Yeah, I realized after I posted the picture that the release points were a bit late.  Ok, so the "underhand" throw is the vertical rotation clockwise.  Is that correct?  What is considered overhand?   

I find the vertical rotation gives me good accuracy in a vertical plane - i can hit trees and fence posts with it.  But hitting anything on the X axis (horz), regardless of how I swing it, is completely random.  Judging the arc is definitely more difficult.  I find I aim best with one or two rotations and then release.  There is definitely a timing in the throw that provides the greatest power.  When I have access to my brother's video camera I want to video slinging some rocks and then slow it down and try and quantify the movements involved.  Maybe we could generate some discussion on throwing techniques and see what theories we come up with. 

The projectile weight also seems to factor into efficiency as much as the throwing technique and shape.  At least it does for me.  Too light and I nearly whip my shoulder sockets out and air friction stops the stone too soon.   Too heavy and I can barely manage the rotations and the throw.  Something slightly smaller than a golf ball has about the right weight for me. 

Any thoughts on the subject of weight as it relates to distance and accuracy? 

Barak

Hondero,

In our climate zone the "almonds" appear mainly as the seeds (stones) in the markets, hence my first image of the word "almond" was the flat "seed of almond",  despite I had seen the pictures of the Roman glandes before They are really simillar shaped to the almond fruits. There was the small incomprehension

Saludos

Jurek

I'd really-really! like to see slooo-mo film of some good glande launches.   Do they go point-first like NFL football, or sideways with back spin to "fly" like golf ball, or something else altogether?   What slinging hero will come up with the film for us first?   mgreenfield

Ben, mgreenfield,

If that glans is throwed corectly by the "point first" style it rotates rather around the axis which is approx parallel to the fly direction (probably it gets a bit precession often). So that kind of a fly is similar to a fly of the rifle bullet. Then the rotation doesn't produce the lift bat only helps to keep the direction of the projectile due to the giroscopic effect (as Hondero mentioned once). There is no lift when the axis of the rotation is parallel to the apparent wind direction. In this situation the oval shape is a negative factor because it brakes the rotation. The biggest lift is produced when the axis of the rotation is perpendicular to the apparent wind direction, when the projectile flies crosswise. And if the axis is vertical and the rotation is clockwise then the trajectory turns left. But if the rotation axis is horizontal  and the projectile has the back spin, then lift is directed to up and is beneficial, because prolongates the fly. This fenomenon is known as the  Mangus' Effect. This one is stronger when the suface of the projectile isn't very smooth and regular. I don't think that aventage of Mangus' lift (the crosswise fly) bigger than adventage of the "point first" fly for mentioned glandes.

Additionally, getting the back spin in the sideways fly, is very little probably due to the pouch position during the release in the typical ways of the slinging. So I think the oval cross section and and the edges aren't good for ranges and accuracy.

I suppose there is different kind of a lift which can be profitable. If the glans goes and rotates point-first and its nose is a little bit "snub" relative to the trajectory (apparent wind) then it should get a lift like a wing. But when the its nose is a bit lowered then lift pushes that one down and is unbeneficial.

Probably mantioned effects wasn't very significant on battlefields, for lead glandes due to their a big density.

Barak,

I think the tail fins should be rather big for quick stabilisation the short and massive glans, so they would probably cause the bigger wake (turbulences) and as result the bigger drag. Additionally the glans would lose quite a lot velocity yet before the its stabilisation.


Jurek, who hopes he is clear

yeah, the tail fins were a flight of wild imagination. 

Jeff, I actually saw your bull roarers earlier today and was quite inspired.  I promptly went to my little woodshop to see if i could find some suitable wood, but all I had was light weight narrow planks.  I think I'll make a run to woodcraft and see if they have some nice cocobolo planks.  I love wood grain.

Well, unfortunately I ran out of intelligent contributions to this thread several posts ago... lol, so I will go back to my shop and continue making more sawdust.

Barak

The idea of fetching might be a bit overkill and fragile, but what about a little length of sling attached to one of the points; maybe 5 inches worth.  It can be a thin piece of cotton or something.  It only would cause lots of drag when it's not oriented in the "dragging" position where it just stays in the projectiles wake.  It would be simple to add, and durable (attached with a little drop of super glue or something). 

I really have serious doubts about people consistently casting projectiles with perfect orientation and spin.  It just doesn't seem like an easy thing to do repeatedly, especially in a battle scenario, where time is limited and conditions may be less that ideal. 

Chris

Chris,

I think that consistent "point-first" throwing is possible but not easy. If you once find the way of geting it, you can copy this way next times. There are conditions however, the cords must be distant in the palm, and a minimum amout of rotations of the sling is necessary and the projectiles should be consistent too.


Cornelius,

Wouldn't be easier to beat into something big and hard (for example the conrete wall)? The lead glandes are soft so they should get the marks.


Jurek

mgreenfield,

You have pointed all condition very well. I think it make sense.  One day I observed step by step my stone slinging on the "high speed shutter" video. The pouch positions were rather similar in the most releases, although I didn't try to control it at that time.

Jurek