How to make a slingshot from improvised materials? Making a slingshot: step by step instructions. How to make a powerful slingshot for hunting with your own hands? How to make a slingshot from a pen and rubber band

A slingshot is a subject familiar to many from childhood. The usual model is made of wood, a tourniquet with a nickel is attached to the horn. Shooting is carried out with stones.

It was possible to make an option for firing wire staples. However, in addition to this familiar device, there are other types of slingshots.

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paper slingshot

The paper version is easy and quick to make. Let's look at a simplified method. You will need paper itself, adhesive tape and stationery gum.

Take two sheets of paper A4 format. The sheets are rolled around the pencil into two tubes. Preparations are made. To prevent the paper from unwinding, the edge is glued with tape. Everything is simple and neat. Then both tubes are folded crosswise, in the form of the letter X. Just below the intersection point, the blanks are squeezed with fingers and rewound with tape to the very bottom, connecting the two tubes into one. It remains to the top of the slingshot, with the same adhesive tape, to fasten the ends of the clerical gum. "Shooter" is ready.

Shooting in progress paper brackets. In order for it not to bend, the thumb must be rested against the branching of the horns. You can make such a slingshot in a few minutes, but the power of the shot leaves much to be desired.

Bottle slingshot

A slingshot from a bottle is also made literally in a matter of minutes. For its production you need:

plastic bottle,
stationery knife,
two rubber bands
fingertip or balloon.

The neck of the bottle is cut with a knife so that it turns out small funnel. A fingertip is put on the neck, which tightly wraps around the neck at the base. The fingertip needs to be tucked inward, exposing it in the middle. Stationery elastic bands are pulled together on the neck, tightly securing the ball or fingertip.

After that he turns back- and the slingshot is ready. You can shoot with plastic or metal balls, small stones, mountain ash or cherry pits.

To do this, the projectile is placed inside and pulled along with the fingertip, then released and flies out of the funnel of a plastic bottle. It hits pretty hard for short distances.

Wooden slingshot

The most traditional way, proven over the years. The popularity of wooden slingshots was at one time very high in all yards.

A suitable branched branch is selected and cut to the appropriate size. It is better to immediately check the tree for strength so that the slingshot does not break at the wrong moment.

Circular recesses are made near the ends so that later the elastic does not slip and stays in the right place.

Then choose rubber. Previously, they used a tube from a bicycle tire or from a ball, from which a strip of the desired size was cut.

Now there are many more options, up to PVC stretch tape. From a piece of the same rubber or leather, a nickel is cut out, on which a projectile will fall.

Incisions are made on this piece through which the rubber band is run. To prevent the nickel from slipping, the elastic can be cut and tie to its holes. The other two ends are attached to a wooden slingshot. Everything that is suitable in size is used as charges. But you can’t take an object that is too large - a ricochet from the branches of a slingshot can harm the shooter himself.

A slingshot is a U-shaped device for throwing various projectiles. It is used for entertainment, hunting small birds or fish, and sometimes as a weapon. There are many types of slingshots, differing mainly in the materials from which they are made. So, slingshots can be made from oddly enough horns, plastic or wire. But the most popular and easy to manufacture and use is a wooden slingshot. You can easily buy it, or you can make a slingshot with your own hands. What we propose to do now.

Before you start making a slingshot out of wood, you need to figure out what parts the slingshot consists of, and what materials will be needed to make it. So, the slingshot consists of 3 parts:

actually the U-shaped part, on which the throwing tourniquet is attached and which is held by hand;
throwing harness or bowstring, which is pulled when throwing;
and a saddle (heel), in which the projectile is placed and held there when the tourniquet is pulled.

To make a good wooden slingshot, the first thing you need is to find a flexible Y-shaped branch. It is desirable that it be at least 1 cm thick, otherwise it can quickly break. It is better to make a slingshot from oak, maple or ash, you should not take a Christmas tree J. Then the branch should be dried, cleaned of bark, so that it is smooth. It is not necessary to clear the branch, but it will be better for both to sit in your hand and not crumble.

Then you need to choose a suitable throwing harness, while it must be both durable and elastic. For this, an ordinary elastic band or a tourniquet with a thickness of 1.5 cm and a length of about 20 cm is suitable.

A saddle (or leather) for a slingshot is made from a piece of durable fabric 3x5 cm., For example, leather. In the fabric, you need to make 2 holes on the sides, then cut the elastic into 2 equal parts and thread through the holes and secure with a knot or wrap with a thin elastic band.

To assemble the slingshot, you will need to attach a rubber band with a saddle to a branch. The most convenient are the following mounting methods:

make small slits as thick as the selected elastic band “on the horns” 1.5-2 cm from the top of each “horn” and then tighten the elastic band into these slots and tie it into a knot;

make small through holes at the same distance, so that later you can stretch the elastic through them and tie knots so that the elastic does not pop out of the holes when pulled.

make small slits in the same place, place the elastic perpendicular to the slits and wrap it with a thin elastic band and secure.

