I made a catapult out of wood. I need something that stretches when i pull it back and release?

Question

What could i use for the stretchy thing and to hold the stretchy thing on the wood?

Answer 1

A piece of inner tube from a bike tire. And screws and washers should be fine (washers underneath the head of the screw, to prevent the rubber from stretching enough to pop off).

Answer 2

Originally the rope loops which made the springs were spun from women's hair. These were tensioned with a pawl at the side.

Depending on the size of the catapult, you could cut a loop of rubber from a bicycle inner tube. If you fix it with something pushed through it, the rubber will tear at that point. Put a hole through the sides of the machine and run the rubber through the holes and loop around a length of dowel. Then fix the dowel on one side. Make one length of dowel extra long to act as a tensioning lever. You will need some arrangement to keep it in place.

Or start here -

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catapult

Answer 3

you could use elastic tubing avalable at any medical suuply store. Try your local phone book to locate a medical supply store. Drive down and buy it by the foot.

Answer 4

Surgical Tubing from a "surplus" store. That's what I used when I was a kid.

To hold it on, use staples from an air-stapler or spring loaded staplegun.

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Answer 5

I second tlbs101's choice. Same stuff I used as a kid, thus endorsed by the official ex-kids society.

Answer 6

you could use and elastic band (thick) and hold it in place with one of those picture frame holders. i'm not sure wat they're called exactly, but they're metal and have a jaggaty side. if you're not sure, you can always just staple it with a heavy duty stapler

Answer 7

try elastic