birdlike 0 #1 September 28, 2008 SUCCESS! I went out to a park today with a staff sling that I made, tried it out, and had outstanding success with it For the staff, I used a polypropylene "Escrima stick" by Cold Steel. (It's like a plastic version of a rattan stickfighting stick.) For the sling, I used neon yellow paracord, with a split woven pouch (thank you, Cliff), attaching with a short multiple-overhand knot noose, and the release loop is a fisherman's loop. I spent a little time practicing with my staff sling, and found, as I had been told by the folks at Slinging.org who told me how to make and use it, there's nothin' to it! In about ten minutes or less, I was throwing some proficient shots with my neon-yellow golf balls, and throwing pretty straight, making distances that were probably (unmeasured and approximate) 50-75 yards. I know that if I attach a longer sling, I will get seriously greater distances. In fact, I didn't feel I was maxing out the potential of this particular sling, speed-wise. After I practiced, I made some video, which I have uploaded to YouTube. You can see the final product of that here in my video. I'm sorry that it's difficult to see the golf ball (even though it's neon yellow). I took the video with my Sony pocket still camera. It takes pretty good video for a non-dedicated video camera, but not good enough to get the best detail. After the staff-slinging, I continued on to practice some regular slinging, and that went well also -- actually, it was stunningly satisfying. I'm still kinda buzzing from how well that went. This was my first opportunity to really cut loose with a practice projectile of any significant mass. I was again using the neon-yellow golf balls. HOLY MACARONI!! I discovered that my best throws are, believe it or not, with the Greek style slinging technique. I was throwing some freakin' fireballs, man! Line-drives from one end of the field to the stage at the bandshell at the far end! WHACK! By canting the sling's plane backward like a helicopter that's slowing, I was able to arc the throws and get even better distance. But man, I was surprising the heck out of myself with how reliable and accurate I was becoming with the Greek style. I don't think I'll be bothering to mess with "figure 8" or even "Apache" much anymore. Apache never got me much power, and figure 8 is a bit too involved (and I kept hitting myself in the back last time I tried to practice it). Man, overall, it was a VERY satisfying slinging day for me.Spirits fly on dangerous missions Imaginations on fire Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skydiver30960 0 #2 September 28, 2008 Dude, I hate golf. But if the course managers would let me play 18 holes with something like this I might actually pal along with some golfing buddies of mine... Elvisio "why should they care if I pays my money?" Rodriguez Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
birdlike 0 #3 September 28, 2008 If you want to get going with sling-making and slinging, I recommend that you start here. This is the pattern for the sling I made, and it's a really great build-along. Just make sure you keep your turns nice and tight and even. You'll have to make adjustments to the number of them in the split part of the sling in order to accommodate a golf ball. On that part, I have ten turns, and that works perfectly (assuming you'll be using paracord of the same diameter I am). I'd like to get enough Spectra line to make one of these. Not sure if it'd be wide enough to make the strands of the split pouch hold the golf ball reliably, though. Maybe one day I'll find out.Spirits fly on dangerous missions Imaginations on fire Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
