Cherry atlatl

[David Morningstar]

This is my latest atlatl. It is made of cherry wood finished with linseed oil and beeswax. It is tapered along its length from handle to spur, this avoids carrying too much weight at the fast end while still having a handle large enough for a comfortable grip.

I textured the handle by scoring it with a stiff wire brush. This gives lots of grip.

The spur is the tip of a deer antler tine set into a carved socket and glued in place using epoxy resin mixed with charcoal dust, to resemble pine pitch adhesive.

 

[crosslandkelly]

That looks very tidy.

 

[Goatboy]

As said in other post that's a nice neat piece of work. Nice grain too.

 

[Dannytsg]

Very nice simplistic work

 

[Fatbob]

Very nice , love the use of the charcoal

 

[bowslayerjez]

Ermm. Sorry for not knowing this but what is it used for? Ive heard of them but not sure what it is used as. Maybe a weapon of some sort? Thanks

 

[palmnut]

Ermm. Sorry for not knowing this but what is it used for? Ive heard of them but not sure what it is used as. Maybe a weapon of some sort? Thanks

http://www.thepaas.org.uk/atlatl.html

See you at the Moot?

Peter

 

[Grooveski]

That's nice, looks the part.

I must get round to making more darts sometime.

 

[David Morningstar]

This is me in action earlier this year:

[video=youtube;-YOHsKyP3YY]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-YOHsKyP3YY[/video]

The atlatl (propulseur, speerschleuder, spearthrower, woomera) doubles the speed at which you can throw a spear by doubling the length of your arm. The spear must have enough flexibility to absorb the curve in the path of the tip of the atlatl, like the suspension of a car absorbing a bump in the road. If the spear is too stiff, its tail is thrown off course by the last part of the swing and it will veer off target.

This was used for hunting large and small game all around the world during the paleolithic until the invention of the bow and arrow.

 

[Mouse040]

Hi David gutted we couldn't see his in action the weekend but glad you posted the vid :You_Rock_

 

[fishfish]

hello David got these pics for your parousal :


Dave with Atlatl by fishfish_01, on Flickr


jack does Atlatl throwing by fishfish_01, on Flickr


more at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/9228131@N07/sets/72157634826850925/with/9392334491/

 

[David Morningstar]

You guys look like you have really got the hang of it, well done!

For the record, that dart is 2 metres (6 feet 6 inches) of 12mm dowel (avoid those made from different bits of lumber spliced together, B&Q are notorious for this) with a 1/2" diameter point ( that one was copper but we mostly use these http://www.longbowandarrow.co.uk/12-war-bodkins-550-p.asp ) and full length split turkey feathers bound on with dental floss. This is a very reliable and reproducible design that many throwers in the UK use.

 

[Grooveski]

Cheers for the link. That's the quickest I've hit a checkout button in a long time. They look just the job.