Why does it shoot?

[JoergS]

I guess because sheer willpower makes the ball not hitting the stick and/or not entangling itself in the pouch.

Shoots great, you can make it in no time. Butterfly style of course, very accurate.

BTW the groove in the stick is because this is my draw strength test stick. I put my scales ring around the stick, secured by the groove, then I draw with a a length of string and a pouch that contains a steel ball. This way I can find out my maximum draw weight. I can do about 65 lbs (30kg), surprisingly low. I can draw out my 70 lbs bow with absolute ease, and I question if the 70 lbs are really based on an honest manufacturer spec.

I recommend testing your personal draw max this way, it helps finding the right band strength when you want the maximum power.

Jörg

 

[kBob]

Down around where Georgia, Alabama, and Florida come together in the Southeastern US we called those a "Flip" when I was a kid. We used car or bike tire inner tubes and cotton twine to hold everything together. The one I had longest had a pouch made of the soft leather in the middle of one of Dad's old belts.

Glass marbles were a favorite ammo as were ball bearings from the farm equipment repair place across the street from my Grand Dad's Gas station. ROcks were a distant third. A type of festive fire work called a cherry bomb was a big favorite. FOr the younger set and non US folks those were round red balls about the size of a very large cherry and they had a bit of cannon fuze to light. They made a most satisfying "boom" but alas are no longer legal here abouts.

A flip could sneak by teachers or other adults in a pocket where a Y type frame could not be concealed.

I have been promising my ten year old to make one since he went ga-ga over all your neat designs.

Guess I should get busy.

-kBob