Saturday, August 27, 2011

Finally. At last. See the cannon in action.

This was probably the most exhausting, but also the most satisfying and fun vacation week I ever had.

It took four days to build the cannon, and then one more day of basic filming with the great guys from The Tapefilm Crew before we brought the cannon to its playground - Tobias's wonderful farm.

He drove the weapon to his romantic apple orchards, on the hottest day Germany saw in the whole year... and then we fired it. Fired it. Fired it some more. Did I mention that we fired it a lot? :)

The performance of this thing is amazing. We did not exceed the strength of 36 conventional "hunterband" catapults (18 times the draw weight and twice the draw length), as it was getting tough to cock the mechanism even though we used long crank handles.

See for yourself:

Watch the video on youtube!

We had a blast that day, even added a full blown slingshot tournament with several different challenges in the evening. I drank less beer than Tobias and even half cheated in one discipline (couldn't resist), but he nevertheless beat me 94:91  - the guy is just a great shooter, hats off.

Now I will go back to my job, a big show next week. But I am much relaxed, having achieved something I started to work on like 9 months ago.




160 comments:

  1. Superb stuff, the power in that canon is incredible, really enjoyed following its construction and now the firing of the beast, loved every minute of it.

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  2. I just wish the video was longer and we could have seen some stuff on the chrony. But still it was a great video and looked like great fun. You certainly found a good group of friends.

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  3. Fantastic video that thing has great power I just hope you got more footage.

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  4. Awesome! I think you should market them!

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  5. the cannon is insane!
    i understand why the forum thought you where to extreme, but i say you are too awesome! keep up the good work

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  6. The sound it makes is amazing, it roars when it shoots. The damage is even more amazing, how it went through both windows through the car! Slow Motion footage is really nice, like watching the Discovery channel! I wonder what you've learned from this and going to apply the new experience knowledge to your normal sized slingshots to improve and evolve them even more.

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  7. Now we are talkin! Great video! Did you shot any smaller shots? I was wondering if one of those might have gone through the side. But very awesome!

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  8. also, you obviously know what there is to know about slingshots and i would like to make one myself.

    so my question is this: would antlers from a deer be a usable material, or would it just break?
    because i found some antlers and they seem to have a realy nice y shape for a base of a slingshot.

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  9. The hardwork payed off Congrats with the tv appearance and with the Cannon!

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  10. I just saw your video! It was awesome! Am I too late for the slingshot drawing this week?

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  11. Don't stop making all things slingshot! You haven't made a more portable cannon yet! Show us how you can make bazooka slingshot!

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  12. that cannon is unbelievable. i want one!

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  13. Jörg put a week of hard work into this project!
    the result is impressive, he has done an excellent work.
    it made me very happy that we were able to experience it with him!
    and we caught the best weather we can get!

    Jörg is a very good shooter, we gave ourselves a tough battle for first place!
    I could only get 3 points out distance.
    space between 2. and 3. were 42 points!

    I can not stop clicking on "again" ! Great Video!

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  14. I think the only thing left to do is build another one and two ships and see which ship can sink the other first

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  15. Anyone else now afraid of entering Germany? That this is a monster!

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  16. Looks great Jörg! Keep up the good work!

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  17. Anytips to convince my mom to let me build one? awesome work Mr. Sprave!

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  18. That was great. I wonder what it could do to a zombie, house door, concrete block, accuracy at 100 yards? Gritting teeth.

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  19. I couldn't hold me laughter at the awesomeness of the slingshot cannon haha! I was like, "holy f**kin! OWW!!" XD awesome work man, keep it up

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  20. Well done! Must have been a blast terrorizing that car.
    Saw you in Wired, visited the slingshot channel. Very nice work on your designs too; love the various wooden handles you did for the Panther.
    Suddenly I need a slingshot!

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  21. Great video, great cannon. Really enjoyed seeing it come together and it worked beautifully.

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  22. Congratulation .. Congratulation .. Congratulation .. Congratulation .. Congratulation .. Congratulation .. Congratulation .. Congratulation .. Congratulation .. Congratulation .. Congratulation .. Congratulation .. Congratulation .. Congratulation .. Congratulation .. This is really cool. Perhaps you should think about a "extended high-speed-camera"-equipment, the slowmos are the best parts .. but what I missed: a photo of the damage a the electrical tower ;) ...

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  23. After all this fantastic experience, and we do envy you but also thank you for doing this for us, the big eternal question still looms--- NOW, what are you going to do next? :)
    It was superb Joerg and you deserve our thanks for what you have done. Can't thank you enough.

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  24. I just watched most of your videos very cool stuff, congrats on your Cannon! Looks like a lot of fun, as Tosh Togo said what's next? I heard you might be going out of slingshots? I don't no if pumpkin chunkin exists in Germany but you should look into that. I look forward to your next creation!

