From "reading the mail", I gather we're mostly a "techie" bunch, with interests in almost any obsolete technology our common theme.     For sure, slinging is sort of "the next item on the list" for me.   I've already been through:

Morse Code - Attained easy conversational skill.

Celestial Navigation - Used a tub of water as an artificial horizon and made sure my house wasnt going anyplace.   Still want to learn how to find accurate time by "shooting lunars" w my sextant.

Heliograph Construction & Testing - Built a small one that worked very well.  Surprisingly narrow beamwith, long! range, and not too hard to aim and manipulate.  But couldnt get anybody else to build one to do a 2-way linkup.   History of the heliograph may go back as far as history of the sling!  Any takers here?

Sling/Slinging - Goal#1 - Figure out how to launch point-first "football" spirals consistently.  Goal#2 - Attain some measure of accuracy.  Goal#3 - Develop power and range.

Just some thoughts.         mgreenfield

Slinging is on my list too, but I'll never get to the level I would want.  It's just one of those skills you might never get good at.  Aim high I suppose. ;)   It's cheap to get into, fun, and a great conversational item.  Can't go wrong with that.

Chris

The ideas presented here were very good.  I don't know if slinging is going to stay "obsolete" for long, though.  All it takes is for enough people to put the sling to practical uses that other solutions of the day don't quite accomplish so well or cheaply.  Then It CEASES to be "obsolete" technology ;)!

It CAN be a pretty tough skill to develop well enough to be good at on bad days, as well as good days, but I think that anyone with the determination and self-disciplne could do so.  But if you are a perfectionist, you may STILL not feel you're any good with it, even though others who observe you may disagree, etc.