Bullroarers

RSS
Email

0 Kudos

Forum Jump

Author	Comment
Southtexasatlatl	Bullroarers	Lead	[-]
Posts: 44 (11/30/08 1:31 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Tags : None Thinking about making a bullroarer. I've got some instructions on how to make one from the Primitive Technology: A Book of Earth Skills, but was wondering if anyone here had any input as far as size is concerned. The one I'm planning on making is about 6 1/2 inches long.
RCSCC137		#1	[-]
Posts: 196 (11/30/08 2:09 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	I have made them as small as 3 inches and as large as 15 inches. The small one was very high pitched and the larger one was very low but you could hear it farther away. Rob
Flyfsh		#2	[-]
Posts: 1296 (11/30/08 2:14 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Never had one in my hands. I understand the edge angles and shape make them work? Jim
Southtexasatlatl		#3	[-]
Posts: 50 (12/02/08 9:26 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Here's one from the Lower Pecos curated at the Witte Museum in San Antonio. I think it was about only about 5 or 6 inches in length.
Flyfsh		#4	[-]
Posts: 1298 (12/03/08 4:59 AM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	thats a cool artifact. The only ones I have seen were basicaly the same shape only the hole for the cordage was on the oposite end. Jim
Southtexasatlatl		#5	[-]
Posts: 52 (12/03/08 7:12 AM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Here's an Inuit version with the cord attached, also from the Witte:
Southtexasatlatl		#6	[-]
Posts: 53 (12/03/08 7:20 AM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Jim, I also think it's unusual to have the string attachement on the fat end in the Lower Pecos specimen. I wonder how that affects the sound? Looks like an experiment is in order here, although I don't know the exact dimensions of this piece. It be cool to try it out though. Cesario
PaleoAleo		#7	[-]
Posts: 11787 (12/03/08 7:27 AM) Founder Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	I love bullroarers. I've made many over the years and had fun with them. It's very interesting to me that they appear in so many cultures over so wide a geographic area and over large spans of time. I wonder if anyone has ever made a list of all the places/times/cultures where they have appeared in the archaeo record. It would be a fun project to gather that information. I wonder how much of their appearance in time/space is a result of independant invention versus diffusion from one group to another. I've seen examples of them from prehistoric Europe (the Madgelenian for sure...maybe other periods), the Inuit, all through N. America (don't know about South America, but suspect so...), and Australia for sure. I bought a bone bullroarer from an African guy selling carvings, drums, beads, and other assorted African tribal stuff at a local flea market/swap meet, but don't know exactly where it came from. Anyone know of other places and time periods? Tom
Rocks in Head		#8	[-]
Posts: 150 (12/04/08 8:15 AM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Hey, i have one bit of advice. You might want to be sure to use these things outside. Mine is about 6 inches long and it had enough force to bust the light bulb out of our lamp in our living room. My wife was not happy! Bummer, another project banned to the garage. And i thought i was being so careful to swing it over the couch and under the lamp and over the stove. I guess I went up when i shoulda went down And i have no idea on the history of these things
Southtexasatlatl		#9	[-]
Posts: 55 (12/04/08 2:22 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Tom, it seems that bullroarers are a widespread phenomenon, found on all populated continents. Sounds like it would make an interesting report for an anthro grad student. I would like to do some research on it but I don't have access to JSTOR anymore. Perhaps some student in the forum will take up the challange. Rocks, how thick is the bullroarer you use?
Mmeso		#10	[-]
Posts: 103 (12/05/08 12:38 AM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	I have made a couple and seen a couple that other people have done. It seems that as long as the piece of wood is flat and the cross section more or less lenticular it will make a sound - the longer the piece, the lower the sound. But it might very well be that the edge angles and thickness affect the sound it produces - I have never really thought about that. One thing I do know, however, is that especially if you make a big one the string must be strong and with several strands. When the bulroarer rotates it twists the string heavily and if the string breaks the thing may become leathal for innocent bystanders... As for the history, I think I have seen a Mesolithic buroarer from Europe in some publication.
Rocks in Head		#11	[-]
Posts: 153 (12/05/08 7:30 AM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	This is one i made. Nothing fancy. Yew wood with double twisted hemp string. I did cheat and use a fishing line swivel to keep the string from twisting up. Side view to show thinckness. Also notice the dent by my thumb where it hit the lamp. oops. It would definately hurt to be hit by one!
Mmeso		#12	[-]