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  25. Incredible! The damage it did to the car was just phenomenal.

    I feel sorry for the person who donated the car!

    The real question is Joerg, where do you go from here? Anti-tank slingshots? Ground-to-air canons? The sky's the limit!

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  26. You are insane my friend!

    I love all your work, very original and you seem to enjoy it a lot, so keep up the good work, I can't wait to see what you come up with next!

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  27. super slingshop i want one of those:)

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  28. Cool. Maybe launching something in orbit is next.

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  29. Coolest slingshot yet! keep up the great work!

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  30. Awsome power! ,reminds me of a medieval arbalest but shooting steel balls instead of spears

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  31. thank God you were not born in mediviel times or else the whole world will be under the Sprave Dynasty

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  32. loved the video wished you would shoot at a pig to see what the damage would be to a human

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  33. i loved the video too. it was great, especially when you shot at the car,haha i liked the part where you did the manly way to close the car umm...front door? just imagine a big pile of ballistic gelatine and the cannon:)

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  34. yes pick me!

    lol anyway though the cannon was really impresive, i didn't expect the steel ball to go so far, the dent test on the car was awesome too, i was really hoping to see what kind of damage it could make, best of luck and keep the awesome projects coming

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  35. How did you get into slingshots? And how long have you been doing this for?

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  36. F-Word!!!

    I am impressed, the sheer power this thing has.
    Amazing!!! And nothing broke, but the car??

    The slow-motion footage is great.

    But... i can't forgive you what you did to the beer!! ;-)

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  37. next time please take it out on a flat bed truck and film peoples reaction

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  38. Hey you got it up! Great video! and going off that other comment how did you get into slingshots?

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  39. After watching you channel brought myself a slingshot and within two days replaced the bands to Thera black ....had to walk about 6 miles along the canal before I could try it due to people walking there dogs ...by the time I had finished I had blisters and probably lost some weight in the 12 mile round trip ...so my wife will thank you aswell

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  40. Thats the coolest thing i've ever seen.... wow! how about shooting with an arrow or something like this? Then it will point thr car for sure!
    Btw. please give me a slingshot :-)

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  41. Wonderful, real horror-show! Bowling balls?!

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  42. I learned of your page and hobby today from Wired Magazine. Well done sir.

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  43. Incredible job! Where did you get the idea for the trigger design? It's very clever.

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  44. Fantastic footage, thank you! The shockwaves you sent through out the body of the car by just striking the windows speaks volumes of the power of your slingshot canon.

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  45. Awesome!!!


    I can haz slingshot?

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  46. That is one amazing artillery piece you have made! Your videos never disappoint, I am always looking forward to the next one. Next you might want to try to incorporate some rollers into the design similar to those you used in the construction of http://www.youtube.com/user/JoergSprave#p/u/94/DO_Meq0Hiac to get even more power out of it.

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  47. I think this qualifies you as the world's formost authority on "Rubber Powered Siege Engines".

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  48. THE POWER!!! lol thats awesome, I love the first shot at the pole!

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  49. If make another "machine" you should have a contest and see who could build the best one alongside yours and have a prize like a cool slingshot.

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  50. Just watched your newest video! Amazing! You really did a number on that car.

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  51. TREMENDOUS!
    Love the "BEAST" as it seems to be called... Maybe that should be it's name... Wow... it is a beauty of a beast, no doubt!

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  52. i really loved that video of the "monster canon" its amazing how much work and engineering you must of have done and it is really well made, great video great construction, im really looking forward to your next video :)

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  53. Awesome!!! That looks like a lot of fun. What's next on the agenda?

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  54. This is an ingenious design that you created! You truly are an amazing man! I never would've taught that someone would actually "specialize" himself in "medieval" weapons this much!

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  55. Finally! I have been waiting for this moment for so long.

    It is just amazing, such a great job u have done here!, im so happy, thanks alot, Joerg.

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  56. Oh what I would have paid to have been there in person. What fun you guys had. I am so glad to have found your channel on youtube, you give me so many smiles. Thank you for them all! Above all, thank you so much for building that sling shot cannon!

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  57. Very impressive power. Were there any complications with the rubber or any other parts?

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  58. Now thats what I call a bean shooter!

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  59. Slingshot Shooting... next olympic sport I'm calling it.

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  60. Great stuff, Can't wait to build one myself! jk, but i wish.

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  61. man, why do people use real cannons when this is much more fun? Oh well, this is cooler than a real cannon anyway.

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  62. wow this is the cool you have a gift keep up the good work

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  63. I can only imagine how powerful the next slingshot will be

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  64. dude this stunning sling cannon! swill better nothing can come up with! congratulations, great job!!! I hope the next step will be balista ;)you're a great inventor!

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  65. Man I want one of those mini-cannons they look BOSS AS!

