Have you ever made a slingshot with your fingers and a rubber band? I was teaching my kids, but I could see they were a bit underwhelmed by the whole thing. And then I remembered I’m a woodworker, so why not make them something with a bit more oomph.
How I made the slingshot
I drew the shape on a piece of pallet wood and cut it out with the bandsaw. But you could also use a jigsaw or a coping saw if that’s what you have available.
I then did lots of sanding and filing in order to make the slingshot totally smooth. Splinters in little fingers would definitely spoil the fun. And notice I filed little grooves into the sides of the arms. This is to hold the rubber band in place, it makes it easier for kids to load up and fire.
And here’s a great before and after shot. On the right is a piece of the pallet wood I was using. And on the left is the slingshot after sanding. It’s a great example of how you can bring pallet wood back to life, no matter how bad it may seem on the surface.
While making this slingshot I realised that it would be really easy to batch out a few of them and give them as gifts to kids we know. You’re welcome parents! And I personalised each one, because kids love having their names on things.
So I burned their names on with my pyrography pen. If anyone is using one of these, and finds that their hand gets too hot, get yourself a heat resistant glove. They’re often used by hairdressers who need to hold hot straighteners or curling irons. My writing has hugely improved since my long suffering wife gave me one as a gift.
Adding a finish to the slingshot
The next step was to add some oil. I went with teak oil because that’s what I had. And this photo illustrates the incredible difference the oil makes on the pallet wood. The oil has been added on the left side only, and the right side is still bare wood. You can see the oil has brought out a black, almost burnt looking effect which I think is very cool. It sort of symbolises the destruction that will be caused by these slingshots!
Here’s the finished product, oiled, sanded, and ready to do some damage!
Live demo
And this is me demonstrating how it works. Trust me, it’s more fun than I make it look in the video.
Disclaimer: I will not be held responsible for any noise or hyperactivity caused by the use of this slingshot.
If you’d like to make one of these, or have one made for you, feel free to contact me. Or you can receive my newsletter to get the latest news, updates and projects straight to your inbox.