[Some Guy]

Ok, not really, but I got my Agile Toucan (fantastic SS from Dankung) in the mail today along with a bunch of 2040 and 1745 tubing. I never used tubes before and thought I’d try something different. After all, everyone says they’re easier to attach than bands. Well, I think they’re wrong.

I managed to scramble together a butterfly set, 2040, singles. Constrictor knots at the pouch, constrictor knots at the forks. 4 constrictor knots compared to the 2 I need to tie for the Rambone 2.0. Hm... I used a band tying jig from Dankung to prestrech the tubes.

One shot and a tube at the fork let go. I noticed it was very easy for the knot to wiggle around and change position too.

What’s the secret? I see only negatives compared to bands, and huge negatives at that. It seems objectively more complicated to attach them, they’re slower and depend on more factors to be accurate. Did I fall for some kind of tube meme? I never had anything like this happen with bands.

Is looped the only way to go?

 

[JimRhodo]

1.Well, I think they’re wrong.

They can’t be entirely wrong: look at the fantastic shooting from China and south east Asia. Even a cursory glance at some YouTube videos will show you looped tubes in abundance.

2. Constrictor knots at the pouch, constrictor knots at the forks. 4 constrictor knots compared to the 2 I need to tie for the Rambone 2.0. Hm... I used a band tying jig from Dankung to prestrech the tubes.

Constrictor knots are good for thin diameters but for looped tubes you’re bunching four rubber pipes together. Five or six wraps with a thin elastic band will hold up better. See photo.

3. What’s the secret? I see only negatives compared to bands, and huge negatives at that. It seems objectively more complicated to attach them, they’re slower and depend on more factors to be accurate. Did I fall for some kind of tube meme? I never had anything like this happen with bands.

Advantages:
If the bandset is already made up it is literally seconds to swap bandsets
The rubber is generally thicker and more robust than TB It lasts longer and can take more abuse.
Set up as a looped tube you shouldn’t get any bandslap.
I think (opinions?) they are less affected by cold weather.
Accuracy is about using a different sight line. I’m just as bad a shot with one as the other.
There is less need for rotary cutters and cutting boards as the diameter is fixed. Scissors will do.
If a bandset should snap it is less likely to ping your face.
Tubes have to be used with strong leather pouches but once you’ve got them they can be reused several times on new set ups

4. Is looped the only way to go?

With tubes. Definitely. I use singles as well. But there are more advantages with looped.

 

[Bugar]

Well, tubes are OK, when you fasten the singles to the fork, pre stretch them quite a bit while tieing them with latex strip cut from something like theraband gold,it also stretched, fasten to the pouch the same way, pre stretched, when all is tied with the strips, you are all set, have done this many , many, many times works good, shoots great, tubes last, works for me, give it a try, after you do it a couple times, you will find out it’s easy and very simple, don’t have one set up like that rite now so no pics, works good for me.they last a long time, and are just slightly slower than flatbands, I like the longer life.

 

[Some Guy]

So basicaly wrap and tuck at the forks too for single tubes? Any other methods that work for single tubes? I might just give em away at this point since bands take several 100 percent less time and work to make and attach. I WANT to like them though and single 2040 is what I want for butterfly. It just seems incredibly unsafe compared to bands

It took me several hours to make the first set. I need about 35cm draw length and I found making marks on the tubes etc very time consuming. Any tips there?

 

[Bugar]

Ooooooooo! Alright, Butterfly, well iv’e tried tubes on butterfly, and for me just could not get them to work right, seemed like they might have too much bulk for the length of tubes needed, was lways noisy, and seemed to generate. Recoil type feeling, so I just went with flats.
But on tieing them to the tubes, no wrap nd tuck, just 4-5 wraps and tie with knot like at pouch works for me,, it’s simple, easy as flats, maybe faster, but on butterfly, just use the flats, they just work better

 

[Some Guy]

Hm, so basically a singles tube set has the same longevity issues as pseudo tapered tubes since the attachment method is the same?
EDIT:

I followed everyones advice and went for 8 or 10 wraps followed by a knot. It held together very well! I kept getting furious handslaps even when flipping so I gave up after 30 shots or so but I see some potential.

 

[Some Guy]

I finally get why tubes are popular.

My 2040 singles set is very easy to aim with and once I got the basics down very easy to make - no need for WnT or constrictor knots. Intolerable handslaps with light ammo, none with medium stuff and the speed is good enough even in this cold weather.

I thought 2040 singles were only good for very light ammo and thought of it as the TBBK of tubes... which is wrong. 9mm clay or 12mm candy is way too light, but hex nuts (idk what size, medium) fly straight with no slaps at all. Even half inch steel would work with this setup. Minimal draw weight for butterfly. Wonderful stuff!

 

[JimRhodo]

Huzzah!

 

[Some Guy]

Just so you know, Dankung now offer anti-cold treated premium tubes in 2040, 1842 and 1745. It’s getting colder by the day, so I ordered 1842 (never tried them) and 1745. I’ll test and report back ITT.

My new favorite is single 1745 and M8 hexnuts, but maybe single 1842 would work even better due to the handslaps. M10 (180 grain, 11 grams) are a bit lazy with single 1745 but there’s no handslaps and the weather is chilly, so anti cold tubes might solve that. I would never aim at any living being, but I do like a flat trajectory.

Now about those handslaps.
Single 1745 with M8 hexnuts (5,2 grams, 80 grain) produce HS. Nothing severe, but enough to change my grip style (by protecting the fingers beneath the ”hooks” of the Agile Toucan and putting my pinky in the hole).
Looped 2040 produce severe HS with M8’s and even some with M10.
So, to anyone who’s shot 3/8 steel with looped tubes, what kind of frame did you use? I’d really like to use looped 1842 when I get them, because it seems like a great allround setup with 3/8” to 1/2” steel and beyond. Might need a new frame for that... I’m thinking TTF, but I love OTT so far.

 

[JimRhodo]

The large prong curve means the looped tubes just fly past the hand. No slap.

 

[Some Guy]

Hm... this is the one I use. It’s strange to me that it would produce such extreme HS since it’s basically a looped tube shooter. So far singles with what would generally be considered much too heavy ammo has been the only remedy.

Guess I need a new frame. Though single 1745 and 180 grain ammo is great, any more speed would mean HS. Kangaroo pouches and flip practice might help though!

 

[Some Guy]

Jim, what’s the name of that frame? Are you shooting those 2040 with full butterfly?

So far the Rambone is my favorite for flatbands. Still looking for that perfect looped shooter

 

[Jolly Roger]

Try the SPS byPerformance Catapaults for loop tubes.

 

[Tondo slingshot shop]

Ok, not really, but I got my Agile Toucan (fantastic SS from Dankung) in the mail today along with a bunch of 2040 and 1745 tubing. I never used tubes before and thought I’d try something different. After all, everyone says they’re easier to attach than bands. Well, I think they’re wrong.

I managed to scramble together a butterfly set, 2040, singles. Constrictor knots at the pouch, constrictor knots at the forks. 4 constrictor knots compared to the 2 I need to tie for the Rambone 2.0. Hm... I used a band tying jig from Dankung to prestrech the tubes.

One shot and a tube at the fork let go. I noticed it was very easy for the knot to wiggle around and change position too.

What’s the secret? I see only negatives compared to bands, and huge negatives at that. It seems objectively more complicated to attach them, they’re slower and depend on more factors to be accurate. Did I fall for some kind of tube meme? I never had anything like this happen with bands.

Is looped the only way to go?

The tubes behavior is difrent you have to learn tubes I think it's not instant your not going to be as good a shot with at first but with practice you get there