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  66. Dude that was amazing!! Now make it shoot FIRE BALLS!

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  67. holy tap dancing christ on a M777! that is sweet, I got to build one of those and see if I can take that on the next live fire howitzer training:-D BOOOM ARTILLERY!!!

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  68. ....
    ....
    BADASS.
    My only question is do you ever make steel construction frame slingshots or only wood? Because I theorize that the stress on a metal frame may cause it to bend, whereas wood is grown to withstand duress. I ask you being that you are the expert.

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  69. Actually, a cannon frame made from steel would be a lot less bulky, still stronger. Steel is a miracle material for weapon makers. But for this type of cannon, wood does a good job.

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  70. Incredible, this thing must have more energy than a rifle! Can't imagen what happens if you attach some of your 200 pound speargun rubber to this monster!

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  71. its ten times better than i was expecing

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  72. I saw you in Wired! What a great feeling that must be. The canon is amazing...I look forward to your next big dream that comes to life.

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  73. My friend saw you in his imported issue of Wired (we live in the UK so he has to import it).
    He know that I love slingshots and showed it to me I said "That Jörg!" I showed him your channel; +1 subcriber!

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  74. I just watched the video and I have to say I am amazed. I wonder what it would do with more rubber.

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  75. Congratulation, i expected it penetrating the Car, but impressive nevertheless. Keep it up.

    P.S: how can you "draw" someone if you only have to enter the first name here?

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  76. Hallo Jörg,
    gut gemacht. Wahnsinn. Die Kanone ist hammergeil.
    Die Zeitlupen in dem Video sind einfach super eindrucksvoll. Superteil. Fehlte eigentlich nur die obligatorische Wassermelone. Hast du mal den Speed gemessen mit diesen Kalibern?
    Schaue mir gleich nochmal das Video an.
    Viele Grüße aus dem Hunsrück

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  77. Sven, if you don't leave anything I can verify (like your youtube account name), and I eventually name you as the winner - you risk that I have to cancel the "round" in case someone else claims to be the winner, too.

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  78. It's a great canonshot :)

    How about adding a somekind of a aiming device? Such as is used on mortars? :)

    Jakey.

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  79. awesome, you should make a sort of giant shot gun variation where you shoot hundreds of normal sized ammo, like you video with the kydex pouch

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  80. Great invention! What's accuracy like?

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  81. This "slingshot" is simple epic.

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  82. Very nice, the moment we have all been waiting for )))

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  83. Awesome dude!!

    you take dreams and make them reality!!

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  84. that was awesome you should have your own store!

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  85. My own store? But then I would have to sell stuff, right? And have deadlines, taxes, complaints and so on? No thanks. I won't spoil the best hobby in the world.

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  86. @Nigel: Accuracy is very good. Once we knew the aim point, we could easily hit whatever we wanted.

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  87. Congrats on your great project!You have done it again.My son and i had a great time watching the shooting with your genius masterpiece.We wish you all the best and keep on going with those great slingshot projects!

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  88. That was amazing! What's next? I look forward to watching your videos. Keep up the good work.

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  89. As espected: really great cannon. Can watch youre vids for hours they stay fun.
    Already sure that i,m gonna make the little version one day just for the fun of it :)
    A idea for a next vacation: orginize a slingshot camping , we all come to that shootingspot put up out tents and have a few days of shooting,drinking and sharing slingshot
    storie,s :) You organize the spot , we bring the food and drinks :)

    all the best.

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  90. That was an awesome video! The death of the can of pils almost made me sad but, I was too busy laughing!

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  91. Amazing that looked like a ton of fun. That little car took a beating and is still plenty good to shoot at more :D

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  92. Wow big thing and powerfull! Good job!

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  93. wow immagine shooting a melon with that and this thing is so amazing and jorg did it as he said congratulations!!!!!

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  94. Your video's are great. They are always light hearted and amazing at the same time. Thanks for the many laughs my friend.

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  95. Where do you get your steel balls from for your normal size slingshot? I hope I win!:)

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  96. i just watch the video and must say itś a bad ass monster attilery Slingshot. It must be a really funny day of shooting fun.^^

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  97. I SOOO need one of those here in the States... Love it Guys, great job!

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  98. wow O.O
    Deine Slingshots sind beeintruckend !!
    ich hab beschlossen mit einem Kumpel selber welche zu bauen =)
    die Kanone ist echt extrem hätte nicht gedacht das es das auto soo zerbeult :D
    danke für die Inspiration =)

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  99. Just one of the most amazing things I've ever seen put together, good work on such a great construction, I bet your neighbors will never complain about anything you do, ever.

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  100. Sehr geile Seite gibt es auch deutsche Videos von dir?

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  101. That's so awesome! Just curious, is it possible to use stronger elastic? I know you're a strong guy, but it looks like you were able to turn that pretty easily.

