely the most obvious. Don't forget to have your Clip Tool handy. In my stack of frames here in this photo the true winner is the Scout LT because I can use a coin or the edge of my pocket knife to open the clip.

Second on the list is that I am not totally confident that I may have the bands seated in the clip clamp. Even if I know that the bands are seated and the screws are tight I do wonder if I have tightened too much, or if I have scored the band, or if I just slopped my setup and one of the bands is going to cut loose and welt my nose.

Now after a lot of practice I can wrap and tuck whatever I want to a fork and make it look easy. No hassle for my fingers unless I forget a paperclip or string to tuck my wrapper. And the thing with this method is that I just don't have them come loose, or uneven, or really have any issues at all that may de-focus me from my aim or target. If I carry a flat-band frame around in my pocket I will potentially run the risk of rubbing a wrapper loose, but that hasn't happened in a while.

So what is the moral of this story? I am not sure there is one. I still dig these three frames because I do have a few options that I can deploy fairly quickly. As long as I remember to bring my tool, and maybe quit thinking about it so much.

Sling On!

 

[KawKan]

Interesting bit of exposition, Mo!

Glad you wrap and tuck finally gave up it's secrets!

 

[Facewizard13]

The only benefit I can see of having the clips on the scout models is if you're testing out a lot of different bands. Also a newer shooter will need an easy way to get bands on and off easily and quickly. I want to upgrade to a sling that has flat, machined clamps for holding flat bands. I feel like that would lead to clamping the bands more accurately.

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

 

[Court215]

If you don’t have your paperclip or string in the field just use your shoelace!

 

[MOJAVE MO]

Interesting bit of exposition, Mo!

Glad you wrap and tuck finally gave up it's secrets!

I have a knack for taking something simple and proven and attempt to make it complicated. It might be the caveman in me.

 

[MOJAVE MO]

If you don't have your paperclip or string in the field just use your shoelace!

Definitely a good call. Especially since I don't carry a roll of dental floss out in the field!

 

[MOJAVE MO]

The only benefit I can see of having the clips on the scout models is if you're testing out a lot of different bands. Also a newer shooter will need an easy way to get bands on and off easily and quickly. I want to upgrade to a sling that has flat, machined clamps for holding flat bands. I feel like that would lead to clamping the bands more accurately.

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

Do it! I am not displeased with taking on a few of these frames. However I just wanted to impress that the good ol' wrap and tuck is used by some of the most accurate shooters in the world and shouldn't be so easily dismissed as I had done early in my sling journey.

 

[Harry Knuckles]

I agree. I have one clip frame and my bands will often break at the clip. I'm probably doing something wrong. I've tried screwing them down loose and tight with no difference. I've filed and sanded the edges of the frame, still no difference. I went back to wrap and tuck and don't have to slapped in the face anymore, at least from slingshots anyway... :naughty:

 

[Island made]

Great post MO, in my experience not all clips are created equal....I've got a few frames that have clips that won't hold worth crap, in saying that....my personal frames I make for myself always tend to have clips.

My heavy hitter has brass thumb screws I machined and I milled slots in them so I I can use the spine of a pocket knife to tighten them up. And with metal clips I've never had a band slip.

I have also been playing with doing my clips a little different and there gonna work well. With a male and female slot you don't even need any pressure, in the pics the screws are only finger right as you can see the elastic isn't squeezed and I'm pulling straight up till the elastic is maxed out. This will also make sure that threads will never be over tightened or stripped. I know the Chinese have been doing this with "V" grooves, this is just the "island made" take on it.

One more thing I will add about clips is....the higher the band grooves are up on the fork tips the less hand slap you receive, with clips (except flip clips) the band comes straight out the top. So that's about as high a band grooves your gonna get.

The pluses for wrap and tuck are....it's super simple, takes no tools (not even a pocket knife) and it's way simpler to make a frame. Also less or no chance of mechanical failure.

 

[MOJAVE MO]

Great post MO, in my experience not all clips are created equal....I've got a few frames that have clips that won't hold worth crap, in saying that....my personal frames I make for myself always tend to have clips.

My heavy hitter has brass thumb screws I machined and I milled slots in them so I I can use the spine of a pocket knife to tighten them up. And with metal clips I've never had a band slip.

9222D8A8-1A48-456A-951A-0D616423833D.jpeg

09C803BA-894A-4809-A4F6-25CEB337DB71.jpeg

I have also been playing with doing my clips a little different and there gonna work well. With a male and female slot you don't even need any pressure, in the pics the screws are only finger right as you can see the elastic isn't squeezed and I'm pulling straight up till the elastic is maxed out. This will also make sure that threads will never be over tightened or stripped. I know the Chinese have been doing this with "V" grooves, this is just the "island made" take on it.

One more thing I will add about clips is....the higher the band grooves are up on the fork tips the less hand slap you receive, with clips (except flip clips) the band comes straight out the top. So that's about as high a band grooves your gonna get.

The pluses for wrap and tuck are....it's super simple, takes no tools (not even a pocket knife) and it's way simpler to make a frame. Also less or no chance of mechanical failure.

3DD95AD8-2D05-404D-8890-518F4D39E883.jpeg

316B14C4-505F-4982-853A-DEEC1E2DB82B.jpeg

BF2C9A58-F88A-44AB-9D55-00AFABCFFBF0.jpeg

Thanks brother. I feel I can speak for all of us that your additional data speak on the topic is top notch. Your machine work is so bloody tight that anything less just looks like lazy weekender makery!

