Or perhaps that should read "Your next major sling project" if you have several little one's to get out of the way first. My next sling project is probably something out of sisal or mason line because I've heard interesting things about both. I would like to make a Tut sling because that is one that has always intrigued me.

What about you? Doesn't have to be just slings, could also be a stone pouch etc...

Ammo for me. I'd like to get some nice consistent ammo made. I don't have easy access to clay, so what type of concrete/cement/whatever is ideal and cheap?

I'm starting to work with multiple tiny strands of strong fiber like linen and hemp.  Real small, though, like saddle stitching size.  I'll wax them into groups to braid and then decide how I want to split them up for herringbone retention loops and release cords.  

Just get yourself a bag of the highest grade Portland Cement you can find. (53) Don't worry if you can't find the highest, just keep in mind to get it if you do have a choice. I avoid concretes and anything with large aggregate in it.

Make up a batch in a 5 gallon bucket. Stir it up really well (this can be a little difficult) and take a large chunk of it and put it on a flat, hard surface that you don't mind getting dirty. Then flatten it out into a square about 2 inches tall. Then cut like you would bread dough.  
Take a knife or a masonry trowel or even a ruler and cut a line off. Separate it from the main batch and then cut it into even pieces. Then just set them aside and do the next line. You can't just cut lines through the entire "brick" of wet cement as it will begin seeping into each other. It is not as firm as clay.

Doing it this way you can make several hundred in an hour if you get practiced enough at it.

After cutting quite a few of these, they begin to dry out. Keep a bowl of water near by and quickly dip one half of the ammo blank to moisten them before final shaping.  Once your entire batch is molded into spheres let them set for 24 hours. If you live in a really hot and dry place keep in mind that excessive heat and dryness during the curing process makes weaker ammo. After the 24 hours has past spray them all down and put them in a bucket with a tight fitting lid. Or just fill the bucket with water and put them in the water. They need to be kept moist to cure properly. After 3 days minimum you're good to go.  Throw them against a carpet back stop and they will last a long time.

Nothing will help you figure out what works form-wise like perfectly consistent ammo. Once you get that figured out then using imperfect stones isn't such an issue because you understand what is happening based on form and what is caused by imperfections in the stone. That is the reason I made them at first. I rarely do now though.

fletch_man wrote on Mar 19^th, 2012 at 3:12pm:

I'm starting to work with multiple tiny strands of strong fiber like linen and hemp.  Real small, though, like saddle stitching size.  I'll wax them into groups to braid and then decide how I want to split them up for herringbone retention loops and release cords.

I've thought about nearly the same thing but with ultra strong fishing line like Spider Wire. Ulta-light, super strong slings, flat braid on the strings similar to those colored friendship bracelets you see the teenie-boppers wearing with a 3/4" wide pouch for throwing .50-.75 cal lead balls all fitting into a 34mm film canister or Altoids tin, something like that. But that's just an idea.

My next project, now that I was able to pick up pandanus and coconut fiber is to work on replicas of south pacific slings. I made three this weekend. I haven't thrown with them yet but I will.

Another King Tut using the dimensions from the Manchester artefact. I need to replace the one I donated to the museum  8-)

I'm toying around the idea of a king tut sling.

I also found via youtube fingerloop braiding. It's a quicker way to braid 8-16 strand patterns. I've only done it a couple of times so far and the more complicated one didn't work out properly last time. But I'd like to use fingerloop braiding to make straps for a sling.

Those two are on my "to do" list as soon as I can manage it.

morphy, about ammo. Have you tried working with quickrete? What are your thoughts on it instead of pure portland cement?

David Morningstar wrote on Mar 19^th, 2012 at 3:52pm:

Another King Tut using the dimensions from the Manchester artefact.

I was going to say about the same thing. With your measurements and the close up photos I think it would be possible to make a very accurate reproduction. That's a sling project I would like to work on next, but in reality the next sling I make will probably be whatever the next commission I get is, and it may be a while before I have the time to work on the Manchester sling.

-Timothy Potter

wrote on Mar 19^th, 2012 at 3:41pm:

fletch_man wrote on Mar 19th, 2012 at 3:12pm: I'm starting to work with multiple tiny strands of strong fiber like linen and hemp.  Real small, though, like saddle stitching size.  I'll wax them into groups to braid and then decide how I want to split them up for herringbone retention loops and release cords.   I've thought about nearly the same thing but with ultra strong fishing line like Spider Wire. Ulta-light, super strong slings, flat braid on the strings similar to those colored friendship bracelets you see the teenie-boppers wearing with a 3/4" wide pouch for throwing .50-.75 cal lead balls all fitting into a 34mm film canister or Altoids tin, something like that. But that's just an idea. My next project, now that I was able to pick up pandanus and coconut fiber is to work on replicas of south pacific slings. I made three this weekend. I haven't thrown with them yet but I will.

