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Elastic rubber for catapult
- Thread starter HM
- Start date
For the power needed to bulit a decent slingshot, surgical tubing is the best material. I get mine at the local pharmacy. It is the same stuff that is used for commercial wristrockets and a LOT cheaper. I found the local pharmacy also has two or three sizes and I've bought a few feet of each of the two smaller sizes.
Inner tubes don't work as well anymore since the materials used to make them are no longer the same. The old innertubes were more RUBBER than plastic. Today's innertubes don't want to stretch as much. The old RED ones worked the best!
After that I would build a primitive SLING. A sling and a slingshot are TWO different items. The sling is a pouch with two NONelastic cords that you hold and SWING. This would allow you to build one with improvised materials more easily. But it is more difficult to use.
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Plainsman
primitiveguy@hotmail.com
You use what you have on you, then you improvise!
Inner tubes don't work as well anymore since the materials used to make them are no longer the same. The old innertubes were more RUBBER than plastic. Today's innertubes don't want to stretch as much. The old RED ones worked the best!
After that I would build a primitive SLING. A sling and a slingshot are TWO different items. The sling is a pouch with two NONelastic cords that you hold and SWING. This would allow you to build one with improvised materials more easily. But it is more difficult to use.
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Plainsman
primitiveguy@hotmail.com
You use what you have on you, then you improvise!
If you are looking for a slingshot, it's just as easy to add one to your surival kit. And toss a second band in for it. With practice, it's neary as effective as a .22 pistol, and you can shoot rocks, and it's quiet. I've played with a sling some, and would be very impressed with someone who could consistently hit small game. With practice, I think I could use it effectively against a man-size target, but not a rabbit size.
Has anyone ever used an atl-atl type throwing lever to try throwing rocks? Any ideas if it would work?
Stryver
Has anyone ever used an atl-atl type throwing lever to try throwing rocks? Any ideas if it would work?
Stryver
STRYVER: That atlatl rock thrower is a neat idea. The closest I've seen to that is a STAFFSLING! It is just as the name implies, a sling attached to a staff. One cord is tied to the staff and the other end is attached via a knot in the cord and a notch in the end of the staff. It was originally meant for throwing larger stones, further! But if downscaled I would think you could become quite efficient with it.
A sling is not a weapon that you pick up and expect to be good with. It takes a LOT of practice! The best I got was able to hit a 6"x6" sqare target out to about 25 yards, but not closer than about 15 yards. I found close targets HARDER to hit!
I'm sure with a few more WEEKS of practice I could have gotten it down!
Hope this gives you some ideas!
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Plainsman
primitiveguy@hotmail.com
You use what you have on you, then you improvise!
A sling is not a weapon that you pick up and expect to be good with. It takes a LOT of practice! The best I got was able to hit a 6"x6" sqare target out to about 25 yards, but not closer than about 15 yards. I found close targets HARDER to hit!
Hope this gives you some ideas!
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Plainsman
primitiveguy@hotmail.com
You use what you have on you, then you improvise!
Plainsmen:
I've made a staff sling before, I was wondering about trying something similar without the sling part. Just a big lever to throw a rock, sorta like a catapult arm...
There's a sport (Latin-american?) that uses large curved basket-type things on ones hand, plus lacross and a derivative or two thereof. How would this compare in simplicity/utilarity to a sling/staff sling? You'd have the extra force, but not need as much training. As far as I see, a staff sling was primarily made to deal with human adversaries, and a rock-throwing-stick would be less effective against people, but should be easily effective enough for longer range against small game, and not take much extra time to make...
Stryver
I've made a staff sling before, I was wondering about trying something similar without the sling part. Just a big lever to throw a rock, sorta like a catapult arm...
