Ok, I have a challenge for y’all... the trash sling challenge!  This isn’t a slinging skill challenge, it’s a sling making competition. I want to see what happens when people get creative with new sling materials and building styles.
Here’s the idea: make a sling from anything, but you aren’t allowed to spend any money on it at all. The sling should be capable of launching a tennis ball at least 5 times in a row (video proof) before it falls apart. You should have at least two different materials in the sling. Bonus points for creativity, complexity, and video production quality. Emphasis is on making the sling from TRASH... i.e.  I don’t want you to wander into the woods and make a sling entirely out of scavenged natural fibers, but you could, for example scavenge natural cordage and then make a pouch out of newspaper or a broken plastic cup.

I’ll send the winner a custom  asymmetric tennis ball sling made with [non-trash] braided cordage and leather  recycled from an old couch :)

Since we are just about to start the 2019 SITH, I’ll make the deadline for this  challenge March 31 2020.

Good luck!

FYI, my inspiration for this challenge came from the video that Tombelaine posted a few days ago:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=hq9TWDx5SLk

Cool idea!  I've already got a couple things in mind.

That sounds great.  I am definitely interested.  How many submissions can each pereon have?

vetryan15 wrote on Nov 10^th, 2019 at 4:32pm:

That sounds great.  I am definitely interested.  How many submissions can each pereon have?

Hmmm... I can’t see a reason to limit the number of submissions. Only one trash sling will win, but submit as many as you want. I’d love to see other people one-up other submissions and build off of each others’ ideas. I think that’ll make this more fun.

I'm in

Hmm, made ducktap slings in the past and there's a great video of one of our members making slings from plastic bags.

I will have a think :-)

I'm in. It's dark and miserable in Finland currently so I need something to do.

I am in this for sure.

I have a few ideas , I'll see what I find in the bin

I'm going to be working on mine today. I came up with the idea just last night before falling asleep. Good old hypnogogia :D I think it might just work but I think I would want to make a "making of" video so it might be a while until you get to see my efforts.

OK. So I tried using Blender to video edit and... Yeah that's going to take some studying before I can use it. For now I'll stick to the default video editor which is terrible but I know how to use it :D

I suddenly remembered I hadn't done this video so I thought I would finally get round to it. Now, the question is, have I cheated? I'll leave you guys to judge that. I can always come up with another sling if this is deemed cheating. I still need to do a video showing it being tested so let's hope the weather improves enough not to ruin my camera if I take it outside.

https://youtu.be/QLazuzoaYog

well if you used a used bag - definitely counts :-)

Nice!
Blender is a pain, but once you figure it out it’s a great program... especially for the price :)
When Blender 2.8 came out, I had to re-learn everything because they completely rearranged the menus.

Curious Aardvark wrote on Jan 4^th, 2020 at 9:42am:

well if you used a used bag - definitely counts :-)

A very used bag in fact. It had been used to transport some cut pieces of pine which had been left in the bag a bit long and started getting moldy. Pine resin, mold, moisture and dirt. Very fun to work with I can tell you...


NooneOfConsequence wrote on Jan 4^th, 2020 at 10:18am:

Nice! Blender is a pain, but once you figure it out it’s a great program... especially for the price :) When Blender 2.8 came out, I had to re-learn everything because they completely rearranged the menus.

I'll have to devote some time to it this year. For now, the default one is good enough, but I would like to make some nicer videos.

    Though I no longer have either, several times while on my Husky walking/slinging adventures I forgot to bring a sling.      
    On one occasion we walked to a quarry lake that was surrounded by yellow police crime scene tape because there had been a recent drowning there.  I made an Appu Sling from the tape.  It slung some egg sized stones for ten or fifteen minutes before it stretched too much to be of use.
     Another time when I had forgotten a sling we walked past a pile of trash.  Included in the trash was an old TV.  I pulled the electric cord from the back of the TV, split it, and made another Appu Sling from it.  This sling was durable and worked surprisingly well. 
     I have made many other slings of opportunity from  pieces of rope or twine I've found, pieces of cloth, trash bags, etc..
    Good post. 
      