That.  Is a cool idea.  Like something out of the "Dune" series, remember "shiga wire"?

fletch_man wrote on Mar 19^th, 2012 at 4:54pm:

wrote on Mar 19th, 2012 at 3:41pm: fletch_man wrote on Mar 19th, 2012 at 3:12pm: I'm starting to work with multiple tiny strands of strong fiber like linen and hemp.  Real small, though, like saddle stitching size.  I'll wax them into groups to braid and then decide how I want to split them up for herringbone retention loops and release cords.   I've thought about nearly the same thing but with ultra strong fishing line like Spider Wire. Ulta-light, super strong slings, flat braid on the strings similar to those colored friendship bracelets you see the teenie-boppers wearing with a 3/4" wide pouch for throwing .50-.75 cal lead balls all fitting into a 34mm film canister or Altoids tin, something like that. But that's just an idea. My next project, now that I was able to pick up pandanus and coconut fiber is to work on replicas of south pacific slings. I made three this weekend. I haven't thrown with them yet but I will. That.  Is a cool idea.  Like something out of the "Dune" series, remember "shiga wire"?

I got the idea with the first paracord sling I made, I just had a small piece of really cheap, thin cord and the only lead I had was from my musket. It all seeemed so small but with a little practice it whipped the lead like crazy. I travel a lot and while I usually have a sling anyway, a very small strong sling with 8 or so lead balls could be fun.

I'm looking to make a nice plant fiber sling next, probably, a split pouch design, right now there's bast fibres available and bramble fibres. I'll have to figure out a method for shredding the raw fibres down into really thin, hair-like strands, anybody know of a primitive comb-type tool that I could make for this?

The only thing I know about extracting fibers is that it's a lot of work. I have only worked with yucca and no comb was used. The leaves are pounded and scraped and scraped and scraped more then dried then scraped then you can separate and organize your fibers before twisting into cord then braiding or weaving. I'm sure there are many resources. A quick Google search yielded: http://www.wildpath.co.uk/blog-and-bushcraft-tutorials/item/12-extracting-fibres-from-bramble.html

Working on knitting and balearic/simple split pouch designs. With simple split pouch designs I have difficulty lining up the two braids, and I have no idea how to knit at all ;D

I like the simple split since it has a rustic appeal, and it's pretty fast to make if I ever figure it out. The knitting is because it's just another pouch design to add towards my sling making repertoire.

I want to try to make an Aussie style pouch made of leather. Also, I think I'm going to come up with a simple, artistic sling design and try to set up a stand in the Saturday market like Fletch. They could be for tennis balls for practice or to throw balls for dogs.
oh, and I have some awesome concrete ammo I made! I actually found football shaped Easter eggs and used them as molds. I take them out and they have the grip like a football!

Carbon would you show your easter egg mold and it's "castings" ?
My projects would be to make a ton of ceramic and clay ammo and a tut sling is what i would like for a long time.Also exploring Honderos H-1,making more of them,i have two still waiting to be tested hopefully without losing them.

Now I am really enjoying making medium and short War Slings, I plan on making a lot more out of sisal and I just made a baleric style sling out of jute that looks great and works great too. The only issue with the jute is that it used up almost the entire spool.  :P

And eventualy I'll learn how to weave.  ;)

I've experimented with clay and the container for Silly Puddy. The mold works good, a little slow because it's one at a time but the shape and weight for me has been good.

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Today i went to a place on the outskirts of my town where recently i saw dug out clay,where they want to lay down some pipes probably.So i put a huge bag and my military backpack on and came back with 30 kg (66 poundz) of wet clay that is slightly wetter than workable so i'll just leave the bag open for a few days and ready to roll.It was 10 minutes away,already dug out and free,try to get a better deal. I also made recently two clay cutters out of copper sheet,so i can make uniform clay ammo,one in a minute or two. I always think how much easier and faster and cheaper it is than making arrows.

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perpetualstudent wrote on Mar 19^th, 2012 at 4:21pm:

morphy, about ammo. Have you tried working with quickrete? What are your thoughts on it instead of pure portland cement?

I was wondering about this too..

benkolmer wrote on Mar 20^th, 2012 at 9:23pm:

perpetualstudent wrote on Mar 19th, 2012 at 4:21pm: morphy, about ammo. Have you tried working with quickrete? What are your thoughts on it instead of pure portland cement? I was wondering about this too..

