Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Cave Men only "Oooga Booga" => Topic started by: Ryan_Gill_HuntPrimitive on May 15, 2013, 09:52:56 pm
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Ive been throwing the atlatl a lot lately and decided that I needed a good set. I made a bendy thrower from Osage and made some animal carvings on it for fun! Got 3 (two pictured :-[ ) cane darts ready and flying. Also working up a good set of FL chert percussion atlatl points.... I am throwing hard and pretty good at about 12 yards.. not "good enough" yet but I am getting closer every day I throw. Yes I most definitely plan on trying to make a kill with it.
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NICE, I like it Man! dp
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Nice work, looks awesome!
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fun aint they, I built one then traded ifrit for a real nice on and some darts, almost got a bird in fight thanksgiving
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Wow, I really like that carving! You've got the primitive look down for sure.
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How big in diameter are them darts?
Nice job!
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thanks guys
the darts are about 6 1/2' long. natural cane so the diameter tapers quite a bit. thickest part is my 9/16 or so. nock end is much the same thickness off a 60# spine arrow. point ends have Sparkleberry foreshafts and taper one down to 3/8 +/-
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Very nice tool set. I was just at the history museum in Chicago and took several photos of a few set ups on display to maybe recreate. Looks like a lot of fun
Tracy
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Nicely done sir! I use a similar style atlatl. I'm not very good with it, but it sure is fun! Josh
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Awesome!
I love the carvings!
Some day I hope to make one and learn to use it, Good luck hunting with it.
Kevin
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Man, I had to look :'( Can't even make bows good yet and now I want one of these! Thanks a lot TL >:(
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what purpose does the weight on the thrower serve?
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it gives more momentum to the throw. you can adjust it up or down to what feels best, once you get used to having that extra umph, trying to throw without it feels like you are throwing a paper airplane.
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Banner stones - Those critters have been topics of discussion for some time. Not all atlatls had them and they varied quite a bit in appearance and still today carry a little dispute amongst those of us here on PA. Some say that it does add extra oomph to the throw and others say it makes no difference in their ability than one without.
My impression is that it acts like a stabilizer. Let me try to explain. If you have ever gone canoeing and put the blade fully into the water and tried to paddle the paddle wobbles like crazy. This is because you are trying to push a column of water as big as the head of the paddle and at about 60lbs to the cubic foot that is a lot of weight you are trying to push with a relatively little stick. With the dart being 1 to 2 thirds longer than the atlatl that is a bit of weight that you are trying to push with a small stick and the same forces come into play. Therefore, some might reply that the banner stone is a sort of ballast as opposed to oomph adder.
Just my 1.5 cents(after taxes). Ben
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Very cool. As for the discussion of the weight. i tried to thow a hunting arrow today like it was a spear. The pain in my shoulder reminded me that trying to throw a 600grain arrow is like dry-firing a bow, it hurts the limbs. :'( Maybe that applies here.
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so who is the atatl master of PA? I would like to talk to him ;)
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I don't think anyone is going to own up to that title.... it would have to be a nomination by group of peers I imagine
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Ok then. got some questions for anyone who will anwser them.
how long should darts be?
how heavy points?
How large in diam?
i can figure out everything else through Utube and websites :)
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Well, that may depend a lot on the person throwing. My darts are cane with hardwood foreshafts, about 6'6" long. the nock end is roughly the same size as an arrow shaft, the thickest part is roughly a half inch. I taper down from the last node and through the foreshaft until the point area is about 3/8 of an inch. I have 125grain field points glued on mine to practice with. my hunting points will likely be in the 125-160 grain range. I throw it just about as hard as I can so mine are pretty stiff spined. Just like arrow shafts they have a weak side so to find this I put the point end of the shaft on the floor and nock end towards the ceiling. Then I put the thrower onto the nock and apply pressure downwards until the shaft flexes.... this will show you the weak spined side of the shaft.. I put the "cock" feather on the weak side and orient it up when throwing. You want the weak side in the same place everytime to get consistent throw and want it facing up so the shaft is flexing naturally when you throw..this keeps the shaft from wanting to roll when thrown. some folks can throw shorter darts... but i really struggle with the short ones
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thanks a ton. I found a way to easily make heavy points for the darts... field point style- 1/4 or 3/16 steel rod, cut a 6" piece put it in a drill and grind the tip into a bullet-shape on a bench grinder.
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Nice looking set twistedlimbs! It's addictive isn't it. So far I'm feeling pretty good in the 8 to 10 yard range as far as trying to connect on an animal. Dave
(http://i628.photobucket.com/albums/uu3/dmanwarren/100_3192_zps725e9b73.jpg) (http://s628.photobucket.com/user/dmanwarren/media/100_3192_zps725e9b73.jpg.html)