The slingshot was made by hand, it remains only to find shells for throwing. The most suitable projectiles for a slingshot are stones with a diameter of about 2 cm. Rounded or chestnuts. As you can see, making a slingshot at home is not difficult, since all the materials can be easily found. But if you want to make a powerful slingshot with your own hands, then you will need materials that are not quite at hand. A powerful slingshot is capable of throwing heavier projectiles at higher speeds. To do this, you need to find a thicker and stronger branch and replace the usual gum with a Fole 22 latex catheter or a rubber medical bandage. It is quite difficult to buy them now, but if desired, it is possible. Then, instead of one row of elastic, it is necessary to make 2 rows of harnesses so that heavier shells can be thrown, and, finally, to increase the size of the saddle.

There is another original option on how to make a slingshot out of wood - make it out of pencils (mini crossbow). This video describes in detail how to make a slingshot out of pencils.

As practice shows, the best slingshot is the one that you made with your own hands, because only it will sit in your hand “like a glove”.

Of course, you can just buy a slingshot, especially since there are “cool” sports slingshots made from the latest materials, with an emphasis, an adjustable handle, etc. like this one:

But remember, do not shoot at people, especially be afraid to accidentally hit the head, eyes, and indeed, always be careful

Using a slingshot for hunting may seem like a curiosity and is not taken seriously. But having enough practice, hunting will become interesting and successful. Of course, no one uses a slingshot to hunt a large animal, but birds and small animals can be shot quite successfully.

Slingshot for hunting - what is it?

A hunting slingshot can be very similar in appearance to a conventional slingshot, or it can have a modern ergonomic design and be equipped with additional options, such as an adjustable handle and a comfortable hand rest.

Differences between a hunting slingshot and a regular one:

noiselessness of the shot;
simplicity and convenience of design;
high shot speed;
the use of special metal balls or arrows, instead of pebbles.

Homemade slingshot for hunting

For the manufacture of such a slingshot, metal, plastic and wood can be used. Hunting slingshots are distinguished by a wide variety of shapes, this is especially true for wooden slingshots.

To make a slingshot, it is enough to pick up an ordinary branched branch. In the simplest embodiment, the bark may not be removed.

Making a slingshot for hunting with your own hands

Regardless of the method of manufacture and material, the width between the horns should be in the range of 4 to 7 centimeters. The length of the horns and handles are selected individually. These values do not affect the success of shooting, but the convenience for the shooter depends on them. Keep in mind that a hunting slingshot should not be too thin, because it will have to withstand firing with fairly heavy balls. The horns should be of the same thickness and placed at the same angle to the handle.

Wooden slingshot

The following trees are suitable for making a slingshot:

ash;
maple;
nut.

You will need a forked branch or a piece of board if you want to carve a slingshot out of wood with your own hands. Using a jigsaw, a slingshot of the required shape is cut out. Please note that the slingshot should not be flat - it will be uncomfortable to lie in your hand. If you find a good branch, it must be debarked. Be sure to grind the workpiece with sandpaper.

There are several ways to attach a rubber band.

At a distance of 1.5 millimeters from the ends of the horns, small cuts are made to the width of the elastic band. The elastic is wrapped around the horns and tied into a knot.
We make the same cuts as described above, but we put the elastic bands so that they become a continuation of the horns.
At a distance of 1.5 millimeters from the ends of the horns, small holes are drilled into which elastic bands are threaded. Tie the elastic tightly so that it does not pop out.

Epoxy glue slingshot

You need to buy any two-component epoxy glue and mold it into a slingshot of the desired shape and size. When sculpting a handle, take the workpiece in the palm of your hand and squeeze it lightly. If you squeeze the slingshot too tightly, then when shooting it will be uncomfortable for you to hold it.

After the glue has hardened, we proceed to pasting the slingshot with 5 layers of paper. It is best to alternate newspaper and plain paper - this way you will see if the entire surface has been glued with a new layer. After all layers have dried, holes should be drilled at a distance of 1.5 millimeters from the upper edges of the horns for elastic. On the one hand, you can widen the hole a little, so the knot will hide in the recess and will not stick out from the outside.

The product is polished with sandpaper and primed with a mixture of chalk and PVA. Then it is again polished with fine-grained sandpaper and painted. Such a slingshot looks very attractive and is in no way inferior in quality to wood.

Rubber bands for a slingshot - making the right choice

The lethal force of the slingshot depends on the right rubber band. The fastest contracting and most powerful is flat latex. Slingers love the manufacturer Thera band the most. You can buy this latex in any sports shop - athletes use it in their training. A strip 1.5 centimeters thick is cut from the purchased latex.

What is shot from a hunting slingshot

It is customary to use 8.5 mm buckshot as shells. It is always on sale, it is quite cheap, and you can shoot far enough with it.