MC gyver erlegte einen böse  Russen mit einem Stück Tuch, welches er zu einer Sling umfunktioniert.  ;D

Here’s a little sling preview for the trash sling challenge. I am editing the slinging video that goes with it tonight. Obviously I can’t win my own competition, but I wanted to give others a little inspiration :)

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Great stuff!

Just like everyone else, I don't have a video yet.  That should happen tomorrow.  But here's my sling and how it came to be.

The retention and release cords are made from the leg seams of a pair of blue jeans.  I dug out an old pair of jeans with way too many holes to be of further use.  The loop and pouch connections were put together with contact cement and reinforced with some extra pieces of hemp twine.  On a side note, I also got some material from the legs themselves that I'm going to turn in to sling pouches.

The pouch is made from two things.  The rings are plastic spacers that were originally used to separate rare earth magnets I bought a while ago.  I've been keeping them around trying to think of something to do with them.  The plastic rings are then tied together with some little pieces of hemp cordage.  That cordage was just excess which was cut off the end when I got done braiding a sling.  The pouch is kind of like a plastic and hemp "chainmail".

Hopefully I'll be able to get this thing out tomorrow for a test.

http://beehatmead.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/TrashSling.jpg

Nice lookin trash sling Joe!
ok... here's my video:

https://youtu.be/N5yavFr1Oa8

Leg seams! That's genius. I'll remember that one.

Great video! I feel I should have a second go where I get a bit more ingenious with it.

This is my submission.
I guess it's not overly pretty and I could probally throw as far but hey it's trash and it's a sling.

EDIT: just realised I didn't follow the instructions , however it is very capable of throwing over 5 times , the videos are throws that are somewhat accurate, I can upload more if I need to provide more evidence but the throws are pathetic ha ha
Second fail is its only made from one material , a plastic bottle , I missed that I should combine materials but I did use a flame(stove top) to melt and stretch the "cords" ha ha.

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Ha!  Mersa, that sling is definitely not going to win any beauty contests, but nice job!

Nice Mersa, that's a great idea!  Great videos so far guys!

Here's my entry.  I was also outside the rules slightly.  I don't actually have a tennis ball.  I'm using my street hockey balls which are of a similar size and weight.

https://youtu.be/WPxiGgaY77Q

Nice work joe, great sling.
Always nice to see how accurate you are with your actual sling and iceball ammo.
Hope my SITH sling lands for you soon and you find a use for it.

Thanks man!  I liked the sling, but it didn't work anywhere near as well as I was hoping.  Whose idea was it anyway to make slings out of junk. ;)
Definitely a fun experiment!

And on the SITH sling, I got it some time ago.  I'm pretty sure I had the first sling picture in the SITH topic.  If you missed your 'Thanks', open up page 6 and scroll down through.

I've already had it out, but the unfortunately the ammunition I was trying to use was a little too large (was not an ice ball ;)).  I've got an another idea and am looking forward to the next round with it. :D

Only a few weeks left. Any other competitors?

Ok... here’s where we stand:
Kick made a sling, but hasn’t posted a throwing video yet (perhaps a little distracted by Mallorca :) )
Mersa made an excellent trash sling, but only used one material. Video evidence of the sling surviving multiple throws was good.
Joe Meadmaker used multiple materials in his construction and threw rocks instead of tennis balls. Since the point of tennis balls was to prove the sling could survive several throws, I am ok with replacing balls with rocks.

So far, Joe is the one to beat. I’ll post a photo of the prize sling soon in case anybody wants to sneak in and try to steal it from Joe :)

Ok... the prize:
One NOOC-designed asymmetric tennis ball sling made from 425 paracord and an up-cycled leather couch. I’ll even throw in the tennis ball :)

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Mine was only one material too :/ I might improve it and get video of throwing if the weather can behave. Yesterday out annoyed heavily and then melted completely so the ground is slushy mud. Fun.

