diy hawaiian sling

[azapa]

Well there are a few results googling this, but none that take my fancy. I am going to the bahamas soon and need the right tools

I have only used one for a week, last October, but I think I know what I want.

Of course, I plan to complicate the whole thing, and show it here for your derision and comments

I particularly like this classic spearboard thread, that after initially showing promise, true to form, rails of into personal attacks and stuff about God. :ko

[ame="http://www.spearboard.com/showthread.php?t=80162"]DIY hawaiian sling - Spearboard Spearfishing Community[/ame]


OK, down to business!

First where to get the rubber and what rubber to use:

I have tried a few, but without doubt, for me, 179cm and about 69Kg (skinny fella) the 1/2" OD tube is best, but watch out there are VARIOUS types. You (IMHO) need 1/4" Inside Diameter, which results in a 1/8" wall.

This is the one I bought: eShopping Cart

watch out, amazingly slow responses from them, took them 2 weeks to ship. There is also a cool ebayer who responds fast and has same - user name: fishsinker823

Next, the little spear holder thingy. No idea it could be so hard to find this, someone (wiser and faster than I) mentioned a Sharpie top (a felt pen marker lid) semi filled with epoxy and drilled. Well I made my own (coming soon, look down in this thread).


THE HANLDE.

I want to make this from scrap i have at home. Here a doubt before I go futher:

FOXY et al. I have some yellow one part glue that claims to be waterproof, I have used it before on cutting boards etc with good results. Do you know it? Can i glue up some laminates with it (just 3 1/2" strips?

Thanks, and stay tuned!

 

[foxfish]

If is jut a small amount of glue required - cant you just buy some DIY epoxy?
[ame=http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0006O8QQ0/ref=asc_df_B0006O8QQ02245376?smid=A2QN5UA06JCVVH&tag=googlecouk06-21&linkCode=asn&creative=22218&creativeASIN=B0006O8QQ0]Devcon High Strength 2 Ton Epoxy Resin - Syringe 25ml: Amazon.co.uk: Toys & Games[/ame]

 

[azapa]

Fox, I have that two part epoxy "araldite" I think it is called in the UK. There is the 10min one and the regular. But it always seems so thick, and I doubt it would soak in nicely.

Has anyone ever seen this yellow wood glue?

Other thing: I was planning to soak the finished handle in (warmed?) linseed oil. What do you think? Would this attack the glue?

 

[foxfish]

You could use your glue & then bind the wood with some sort of waterproof twine, like whipping on a fishing rod?

 

[azapa]

Can that standard twin tube epoxy bought in the DIY store be thinned? (with something simple, again, from the DIY store??)

Nice idea on the twine. For the inner layer of the sandwich, where the spear will go through, I plan to use marine ply, mainly 'cause i have scraps lying around..

 

[foxfish]

Yes you can thin it with heat (or change the viscosity), you can warm the wood too.

 

[azapa]

ahah! so if i warm the epoxy a little it will thin? I would have imagined that it would just harden up quicker. I may try that route. I like the idea of warming the wood too.

how about the final finish Fox, a good soak in warmed linseed oil? I don't want to varnish, it will only chip.

 

[foxfish]

Oil is quite high maintenance compared to polyurethane varnish, oil will be fine though.

 

[foxfish]

You might consider using some morphing plastic on the handle design [ame=http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Polymorph-Safe-plastic-moulding-mould-making-injection-/110592106858?pt=UK_Body_Shop_Supplies_Paint&hash=item19bfcda16a]Polymorph Safe plastic moulding mould making injection on eBay (end time 27-Mar-11 16:19:42 BST)[/ame]

 

[azapa]

beejeebers! that stuff is straight from a sifi flick! I could basically get an 8mm id piece of stainless tube as the spear guide, blob that stuff around it, grip in firing position and Id' have a superb handle!!!

I'll go for the wood version first though, but I will be coming back to this idea soon

 

[cdavis]

A few things:

Rubber looks about right for most people

Most if not all epoxys can be thinned with xylene (xylol) and probably methy alcohol. Thinned epoxy soaks in very deep in plywood. I use a fairly thin resin and for thinning, add 20 % xylol.

In general, plywood would be the wrong material for this application. However, soak it with enough epoxy and I think it will work fine.

Standard sling wood is 4.5 mm x 18 cm. That is a little big for my hand. The stock I like best is thicker in front where the rubber is attached and thinner where I hold it, 3 cm, 3.6 cm x 15 cm. The thick(larger diameter) part is 6 cm long.