There's a sport (Latin-american?) that uses large curved basket-type things on ones hand, plus lacross and a derivative or two thereof. How would this compare in simplicity/utilarity to a sling/staff sling? You'd have the extra force, but not need as much training. As far as I see, a staff sling was primarily made to deal with human adversaries, and a rock-throwing-stick would be less effective against people, but should be easily effective enough for longer range against small game, and not take much extra time to make...
Stryver
Thanks Plainsman and Stryver for the quick response.
The information you guys provided is very useful, however I start realizing (as read more opinions on primitive weapons) the potential inefficiency of these improvised long range weapons in a survival situation unless you are practiced with it.
Still, I might try some of them.
Thanks again,
HM
The information you guys provided is very useful, however I start realizing (as read more opinions on primitive weapons) the potential inefficiency of these improvised long range weapons in a survival situation unless you are practiced with it.
Still, I might try some of them.
Thanks again,
HM
STRYVER: I see your idea COMPLETELY now! Duh! I know the game you are talking about, but can't think of the name!
Anyhow, the little I have heard about it, they can get those balls traveling OVER 120 MPH!
Considering that you would be using smaller stones/ammo and probably shorter staffs, I would think it would still be comparable.
Also, those guys are ACCURATE! I see how it could become a tool/weapon of significant use. I would think the most critical part would be the "basket" for holding the ammo before and during the launch. You would want a 'clean' release for repeatability and speed. Once you know it is exiting the same way each time, accuracy just comes through practice...
I may have a new project to consider...
Thanks for the idea, Stryver!
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Plainsman
primitiveguy@hotmail.com
You use what you have on you, then you improvise!
Considering that you would be using smaller stones/ammo and probably shorter staffs, I would think it would still be comparable.
Also, those guys are ACCURATE! I see how it could become a tool/weapon of significant use. I would think the most critical part would be the "basket" for holding the ammo before and during the launch. You would want a 'clean' release for repeatability and speed. Once you know it is exiting the same way each time, accuracy just comes through practice...
I may have a new project to consider...
Thanks for the idea, Stryver!
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Plainsman
primitiveguy@hotmail.com
You use what you have on you, then you improvise!
jai-alai? or something like that?
anyways, isnt what your talking about kinda like chucking a weighted stick, or the old apple on a stick type thing?
i think it would be a little difficult to construct some sort of basket-type thing that would work effectively, but maybe there is an easy way to do it, using a gourd, or bark from
a curved branch?
oh, i just remembered, when i got tired of trying to use pipes as blowguns, i would stick stones in them and kinda whip them out the end, but i wasnt too accurate with it, and i didnt even get the rock or marble or whatever out of it all the time. it might have worked better if i cut the end down so it was only half of the pipe for the last few inches or so, i imagine that would make aiming a bit easier.
back to the original topic, if you have those thick-type rubber bands(like they put on broccoli) you might be able to use them, especially if you have multiple ones.
when i was a kid, i used to wrap them around spools (perpendicular to how the thread is wrapped around, if that makes any sense) and stick a pencil(or pen, or whatever i could find) in it and shoot them at things, if the pencil was sharp, i could put it well into cardboard boxes fairly easily, until my parents discovered my new 'toy' and confiscated it
maybe not to practical, but if you had a couple rubberbands, and some metal spikes(nails?) it might work for small game, or as part of a trap *shrug*
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AKTI member #A000911
anyways, isnt what your talking about kinda like chucking a weighted stick, or the old apple on a stick type thing?
i think it would be a little difficult to construct some sort of basket-type thing that would work effectively, but maybe there is an easy way to do it, using a gourd, or bark from
a curved branch?
oh, i just remembered, when i got tired of trying to use pipes as blowguns, i would stick stones in them and kinda whip them out the end, but i wasnt too accurate with it, and i didnt even get the rock or marble or whatever out of it all the time. it might have worked better if i cut the end down so it was only half of the pipe for the last few inches or so, i imagine that would make aiming a bit easier.
back to the original topic, if you have those thick-type rubber bands(like they put on broccoli) you might be able to use them, especially if you have multiple ones.
when i was a kid, i used to wrap them around spools (perpendicular to how the thread is wrapped around, if that makes any sense) and stick a pencil(or pen, or whatever i could find) in it and shoot them at things, if the pencil was sharp, i could put it well into cardboard boxes fairly easily, until my parents discovered my new 'toy' and confiscated it
maybe not to practical, but if you had a couple rubberbands, and some metal spikes(nails?) it might work for small game, or as part of a trap *shrug*
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AKTI member #A000911
Thanks guys for the ideas!
