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Crochet Biconical Ammo (Read 4232 times)
StarLight
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Crochet Biconical Ammo
May 22nd, 2020 at 1:22pm
 
The Crochet Squishy Bicone


Here is a way to cheaply make safe biconical ammo in under an hour for use in parks or other public places, providing a good alternative to the ubiquitous tennis ball.  And it feels sort of like a water balloon! Cheesy

The ammo is approximately 2 inches in diameter and 4.5 inches long and weighs approximately 60 grams.  It is crocheted with medium weight acrylic bright yellow and blue "red heart super saver yarn" using an F hook, filled with poly-fil fiber that has been rubbed in 30mL of a 50/50 mixture of vaseline/coconut oil, and finished by rubbing the exterior with another 30mL. 

*Exterior wax is not necessary.  *Wax amount can vary to achieve desired weight.  *Other colors and waxes can be substituted.  *For extra durability, medium weight "Lily Sugar'n Cream" cotton yarn can also be substituted.

Crochet Pattern:

Begin with yellow yarn.
Form a magic circle.
Sc 6 times into the magic circle.
Tighten the magic circle closed and begin working in spiral rounds, using invisible (single crochet) increases and decreases where noted:

Rnd 1:  (inc, sc)x3   [9]
Rnd 2:  (inc, sc, sc)x3   [12]
Rnd 3:  (inc, sc, sc, sc)x3   [15]
Rnd 4:  (inc, sc, sc, sc, sc)x3   [18]
Rnd 5:  (inc, sc, sc, sc, sc, sc)x3   [21]
Rnd 6:  (inc, sc, sc, sc, sc, sc, sc)x3   [24]
Rnd 7-9: sc into every st   [24]
Change color to blue.
Rnd 10-12:  sc into every st   [24]
Rnd 13:  (dec, sc, sc, sc, sc, sc, sc)x3   [21]
Rnd 14:  (dec, sc, sc, sc, sc, sc)x3   [18]
Rnd 15:  (dec, sc, sc, sc, sc)x3   [15]
Stuff the ammo with oiled or waxed polyfill.  Do not overstuff.
Rnd 16:  (dec, sc, sc, sc)x3   [12]
Rnd 17:  (dec, sc, sc)x3   [9]
Rnd 18:  (dec, sc)x3   [6]
Rnd 19:  sl st into next st, finish off, weave tail through next 6 st, and pull tight to close the end shut.

Weave in starting and ending tails.
Rub the exterior with oil or wax if desired.  If using the  aforementioned wax formula, allow the surface of the ammo to cure for awhile, letting it wick inwards and become drier.

Woohoo!


I should be able to test this ammo soon.  Cheesy   The stuffing needs to be firm enough to release ok.  I'll post an update if the ammo needs more stuffing or needs to be slightly overstuffed.  Wink  Let me know if you have any ideas or concerns.
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« Last Edit: May 24th, 2020 at 7:05am by StarLight »  
 
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Re: Crochet Biconical Ammo
Reply #1 - May 22nd, 2020 at 2:14pm
 
Awesome! I might try and make nålbinding ammo Cheesy
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You are a great guy Kick but also slightly scary at times. - Morphy
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Re: Crochet Biconical Ammo
Reply #2 - May 22nd, 2020 at 2:33pm
 
Wow that'll be really neat Kick!


I only recently heard of nalbinding, in one of your posts in fact.   Cheesy

Let us know how it turns out  Wink
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Re: Crochet Biconical Ammo
Reply #3 - May 22nd, 2020 at 3:13pm
 
Ist das nicht etwas zu aufwendig?
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Re: Crochet Biconical Ammo
Reply #4 - May 22nd, 2020 at 3:48pm
 
I’m always amazed when I see people with other skills do things I’ve never considered. This is awesome. I would love to make some do use around the house.
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Re: Crochet Biconical Ammo
Reply #5 - May 22nd, 2020 at 4:49pm
 
Cheesy Thanks Morphy.  Yeah i plan to sling these in my garage.  I have a backyard at hand too.  I wish I could go to the parks more often. Roll Eyes
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Re: Crochet Biconical Ammo
Reply #6 - May 22nd, 2020 at 5:05pm
 
Nice work StarLight!  I’m amazed that you can do that in under an hour!  I don’t have any experience with this type of thing... will the vaseline/oil mixture pick up a lot of dirt? And will it leave a residue when it hits something?
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Re: Crochet Biconical Ammo
Reply #7 - May 22nd, 2020 at 7:01pm
 
Nice work , great to see some new “safe” ammo
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Razor glandes, Aim for the eyes!!!
 
