Bullroarer

[Draven]

Howdy folks!
Always fancied making a bullroarer, but never got around to it until last night, so here we go
With the tools...

Closeup of the carving.

The wood is unknown, it is (once again!) recycled. It'd quite dry and brittle - not too brittle, but compared to the woods I normally deal with (oak, pine, mahogany, beech and birch) it seems quite brittle. I can't really get big bits of wood off when carving flats, just thin shavings. It didn't hold detail quite as well as I hoped (You can see the crosshatching crumbling a bit, and the wide tailband was meant to be two thin ones...). All in all I'm happy with the carving though, and it's coloured with coffee (ground to a fine powder with the butt of my knife) mixed with teak oil. For the record, the carving was off Google images, it's apparantly a common Aboriginal painting for tourist stuff - I just thought it was cool

On a sidenote, any idea what I could use for the string? The one it has right now has worn through two strands of the braid already!

Cheers for looking!
Pete

 

[jojo]

This is really nice!! I particularly love the design you carved on it. I have read somewhere the string were originally made of human hair, but that might not help you much! Maybe horse hair, or yucca fibre string? I'd tie it closed to the roarer, to try and reduce the rubbing.

 

[g4ghb]

Looks great Pete!

re the string - not traditional I admit but nylon window blind cord works a treat, It seems the thinner the string the better i've found. I use Mors technique of a double length of cord knotted at the hand end and the other end larksfooted through the roarer and adding a short stick into the equation helps further - is hand holds stick other end has string tied to it, roarer on the other end of the string. This gives more leaverage for want of a better word...

 

[Draven]

Wish I knew about the human hair bit before cutting all my hair off! I did have it tied tight to the roarer at first, but I thought this way might be better - I haven't noticed a difference so I might try that!

Like the idea of the blind cord, we have a blind in my workshop waiting for a purpose so I'll give that a try! I'll try the stick idea too, sounds good to me! Maybe if I had the string tied in the middle and had it between my middle and ring finger I wouldn't have a massive blister on the side of my forefinger, too

Thanks folks!

Pete

 

[novembeRain]

What is it? excuse my ignorance, and what's it for?

A bit off topic, isn't the grain in your axe handle the "wrong" way round?

 

[launditch1]

Interesting to see someone making these.Ive made a few and i think they're great fun!Extraordinary noise dont you think?Perfect for communing with nature spirits..or driving my mums dogs mental!!How does yours sound BTW?

 

[Draven]

What is it? excuse my ignorance, and what's it for?

A bit off topic, isn't the grain in your axe handle the "wrong" way round?

Well, I'll addess the second bit first Yes, yes it is I bought the thing for £3.99, I'm just happy the grain is straight and the head is good I really did just have to make a choice between getting a straight grained handle with the grain perpendicular to how it should be, or get one with a wonky grain. I am gonna replace it though, the handle's really a few inches too short IMO

Now for the first part!
A bullroarer is an aboriginal . . . thing . . . which makes a roaring noise when you swing it around. From what I can tell, it works by the roarer spinning around (and thus winding up the string) as you swing it in circles, and when the string can't take any more tension it springs back, creating the sound. Thus, you get a kind of pulsating noise, rather than constant. You can also change the frequency of the noise to an extent by how fast you swing it. Here's a youtube vid demonstrating it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_uYP1Q8o_YY

 

[Draven]

Interesting to see someone making these.Ive made a few and i think they're great fun!Extraordinary noise dont you think?Perfect for communing with nature spirits..or driving my mums dogs mental!!How does yours sound BTW?

They really are fun And I love the noise, I don't really know how to describe it, but it's wonderful. It sounds good, but I think it would be better if I'd chosen a heavier wood - just feels like it'd be a bit louder if it had more power in it!

Pete

 

[novembeRain]

Much the same as my axe then lol.

Fair enough, I've seen them on croc' dundee but wondered if you had a purpose for it - like it just happens to attract buck deer or something - just a 'toy's fine too though.

 

[Draven]

Much the same as my axe then lol.

Fair enough, I've seen them on croc' dundee but wondered if you had a purpose for it - like it just happens to attract buck deer or something - just a 'toy's fine too though.

Ah I see what you mean. I think the Australian Aborigines used them primarily for ritual, although I've heard they were used for communication - how, I haven't the foggiest idea! But yes mine is just a toy Reckon some ingenius bushcrafter could think of a use for one though! I'd like to hear it

 

[novembeRain]

Ah I see what you mean. I think the Australian Aborigines used them primarily for ritual, although I've heard they were used for communication - how, I haven't the foggiest idea! But yes mine is just a toy Reckon some ingenius bushcrafter could think of a use for one though! I'd like to hear it

To get a rope up a tree!?

 

[Draven]

To get a rope up a tree!?

Heeey thats not a bad one I can just picture some tourists watching with excited anticipation as you swing around a bullroarer, then their look of disappointment as you toss it into the tree and tug on it to shake fruit down

 

[g4ghb]

Here is a Movie of the Great Mors in action!

http://img531.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dscf3377zi1.flv

No blisters with this - just the aching arm!

 

[Draven]

Here is a Movie of the Great Mors in action!

http://img531.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dscf3377zi1.flv

No blisters with this - just the aching arm!

Thats fantastic, thanks

 

[Snufkin]

Just make sure you check your string regularly. When it breaks they go a long way at quite an alarming speed!

 

[Draven]

Just make sure you check your string regularly. When it breaks they go a long way at quite an alarming speed!

I can imagine - you should've seen dad's face when I walked into the living room and started whirling it about

 

[johnnytheboy]

How thick is the wood on your bullroarer, i have a bit of mahogany here i was planning to make one but no sure if i need to thin it down a little.

 

[Draven]

How thick is the wood on your bullroarer, i have a bit of mahogany here i was planning to make one but no sure if i need to thin it down a little.

About 10mm, but I think it should be thicker, personally. If I had a bit of wood which was as thick as my forefinger, I'd probably go for that instead! If it's about that or any thinner, I'd just say try it - you can always thin it down

 

[Opal]

I didn't know what it was called either but I love this one.

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

 

[Draven]

I didn't know what it was called either but I love this one.

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

I really should've seen that coming!