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Re: Crocodile Dundee Whirly Thing AKA Bullroarer
J. R. Madden (jmadden@OTB.COM)
Wed, 29 Apr 1998 07:54:02 -0500
We have made these things before and I want to emphasize a major point:
string, twine, rope (twisted cord-like items) will NOT work in making a
bullroarer! You need to use sinew as suggested earlier or a leather cord.
We used leather shoe laces in the 30-36" length (or longer and cut in
half).
WHY? I'm glad you asked that ...
The bullroarer works as follows: When you swing the bullroarer about your
head, wooden strip rotates in the 'wind' and the cord twists in one
direction. At a certain point, the tension in the cord is great enough and
the cord untwists rapidly. This untwisting spins the wooded strip even
faster against the 'wind' and, depending on notches or slits you may have
cut into the edges of the wooded slat, sound is produced. Of course, the
cord continues untwisting until it is twisted to the extreme in the other
direction and the process cycles. You will find the wooden slat moves
toward and then away from the operator as the cord twists and untwists.
If you try to use string or twisted rope, the string/rope will become
undone by the twisting action of the wooden slat! Now, braided rope might
work but it can not be very thick because the cord has to be able to twist
quite a bit for the bullroarer to function.
Yours,
J.R.
Terry Howerton Sakima Group, Inc. SCOUTER Magazine Kansas City |
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