Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Primitive Skills => Topic started by: bjrogg on May 05, 2017, 05:59:05 pm
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I had a beautiful Red Osier Shoot over 5' long. I always wanted one of these. Piece of scrap Red Osier for Atlatl. I cut a small point off a white tail shed for the hook, glued it and wrapped it on with sinew. My Red Osier shoot for main shaft with whole turkey tail feathers for fletching sinew wrapped. Red Osier fore shaft with trade point I whipped up from a old saw blade. Bjrogg markings. Only cast it once in the shop without the trade point. I think it'll work but it's just to cold, windy and nasty to go outside and try it. Here's what I got, thanks for looking. Of course I will make a stone point after I play with this for a while.
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More
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Nice set up, they can be fun to toss around. how does it fly? Ed
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Not going to cast it in the shop with point on to nasty outside. I'll up date you as soon as I can. I'm sure it'll take a little getting use to.
Bjrogg
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Nice work
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Thanks Joe,
Ed it's still pretty nasty out but I cast this one about 25 yards it will definitely work and better than I thought even. I think I'll get the hang of it. It's kind like casting a fishing pole, but different. We do need a Atlatl emowhateveryoucallthem these tech guys are slipping. ;)
Bjrogg
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Looks pretty good. Yep, it just takes practice to get accurate. Lots and lots of practice!! :D
Neal
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Thats deadly, great job!
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I'd say it's ready for a Wooly Mammoth to Me ! Bob
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Classic Bjrogg markings ;).
You might want to end up putting on some finger loops on your thrower, helps to keep it securely in hand.
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Does anyone have a rough idea of the speed of these things? L know it depends on the arm throwing it but just a ballpark figure would be nice.
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DC I'm sure it depends greatly on person casting it but I believe I've heard over 100mph. My dart weighs about 1635 grains. I'm sure someone could figure the foot lbs. but I'm thinking that would penetrate pretty good.
Thanks Aaron I almost didn't paint my Classic Bjrogg markings but I figured if I didn't it would stab in the ground and without sealer just end up with dirt embedded in it. I really just made this Atlatl to play around with and learn from. It's still extremely windy out and I haven't really got it out on a big lawn to try it but I did learn I needed to choke up on the handle a bit. It's a little longer than it should be.
Thanks Patches and Clewis
Bob my eyes are peeled for those woolly mammoths 🐘 Dang still no Atlatl emoji
Bjrogg
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Being your first dart did you have any trouble drilling the slot for the forshaft and what method did you use? Ive tried power drills but its a good way to mess up fast and some success with stone drills but only on my larger shafts and they dont go very deep. What did work well though was a fine pair of scissors from my shaving kit and just roughed up the edges a bit. My go to method now is a piece mild steel.
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Clewis like you said, I didn't go very deep and the pith was quite advantageous also. First thing I did was wrap sinew on both ends of main shaft. For fletching end I use awl on my multi-tool. For fore shaft I used electric drill for smaller diameter hole then I use the tang for handle on my rasp to finish it off. I believe I even touched up the tail end with file tang also. I like to wrap sinew first to keep it from splitting. The whole thing didn't take me as long as it would to make a tuned shoot arrow. Honestly in a survival situation it would be way faster and easier to make and with less tools than a bow and arrows. Learning to use it we'll see.
Bjrogg
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Looks very serviceable and well done! The dart is real nice, could easily make meat. Looks like it is about 2 1/2 times as long as the atlatl. Might have to talk to you about some trade points like that. The finger loops would be a real good idea. You might try a thumb and forefinger grip on the dart when castling, or a dart rest. There are a number of sites that talk about dart speed, but I think it averages about 30% of what an arrow flies at. Bob Berg at thunderbird atlatl.com may have some info on that, I've not had access to a chronograph to test with. My friend, Ken Wee has a utube video, but I don't remember if it mentions speed of cast. Accuracy can be a challenge, I can usually keep the darts in the 4 x7 foot butts, almost all the time, but I need more practice to get a group!
Good work, didn't think of making darts with the extra long shoots!
Hawkdancer
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Does anyone have a rough idea of the speed of these things? L know it depends on the arm throwing it but just a ballpark figure would be nice.
I keep forgetting Google is my friend. Google says between 60-100 mph. 100 is 147 fps. So the average guy will be a bit over 100fps. With a 1500 grain dart it's going to pack quite a whallop.
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Yup DC, i'm thinking even 60 mph would be nasty.
Bjrogg
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Sorry hawkdancer, didn't notice your reply on page one. Thanks for the info and kind words. I am looking forward to playing around a some more with this one.
Bjrogg
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wicked looking point, Brian. And nice kit too. Glad to see some atlatl postings here at PA.
