TODO:

        - Do some testing with my 80lb test braided line.

        - Take a picture of my soupcan + Spectra configuration :))

        - See if Andy will film me with his flip-cam, so I can post a short YouTube video of this.  I think some visuals would be very instructive.

        - TODO: experiment with a hammer-throw style two-handed grip:
                        http://www.zimbio.com/pictures/80thvOoP1xk/Australian+Athletics+Championships+Day+3/HtdWBM3xZ2e/Danielle+McConnell




========[ comet sling ]========


I've been using a "comet sling" lately.  It is very different from traditional slings.

Instead of a doubled-over rope with a pouch in the middle, you just have a single strand of rope, with the projectile tied to the far end.  To release the projectile, you let go of the whole thing, leaving you empty handed, and the whole thing flies like a comet with its tail trailing behind it.

Some additional changes that are *required* for such a configuration:

* You have to use fishing line, to reduce aerodynamic drag, and to prevent rope flutter from steering it around during flight.
* You have to wear a leather glove, otherwise the fishing line will cut your fingers.

Some additional options that such a configuration *allows*:

* It's fairly easy to use MUCH longer sling lengths.  Ten feet isn't hard, with twenty feet being the upper limit of what I've tried so far.
* You can use very oblong projectiles, including sticks.
* As a beginner slinger, I find it easier to get consistently strong throws.  Getting a good launch velocity isn't a matter of precisely timed movements on the final swing, rather it's about increasing the rotational speed over several rotations.

Some tips:

* Get as strong of fishing line as possible -- long slings mean high forces.  30 lb test probably the minimum, but is still pretty easy to break.  60 - 100 lb test is good, depending on how strong your arm is. Braided fishing line (spectra/dyneema) is more expensive, but is much stronger and much thinner than monofilament.
* Use the constrictor knot, or anything else with a high knot efficiency, to retain as much of the line strength as possible.
* You can use a release knot if you like, but it will increase drag.  A lower-drag alternative is to snake an unknotted line around your gloved fingers a few times.
* One of the issues when using extremely long slings is figuring out how to avoid tangling the line, when you're first spinning it up.  This isn't really a limitation however.  No matter how long your sling is, you can always use a fishing-reel type of deployment -- hold a spool in your off-hand, and let the line come off of the spool as you spin up.
* Ammunition? Nearly anything works, including soup cans [1], butcher knives [1], hammers [1], propane torches [2], and kittens [3].  I like 6oz and 8oz soup cans myself, they cost < $0.50.


Caveat: This thing is, frankly, perfect for rioters.  It is one of the most concealable weapons possible.  The most important piece -- high-test fishing line -- can literally be woven into your clothing (or hidden inside your sock, or...).  The other two pieces -- a glove and any 1 lb weight -- are pretty innocuous.   If strip-searched, it would be a stretch to say you're doing anything out of the ordinary, let alone carrying a deadly weapon.  It's also capable of slinging petrol bombs.  I say this not to give anyone ideas, but to explore the possible ramifications.  Could fishing line eventually be confiscated when entering stadiums?  Probably, but it's very easy to conceal line.  Confiscate gloves?   Not if the weather is cold.  So might slingers in general get a bad reputation?  Possibly.



[1] Yup, I've actually tried that.

[2] Alas, I don't know a cheap way of doing this.

[3] No animals were harmed in the creation of this field report.






========[   [nontraditional] comet sling   (fishing line, 10 foot slings, hammer throw)  ]========

The advantage of using fishing line for sling material is that it minimizes air resistance, allowing for significantly longer slings, on the order of 10 - 20 feet.  Sling length is very important, because it allows both longer distances and heavier projectiles. [1]

When fishing line has been brought up on the forums, the following concerns have been raised:

* It tangles more easily. -- This is true.  However, the benefits of substantially heavier projectiles, and of increased distances, can make it a worthwhile tradeoff.

* It's difficult to braid. -- You don't need to do any braiding.  A single strand of fishing line is strong enough by itself.  (30 lb test line can work for initial testing, but I've been using >= 80lb test lately)

* It's uncomfortable to grip because it puts all the pressure in a small area. -- Wear leather gloves.

I've been using a pouchless design, where I tie the projectile to the end of a of a piece of fishing line.  It looks like the equipment used in hammer-throw -- the sling stays attached to the projectile once you let it go.  However, because lightweight line is used, the line doesn't affect the flight characteristics much.  (this is particularly true because you tend to use much heavier projectiles, so the line is much lighter in comparison to the projectile)

I call it a "comet sling" because the sling follows the projectile like a comet's tail in flight.

Oblong ammunition works in a comet sling, which means that nearly anything can be used, including butcher knives [2] and kittens [3].  I usually use tomato sauce cans because they're the cheapest canned goods available, and they're available in a range of weights (6oz, 8oz, 16oz, 28oz).






[1]  See the centripital force equation.  Assume that maximum arm strength is fixed (arm strength = centripetal force).  Increasing the radius allows V and M to increase.

[2]  Yup, I actually tried that.

[3]  No animals were harmed in the making of this post.