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[Island made]

Great post MO, in my experience not all clips are created equal....I've got a few frames that have clips that won't hold worth crap, in saying that....my personal frames I make for myself always tend to have clips.
My heavy hitter has brass thumb screws I machined and I milled slots in them so I I can use the spine of a pocket knife to tighten them up. And with metal clips I've never had a band slip.

9222D8A8-1A48-456A-951A-0D616423833D.jpeg

09C803BA-894A-4809-A4F6-25CEB337DB71.jpeg
I have also been playing with doing my clips a little different and there gonna work well. With a male and female slot you don't even need any pressure, in the pics the screws are only finger right as you can see the elastic isn't squeezed and I'm pulling straight up till the elastic is maxed out. This will also make sure that threads will never be over tightened or stripped. I know the Chinese have been doing this with "V" grooves, this is just the "island made" take on it.
One more thing I will add about clips is....the higher the band grooves are up on the fork tips the less hand slap you receive, with clips (except flip clips) the band comes straight out the top. So that's about as high a band grooves your gonna get.
The pluses for wrap and tuck are....it's super simple, takes no tools (not even a pocket knife) and it's way simpler to make a frame. Also less or no chance of mechanical failure.

3DD95AD8-2D05-404D-8890-518F4D39E883.jpeg

316B14C4-505F-4982-853A-DEEC1E2DB82B.jpeg

BF2C9A58-F88A-44AB-9D55-00AFABCFFBF0.jpeg

Thanks brother. I feel I can speak for all of us that your additional data speak on the topic is top notch. Your machine work is so bloody tight that anything less just looks like lazy weekender makery!
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thanks bud. But at the end of the day all we're trying to do is make a clip that will work "as good" as wrap and tuck. Wrap and tuck will always win.

 

[Slide-Easy]

I absolutely love the thought of changing bands that way, but I could never look at a screw, looking back at me in every sight picture. To me they take away from the lines of the fork.

 

[Reed Lukens]

If some bands slip, you can wrap the band between 2 scraps of laytex and clamp them in that way, putting less pressure on the bands but more hold down pressure all the way around.

 

[Island made]

If some bands slip, you can wrap the band between 2 scraps of laytex and clamp them in that way, putting less pressure on the bands but more hold down pressure all the way around.

Exactly Reed! I'd did a video pretty much explaining just that some time ago. Just using a small strip of gum rubber or small diameter tubing. Works well.

 

[Alfred E.M.]

At least three variables haven't been mentioned (4 if Peppermack's Wave method is included) - clear tying ribbon, Chicago Screws, and folks with severe arthritis or hand impairments of some kind. Occasionally we see a beautiful frame with 9 yards of wrap & yuck all balled up on each fork tip - fugly! I haven't seen that with ribbon attachments. IMO, slotted stove bolts in clips are an eyesore, but machined thumb screws (especially brass) are not only more practical, but also industrial design beautiful.

 

[MakoPat]

If you don't have your paperclip or string in the field just use your shoelace!

In a pinch in the field one can weave their leg hairs into a string. That's why men never took to shaving their legs as fashionable.

 

[MOJAVE MO]

If some bands slip, you can wrap the band between 2 scraps of laytex and clamp them in that way, putting less pressure on the bands but more hold down pressure all the way around.

I get it. I am not sure I like that extra step but I get it. I imagine one strip of latex on one side of the flat band would act like a bump as well? I think it it is worth a try to erase the mental block of potentially slipping a band.

 

[MOJAVE MO]

At least three variables haven't been mentioned (4 if Peppermack's Wave method is included) - clear tying ribbon, Chicago Screws, and folks with severe arthritis or hand impairments of some kind. Occasionally we see a beautiful frame with 9 yards of wrap & yuck all balled up on each fork tip - fugly! I haven't seen that with ribbon attachments. IMO, slotted stove bolts in clips are an eyesore, but machined thumb screws (especially brass) are not only more practical, but also industrial design beautiful.

Yea. Excellent points all the way around. Funny. I think I have a set of brass thumbscrews on the bench. That pretty much pushes my LT further up the list for sure. I have always liked the wave attachment concept. I just haven't found, afforded, or created that frame style that flips my pouch yet.

 

[Reed Lukens]

If some bands slip, you can wrap the band between 2 scraps of laytex and clamp them in that way, putting less pressure on the bands but more hold down pressure all the way around.

I get it. I am not sure I like that extra step but I get it. I imagine one strip of latex on one side of the flat band would act like a bump as well? I think it it is worth a try to erase the mental block of potentially slipping a band.

No Mo, don't erase the block... that Titan Hunter is so ugly anyway... just send it to me and I will melt it down for you

 

[vince4242]

Great topic, I started off wrapping and tuck like everybody else but then when I made my custom Starship I had a nice big Forks to deal with so I made my own clip system. It's just a half inch PVC pipe cut in half and the end that's going to push on the latex is rounded and smooth. I then put the groove in the wood and match up the two pieces and put a wood screw through the entire thing so you can tighten it with a screw driver. I know I could do the nut and screw system were at locks in the back side but I never had a problem with just using a wood screw and not tightening it down too much. Never had a band slip or break or have any damage in that area it was just a simple system even with the heaviest bands. This was my first try at it, I would always paint them in a matte black finish when done so that they didn't looks so bad. But they work great.

I then moved onto my D1 from China which has a great titanium clamp system that has never failed with finger tight or damaged my bands or tubes. Don't think that clamps are better just easier especially if you just have a finger clamp ....whatever flips your spinner.

Cheers