Using machetes as slingshot ammo

[JoergS]

A new challenge arose from the clouds of the youtube community: Can you shoot a machete with a slingshot?

I am not serious if the fellow youtuber was serious or just joking, but I did in anyway!

Now a machete is a very heavy weapon, and strong rubber plus a very long draw was called for. This had to be a slingshot crossbow because the rubber has to be so strong that you can not draw it out with one hand. Also the danger of hitting the hand had to be considered.

The result is actually pretty impressive: The weapon sent the machete all the way up to the hilt into six layers of very thick cardboard. Try to do that by throwing a machete! No way.

The video also shows two very conventional slingshots, both handmade and already presented in some of the forums.

Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TSU1jQoGIqo

Jörg

 

[Jorg Nysgerrig]

Jörg, you are one crazy dude. Glad you didn't get sliced up too badly.

Jørg

 

[ArfinGreebly]

Oh Emm Gee!

Holy catfish!

I don't know what I was expecting, but that was well off the scale.

Makes you wonder what could be done with a gizmo that shoots darts -- you know, regular pub darts -- since you don't have to worry about the massive pitch and yaw that an unfletched blade exhibits.

A dart-firing slingshot would almost be practical. Certainly more so than a machete catapult.

 

[PTK]

......


You are a strange, strange man.

 

[Deltaboy1984]

That is very dangerous Slingshot!

 

[hso]

OohhhK, that was just crazy!

But interesting!

 

[memphisjim]

im thinking the hook that holds the rubber would make removal of machete difficult
think gut hook

 

[hogshead]

Reminds me of the Styx song " Too much time on my hands"

 

[2RCO]

You are one crazy guy! Keep it up.

 

[Mp7]

Rofl.

The improvised weapons award goes to JoergS.
( like every year )

 

[heron]

Whenever I think I've seen everything, I can always just come back here and Jorg proves me wrong . . .

. . . and I certainly won't try that myself!

 

[Shanghai Dan]

OK, now it's just a simple step to a chainsaw-firing slingshot - the ultimate zombie-hunting slingshot!

VERY well done, Joerg! I'm mainly a lurker here, but LOVE watching your videos and seeing the creativity in your designs!

 

[1KPerDay]

LOL Rock on Joerg.

 

[Mp7]

Show us ...

That lawnmower firing slingshot!!!

 

[m33p0n3]

I really enjoy your builds, all of them have a lot of character and show how much you enjoy making them.

I also noticed that this creation even made it to an article on Hackaday.com

 

[TimboKhan]

Rock and Roll, man.... Rock and Roll....

 

[Awsomepossum]

Nice you have inspired me to build an slingshot, keep up the great work

 

[ObsidianOne]

That is by far one of the most awesome things I've ever seen.

Do you sell your slingshots Joerg?

 

[mustang_steve]

...that was so wrong on so many levels Joerg....but I was amused anyways

Thanks for sharing that.

I'm wondering how long it will be before a slingshot is being accelerated by another slingshot

 

[janobles14]

Makes you wonder what could be done with a gizmo that shoots darts -- you know, regular pub darts -- since you don't have to worry about the massive pitch and yaw that an unfletched blade exhibits.

A dart-firing slingshot would almost be practical. Certainly more so than a machete catapult.

now THIS is actually a really good idea!

 

[Remo223]

hey JoergS,

Next time load it with the sharp side DOWN.

 

[Dirty Bob]

That's extremely cool! It makes me think of the old Far Side cartoon with the guy who has a gun that shoots Dobermans! If I recall correctly, the strip shows him about to use the Dobie-O-Matic on a burglar

Rock on!

My favorite design is still your arrow-shooting slingbow. That was genius.

All my best,
Dirty Bob

 

[PTK]

hey JoergS,

Next time load it with the sharp side DOWN.

...which would do one or more of the following:

Bury the machete blade in the slingshot itself
Send it end-over-end
Release too early due to the shape of the blade versus the release mechanism


Bad idea. Jörg knows what he's doing.

 

[Remo223]

I doubt it

 

[ArfinGreebly]

Doubt?

You know, that's a little close to the "gettin' personal" line.

Jörg has never rubbed his credentials in our faces, but I suspect there's an engineering background hiding behind that smile of his.

He does real work with real materials producing real results and then he documents the whole thing for the world to see.

I'm sure, somewhere, there are an impressive number of broken rubber straps, broken forks, and other "experience" that don't get the same air time as the final -- and successful -- results.

And even the best engineers occasionally have to go out on the "cutting edge" to see what works in the real world -- with occasionally unexpected results.

Knows what he's doing?

I have absolutely no doubt.