http://www.mcmastercarr.com

Type in aircraft cable in the search field.  Man they sell this stuff in so many varieties!  Even teflon coating.  Talk about aerodynamic huh?  It looks like we have options if we want to go this route.

Jurek,

The stainless wire seems good if it's 7x19.  The one I have for the sling I made doesn't have that many strands.  The more strands the better, I think.  I think it makes it more flexable and crimp less.  Don't forget to buy the little sleeves that you use to put it together.  I used a vice to crimp them, but I think there is a tool.  If you have any trouble just ask me and I'll make you one myself.  I'm glad to help, I like having a hand in all of this.

                                         Ben

Jurek,

Hey that's a beautiful connection.  I know a few but was too lazy to try them.  That one looks better than the ones I was thinking of.  I hope it really works well for you.  I'm excited to see how much range it adds to your throw.

                                     Ben

Wow, this is pretty exciting.  I've always wanted to make one of these super-light slings.  Ben and Jurek, those are hansom looking slings.  I really like that wire lovelock pouch!  Steel cabling is heavier then spider wire of just plain fishing line.  If you really want to maximize the force getting put into the sling, I'd just the latter two.  Maybe a bradded or thicker version if it isn't strong enough.  If Jurek can get near to 500m with the sling he posted a picture of, I think he can exceed 600m with one of these light-slings. 

Can anyone follow up on what exactly the world record is and if there are any projectile weight classes?

Exciting! Go Jurek! 
Chris

P.S. Don't forget about us when you hold the record.   

Jurek,

My only thoughts about fishing line are that I'm afraid the sling may twist when it's used?  But it's worth a try.  Here's how I'd do it.

Braiding will take too long.  Twisting is better.  Take 4 strands of 10' each. 

Start by making the split cradle.

To do this, divide them into two groups of 2 strands. 

Go to the center (cradle) section of each group and twist the two strands together loosely for 3"

(You can twist strands together by taking each strand in either hand, and twisting them in the opposite direction as you intend their composite twist to be.  Just like rope.  You know.)

Take the two groups of strands and put them side by side after you've twisted each section of the cradle.

(So we are taking 4 strands and making them into 2 sections in the middle and then 1 on either side of the cradle.)

Make a regular overhand knot on both sides of the cradle. 

The knot is done by taking the 4 strands, making a loop with them, and putting the end of the strands through the loop and pulling tight. 

Do that on both sides of your cradle.

Then take each set of 4 strands and divide them into 2 groups of 2. 

Twist them together for 4' out and tie a knot.

Do this on both sides.

Then attach your rope ends for the loop and release cord.

I hope that was clear?  It works in my mind but it's hard to write out.

                             Ben

Jurek,

Awesome!  I'm glad it worked for you.  If it doesn't tangle, it looks like it will be very efficient!  Let us know if it's any better than a regular sling, once you make the glandes!  I'm excited to find out.

I know what you mean about it being strange to use.  The pull from the back is hard to do because it's sooo fast already.  It changes slinging around some, so I don't know if it will be better or worse for distance!  Maybe a slower windup will help? 

                                     Ben

Jurek,

I'm sorry to hear it broke    I hope you're able to get the stuff you need for the sling in good time.  I think that 7x19 stuff should be good.  In the meantime, don't pull a muscle out there in that freezing weather!  Potato slicing huh!  LOL 

                                       Ben

Chris,

Once upon a time I tried to sling with my prolongated conventional sling. I simply pieced some rope on to each cord. I don't remember exactly how long this sling was, maybe something about my height. You are right, that one gave adventage for heavy stones (the main acceleration is durring twisting, not durring the whip) which I couldn't whip well with the normal-lenght sling.  However, when used the optimal weight stones I wasn't able to whip dinamically. The sling seemed as if it didn't keep up, was too lazy, I hadn't a good "connection" with the stone.

Probably there was three reasons together:
1. too stretchy cords
2. too big air drag
3. too big ratio of the sling to my arm lenght.

The factors 1 and 2 should be minimalized, we know. But finding the best lenght of a sling is more difficult. I suppose there is the optimal lengh for a specified slinging way,  body construction and projectile mass, due to the projecile speed, of course.

If even factors 1 and 2 would be null and a mass of the sling would be null, then we couldn't prolong the cords overmuch, if we would like to get the dynamic whip. Finding an optimal projectile mass and sling lenght is an interesting question for physicists and biophysicist. Maybe some day they will expolore a sling, but nowadays we only may experiment alone and axchange experiences.

Durring my last tests with glandes I used 50" sling. I feel that it is close to the optimal lenght, maybe not exacty, for such sling design and mass of used projectiles. When I make the new good aerodynamic sling and the new lead projectiles, I will try to lenghten the sling, as you Chris mentioned, but 9 feet seems to be too long for me.

Jurek.