a bullroarer

[fishfish]

remember when crocodile dundee used one to call his mate? its a thing you spin over yer head and it maked the most earie sound. well today i made one from a chunk of mahogany , its a fairly easy thing to make ,i was suprised just how well it works , set all the dogs in the area off!!! :q28:

heres an intresting bit of info:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bullroarer_(music)

 

[spamel]

It's oval in cross section, is that right? Of no practical use to us whatsoever, but I wouldn't mind trying my hand at one! I've had a play on one my mate brought back from Oz, which he was visiting for stores when he went out to East Timor a few years back with the Gurkhas. It was small but still made a good sound.

 

[spiritofold]

Something to keep me kids amused! I can just see my older boys sharpening the edges up to try and chop things down

 

[edispilff]

Does anyone here speak bullroarer? I've been looking for the rosetta stone cd everywhere
Gonna have to have a go at one of those just to see what the reaction will be from all the farmers in the middle of the night (of, course lots of beer to keep it swinging into the morning)
Heck, maybe even an automatic bullroarer hooked up to a motor?

BTW--- nice workmanship on that

 

[forrestdweller]

made a few of them in the past,too. definitely great fun! one thing i found out is to use braided cord to have them working properly.

 

[Tony]

Mors made a few at the Moot this year and I've played with them before, they're fun and the results are directly in proportion to how much effort you put into swinging that baby about

 

[spiritofold]

I just had 2 copies of the bushcraft & survival magazine turn up. Issue 14, which i missed out on before, has a bit near the back about making bullroarers.

If yer interested?

 

[fishfish]

oooooo yes! can you pdf them?

 

[Nelis]

I just had 2 copies of the bushcraft & survival magazine turn up. Issue 14, which i missed out on before, has a bit near the back about making bullroarers.

If yer interested?

Oh yep, would love to know how to make them.

 

[bilko]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Kf_RYVt2XQ&feature=related
OMG PMSL

 

[g4ghb]

How spooky!

I've just got back from a weekend runing a 'bushcraft' base at swmbos Scout Group family camp, must have made at least 25 of the things

The kids loved them! - but not sure the parents were too impressed with being woken up with them this morning!

 

[fishfish]

ive just made a much bigger mahogany version its 12inches ,but realy isnt as loud as i thaght itd be! i went up on the neolithic hill fort of whitesheet hill and spun it as the sun set behind the wooded skyline , it was quite earie and it fealt like making a conection with ancestors.

any tips on making it louder or is it a case of making a 2 footer!

 

[Mesquite]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Kf_RYVt2XQ&feature=related
OMG PMSL

Oh yes Bilko, that's a good one. I've seen it several times and it still gives me a good laugh every time

 

[g4ghb]

ive just made a much bigger mahogany version its 12inches ,but realy isnt as loud as i thaght itd be! i went up on the neolithic hill fort of whitesheet hill and spun it as the sun set behind the wooded skyline , it was quite earie and it fealt like making a conection with ancestors.

any tips on making it louder or is it a case of making a 2 footer!

mahogany! nice! - mine were all out of an old pallet

I think it is a combination of size, shape and thickness. a plain bit of plank with nothing done bar a hole for the cord worked (not well but it worked none the less)

 

[robwolf]

ive got one from aus nice sound but the first time i used it it wore a hole in my finger!!!

 

[Mesquite]

ive got one from aus nice sound but the first time i used it it wore a hole in my finger!!!

When I was on a course with Mors he demonstrated his bullroarer. He said you get a better effect if you connect the string to a stick then you can get it swinging much faster and increase the roar. He said to increase the sound you do it in a 'whipping' action and it certainly was loud as he did it.

Here he is in action

 

[g4ghb]

Ooohwell done Mes - I had forgotten I had this!

The man in action (if my link to a video works )

 

[Mesquite]

Ooohwell done Mes - I had forgotten I had this!

The man in action (if my link to a video works )

It does It's a good video of his demonstration and it reminded me just how much lift he got as he swung it. He was almost lifting off

 

[ForestNH/VT]

Someone suggested that bullroarers weren't very useful. I have heard several anecdotes of their use to scare off bull Moose and Grizzlies. Supposedly they are both terrified of the sound - pretty useful if you ask me!

Forest

 

[fishfish]

heres apro abbo at work!

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=3Kf_RYVt2XQ&feature=related