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  102. WOW! the sheer power of this blew my mind! good stuff keep it up!

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  103. This is probably the awesomest thing I've seen in some time. I would have liked to see it shot at more distant targets, but I guess that would raise to much safety problems :S
    Anyway, nicely done!

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  104. The greatest part of this video was the laughing. That is really what it is all about. Hobbies should be fun, they should bring you joy, just like this monster slingshot cannon did. Keep up the good work Mr. Sprave.

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  105. I want one big enough too shoot a bowling ball

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  106. That was awesome! Quite possibly your most inspiring work to date! I have to go watch it again.

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  107. how have I not heard about this site before?? the simplicity of this cannon is amazing

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  108. Nice work on the cannon. I just found your videos last night and today worked on building my first custom slingshot. Already started having troubles finding the right parts with just things laying around in my garage, but I will figure it out. I think I want to make a fold-able pocket slingshot that houses the bands internally within the frame. Then have it telescope to increase resistance on the band for more power.

    My favorite part about your cannon is the sound, the thrust sound is addictive.

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  109. good job Jorge, you' stuff is awesome, you are a guy with a big pair of nuts to do all thats things. please don't stop

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  110. Yellow :)
    I had a lots of fun just from watching you :)
    Grate one an congrats :)
    I was little worried about the rubber hitting the front circle and breaking but the slow motion shows that it clean travels thru it. Beautiful :D
    Cheers
    Rafal

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  111. @knightshadow
    Build one! Jorge has already given plenty of info on the "how to" in order for you to build your own, just make it twice as big. Don't forget to video the testing and share it with us, I'm sure I'm not the only one who would love to see the results of your work.

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  112. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  113. Great job! That is a serious weapon!

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  114. I just saw your video for the first time and it was awesome! I'll be looking for more videos on the Slingshot Channel now. Oh, and I would really love to win a slingshot from your drawing!

    Mike Lauducci

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  115. I think something more like the Roman ballesta, which was a chariot pulled by horses, with a huge repeating crossbow built into it, and the pull of the horses cocked the crossbow as the chariot rode would be a far more effective weapon. With a traversing mechanism, it would be deadly. I think your artillery cannon was kind of along the same lines; but those balls could not even penetrate the sheet metal, only dent it, and huge arrows weighing the same certainly would.

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  116. Outstanding. I would love to see more distance shots. That first one went so far!

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  117. Ganz toll! You need to take that to Grafenwoehr - right down the road from you - and try it out there.

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  118. Mag, car bodies are designed to absorb the energy of blunt impact by deforming. That is why it did not penetrate (the beer barrel showed that it CAn penetrate metal easily, otherwise).

    I kind of like these big dents, so much more spectacular than simple in-outs. I don't want to kill car drivers, I just love demolition with slingshots :)

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  119. I'm fascinated with results!!!
    Please, try to launch some biiig arrow, or spear out of this baby, so we can see and imagine killing the driver with it!! :D :D :D

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  120. Wow, the slingshotcanon is the best i've ever seen - powerful and acurate - i live it.

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  121. Great video. This was the first one I have seen, and plan to watch more!

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  122. Absolutely brilliant!!! I want one too =D=D

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  123. so wait, if i left a comment... does this mean im now entered?

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  124. That looks dangerous, and I like it!! Looks like a very nice bit of work there. Congratulations from St. Louis MO USA.

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  125. This canon is truly a thing of beauty.

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  126. Actually, you could try and launch a person from a slingshot....

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  127. Now that's what i call a slingshot!

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  128. that was so freakin cool
    y'all are my new heroes
    we would have so much fun with one of those here in Austin Texas

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  129. As usual, your design is beautiful and elegant!

    -D

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  130. Very impressive! I'm new to the who slingshot thing. Can you point me to a video that shows the various techniques for using one? Thanks, and keep up the good work!

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  131. wow that is insane , you should try shoot like a 6mm steel with it you would easily break the sound barrier!

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  132. Hey Jörg

    Ich habe neulich deinen Kanal auf youtube entdeckt
    und finde ihn echt spitze :)
    habe deinen kanal auch abboniert und wollte dich mal fragen ob das giveaway apecial noch läuft :)
    ich habe mich früher schon immer für steinschleudern interessiert nur damals als ich klein war hatte ich nicht die möglichkeiten mit eine zu basteln.
    jetzt habe ich sie und ich finde es echt super das du auch tutorien machst :)

    fände es gut wenn du weiterhin viele tutorien machst und sie auf deinem kanal hochlädst :)

    PS: woher kannst du so gut englisch ?
    und falls ich zu spät für das giveaway special bin wäre es echt schade aber kann ich halt nichts dran machen, wäre schön wenn du dann mal wieder eins machen würdest :)

    Liebe Grüße Lukas

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