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Re: Crochet Biconical Ammo
Reply #8 - May 22nd, 2020 at 7:46pm
 
Thanks!


This oil mixture is on the thin side.  Maybe thats why it feels sorta like a water balloon  Cheesy  I use it on my hands for crocheting, and it's perfect for that. I don't have any other kind of wax right now.  And since I coated the exterior, it will leave a residue and pick up dirt.  This was a sort of quick and dirty ammo idea that I got excited to try  Grin

There's alot of experimentation that could be done with this concept (yarn and filler material). If I take my time and overstuff it, I could probably get a good weight without wax, so it could be machine washable.  I'll try that as well as another design mixing polyfiber and polypellets as the filler, and nylon as the yarn Cheesy  And I'm going to keep thinking of different possibilities. Let me know if you think of something  Wink
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« Last Edit: May 22nd, 2020 at 9:30pm by StarLight »  
 
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Re: Crochet Biconical Ammo
Reply #9 - May 22nd, 2020 at 9:49pm
 
OMG i bet this would be fun for slingwars!!!


Nkay, who wants to enlist?  Grin
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Re: Crochet Biconical Ammo
Reply #10 - May 23rd, 2020 at 12:25am
 
If we could all gather enough slingers in the same area, I bet some folks would be willing. I would!
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Re: Crochet Biconical Ammo
Reply #11 - May 23rd, 2020 at 4:02am
 
Could you please make a video clip of that?
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Re: Crochet Biconical Ammo
Reply #12 - May 23rd, 2020 at 4:32am
 
I absolutely want to take part in a sling war! I'll bring a staff sling  Grin
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You are a great guy Kick but also slightly scary at times. - Morphy
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Re: Crochet Biconical Ammo
Reply #13 - May 23rd, 2020 at 4:01pm
 
Kick wrote on May 22nd, 2020 at 2:14pm:
Awesome! I might try and make nålbinding ammo Cheesy


I guess I won't need to remind you not to use the same number of stitches, since ours are longer and less wide ? Wink

Concerning nålbinding, what I did is rusty ball covers, to mitigate the impact ^^

But I didn't think of filling them with crochet stuffing !
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Re: Crochet Biconical Ammo
Reply #14 - May 24th, 2020 at 6:00am
 
The Crochet Rigid Bicone


Here is a variant that is a little larger and much more solid in its construction, closely resembling the characteristics of a tennis ball.  It is crocheted using two yarns at once with an extremely undersized hook (the same F hook).  This creates a dense,  durable, and rigid outer-shell (about 1/4 inch thick) for the projectile.  The ammo is then overstuffed with polyfiber and the central axis of revolution is filled with 60 mL of polypellets.  The ammo is approximately 2.75 inches in diameter and 6 inches long and weighs approximately 60 grams. 

I consider this an advanced crochet project, because it is just barely possible to crochet a fabric this dense, requiring alot of strength, attention to gauge, and time (~8 hrs).  Muscle strain and fatigue can be avoided by using leveraging and adapting better techniques.  The filling method is also advanced, but adequately explained in the pattern.  I have also updated the placement of the increases and decreases so that a perfect circle is formed.  Most experienced crocheters do this automatically if it is not written into the pattern.