I read somewhere that dart momentum is right up there with any bow and arrow. I have been using a unibit for drilling fore shaft sockets
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Very nice atlatl and scary point !!! (http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=59874.0;attach=131762;image)
Thankyou for setting in me the instant urge to make one ;D
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Very nice, evil looking point !
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Good to see that you got to let it fly even if you still have bad weather. Ed
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Thanks guys.
Williethe right sized unibit probably would work nice. From what I understand you want it to hook together but not to much that it won't release.
GlisGlis I like your emoji I don't see it up top to pick fromdoc
Thanks jodocus.
Thanks Ed,
The wind layed down for a bit last night and I tossed it around some. My elbow isn't 25 anymore but I could throw it pretty nice about 50 or 60 yards. It's a little tricky and I'm sure finger loops and something to hold dart would help, but actually I was surprised how good I could throw it. I'm not accurate at all yet, just happy to be able to toss that dart at all. I'll keep playing around with it when I get a chance.
Bjrogg
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thudscave has some drawing of different styles throwers.
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If I remember correctly, the official target course is cast at 15 and 20 yards, and the "big boys" are really good, but they do practice a lot! There seems to be quite a shift to the longer range. Casting for distance can be a lot of fun, too; but accuracy suffers. It all goes down to proper technique and practice. Have fun!
Hawkdancer
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just added the emoticon to the emoticons post
http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,59874.0.html
now it's up to the admins to put it in the text editor
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Thanks GlisGlis we really needed one (AT) 🐘
Bjrogg
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you guys see this video(hunting kangaroo with hits), some of the darts look to have points added but some just look sharpened sticks.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wwNbwPVFkSc
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Yea Ed even just that sharp pointy stick looks real nasty for that kangaroo.
Bjrogg
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I made a dart rest from a piece of sycamore a friend gave me. Basically a "U" shape rest with a shaft to make a "Y" long enough to seat into the grip area, and lined it with soft leather. Shamelessly stole the pattern from Bob Berg at Thunderbird, but mine is hand made and shaped. The U has to be wide enough to hold the dart and the leather, of course, mine extends about 1/4 inch above the shift diameter. Works very well, and saves gripping the shaft when casting. I think it would be very Helpful if hunting, especially on a stand
Hawkdancer
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Wagh!! I'm full of questions tonight😂 BJ, how long did you make the fore shaft, and how is it secured to the main? How is the point secured? Sinew and pitch? What are the specs on the point?
I like that, hopefully you can name it "Deerslayer" (AT)!
Hawkdancer
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Hawkdancer I'm not by dart right now but I think fore shaft was about 9" long. First I sinew wrap end of main shaft and let dry. Then I drilled a smaller diameter hole in main shaft. If I remember right I then use the tang for handle on my rasp to ream a tappered hole in mainshaft. Then I used file to tapper fore shaft. I halvted point with pine pitch glue and wrapped with sinew. The point is from a old circular saw blade. I cut it out with a cut off wheel in my angle grinder then sharpened with grinder and file. It's not super hard steel a file will slowly cut it. I think it's probably about 6" x 1 /3/4" I never really measured it just made what I thought looked right.
Bjrogg
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That dart is is quite a projectile. Nice lookin art work. The point looks pretty darn vicisious. It's great to see these atlatl and darts in here. They inspired me to finally attempt some darts and give a go st throwing.
Eric
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Thanks high desert 🌵 I'm kinda surprised there aren't more Atlatl post on here. We have a black powder section but no Atlatl. I'm really kinda doubting I'll ever hunt with mine but I still am very interested in them. This is probably as close as I'll get to Hunting with one (AT) 🐘
Bjrogg
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Thanks, BJ,
I will have to try that method. I will try to post a pic of my dart rest this weekend.
Hawkdancer
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Thanks Hawkdancer I was going to ask about so pictures. Like to see some more atlatls and darts. Pictures are always good.
Bjrogg
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Looking good BJ. I have made a bunch of throwers and darts for the grandkids to toss around. They have a ball doing it. Check out Flint knapping tools, Mark Bracken. He is a 4 time world champion. You get down to Flintridge, Mark is there and tosses a few darts around plus they have targets there for instruction.
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just saw in TV a movie called "the tracker"
Pretty nice australian story with some atlatl action
we should have a sticky thread dedicated to movies, series and books related to primitive world and stories
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Got the pics as far as Imgur public, but can't get them to move to here😰 Brain gas and dumb attacks, even with the directions looking at me on the old iPad! The post title there is "dart rest and dart". Got a reply on that site!
Hawkdancer
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BJ,
Sent you a pm re: pics
Hawkdancer
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Nice job
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BJ I wouldn't want to be on the receiving end of it.
Nice job on it.
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Those are nice pictures Hawkdancer
Thanks Guy
Rob I think it's out of range now. I put a nice obsidian point on it and traded DVS hunter a nearly finished yew bow. It has a new home down south now and I'm very happy DVS liked it so much.
Bjrogg