Scavenging for materials to craft perfect slingshot
The summer of 1977 had hit its stride and I was in search of just the right materials to create the perfect slingshot. I went out to the garage and came across an old tire tube my father had cut up to tie some wildfire hoses together.
In my 11-year-old mind I envisioned they would be just right to make a large catapult-style slingshot capable of tossing grapefruit-sized projectiles.
My next quest was to locate a branch that would be suitable for the frame.
I grabbed a small handsaw from my father’s workbench and placed it into my canvas knapsack along with my Swiss army knife.
I strolled around the back of the garage to hike off into the woods.
My dog Mutt saw this as a signal to spring into action as my guide and hiking partner.
She pushed off into the woods under a dark canopy of Maple and Beech leaves.
Once I reached the cool shade of the forest the smell of last year’s rotting leaves filled the air.
Mutt bustled ahead with her nose to the ground as I kept my eyes peeled for a good branch.
We hiked for more than a half hour, edging closer to the top of Seventh Lake Mountain.
We followed an old creek bed most of the way that was trickling from a rain storm that had passed sometime in the night.
I stopped twice to reach a cupped hand into the water for a cool sip.
I identified a few sticks on the way that had possibilities but ultimately passed them by.
Despite the thick and humid air we continued up the mountain until we came to a perfect fallen Beech tree.
The leaves were still green and hundreds of branches were jutting from it.
The options for crafting a perfect mega slingshot were many.
I cut several of them to haul back to the workshop for fabrication.
On our way back home Mutt made note of the many small hop toads at our feet. I counted them as she nudged them with her nose.
We found 73 toads as small as my thumbnail and 52 bigger ones as we descended the mountain.
Once back at the shop I went to work placing some Y-shaped sticks in the vice at the end of the workbench.
I wrapped them with the rubber straps and affixed them with some old rusty furniture tacks.
I made three good-sized slingshots with the materials at hand.
Now, all there was left to do was to find some ammunition and a good target.
I had the whole summer ahead of me to test out the new line of Adirondack projectile launchers.