Crochet Pattern:

Begin with two yarns, using both ends of the same yarn ball.  This is medium weight bright yellow acrylic "red heart super saver" yarn.
Form a magic circle.
Sc 6 times into the magic circle.
Tighten the magic circle closed and begin working in spiral rounds, using invisible (single crochet) increases and decreases where noted:

Rnd 1:  (inc, sc)x3   [9]
Rnd 2:  (inc, (sc)x2)x3   [12]
Rnd 3:  (inc, (sc)x3)x3   [15]
Rnd 4:  (sc)x2, (inc, (sc)x4)x2, inc, (sc)x2   [18]
Rnd 5:  (inc, (sc)x5)x3   [21]
Rnd 6:  (sc)x3, (inc, (sc)x6)x2, inc, (sc)x3   [24]
Rnd 7:  (inc, (sc)x7)x3   [27]
Rnd 8:  (sc)x4, (inc, (sc)x8)x2, inc, (sc)x4   [30]
Rnd 9-16:  sc into every st   [30]
Rnd 17:  (sc)x4, (dec, (sc)x8)x2, dec, (sc)x4   [27]
Rnd 18:  (dec, (sc)x7)x3   [24]
Rnd 19:  (sc)x3, (dec, (sc)x6)x2, dec, (sc)x3   [21]
Working with tufts of polyfiber, roll it in the palm of the hands to create little balls about an inch in diameter.  Overstuff the ammo with these polyfiber balls, using a 3/8 inch dowel rod to tamp them down and twist them into the accumulating mass.  (For tamping, use an end of the rod that has been sanded smooth.  This allows you to tamp along the inside surface of the shell without pulling out its fibers.  But for twisting, use an end of the rod that is not smooth and still has saw marks, taking care not to touch the shell.  This rough end will grab the polyfibers better for twisting).  Once finished filling the ammo with polyfiber, use this same rod and create a space down along the axis of revolution (not quite reaching the tip) and fill the first half of the bicone with 30 mL of polypellets.  See attachment 1.
Rnd 20:  (dec, (sc)x5)x3   [18]
Rnd 21:  (sc)x2, (dec, (sc)x4)x2, dec, (sc)x2   [15]
Insert the rod along the central axis and continue overstuffing the ammo with polyfiber.  Then remove the rod and fill the second half of the bicone with 15mL of polypellets.  Then insert the rod back into the central axis and begin crocheting again.  See attachement 2.
Rnd 22:  (dec, (sc)x3)x3   [12]
Continue overstuffing the ammo with polyfiber.  Remove the rod and fill the second half of the bicone with another 15 mL of polypellets.  See attachment 3.  Then plug the central axis cavity with balls of polyfiber.
Rnd 23:  (dec, (sc)x2)x3   [9]
Continue overstuffing the ammo with polyfiber.  But don't overstuff it too much.  We want the final tip to deform well just like the first tip.
Rnd 24:  sl st into next st and finish off.  Weave the tail through the next 9 st, tightening the gap closed as you go.  But don't weave over the top of the stitches while doing this, only through the sides.  If a small gap still remains after doing this, close the gap by connecting opposite stitches together across the gap.  It should only take one connection to do this.  Then weave the remaining tail across the body of the projectile.

Woohoo!


I love this projectile.   Cheesy  The yarn feels and looks like the exact same fiber used on the surface of a tennis ball (that same yellow fuzzy sparkleness).  And the rigidity and diameter of the shell feels like a tennis ball too.  And it feels and sounds just like a tennis ball when catching it (that same rigidity accompanied by that muffled hollow sound).  The body of the projectile doesn't bounce much, but the tip bounces a bit.  It spins superbly in the air.  And because most of the mass resides along the axis of revolution, it has a small moment of inertia.  So it will be responsive, quickly rolling out of the sling upon release and reaching higher spin velocities.  Shocked  I think anyways haha.  I can't wait to sling it soon.

It makes me want to create
some exciting slinging game
revolving around it Grin

I think this ammo is pretty safe.  I wouldn't want to get hit in the neck or eye or anything  Grin  But I've thrown this really hard at myself and the tip doesn't hurt, it acts like a spring.  The tip that was crocheted first deforms well. But the tip that was crocheted last has a hard knot where I finished it off, and overall seems more hard and pointed.  I'll redesign it and update the pattern.  The pattern has been redesigned and updated, along with the picture.  Both tips have the same radius of curvature and deform equally well.   Smiley
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« Last Edit: May 24th, 2020 at 2:52pm by StarLight »  
 
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