Slingshot for hunting - who to hunt

Birds and small animals are beaten from such a slingshot. The slingshot proved to be excellent when hunting game, which rises almost from the legs, namely:

pheasant;
grouse;
partridge;
woodcock;
great snipe.

With increasing distance, the effectiveness of the slingshot decreases sharply, so it is possible to shoot a duck, but it will be difficult.

Before you go hunting with a slingshot, it will not be out of place to practice well, adjust the length of the elastic band and find a comfortable shooting position. If you have never shot with a slingshot, then at first you are unlikely to hit the target. But having trained, you can safely use a slingshot for hunting.

As a child, every boy had a slingshot. Everyone loved to shoot sparrows or knock down light bulbs on poles. And everyone made a slingshot with their own hands, of course, according to the classical method from wood and fixed with an elastic band, we will consider this method below.

There are many types of slingshots, the common ones are hunting and sporting ones, which can be bought freely in the store. There is still an opportunity to do it, read here.

How to make a slingshot the classic way

From wood, find and make the well-known body of a slingshot, in the form of the English letter Y. Make a strip from a rubber band or elastic band for money and fasten it with wire at both ends of the wooden blank. For a solid look of a slingshot, the handle can be wrapped with electrical tape. Depending on what kind of gum is worth, there will be different shells. Most suitable shells in the form of small metal balls or pebbles.

How to make a slingshot from a plastic bottle

This method can also be attributed to the classic, since such a slingshot is easy to make. To do this, take a plastic bottle and cut off the neck in it. In the place where the cork closes, put on a regular ball and secure it with wire. The shells for firing from such a slingshot will be just right not ripe cherries.

How to make a powerful slingshot

For manufacturing you will need:

Large office clamp - 2 pcs.;
Medium office clamp - 2 pcs.;
Small office clamp - 3 pcs.;
Rubber band for money - 1 pc.

We remove the metal ears from the small clip and clamp it into the middle clips. We also remove the ears from the middle clamps, as shown in the figure:

It remains only to connect the large office clips with this design using a rubber band for money, as shown in the figure:

To increase the firing range from such an office slingshot, you should fasten the structure with a large number of rubber bands.

If you still think that slingshots are used for pampering and other entertainment, then you are deeply mistaken. For example, powerful combat slingshots are used even in some special forces units.

Almost all boys approach their fathers or older brothers with the question: how to make a slingshot? At home, it can be made from all kinds of materials. There are options for plastic slingshots, wire, wooden. You can even make a slingshot out of a plastic bottle.

"Slingshot" of gum on the fingers

This is the most ordinary and simple slingshot, for which only an elastic band is needed. Make a loop at each end of it and put it on the middle and index fingers of the non-dominant hand (for left-handers - on the right, for right-handers - on the left). Now just take the dowels made of paper, fold in half, fold over the elastic, tighten and release. Here's how to make a slingshot at home in a few seconds. It is convenient in that you can take it off your fingers at any second and put it on as well. This is great for when parents are looking for someone who has been naughty ...

Slingshot from a branch at home?

To make it, you need to find a branch that resembles the letter Y in shape. Remove bumps and notches with sandpaper so as not to damage your hand during shooting. Then fasten the elastic to the upper corners of the horn. To make it convenient, you can carve notches at the attachment points so that the elastic does not slip off. Or you can make holes and secure the elastic by threading it through the holes. The most comfortable slingshot is one that has a piece of leather in the middle of the elastic band. It is needed to hold the ball or pebble.

There is a "gift option" of a slingshot, in other words, a souvenir one. It can be made stationary, in other words, with a stand. In this case, you need to think about the stand. The main distinguishing feature of this type of slingshot is that the skeleton has an original shape. It can be a bunny, whose ears serve to attach an elastic band, or a muzzle of a teddy bear, whose paws are raised up. And you can do everything from an ordinary rolling pin with handles. It is only necessary to saw off a part about 15 centimeters long from it, to carve a recess in the thick end (opposite from the handle), a pebble or key will fly out through it, and at the end, make holes in the protrusions on which the elastic will be attached.

How to make a wire slingshot at home?

You can use a hard wire frame as a backbone. In this case, there is no need to make the branches Y-shaped. The metal must be bent with a step at a right angle, then folded in half and made a symmetrical second part. Wrap the lower part, in the place where the wire connects, with electrical tape, and at the diverging upper ends make loops in which the elastic is attached.

How to make a slingshot from a plastic bottle?

You can use an ordinary pharmacy fingertip or a balloon and a plastic bottle. Remove the cap from the bottle, measure 7 centimeters from the neck and cut off. Pull a fingertip or ball over the neck, secure it well with wire or thread. From this device you can shoot with an even piece of a branch, a pencil, a pen, a mountain ash, pebbles and other things, sticking it into the neck. Through the elastic band of the fingertip or ball, hold what you shoot, pull the elastic band and release sharply.