Posts: 104 (12/05/08 8:57 AM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	That line swivel is an excellent idea! Here is one I made some 10 years ago. It's aspen (very light), 9 1/2 inches long and 1/2 inch thick at the thickest. The string is an old shoe lace.
Southtexasatlatl		#13	[-]
Posts: 57 (12/05/08 10:03 AM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Those are some really nice examples. I decided to make one yesterday out of a piece of basswood I had lying around. It ended up being very thin and light, but it still worked. Not too loud though. I'll try again with some wood from the trees out in my yard, possibly mesquite, more authentic to area where I live. I think a heavier wood would be better.
Rocks in Head		#14	[-]
Posts: 154 (12/05/08 12:21 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Ive made a smaller one but it was too light to swing around. I think heavier would be better, to a point. I would guess there is a range of size and weight where they would perform well. It would be fun to do some experamenting. Hmmm...... mabey this weekend....
Mister Owl		#15	[-]
Posts: 774 (12/05/08 2:19 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Rocks, how well did the one with the swivel work for you? I ask because I tried it once and it didn't want to do it's thing. The impression I got was that the roarer itself needed the resistance of winding the cordage to produce the spin and sound. Maybe I need to go back and try it again. I too find it interesting that bull roarers are found worldwide. Further, it's also interesting to me that in some cultures they are considered extremely sacred and misuse is a large taboo. In others they are a children's toy. Diff'rent strokes for diff'rent folks. Hootie Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather one should aim to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, glass of Scotch in the other, your body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming "WOO HOO! Man, what a ride!"
Flyfsh		#16	[-]
Posts: 1299 (12/05/08 6:05 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Ok that did it. I have to try the trick indoor swing. What was that again? Over wifes chair, under cats belly then into the lamp? Jim
The Burnt Hill Archer		#17	[-]
Posts: 726 (12/06/08 7:21 AM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	i made one once out of a piece of laminate flooring, and did the swivel thing too. i couldnt get the stupid thing to do its thing. might just have to try one without the swivel. hmmm....two didges and a bullroarer..... Phil Stalk softly, and carry a bent stick.
PaleoAleo		#18	[-]
Posts: 11800 (12/06/08 8:11 AM) Founder Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	From my experience, to get mine to work, I've had to twist the string up enough so that when I just let the thing hang, is spins pretty fast from the untwisting of the string. At least that seems to be a good way to get it started. If I don't do that first, they usually don't spin as I twirl them and no noise occurs. Maybe the swing/swivel thing is used on the end that you are holding? Now I can see how that might be a plus. I've about worn through my fingers (usually the side of my index finger) swinging these darn things around. I've had some fun swinging them on a real short string, as you would with nunchucks (spelling?)...you know, the martial arts device. So instead of just swinging it around your head, I do a figure-8 like movement infront and to the side of me. T
panbreaux		#19	[-]
Posts: 4 (12/06/08 9:01 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	the heavier the wood, the louder it will be. long and slender spins faster than the short and wide. the faster it spins the louder it is. i've seen some that were inlaid with different types of metal and stone, not just for decoration, but for extra weight. forget the swivel, the line twisting is what makes it work. you can save your fingers by using something similar to the handle in the picture of the eskimo bullroarer. i'd put a finger hole in it though, since the string will still rub your finger. you must use a braided line of a suitable strength! while i'm all about hand making as much of everything i can i will make an exception in saying, only use cordage that can handle twisting and stretching back and forth while being pulled. i recommend nylon. it might sound a bit sacreligious to say such a thing here, but if you're using it near people, pets, expensive property, it's a must. if you look at different ones from all over the world, you'll notice most used braided hair instead of plant fiber. still wouldn't trust it swinging it around people with the hair cordage. also be careful of ignornant folks getting too close. seems to be human nature that every time i pull out my bullroarer in public, the sheeple all try to get within arm's reach. had a few "genius's" actually try to catch it. can't help but wonder what 6 ounces of ash, spinning at God knows how fast, would do to some fingers. coming off the the string it's flying at 75-100mph.
Mmeso		#20	[-]
Posts: 107 (12/07/08 8:18 AM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Yes, you are probably right about the swivel, panbreaux. However I'm still not sure if it could not be useful in the end you are holding - as in the first photo by RiH. Well, anyway, it's not paleo, so maybe a handle piece is better if something is needed to protect the hand.

<< Previous Topic Next Topic >>

Yuku free message boards

Bullroarers

Bullroarers