I haven't tried atlalt, boomerang, jaialai or other exotic weapons and I am reading your posts with sincere envy.
However, I can still see some hope for improvement with the schoolboys' slingshot possibly using it with arrows (seen in one of the SAS manuals). Have you guys tried it?
Other attractive weapon is still the bow and arrow.
Third would be my tennis racquet with a handful of pebbles for a shotgun effect....
Then would come the sling, the javelin, the lacross, boomerang, frisbee, throwing stars and other flying objects. At least in my opinion.
What do you think?
Thanks,
HM
I haven't tried atlalt, boomerang, jaialai or other exotic weapons and I am reading your posts with sincere envy.
However, I can still see some hope for improvement with the schoolboys' slingshot possibly using it with arrows (seen in one of the SAS manuals). Have you guys tried it?
Other attractive weapon is still the bow and arrow.
Third would be my tennis racquet with a handful of pebbles for a shotgun effect....
Then would come the sling, the javelin, the lacross, boomerang, frisbee, throwing stars and other flying objects. At least in my opinion.
What do you think?
Thanks,
HM
ryk,
I think you could make a rock-stick (Can I (tm) it and call it a StryverStick?) just like a very long spoon. Carve a bowl part in the end large enough to fit a rock golf-ball or smaller. The basket on a lacross stick is primarily for catching a ball, you don't need the flexibility to throw...
Stryver
I think you could make a rock-stick (Can I (tm) it and call it a StryverStick?) just like a very long spoon. Carve a bowl part in the end large enough to fit a rock golf-ball or smaller. The basket on a lacross stick is primarily for catching a ball, you don't need the flexibility to throw...
Stryver
*doh!*
i was trying to think of every damned long rigid pole like object ive ever used to toss something, and the lacross stick completely escaped me. i guess that could be especially effective if your skilled in lacrosse, wouldnt need to practice as much to get to a decent accuracy level. i think i seen an anime where a lacross stick was used in combat...
as to a frisbee weapon, wouldnt be too much different(im principle) from a discus, and i think i read someplace that the greeks had groups of people to chuck discuses(disci?) at there enemies. and i guess an aerobie could be kinda like a chakram(is that right?-the xena-warrior-princess-weapon)
also, i drew blood with a frisbee once...
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AKTI member #A000911
i was trying to think of every damned long rigid pole like object ive ever used to toss something, and the lacross stick completely escaped me. i guess that could be especially effective if your skilled in lacrosse, wouldnt need to practice as much to get to a decent accuracy level. i think i seen an anime where a lacross stick was used in combat...
as to a frisbee weapon, wouldnt be too much different(im principle) from a discus, and i think i read someplace that the greeks had groups of people to chuck discuses(disci?) at there enemies. and i guess an aerobie could be kinda like a chakram(is that right?-the xena-warrior-princess-weapon)
also, i drew blood with a frisbee once...
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AKTI member #A000911
I like the idea of spoon shape on the end of a stick! Did you guys ever have those plastic jailali (sp?) and whiffle balls in P.E.? Just downscale it and you are really onto something. I could see throwing like 1-2 oz stones. That would be an effective small game getter.
Great thinking guys!
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Plainsman
primitiveguy@hotmail.com
You use what you have on you, then you improvise!
Great thinking guys!
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Plainsman
primitiveguy@hotmail.com
You use what you have on you, then you improvise!