Nice prize!!
I’m happy with your conclusions, I did miss the mark On the rules but I’m also happy with my submission.
Probably not going to steal any win as I feel one submission is fair and was totally my mistake on not reading the rules. Hopefully a few more people join the quest.
Be great to see some more creativity.

The rules did say multiple submissions are allowed. Joe is going to be hard to beat anyway, and it doesn’t really give him enough credit if he wins because nobody else met the criteria. You never know... I might even come up with a second place prize ;D

Nice looking sling NOC!

I'll admit I'm completely torn.  I would like to win it, but I'd love seeing some other submissions as well.

OK, I have the pouch part done, only the cords left... And the video (most tricky part since I have an "old" camera and a dumbphone...)

I’m looking forward to another trash submission.

Awesome!  I can’t wait to see it Caldou.

I forgot all about it, i will try to dig something up

I actually had a go at it today,  but unfortunately it was a failure that would make me look like an idiot. Lol. In a funny way.

Oh man!  If you're not posting a video, you better provide some more details!  :D

Is there a way to push back the time limit ? I have less time for me now that I have my kids and my wife 24H a day at home, and no way to get out to try the sling...

Covid-19 really has a bad timing :p

joe_meadmaker wrote on Mar 16^th, 2020 at 8:32pm:

Oh man!  If you're not posting a video, you better provide some more details!  :D

I might throw it up for giggles we shall see. I still haven actually seen the video

Caldou wrote on Mar 17^th, 2020 at 5:59pm:

Is there a way to push back the time limit ? I have less time for me now that I have my kids and my wife 24H a day at home, and no way to get out to try the sling... Covid-19 really has a bad timing :p

Sorry Caldou,
This challenge has been open since November 10, 2019. There was plenty of time before the quarantines swept around the globe, and you still have 5 more days to try. The rules didn’t say you can’t do the throwing part indoors ;D

I  totally understand the lack of  leisure time with quarantines... I have 3 kids under 6 years old in the house, and my wife and I have to get work done for our jobs with crazy, bored kids running around. My wife is also pregnant with kid #4, and she feels nauseous a lot, so I do most of the cooking.    Free time just doesn’t exist in my house, and it’s tough, but hang in there.

Try to focus on the blessings more than the things you might miss out on. For example, my youngest son took his first steps yesterday, and I was only home to see it because of the quarantine!  If you miss the chance to throw a tennis ball from a piece of trash, it’s a very small loss in the end, but even if you don’t make the deadline, I hope you will show off your creation :)

Don't worry, I wasn't really serious ;) I have enough slings at home to be able to restrain from crying if I don't have one more :)

I will still try to complete my sling, it is a fun project (is there bonus points if you use a trashed trash bag ? :p )

Good luck with your almost 4 kids ! I have wayyyy enough with only 2 ^^

And the contest rules says that I can't do the throwing part indoors... Not the House Rule, especially when the Rule Enforcer is at home instead of going to work like she usually do ! :p

Well, if tennis balls indoors will get you in trouble with the boss, maybe try these:

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=wool+dryer+balls&ref=is_s

I simply don't have the space to sling inside, but don't worry, here is the sling for inspiration :
the whole picture
a close-up of the pouch
and both ends, you can see a bit of the shoelace's core behind , tied with a left-over piece of gardening twine

Nice! I can’t wait to hear how it throws :)

Probably like trash :p The release is way too stiff compared to the retention cord. But next time I go for a walk along the river, I may try it if I find stones big enough

Well, we are now solidly in April, and that means it’s time to declare a winner. Nobody will be shocked to hear that Joe Meadmaker is the king of trash slings!  Congrats!  I’ll pm you to get your details to mail the prize (as soon as I figure out how to get to a post office).

Thanks NOC!  I am excited and honored.  Good job to all the other competitors!  All entries were worthy opponents.