okay so i just got this catapult from a friend of mine that went to mexico but i don't now how to hold it.
so do you hold it like this (straight):

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woops sorry for size, forgot to resize it :-[
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or like this(    \            )

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and just another pic of the whole thing :):

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Sora wrote on Jul 27^th, 2007 at 8:28am:

so do you hold it like this (straight):

Years of watching migrant workers on my fathers farm (hunting bunnies to supplement their food supplies) has demonstrated the correct hold is straight (90 degrees to forearm). Sometimes with one fork vertical to act as an aiming post.

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yep the pouch needs to be aiming directly at the gap - otherwise bad things can happen :-)

Nice looking catapult though :-)

The pouch is bigger than the gap? I always thought that the pouch should be as small as possible to make it more efficient. But the handle looks really nice!

Beatiful little slingshot. :D

Ever tried holding it with finger supporting the two prongs?
http://www.nighthawkpublications.com/journal/journal182-1.htm

the pouch size is relatively unimportant - just don't try and fire anything that won't fit through the forks :-)

Forgot to mention wear safety glasses and do not anchor the pouch next to your eye...

After my first band break  :o  and welt on cheek  :'(  I started anchoring at my shoulder  8-)

There are two kinds of shooting styles. One is called "flip-shooting", which is used for small forks like yours and in the catapults shown in the link I posted. When you release the pouch, let your wrist follow through so that the ammo will travel above the narrow prongs, thus it will not hit the prongs.

I even tried to shoot a ball of thread which is bigger than the "throat" of the fork! And, it passed through the fork with no obstruction.

Get it?

LKH9 wrote on Aug 1^st, 2007 at 9:13am:

http://www.nighthawkpublications.com/journal/journal182-1.htm

Oh, they have attached strings between the rubber and the pouch and they say it increases the accuracy. I never knew that. The one in the photo also has strings between the handle and the rubber. Does this also give an advantage?

In the text the man who makes those slingshots said that he couldn't teach others in making them, that he has to correct their slingshots all the time to make them shootable. Why? What's so difficult at making a slingshot?


Curious Aardvark wrote on Aug 1^st, 2007 at 12:37pm:

the pouch size is relatively unimportant - just don't try and fire anything that won't fit through the forks :-)

Well, if the pouch weights 50g and your projectle weights only 50g, too, than half of the power would stay in the pouch, wouldn't it?

you're confusing size with weight :-)
I'm assuming a modicum of common sense in that you make your pouch out of material and not chain mail or lead foil (not sure how else you'd get one weighing 50 gms :-)

Curious Aardvark wrote on Aug 2^nd, 2007 at 11:41am:

you're confusing size with weight :-)

Well, when you make a pouch out of the same material that is only one third as big it is only one third as heavy, too, isn't it?

Quote:

I'm assuming a modicum of common sense in that you make your pouch out of material and not chain mail or lead foil (not sure how else you'd get one weighing 50 gms :-)

Ah ok, I just wrote there any number. All I intended to write was that if your pouch has a weight similiar to the projectile you lose a lot of energy.

It's easy to make a slingshot, but hard to make a real good one. Maybe the problem he corrects is the pouch attachment? The strings, the bands have to be parrarel in length.. ::)

About the string connecting the pouch to the band, it's only necessasry for those tiny slingshots. With wider forks, you don't need it. And it's tough to draw the band that far.....


And the pouch should be made from the smallest and lightest material possible. Kangaroo leather is the best material at the moment. Make the pouch just enough to hold the projectile.

http://thecatapultkidslingshot.myfastforum.org/

From my wild and crazy days, I would suggest, if you are right-handed, that you put on safety goggles, hold the grip in your left hand, and tilt the catapult (which we Yanks call a slingshot) sligtly forward.  Draw to full tension, aim between the forked arms, and release.

My two slingshots have surgical rubber tubes for the lauching mechanism.  They're fairly high-tech, and I haven't tried them out yet.  My first slingshot was made of wood with what appeared to be flat surgical rubber bands.

When firing, a broken catapult band can be as devasting as a broken archer's bow.  Almost.  

As a suggestion, do a Google search for "Pachinko" balls.  Pachinko machines were very popoular in Japan and Ryukrian Island chain when I was there during 'Nam.  They're small ball bearings and make excellent catapult fodder.

Respecfully,

Merlinius
Primus Pilus
LEGX
Judea

I've always held mine sideways :D that's what they said to do on the package so don't look at me if I'm wrong ;)

Did I ever post this?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90PfbF582aY