Taper Cut Ruler Guide

Cutting latex flat bands – to a TAPER angle – made easy. Use the Ruler Guide to set-up and fix your flat band tape cut angle and slide your roller cutter with the guide. Easy and effective, no more wastage of rubber bands struggling to measure and cut the correct angle.

A taper gage serves as a measuring device, specially designed for assessing the angle or gradient of a tapered surface with exceptional precision.

Packaging: 1 unit

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The Flatband metrics: The geometrics (physical appearance) of the bands itself, will have a performance effect – on 2 levels: The (A) gauge ((Ai) thickness / (Aii) gauge taper), (B) shape ((Bi) straight, taper) including the length. Of cause the actual material from which the flatbands is manufactured is of critical importance. Reference part 1, and we accept that the bands in use is – Ketty Pro Elite: Natural Latex, bands specifically developed and manufactured for the use in slingshots.READ – KETTY PHDee articles www.ketty.co.za

Taper cut: Basic rule is – the more aggressive the taper the more velocity (veracity of the contraction) but the lesser durability (lifespan). Straight cut bands, caveat all – it has the best duration expectancy. You need to find the ideal performance parameters:

KETTY PROFESSIONAL ELITE Natural Latex Flatbands Taper Cut Guidelines
Pro Elite	Pellet mm	Short Draw (Pull)		Medium (Middle) Draw
Pro Elite	Pellet mm	< 20^oC	20^oC >	< 20^oC	20^oC >
0.45 YELLO	7.0 – 7.5	16-10 @ 150	16-10 @ 155	16-10 @ 190	16-10 @ 205
0.45 YELLO	8	18-10 @150*	18-10 @ 155	16-10 @ 195	16-10 @ 210
0.50 Pink	7.0 – 7.5	16-10 @ 155	16-10 @ 160	16-10 @ 195	16-10 @ 210
0.50 Pink	8	17-10 @ 155	17-10 @ 160	17-10 @ 195	16-10 @ 210
0.55 Blue	7.0 – 7.5	16-10 @ 155	16-10 @ 160	16-10 @ 195	16-19 @ 210
0.55 Blue	8	18-10 @ 155	17-10 @ 160	17-10 @ 200	17-10 @ 215
0.60 White	8	18-10 @ 155	17-10 @ 160	18-10 @ 200	18-10 @ 215
0.60 White	8.5	20-10 @ 155	18-10 @ 160	20-10 @ 210	17-10 @ 220
0.60 White	9	20-12 @ 160	20-10 @ 165	20-12 @ 210	18-10 @ 220
Key: 18-10 @150* / 18mm wide on the broad (post-) end – 10mm narrow (pouch-) end / 150mm length

The taper cuts (angles) guidelines in the table indicate the optimum (most aggressive) cut angles for optimum flatland performance for particular band model. Explore an example: Ketty Elite Pro 0.50 Pink with 8mm Steel ball, 17-10 @ 155 (as an example length), thus 17 mm at the wide end at the post and 10mm at the pouch and the total (free draw / pull) length 155 mm. Remember your band cut length depends on you actual draw length.

Basic winning recipe: 18-12 See: KETTY ELITE PRO Bands – 0.45 Yello, 0.50 Pink, 0.55 Blue, 0.60 White

Mistakes: Common errors made with cutting bands – example: (1) 1 side taper. The taper must run in equally on both sides, in other words, both sides (in length) of the band must be of equal length. (2) The cut length – oversize (over reach) the draw length, in other words, the bands are market out (stencilled / patterned) for the free draw length, but the taper is pinned (calculated) to the total length. Thus, especially on very short draws the actual narrow (pouch-) end the band width is actually broader (wider) than intended. (3) Incorrect draw length conversion. The actual draw to stretch equation formula, which determines the actual cut length.

Band Stretch: As a rule of thumb, for performance bands, 4.5 X times stretch is the bottom limit and 5 X times the upper limit. In other words if your draw is 50cm, the free (active) band length is between 10cm (shortest / 5 X) and 11.1cm (longest / 4.5 X). (4) Cant Cutter – when the roller cutter is at an (extreme) angle, it creates uneven edges, that originates tears.