Bullroarer

[Mooseman1]

Nice work mate, my wifes an ozzy and she loves this.

 

[Draven]

Nice work mate, my wifes an ozzy and she loves this.

Cheers mate Give it a go then Great fun to do, I love an excuse to use the axe!

 

[Broch]

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

Why 10mm? The one I brought back from Oz is only about 6mm thick (34cm long x 8cm wide). I am under the impression that it's the wood that makes the noise not the string (I could be wrong) 'cos the frequency is independant of the string length (I need to test that a bit more though). To stop the string wearing I made sure the hole was very very smooth.

I think they would be great tools to call everyone to the fire at a camp instead of a whistle! But i don't do communal camps anymore

 

[Draven]

Why 10mm? The one I brought back from Oz is only about 6mm thick (34cm long x 8cm wide). I am under the impression that it's the wood that makes the noise not the string (I could be wrong) 'cos the frequency is independant of the string length (I need to test that a bit more though). To stop the string wearing I made sure the hole was very very smooth.

I think they would be great tools to call everyone to the fire at a camp instead of a whistle! But i don't do communal camps anymore

To be honest I used 10mm because that's the thickness the wood was It tapers round the whole roarer though. The only reason I suggested one thicker was because the tut I saw which inspired me to make it was about a finger thick, and because I think it would work better if it was a bit heavier than mine, because it would have more momentum.
To be honest when I said:

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.

I phrased it kinda badly - what I meant was that when the string can't take any more tension, it springs back and the roarer spinning rapidly in the other direction makes the noise I think anyway, it is just a theory...

It would be quite a useful tool for calling, but you'd need one a bit louder than mine I reckon, I might make a slightly bigger and heavier one and retire this one to the wall

Cheers,
Pete

 

[Mountainwalker]

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

I recently attended a conference in Sydney and before proceedings started we were all welcomed by a local aboriginal elder. He demonstrated the use of a bullroarer and stated that it was used for ritual and communication. He said that communities would use the bullroarer to communicate with one another and with other communities.

Great to watch, he said with a smile that it was the first mobile phone.

 

[moccasintracks]

My dad made me one when I was a kid.

He took a yard stick

cut it in half more or less

drilled a couple holes

Added a cord

and away I went.

I learned about the lion thing later.
Where Dad learned it
Who knows

hill billy lore at its best.

Jim

 

[traderran]

I need to make one of theses

 

[Draven]

I recently attended a conference in Sydney and before proceedings started we were all welcomed by a local aboriginal elder. He demonstrated the use of a bullroarer and stated that it was used for ritual and communication. He said that communities would use the bullroarer to communicate with one another and with other communities.

Great to watch, he said with a smile that it was the first mobile phone.

Nice! Was pitch varied for communication?

moccasintracks - Cool, how'd it sound? I hope people keep sharing stuff like that with their kids!

Traderran - give it a go, it's about the easiest carving job going