The art of the throw ball

[ QUOTE ]
There's no shame in the big shot, I use it all the time.

[/ QUOTE ]

Oh it's shameful and disgusting. Did you see the finesse of the boomerang exercise? Compared to the akward stance and the slap of limp rubber as you lug that big pole around. Mmm mm.

Kidding of course. I tried a bigshot once with a 12oz and it was too heavy for the way that bigshot was set up. Anything lighter does not come down unless you got clean smooth barked trees. I was looking at a slingshot mounted on a base. You'd have to work on targeting as far as controlling height but you'd always get the vertical line it was aimed at. Launch a cow if it was big enough.

This thing. http://www.pioneeringmadeeasy.co.uk/misc/ballister.html
 
Breathe, focus, and practice often.Inertia is your friend.If possible, spend time with someone who has a lot of experience. And for the love of god, untie the throwball from the line if you hit a tight crotch you don't want. Re-tieing the throwball is a hell of a lot easier than dealing with a stuck throwball/broken throwline. Having it properly "flaked" into the throw cube is crucial to keeping it from tangling mid-flight too.
 
True, pros and cons.
I ahve my original indoor leather Wilson Jet from early 80's
It is a pretty sweet ball, tiny bit assymetrical, nicely worn and feels great in the hand.
With that said, the newer balls with their improved shape, material,feel and handling does add to the game.

Technology/science and Art creates improvements.
smile.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]
As you thought, same as the cradle throw, I've heard it called either but cradle is more commonly used I think, my mistake.

[/ QUOTE ]
I'm making this up as I go along because I'm learning from this as I practice what you guys are talking about but I can see a little distinction between the two (basket vs. cradle). I see the cradle as has been refereed to here and I am understanding more as I practice it why it is so effective and used at competitions. It is the swing and release as you would expect from a cradle.
The "basket toss" (as I see it or will call it) is what I have started to use at times when I am in the tree and find limited space to make a swinging toss as in a cradle swinging. As you may guess from my nickname here, I do yoyo tricks, we have one called Eli Hop where the yoyo is landed on the string from a Trapeze, then the hands are brought together and pulled apart quickly tossing the yoyo into the air. I find myself doing the same with the throw bag. The throw line is held in a similar fashion as in the cradle but rather than swinging to toss, the hands are put together and quickly spread apart launching the bag almost straight up. It can even be done between your lanyard as you are clipped to the tree. So it is kind of like having the bag in a basket and you pull the rim of the basket apart popping the bag into the air. I'm not real sure that this does a lot more than just an underhand toss but it is another tool.
There is more "art" to this throw bag then I ever dreamed.
 
Aw man there's a competition climber from the east coast who yoyos constantly. I mean some mind boggling stuff. He says he does it to manage his satanic ADD. I can't remember his name. Just a gem of a guy though. Lovely wife. They travel by motorhome. Anybody?
 
[ QUOTE ]

Smooth your delivery, visualize where it's going to go, let it rip. Be one with the throwbag Grasshopper :-)

-AJ

[/ QUOTE ]
Hello moss,
I will send a PM but wanted to ask if you happen to sell that really cool foot mounted sling shot of yours? I spent an hour today trying to get a line in an adjacent tree, it ended up being to far and too tight to make by hand and I just didn't have any "lucky" with me.
Thanks
 
Hey Moss if you want to pass along that giant wrist rocket that I sent you to YoYoMan I bet I can send him so new launch tubes. Let me know. Dan
 
[ QUOTE ]
Hey Moss if you want to pass along that giant wrist rocket that I sent you to YoYoMan I bet I can send him so new launch tubes. Let me know. Dan

[/ QUOTE ]
Thanks so much for the consideration.
Today I did a little mod to the HyperDog slingshot and I think it is going to work for me. It was raining to much today to make me want to try it in the trees so I did some tests off the deck. 16oz and 8oz bag, last shot did'nt seem to have any problem going out 70' to the end of my chalk line.

Thank again, I learn a lot from you guys!

HyperDog slingshot modified for in the tree foot launching.
 
[ QUOTE ]

Hello moss,
I will send a PM but wanted to ask if you happen to sell that really cool foot mounted sling shot of yours? I spent an hour today trying to get a line in an adjacent tree, it ended up being to far and too tight to make by hand and I just didn't have any "lucky" with me.
Thanks

[/ QUOTE ]

I only ever made one of them. Check out these detailed photos and I'm sure you could build it, I used basic hand tools and common hardware store items. The tubing is a little lighter than Big Shot tubing, I have the spec somewhere:

Foot shot photos

Here's a video showing first time I tested it in a tree:
foot shot test

I've used it many times since. Challenge is to get a fairly flat trajectory, I use a 8oz or 6oz throw bag. When you throw by hand you get a huge upward arc which gives you an unusuable rope path for most tree-to-tree traverse situations.

Looks like you're doing fine with the tennis ball thrower though. challenge is to keep whatever device you use compact enough to make it easy to carry on your harness or you'll never bring it up into the tree with you on a regular basis.
-AJ
 
[ QUOTE ]
Hey Moss if you want to pass along that giant wrist rocket that I sent you to YoYoMan I bet I can send him so new launch tubes. Let me know. Dan

[/ QUOTE ]

I'd be happy to pass it along, all I need is a mailing address.
-AJ
 
[ QUOTE ]
Why do you have back to back chalk lines?

[/ QUOTE ]

Yep, looks kind of strange I know.
For the traverses I started out using both ends of the throw line, one for the throw bag and the other with my grapnel type capture, what a pain trying to keep that from a tangle.
So now one line has the throw bag and the other line goes out to do the capture. I'm not saying I'm completely tangle free in the tree but so far it is working very well.
 
[ QUOTE ]

Foot shot photos

Here's a video showing first time I tested it in a tree:
foot shot test

I've used it many times since. Challenge is to get a fairly flat trajectory, I use a 8oz or 6oz throw bag. When you throw by hand you get a huge upward arc which gives you an unusuable rope path for most tree-to-tree traverse situations.



[/ QUOTE ]

Thanks for the photos, that will be on my list to make. YOU ALWAYS MAKE GREAT STUFF! It was your video that made me want to get something other then the toss, I have experienced what you say, the arc is a killer! The toss will be the first choice but as you point out, it is very limited.
The HyperDog will get me started but it is much too large and your design is much better.

Thanks again
 
How many feet of throwline can you get in one of those chalkline holders? When you're going to shoot, do you have to flake some line out, or will it pull out fast enough?
 
Re: The the throw ball

[ QUOTE ]
How many feet of throwline can you get in one of those chalkline holders? When you're going to shoot, do you have to flake some line out, or will it pull out fast enough?

[/ QUOTE ]
I have 70' of 1.75mm Zing-It in each one. With the 16oz weight it will pay out on launch as in this video, the 8oz will not pay out well. It depends on the situation whether I will have the line hanging (flaked) out or just launch it from the chalk line reel. It is the re-wind that I find so useful, 3:1 comes back quickly.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

New threads New posts

Back
Top Bottom