If you can cut the hole for the shaft so that the front of the stock is an inverted cone, the shaft goes in much easier and reloading can be done without looking at the stock.

Don't do a pistol grip, throws off your aim. You want a cylinder for a stock that is small enough for your hand. I like to run the rubbers over my hand, hence the smaller diameter in the after part of the stock. If you really want to get fancy, you could mold or carve a stock that has a hook that rests between thumb and forefinger, so that the force goes straight up your arm with less strain on the wrist.

That moldable plastic might be just the trick to fashion a very custom stock.

Don't make the hole for the spear too small. You aim the thing with the shaft, not the stock, so a loose hole works fine and is easier to load. Back when the only spring steel available got rusty, my slings would get so worn that they weren't even close to round where the spear fits. Did not affect accuracy at all.

Correction, you don't aim the thing at all, you think the shaft to where you want it to go. You subconscious does the rest.

Connor

 

[cdavis]

Just looked at the Spearboard DIY sling. Personally, I think that is a very inefficient design. Much more powerful to attach the rubber to the front of the stock and then hold the stock with the rubbers running on top of your hand.

Connor

 

[ItWasntMe]

for a handle you may find that a piece of wooden dowel like a closet rod drilled out fits the bill. If you have a busted shovel handle a piece out of that would work as well.

What you're working on is also called a Polynesian Sling. You may have better luck with google using that term. That's all I ever knew them to be called until I was in my 20's.

Growing up my Dad had a couple Polynesian slings he brought back from Guam. Neat little spears, pain in the butt to locate a rusted shaft on the bottom after it's gone clean thru a fish though.

I don't recall the handles on the Polynesian slings my Dad had being waterproofed. They were pretty weathered by the time he got rid of them, but still worked as well as they day he bought them.

Have you considered just dunking the wooden handle in a urethane lacquer a few times allowing it to dry between coats, then wrap a piece of 1200 grit sandpaper around your shaft and smooth out any imperfections inside the handle before a final dip?

 

[azapa]

Nice ideas guys, thanks. I spent all night with a pen, paper and a rubber. The shape is tough. As you hinted connor, I am going to have the bands forward of the hand, but at the same time with a little bit of height to avoid the rubber sitting too tight on the side of the fist.

I realise with the design that I am trying to make it look (and feel) a little like a band speargun that I am so used to using. Should be fun.

Regarding the plywood, it is marine ply, and 'may' look nice when all ground back and shaped. May look crap too. We'll all find out together.

Thanks to for the finishing idea, diping in Urethene. THe Xylol stuff you mention Connor is Nasa talk in all hardware stores here.

 

[ItWasntMe]

If you go to OSH (Orchard Supply Hardware) I believe you'll find Xylene with the mineral spirits, acetone, naval jelly, methyl alcohol, etc.

 

[cdavis]

Can't wait to see the result.

One additional thought to go with the design.

You hold the sling with your thumb pointing at your target. That locks the wrist and makes for a straight line of force up your arm, so no wobble is introduced from the wrist. Design the stock so that it works with that.

Connor

 

[azapa]

so Foxy, thanks to you I ended up covered with epoxy that seemed to be drying far quicker that the 12 hours it said on the package!!! What a nightmare.

What I learned: when using epoxy have everything, every last bit of padding, clamps etc ready beforehand!

I'll post some picture later, came out quite nice though. My rubber has still not arrived so I can't really feel the grip shape under load though - a pain!

 

[foxfish]

If was easy mate every one would be doing it LOL
Look forward to seeing the result.....

 

[azapa]

Here you can see the first bits coming together. The ply is marine ply, the side bits a Chilean red oak (a bit too soft I fear, but quite water resistant).

The routed groove is only because I wanted a guide to drill the spear hole. Had I access to a Lathe I would have done it that way.

 

[azapa]

Here is the "toggle" no idea what the real name is, but toggle is a pleasant word. Its the bit the spear sits in.

I did not like the idea of the rubber going through the toggle at 90 degrees, so in brought the rubber holes down parallel. They will be tied together at the back. The rubber holes are 10mm (12.7mm rubber will squeeze in, i think). The spear hole is 8mm and a smaller "drain" hole through to the back.

I am guessing this will corrode like crazy, so will varnish. I Know the 'cuda's are gona love the shininess!