Search the ground near heavily wooded areas. These places will give you the most raw materials to choose from. Stripping loose, wet, or mossy bark from the outside of the wood may give you a better grip.
Be extremely careful not to burn yourself when working near an open flame. Assuming you have access to household appliances, you can also wrap the damp wood in a towel and microwave it for 30 seconds at a time until the moisture has evaporated out of it. [3] X Research source
If the notches are higher up on the prongs, the tension from the sling could cause them to snap. If they’re too low, the projectile you’re shooting could clip the bottom of the frame.
The exact length of the sling will depend on your preferred shooting style, as well as the materials you have to work with. A shorter sling will generate more power, but will also be more difficult to draw back. Leaving the bands a little longer will allow you to adjust the slack or start over if you make a mistake.
To ensure that your slingshot fires accurately, make sure the loose ends are close to the same length as possible. Otherwise, the sling will be lopsided. Test the knots around the pouch to make sure they’re secure. If one of them comes loose while you’re firing the slingshot, it could result in a painful accident.
A stiff fabric that offers some resistance, like leather or thick canvas, is ideal. Use the point of a pocket knife or similar tool to bore holes in the pouch. You can also cut a small slit in the fabric, though this may tear after a few uses.
If you want, you can reinforce the ends of the pouch by wrapping the bands in dental floss, then tying it off. [10] X Research source Use a wooden slingshot to fire small stones, marbles, or metal BBs with maximum velocity. Slingshots are useful tools, but they can also be dangerous weapons. Never fire your slingshot at another person, even if you’re just playing around.
Try not to bend or crumple the cardboard tube as you cut. The smoother the edges stay, the more manageable it will be. If you don’t have a toilet paper roll on hand, you can also cut a longer paper towel roll in half, then up through the center to open it. [12] X Research source
This piece will serve as the internal plunger for the slingshot, where you’ll load the projectiles. The inner toilet paper roll must be narrow enough to hold whatever sort of projectile you’ll be firing without it simply falling through. You may want to compare the sizes of both objects before taping up the tube. If it’s too wide, roll it up a little tighter until you get it just right.
A manual hole punch will make the cleanest openings. Assuming there isn’t a hole punch around, you can bore a hole using a pair of scissors or the tip of the pencil.
A short, stubby utensil, such as a golf pencil, will work best, since there will be less of a chance of it breaking. Be careful not to damage the holes when you’re inserting the pencil—they should be just large enough to accommodate the pencil. If either of the holes should tear, simply turn the plunger and punch two new ones.
This second tube will function as the body of the slingshot, and will fit over the more slender first roll.
You’ll get the best results using two of the same kind of rubber band. If you’ve got no choice but to make do with what you can find, try to make sure that they’re similar in size and thickness.
Keep in mind that pulling too hard on the slingshot may break it—after all, the it is made of cardboard. Your homemade slingshot can launch marshmallows, foam pom-poms, or other soft projectiles for some good, clean fun.
