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Band holes vs slots

Thread Status: Hello , There was no answer in this thread for more than 60 days.
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Fishstab

Active Member
Jun 16, 2020
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Planning out my first wooden build. Being in the UK it doesn’t need to be highly powered due to vis so likely combinations are 1x16mm or 2x 14mm bands. Would be nice however if I could at least have the option to fit 2x16mm on it despite likely not needing it.

I’ve just been thinking how some wooden guns would have separate band holes drilled into the muzzle where others will have a slot (riffe do this). Is there actually any benefit of one set up over the other? I know on the riffe euro it comes with 2x 16mm bands but they state it can take 3x 14mm bands - does the slot simply give more versatility?

i feel 2 holes could have some advantages over a slot as 1. It removes less material around the muzzle which would make it stronger (but to be fair it’s never going to be powered up to the point of failure), and 2. May possible help keep the bands ‘separate’ and avoid tangles?

if I plan on using a max of 16mm bands does this require a 16mm hole diameter or does this need to be decreased slightly so the muzzle hole is still able to ‘grip’ a 14mm band. I don’t want to end up having the bands loose in the holes so they flop about and feed themselves through.
 
Lots of questions there but I’ll take a stab at it. My Wong guns had separate holes for each ban and I preferred that to an open slot. When I’m measuring from a slot to a shark fin to calculate the length of a band, I can never decide how much to allow for the fact that bands after the first one. I realize that’s not a big thing, but I’m anal. Also there is never any confusion over which band should be in front of the other in an open slot.

Regarding size of the slot and bands. My present favorite gun is an Ulusub with an open slot. The slot is do tight that it’s hard to get the 14.5mm small ID bands through it. Even the first one has to be lubed and stretched to pull it through and the second and third ones are very difficult. I guess this solves the problem of bands switching places and getting out of order but I don’t think it should be that hard and there is no way I could get a 16mm band into the slot. I have no desire to do that anyway since it shoots do well with the 14.5 mm bands. But I guess I’d suggest deciding in the bands you want Ho use and then cutting the holes or slots for a snug fit.
 
Lots of questions there but I’ll take a stab at it. My Wong guns had separate holes for each ban and I preferred that to an open slot. When I’m measuring from a slot to a shark fin to calculate the length of a band, I can never decide how much to allow for the fact that bands after the first one. I realize that’s not a big thing, but I’m anal. Also there is never any confusion over which band should be in front of the other in an open slot.

Regarding size of the slot and bands. My present favorite gun is an Ulusub with an open slot. The slot is do tight that it’s hard to get the 14.5mm small ID bands through it. Even the first one has to be lubed and stretched to pull it through and the second and third ones are very difficult. I guess this solves the problem of bands switching places and getting out of order but I don’t think it should be that hard and there is no way I could get a 16mm band into the slot. I have no desire to do that anyway since it shoots do well with the 14.5 mm bands. But I guess I’d suggest deciding in the bands you want Ho use and then cutting the holes or slots for a snug fit.

that’s brill,

I think ill go for a wong esq set up in that case and drill the holes out for a tight fit on a 14mm band that I can always make bigger further down the line.

probably worth playing around on some scrap to get it all worked out before ruining the nice wood I have.

my final question is about shaft diameter..

In my head I was planning on using something like a 6.75mm shaft but the neptonics reverse mech I have my eye on takes 7, 7.5 or 8mm euro shafts. Would a 7mm shaft be much too big on a 90cm gun with double 14mm bands? Seems a lot!
 
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that’s brill,

I think ill go for a wong esq set up in that case and drill the holes out for a tight fit on a 14mm band that I can always make bigger further down the line.

probably worth playing around on some scrap to get it all worked out before ruining the nice wood I have.

my final question is about shaft diameter..

In my head I was planning on using something like a 6.75mm shaft but the neptonics reverse mech I have my eye on takes 7, 7.5 or 8mm euro shafts. Would a 7mm shaft be much too big on a 90cm gun with double 14mm bands? Seems a lot!
I’m afraid I’m not qualified to answer that one. My smallest gun is an Abbelan 110, then an Abellan 120 and an Ulusub 160. All of those guns take 8 mm shafts but I don’t know what your gun would take. Hopefully someone else can help.
 
Planning out my first wooden build. Being in the UK it doesn’t need to be highly powered due to vis so likely combinations are 1x16mm or 2x 14mm bands. Would be nice however if I could at least have the option to fit 2x16mm on it despite likely not needing it.

I’ve just been thinking how some wooden guns would have separate band holes drilled into the muzzle where others will have a slot (riffe do this). Is there actually any benefit of one set up over the other? I know on the riffe euro it comes with 2x 16mm bands but they state it can take 3x 14mm bands - does the slot simply give more versatility?

i feel 2 holes could have some advantages over a slot as 1. It removes less material around the muzzle which would make it stronger (but to be fair it’s never going to be powered up to the point of failure), and 2. May possible help keep the bands ‘separate’ and avoid tangles?

if I plan on using a max of 16mm bands does this require a 16mm hole diameter or does this need to be decreased slightly so the muzzle hole is still able to ‘grip’ a 14mm band. I don’t want to end up having the bands loose in the holes so they flop about and feed themselves through.
Hi I compensate the issue on having 2 slings bands of 16mm as i make the lenth of the bands longer for this to compensate the question is do you use a 6m or 6.25 or 6.50 mm e.c.t diameter spear shaft this effects precision distance balance .I use seac power green bands they are progressive the give power and distance but on seac i make them longer 12 to 15 cm more to compensate as not to cause a waving bent motion when the spear shaft is released hope this helps
 
2 x 14 will push a 7 mm shaft.

I agree. RA provide 7mm spear for 1x20mm - similar power to 2x14 we once estimated. The twin bands having slightly more power.

A 6.75-7mm spear sounds about right for 2x14mm bands.

1x18mm band can also be a good set-up for UK too IMHO. The 18mm, big hole, Omer screw-in bands on my XXVs worked very well. But I found 1x20mm small hole diameter USA or ZA bulk rubber can be painful to load when spearing every day. But quite a lot of modern, progressive, bulk rubber comes with larger diameter holes (European and/or Asian?), which would probably be fine in larger sizes like18-20mm (~3/4").
 
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It is probably best to have a tight fit to keep the wishbone in the right place after shooting, not a big deal though. There might also be other ways to hold the band in place.

Another option is to just have a small hole in the muzzle and a slim, Dyneema "Muzzle wishbone", so you have 2 rubbers rather than a rubber loop. Complicates making rubbers but might allow for a stronger and slimmer muzzle tip. And no limit to band diameter. I'd go for holes or slot though ;)
 
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