I just made some quickcrete Easter egg ammo. I used Easter eggs that I found that were actually made like footballs. All I did was put a bit of the concrete in a bowl and mix it up to a thick paste and let it dry over night. In the morning I could take them out of the molds by prying them open with a knife. I didn't use oil or anything. Anyway, it was super simple and I could use them the next day. to reuse them I would have let them dry for a week so they were completely hard.
It's kinda weird because it has little rocks in it but they just harden with it and there are very few air bubbles. consistent in weight too

@Student/Ben-I've not used quickcrete but so long as there is no large aggregate it should work fine. i.e. just sand. To me it seems like where the cement meets the pebbles and small gravel would be the first place to break when the ammo hits anything hard. Who knows though... maybe not.

Our dirt around here in some places is a very fine sand. I have experimented with adding this to the normal portland cement mix and have seen no significant durability increase.

wrote on Mar 19^th, 2012 at 9:59pm:

I want to try to make an Aussie style pouch made of leather. Also, I think I'm going to come up with a simple, artistic sling design and try to set up a stand in the Saturday market like Fletch. They could be for tennis balls for practice or to throw balls for dogs. oh, and I have some awesome concrete ammo I made! I actually found football shaped Easter eggs and used them as molds. I take them out and they have the grip like a football!

Here's the pattern.

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Aussie wrote on Mar 21^st, 2012 at 12:31am:

wrote on Mar 19th, 2012 at 9:59pm: I want to try to make an Aussie style pouch made of leather. Also, I think I'm going to come up with a simple, artistic sling design and try to set up a stand in the Saturday market like Fletch. They could be for tennis balls for practice or to throw balls for dogs. oh, and I have some awesome concrete ammo I made! I actually found football shaped Easter eggs and used them as molds. I take them out and they have the grip like a football! Here's the pattern.

Thanks! Yup, now I just need to get some leather.

My next sling project will be a half-sling half-atlatl project >>> a Bâton de Commandement project  :D
Can't wait to have more time to get onto it !

My next project is a Staffsling.

But quite a special one. The Staff is quite ready.

It has lasted rather long to him had completely dried.

The point is from horn.

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My first project will be to get to the post office and get my SITH sling off, plus I'm doing a trade with paracordslinger.  Besides that I'm trying to make a super thin, high speed sling using a particular type of very tough, thin nylon I've found for the cords.  So far I've had one failure and one so-so model.  I'm not done experimenting.  
  Other than that I'm considering making a sling out of Odin.  He certainly sheds more than enough and his hairs are long and thick.  Kali's are too much like cotton.  I know it sounds weird but how many people have a dog fur sling?
  I can't wait to see your finished product, Jaegoor.  You staff sling looks wild so far.

That's a good looking weapon right there Jaegoor. Seen horn on Longbows but never a staff-sling.

Rat Man wrote on Mar 22^nd, 2012 at 12:29pm:

My first project will be to get to the post office and get my SITH sling off, plus I'm doing a trade with paracordslinger.  Besides that I'm trying to make a super thin, high speed sling using a particular type of very tough, thin nylon I've found for the cords.  So far I've had one failure and one so-so model.  I'm not done experimenting.     Other than that I'm considering making a sling out of Odin.  He certainly sheds more than enough and his hairs are long and thick.  Kali's are too much like cotton.  I know it sounds weird but how many people have a dog fur sling?   I can't wait to see your finished product, Jaegoor.  You staff sling looks wild so far.

I've joked about using my wife's hair the same way  ;D  Depending on how she's feeling I get glared at or hit  ::)

With all this talk of hair, I just might try making one of horse hair. Add it to the pile of things to do.

wrote on Mar 22^nd, 2012 at 11:01am:

Thanks! Yup, now I just need to get some leather.

You could search for a leather couch at a dump or someplace where you might find such a source of leather. Always best to recycle if possible ;)
Just take a knife with you and cut out a big patch of leather or two.

Morphy I uses it with all my staffslings. It looks better and shoots very well.

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slingwizzy wrote on Mar 22^nd, 2012 at 1:38pm:

wrote on Mar 22nd, 2012 at 11:01am: Thanks! Yup, now I just need to get some leather. You could search for a leather couch at a dump or someplace where you might find such a source of leather. Always best to recycle if possible ;) Just take a knife with you and cut out a big patch of leather or two.

Not that I've used it yet, but I skinned the last pair of boots that died on me. Old boots, old dress shoes (goodwill is also a great source).