Roller Build Help

[cape1225]

Hi,

I recently just finished a roller build of mine and have not been to impressed with the performance of it as far as speed and range. I have a 120 cm mid-handle roller handle with a kicker band 5/16 shaft . I Also have noticed that the bands wear very quickly and rip on the roller portion, I am shooting 5/8 16mm bands. Should I go to smaller bands? If so will I have enough power?

I have done tests with just the shaft to make sure the that the shooting line is not causing the problem

If any one has any advice please let me know!!

Planning to use the gun for reef and some blue water

[Wood Guy]

Seeing the bands on the gun might be helpful. What are you using for wishbones? On earlier rgs that I made i tried using brass balls to hold the wishbones, and the brass balls just tore up the band where it went over the rollers. Not sure if this might be your problem, but it's a possibility.
How short did you tie your bands? Is it a single or double stage?

[cape1225]

I am using the Brass balls for wish bones maybe i should change that up and go with just knotted spectra. What do you mean by double staged? and the bands are cut to I believe like 18 inches or so I forget I did the math when I cut them to make sure they were the proper length. I am still trying to figure out why it isn't as fast as I would like tho... It is very hard to load too btw.

[Xylophone]

Maybe switch to a 7.5mm shaft. I was shooting a 55" shaft on my 49" single roller and felt the same way I reduced weight by going to a shorter shaft and it made a big difference. Also what are your bands cut at 300%, 350%? 18" doesn't help unless we know the distance from the anchor point to the shaft fin.

Regarding difficulty loading, using two stages could help. Stages refer to separate hooks to anchor the bands to on the bottom of the gun. I have noodle arms and putting two stages on it helps. Also if you're using it on reefs the ability to step it down to shoot into holes has saved my shaft and landed fish I otherwise would have passed on.

[Wood Guy]

Originally Posted by xylophone

maybe switch to a 7.5mm shaft. I was shooting a 55" shaft on my 49" single roller and felt the same way i reduced weight by going to a shorter shaft and it made a big difference. Also what are your bands cut at 300%, 350%? 18" doesn't help unless we know the distance from the anchor point to the shaft fin.

Regarding difficulty loading, using two stages could help. Stages refer to separate hooks to anchor the bands to on the bottom of the gun. I have noodle arms and putting two stages on it helps. Also if you're using it on reefs the ability to step it down to shoot into holes has saved my shaft and landed fish i otherwise would have passed on.

yup! It's like you took the words right out of my mouth.

I would definitely lose the brass balls on the wishbones. That's what is tearing up your bands. Go with knotted wishbones and you'll get a lot longer life out of your bands.

[Ren]

I just made my first single stage rollergun a month or two ago, 75cm rear handle..maybe the specs may help you a bit. It's straight shooting. I thought about using a kit like the meandros/spear pro but I don't like the front end of my gun being very thin or the integrated line guides in the muzzles.

Deep Open Track + Open muzzle
7.5mm Salvimar Shaft (shark fin)
14mm Small ID Rubber
Dyneema knotted wishbone with loops
No band risers

[willstroo]

Originally Posted by Ren

I just made my first single stage rollergun a month or two ago, 75cm rear handle..maybe the specs may help you a bit. It's straight shooting. I thought about using a kit like the meandros/spear pro but I don't like the front end of my gun being very thin or the integrated line guides in the muzzles.

Deep Open Track + Open muzzle
7.5mm Salvimar Shaft (shark fin)
14mm Small ID Rubber
Dyneema knotted wishbone with loops
No band risers

Lovely little gun that, well done!

Thats where rollers are at their best, compact sizes. I have one of Seals 80cm double rollers, i shortened the bands on the weekend with a 100cm 8mm shaft, things a bloody laser beam within 4m!!!

[doyenofcastle]

Originally Posted by Ren

I just made my first single stage rollergun a month or two ago, 75cm rear handle..maybe the specs may help you a bit. It's straight shooting. I thought about using a kit like the meandros/spear pro but I don't like the front end of my gun being very thin or the integrated line guides in the muzzles.

Deep Open Track + Open muzzle
7.5mm Salvimar Shaft (shark fin)
14mm Small ID Rubber
Dyneema knotted wishbone with loops
No band risers

look perfect
how deep your track ? band stretch ?without wishbone retainer can you load your gun using the 2nd notch ?it won't give a knock when band reach to muzzle ?

[Ren]

Originally Posted by doyenofcastle

look perfect
how deep your track ? band stretch ?without wishbone retainer can you load your gun using the 2nd notch ?it won't give a knock when band reach to muzzle ?

To be honest I didn't measure the stretch but went off of experience..probably somewhere around the 300% range with about 30-40% pre-stretch..

Because I don't have risers I need a loop on the wishbone to help me grab the band and load it but loading is easy and usually one pull like a normal single band gun.

No knock at all when shooting, just the absence of recoil and watching the shaft penetrate all the way through at 6-8ft.

[Grizzlestomp]

I would also recommend going with a lighter shaft with this setup. I build a double roller and was using it with only one band after the second band broke (rubbed against the reef under tension). The single band wasn't quite enough to push a 5/16 shaft at the velocity I wanted.