Activity: The Bullroarer

[GRIM 62]

Pretty cool,thanks!

 

[fishshooter]

Great post Joe!

 

[Bolt-action bultema]

There ARE Australian examples of atlatls which not only function as a bulroarer, plate, non-returning boomerang, and club, but many had microlithic flakes of chert or diorite attached to the back so they could function as a cutting tool as well. Not to mention many of the desert root burls the atlatls were made of would function well as a soft-hammer for stone knapping. It is the most functional multi-tool for the outback.

 

[moonwilson]

Awesome thread! I'm going to give this a shot. If I can get one to work, It'll be great fun in my neighborhood. Prolly drive the neighbors nuts. You don't hear bullroarers very often in the middle of a big city!

 

[untamed]

There ARE Australian examples of atlatls which not only function as a bulroarer, plate, non-returning boomerang, and club, but many had microlithic flakes of chert or diorite attached to the back so they could function as a cutting tool as well. Not to mention many of the desert root burls the atlatls were made of would function well as a soft-hammer for stone knapping. It is the most functional multi-tool for the outback.

LOL! Talk about an all-in-one BOB/kit and compare that to what we have now!

 

[ROCK6]

Excellent post paleojoe! This would make a great bushcraft lesson for the kids...keeping them entertained as well as well as learning:thumbup: This is going to get marked down as a backpacking bushcraft project

Forgot to add that the video Iboschi linked is a good example of how it sounds and what happens when you string breaks

ROCK6

 

[Wotan]

Thanks for all the kind words everyone!

I too find the common developments, tools and technologies used over time all-over as both an inspiration and a way of seeing how we are truly connected as people!


Wotan/Tor - I've wondered what a rock would sound like! Slate is the perfect fit! Only a few inches though? Amazing, after 5000 yrs. it was just waiting to roar again!

SouthernCross/Mick - more inspiration! I could have an atlatl thrower, dish, and bullroarer all in one tool? Wow! I would love to see pics somewhere of one of those so I can replicate! I wonder how the center weight balance (usually a rock) is positioned and tethered (usually sinew), and what the notch (usually bone) for putting the dart on looks like! It must be much narrower as well, but for a dish must be wide in the center.... Hmmmm....

Paleojoe

After a little search on the web I managed to find a little sound file from the trails with the original roarer.

http://www2.nfk.no/ncms.aspx?id=6bb3bc49-856c-499a-87c2-fd192304a561


Tor

 

[paleojoe]

Tor/Wotan, thanks for that!

I just need some slate now!


I also found this very interesting article on the history of the Bullroarer, accounts of it in ancient Greece, Turkey, ancient Egypt, and the fascinating etymology between its name 'rhombus' from the ancient Greek and its meaning across the rest of the world....

http://www.duckdigital.net/FOD/FOD1049.html


Also found some intersting pics of the cross-over 'woomera,' 'coolamon'

I'm currently working on one of these! We'll see how it goes....

 

[SouthernCross]

There ARE Australian examples of atlatls which not only function as a bulroarer, plate, non-returning boomerang, and club, but many had microlithic flakes of chert or diorite attached to the back so they could function as a cutting tool as well. Not to mention many of the desert root burls the atlatls were made of would function well as a soft-hammer for stone knapping. It is the most functional multi-tool for the outback.

Indeed they were multi tools :thumbup:

Especially in the arid centre, it was a distinct advantage to carry the minimum amount of tools. Each tool needed to carry out multiple functions.

For example, some boomerangs had sharpened edges that doubled as a knife for cutting up game, and others had edges that were used as a fire plough.

BTW PJ, a little tip for getting the rounded bottom of the Woomera/coolamon. Unless you have a crooked knife, the rounded surface is going to be hard to achieve with a straight edge.

If you don't start with a hollow limb, shave a V depression (like you've seen in my making a chopping board / coolamon vid). Finish off by "sanding" with a rounded stone :thumbup:




Kind regards
Mick

 

[Joezilla]

Great post! I'll post pics of mine up when I get a chance .They are ridiculously easy to make!@

 

[HikingMano]

Excellent post! Excellent! :thumbup:

 

[untamed]

Thanks for all the newer photos paleojoe! I'll try to make mine soon as well.

Just thought of something; attach a small LED light at the end (my spare Inova Microlight) and you've got a night time-capable bullroarer as well!

(I know, geeky as hell but it might be cool!)

 

[Ming65]

Nice post mate - we made those when we were kids in the SW of western Oz....

 

[paleojoe]

Update:

This is how I've been making my Bullroarers as of late.

A few things I've come across:

-the wrapped leather cordage is by far the best performing and durable, and hasn't broken yet
-The thin nylon paracord can indeed be snapped. Wrapping the leather loosely as it will often unbraid and rebraid from al the spinning seems to hold up better
- I place knots at about three different places along the length of the cordage as it prevents the unwinding from going all the way up the cordage and provides a hand-hold at different lengths, controlling volume of sound
-smaller than 7" in Bullroarer length has muffled, short bursts of sound, 7" or more has long, loud sound
- the thinner, the better foil spin and reduced stress on cordage

Here are few in Redwood, and a couple Australian Aboriginal Bullroarer/Woomera/Coolamon multi-tools of different sizes...

thanks for looking! Have fun out there!


More info:
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=704761&highlight=Woodcraft
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=703029