How to Make a Sling Shot With Rubber Bands

Making a sling shot with rubber bands is the cheapest and easiest way to get one.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• A tree branch 1/2 inch or more in diameter
• Knife for carving, like a pocket knife
• Large width rubber bands or a piece of rubber tubing from an old bike tire
• Strong wire
• Piece of leather or heavy plastic

1. Cut a Y-Shaped branch from a tree limb. Use a limb with slick bark for comfort. You can usually find one that won't ruin a tree when you are trimming down limbs for yearly maintence ,or from anyone trimming a tree. Make the stick below the Y at least the length of your palm height. A little length below the palm will make an easy to hold handle.

2. The stick will have bark on it. Leave the bark on the sling-shot and only trim off a little area where the rubber band will be placed. Cut the top of the Y to a height that will be just tall enough to make an area for the sling-shot ammo to fit, on our farm we shot off rocks. But paper balls will work too. Just remember they all can hurt. Next cut the strips of rubber or use rubber bands, cut the rubber band to make a long single strip of rubber. the length and width that will be strong enough to pull back and have enough strength left to send the shot airborn.

3. Cut the track for the rubber band to attach to the top of the Y. This needs to be at least 1/4 inch deep so there will be room to wrap the rubber band and then place wire over it and wrap around until the band is tightly secured. On the other ends of the rubber bands attach a piece of leather, a shoe tongue from an old shoe is good. The leather needs to be cut to a round or rectangle shape, and about the size of a silver dollar. Due to the type of ammo you will be using, this will determine the size of the piece of leather. Cut a small slit into each side of the leather, and push the end of the rubber band through the slits, tie off with a square knot and wrap a couple of loops of wire for added strength. Trim down all ends and you are ready to load your paper ball.

Tips & Warnings

• Shoot safely, these sling shots will send their ammo a long distance. No one wants to hurt anyone, so load carefully.
• The rubber from a tire tube is much stronger, but rubber bands are easy to get.
• Test the strength of the sling shot and make sure it won't break a window of a neighbor across the way.
• Teach anyone who hasn't used one before the rules of use.
• Play safe.

[Wasatch]

on 2/28/2009 Did this as a boy 30 years back quite often.

[wordstock]

on 2/6/2009 We used to do this. Thanks for the memory. 5*