|
The “Slingshot”
After finishing the “looping” I had a fairly large strip left from the bucket I made the “looping” from. I experimented with this piece and in a natural
way the strip formed itself in a way I now call the “Slingshot”.
When I looked at the form, I noticed that it actually was a big turn with a twist in it that also formed its own crossing. A
great corner piece for a Carabande track.
I used bar clamps to secure the new form so I could test it using a racing disk. It worked immediately so I started to make preparations for connecting
the strip to a straight track piece, cutting out the area’s where I would interlock the strips with the track. First I secured the end that went straight
on from the track and next I secured the end that was going back to this same track only then coming from the side.
With a lot of wood glue and a few screws I secured the strip on to the track piece.
The track is now very unstable so first I had to enlarge the base bye gluing a piece of wood against the original track piece. The form of this base is
the same as the form of the hazard seen from above. Now the project can stand but it is way to wobbly so I started adding big chunks of styrodur between
the track and the base to support the plastic track.
With adding lots of foam in a way that is supports the track, the structure got more and more solid. Finally the space underneath the track was covered
up by using thin layers of foam so now the base is fully shut. Even this cosmetic action helps in making the project more solid.
Now that the hazard is strongly standing on its own base I started to test the track over and over again. The disks fly amazingly well through the
twisted curve however when you are a bit of line they actually fly along side your ears.
So the next step is to add a railing to get the disks a bit on track.
I added railings on only half of the track. This is enough to help guide the disks that are a bit off line or that move to fast or to slow.
The “Slingshot” is a hazard that is much more difficult then the looping. When there are two or more players in front of this hazard you are forced to do
some positioning play first before taking the actual hazard shot.
A shot through the curve does require some force but with good shooting skill it isn’t that difficult. However to find the right direction for your disk
might give you a hard time.
Once your disk flies graciously through the “Slingshot” without touching any railing it gives you a great feeling.
Only down side at this point is that my kids (8 and 11 years old) seem to be better in taking this hazard on then I am.
|
