How to Make a Boomerang Out of Australian Wood
Like the Australian Aboriginals, make a boomerang out of native Australian wood. The Aboriginals handcrafted these wooden tools for hunting, fishing and imitating bird flight. According to Dan Drollette in a "Popular Mechanics" article, a returning boomerang works by the lift created from its curved top and the rotation of its wings when airborne. Fabricate your own authentic boomerang from Australian hardwood, such as rosewood or blackwood. These types of wood are dense and heavy but help keep the boomerang's shape when thrown.
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Things You'll Need
- Paper
- Pencil
- Printer with printer paper
- Pattern transfer paper
- 3/4-inch by 10-inch by 24-inch Australian hardwood
- Jigsaw
- Vise
- Belt sander with coarse and medium grit sandpaper
- Fine sandpaper
Instructions
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1
Draw a boomerang template that is roughly 15 inches wide on paper using a pencil. A classic Aboriginal boomerang is a "L" shape with both wings or sides the same length. If the total width is 15 inches, each side is approximately 8 inches long.
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2
Print out a free boomerang template from websites, such as The Society of Women Engineers or Kendall Davis, using your computer's printer and paper. Tape the edges of pattern transfer paper onto the 3/4-inch by 10-inch by 24-inch piece of Australian hardwood with masking tape.
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3
Place the template over the transfer paper and tape the edges to secure. Trace the lines with a pencil, pressing hard. Remove the template and the pattern transfer paper to reveal the tracing on the wood.
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4
Saw out the tracing with a jigsaw. Hold the saw shoe firmly on the wood with the blade away from the edge. Follow your curves lines carefully to cut out the entire piece from the hardwood.
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5
Tighten the boomerang piece into a vise so that you have access to one of its wings. Sand the edges to form a curved, beveled edge evenly across the entire side using a belt sander with coarse grit sandpaper. Remove the boomerang and clamp the other side. Continue sanding the boomerang to curve the rest of the piece. This forms an airfoil like an airplane wing.
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6
Sand the entire boomerang with medium grit sandpaper. Smooth the boomerang by hand using fine-grit sandpaper.
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Tips & Warnings
Carve out evenly spaced ridges on the top side of the boomerang to reduce its weight.
Stain the finished boomerang with boiled linseed oil or butcher block stain.
Always saw forward and away from your body.
Practice throwing your boomerang in a large field away from other people.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Comstock/Comstock/Getty Images
