Originally published at: https://boingboing.net/2019/01/08/how-to-improve-your-rubber-ban.html
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Its more fun when you get the giant rubber bands 
we used to use them all the time here at work but since we’ve started going paperless we hardly use them any more.
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I worked with a Texan who showed me to put a little more tension on one side of the band than the other, which causes it to fly straighter, though it will arc a bit over long distances.
I ended up practicing for a slow weekend at work and can now regularly hit a post-it at 30 feet, or with one of those really long document bands, the stationery cabinet at 100.
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I tried shooting a few as kitty toys, but what a disappointment. They fly too fast to see, and the cats just stare at my fingers, going, “Yeah? And?”
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Previously, on BoingBoing: https://boingboing.net/2016/11/10/how-to-shoot-a-rubber-band-twi.html
Would love to see the slow-mo on that technique.
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Use the big rubber bands they’re bound to see them. Alternatively you could try using those bright orange suction cup darts as cat toys, i know my cat loves them. I usually just toss them around by hand but he does recognize the toy gun and will wait for me to fire the dart whenever i do decide to use it. Alternatively you can tie the dart to a string which i also regularly do.
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My friend Steve used to work for the Post Office and he hoarded rubber bands for us; many, many hours of fights, “Nobody quits until they can’t see out of both eyes!” etc.
Sure, there are many techniques for band accuracy, but did you know that if you drop a rubber band ball about 6" across onto tarmac from waist height that it will bounce up really, really fast, hit you in the head and stun you?
Steve does.
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Use the Force?
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Exactly this! Yes! I notice that’s in Austin, maybe it’s a Texan thing to shoot rubber bands like that?
I would strongly advise against letting cats play with rubber bands. They frequently try to eat them and that can be deadly.
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Yep, I have to take away weird things regularly. He likes grocery bags.
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Thank you! I forgot where I saw this technique, but of course it was here…
Having to rush a cat to the hospital for emergency belly surgery is Not Fun.
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I was assuming that this video was going to spread the magic of side tensioned band shooting. No such luck. For those curious, the uneven tension makes band rotates, which makes it far more aerodynamic than the normal shots shown in this video. Not only do they fly faster and further, they make a significantly different ripping noise when they go.
I learned at work where we had serious rubber band wars. I bought a couple of the 10" long trashcan locking bands and we had to declare their use war crimes and cut them up because they were just devastating.
This video was disappointing. I was hoping to get some pointers. I can already get my thumb out of the way
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