Homemade Christmas presents - slings

[pantheraba]

It has been a LONG time since I made gifts for folks. My wife asked what we should get for our nephews this year, ages 6-8-10-12 years. I have played around with slings for years. I know if I have fun with them then four young wild boys will be absolute terrors with them.

I made some slings (think David and Goliath) for the boys and for the 2 fathers...I expect the fathers to play slings with the young'uns. I am including some tennis balls so maybe they won't kill each other or break Grandpa's windows when they start learning to sling with them on Wednesday. The packages are pre-wrapped in Saran wrap, I'll put Christmas paper on them tonight...I think it will drive them NUTS trying to guess what they are!

If anyone is interested there is a quite a bit of info about them at:

http://slinging.org/

In regards to how effective they can be:
" Projectiles can be slung over 1500 feet (450m) at speeds exceeding 250 miles per hour (400 kph)."

The best documented recent throw seems to be by:

Jerzy Gasperowicz in 2006 with a Bipointed lead shot via a Sidearm throw...he only threw it 505 meters (1656 feet, over a quarter mile )

Some of you guys (and girls) would probably love these things....I know your kids would. They work great for throwing the tennis balls so far that it wears the dog out much faster.

Make some and let me know.

 

[darkstar]

Is that total maunal release ?
Looks awesome , i deffinatly need to get into that.

 

[pantheraba]

Is that total maunal release ?
Looks awesome , i deffinatly need to get into that.

Yes, the "trigger" is simply a knot that you release at the proper time...very much a subjective thing as you learn. It's a very simple, easy to keep with you item. I have spent many hours burning up lots of God's ammo...rocks.

There is a recommended way to position the sling on the hand/fingers...I'll try to get a picture sometime.

 

[darkstar]

We should hook up some time Pantheraba.
Im alot better in person and i can actually speak better english than mpst youll meet despite my typing skills and such.
Bring a couple of those up and ill treat you with a cool place for a night about 10 mins from Twall.
From my home you can see at least a hundred routes, we could do frog butress.
Its across the street three pitches of 5.8 sandbag very ,very bad sand bag but i havent done so , that is just what i hear.
Anyhow i know you have been to sunset many times so you probaly we probly crossed paths.
Id like to try that contraption and lets breakl the world record whil we are at it haha.
Jerr

 

[cutitup]

Hey Panth, I think your great. Really. I belive that the most improtant thing one can do is influance kids. I'm a firm beliver in "throwing anything and everything at the wall and see what sticks". In other words exposing kids to whatever you can and let them decide what "floats their boat". I saw what you did with those scouts too. Good on ya bro! (yeah I know I need to download the spell check too)

 

[Stumper]

Gary, Those are fun gifts....and serious weaponry with practice.

 

[pantheraba]

Dark, we just need to find a good creek full of rocks and we can sling 'til we can't sling no more...that'd be a fine thing to do. I have a couple of buds in Chatty town...I'll holler at you sometime when I get up that way.

Cutitup, I think you have it right..."I'm a firm beliver in "throwing anything and everything at the wall and see what sticks".." I, too, believe in exposing kids to a lot of possibilities and see what they decide they want to do. It's a blessing when someone can find something to be passionate about that can be a beneficial life activity too...even if the main benefit is relaxing and having fun.

And, Stumper, if it happens to have weapons applications, too....well, that's just another plus. I remember reading Clan of the Cave Bear years ago and how it described the utility and value of a sling to ancient man...though ancient, it is still a viable tool.

 

[pantheraba]

Dark,

Here are some pictures of how to hold the sling...bowlined to the ring finger for retention with the release knot pinched beside the retention line where it passes over the index finger.

 

[vharrison]

Awesome gifts Gary, those boys will love them! I can hear them years from now telling stories about the slings their uncle made them!

 

[pantheraba]

Thanks, Gigi...hoping to help them make good memories. Merry Christmas to you and yours...great avatar.