artinct

Hi, Thanks for the query. Yes it is a boomerang. I received it in a swap about a year ago. I make and trade boomerangs as a hobby. It is a great sport. If you are interested in getting one let me know. <br /> You can view some of my boomerangs at my webshots album: <br /> <a href="http://community.webshots.com/user/artinct">http://community.webshots.com/user/artinct</a><br /> <br /> Art

Very nice job. Well done on the video and instructions. It would be a bit difficult to try to explain all the steps of making a wooden boomerang in photos. I suppose I could give it a try. I'll have to give that some thought.<br /> I<br /> f you looked at my webshots album you see that I have been written up in the local newspaper.I am lucky in that the senior center I belong to has a woodworking shop. That is where I make my boomerangs. The plywood I buy at Home Depot or the real good/expensive kind I buy mail order and it comes from Finland. Most of the booms I make are either 1/8" or 3/16" thick. <br /> There are many videos on YouTube of how to make and throw a boomerang. That is how I got started only 2 years ago. <br /> I hope to hear from you and I will send you a boomerang or two for free with instructions. If you'd like me to send you a wooden boomerang I'll need your name and mailing address. <br /> I realize it's not good to give out your personal information on line, but there is really no way I could do this unless I have that info. My email address is <a href="mailto:Artinct@cox.net">Artinct@cox.net</a>. I live in Southington, CT and I'm sure you've looked at my profile information.<br /> <br /> Art

that would be fine. I get these messages right away. I don't normally sell my boomerangs and would be glad to send you a freebie.
This morning I made 3 boomerangs from a plastic TOTE lid I found. I was testing them in the parking lot of the center and a friend and his wife stopped to watch, She mentioned that her son goes camping quite a bit and might get a kick out of throwing a boomerang. So I gave her all three and instructions on  throwing. So that worked out fine. Made 3, gave away 3. Broke out even.
Hope your having a good day,
Art

yes, i did have a good day. The booms only took about 1/2 hour to make.
It has been a couple of months since I made any booms. With the nice summer weather i was spending my time outside throwing booms almost every day. I have our middle school about 1/2 mile from home and use the recreation field for my booms. the only other use the field gets during the day is by the Canada geese. dirty birds.
you'll find the most important factor in throwing booms is the wind. not too strong and not dead calm. about 3 - 5 mph is best.
When I first started I bought a traditional two blade boom on ebay. after a couple of weeks learning how to throw it so it would come back and finally catching it. I had no one to show me the correct way to throw a boom except for watching videos on Youtube. Since then I've gotten one other local fellow throwing. I met  a Dr online that lives about 45 miles away and we get together once in a while for an afternoon throwing session.
looks like tomorrow is going to be too windy for booms. I don't have any plywood so I won't be making anything. I have made booms from the serving trays from: Wendy's (orange), Taco Bell (purple), Burger King (blue), and Mickey D's (brown). they are made of 1/8" polypropylene. Makes a decent short range boom. Easy to cut with a jig saw or band saw and you can shape the airfoils with a knife blade used as a scraper. You'll learn that the airfoils are the most important part of a boom. again youtube videos can show you how to make a good boom.
That's about it for today. talk to you again tomorrow if your around.
Art

The indoor booms from cereal boxes are real cool. I've done them too for the grandkids. <br /> Making booms out of plywood: don't attempt to use anything thicker than 1/4". It will be too heavy to fly properly. If you can find 1/8" or 3/16" that will work better. Usually the 1/4" panels from places like Home Depot are really under size and work quite well. The best wood is aviation grade from Russia or Finland, but it is expensive and hard to get.<br /> Safety: is your first priority. If possible wear safety glasses. Always keep your eye on the boom in flight. If you lose sight of it, turn your back on where you think it is and cover your head. Better to look a bit silly than get one in the face. I've gone home with bruises and scrapes from bad catches. <br /> I was showing my 8 yr old grandson how to throw a plastic 3 blader made for the backyard. He had a tendency to let it go laid over too much, almost flat, and it would climb too high and then dive back down. Well he got hit right on the corner of the eye and did get a small cut. Made us both feel real bad I'll tell you.<br /> Throwing room: Lots of it is needed. If a boom can fly 30 feet ahead of you then yo need 30 feet behind you also in case the wind takes it past you. Which is easy to happen. Some of my booms I need a whole soccer field. <br /> There is a class of booms called LD or Long Distance, and is used in competition. The record for this type is over 200 m or 650 feet and returned. But not caught. these booms come back very fast and are heavy. These are the exception to the rule about never throw a boomerang sidearm. see video: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ix_NAKoDpiI">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ix_NAKoDpiI</a><br /> <br /> There is so much information about booms you can be studying them and learning about them for the next ten years and still have stuff to learn. The physics behind the boomerang is over my head. I also do not do competitions. I did one this summer and it was great meeting some of the folks I had chatted with on th einternet. but these guys and girls are so much younger and in great shape that I can't compete against them. Most of the folks that go to the tournaments have been doing this for years and have competed all over the world. <a href="http://www.atacarnet.com/AboutCorporationforInternationalBusiness/TheUSBoomerangTeam.aspx">http://www.atacarnet.com/AboutCorporationforInternationalBusiness/TheUSBoomerangTeam.aspx</a><br /> <br /> That's enough for this comment. Talk to you again soon. Have a good day.<br /> Art<br />

you asked about the physics of a boomerang, well here is an article that covers it pretty clearly.<br /> <div>1. Despite the simple appearance of the boomerang, the characteristic returning flight is guided by <strong><span>a complex combination of physics and aerodynamics</span></strong>. The returning boomerang is most commonly two wings jointed at angle between 80° and 120°, however, some newer boomerangs have more than two wings. The combination of spin and forward motion create an uneven lift over the wings. As the air flow passes over one wing faster than the other lift is created. When thrown correctly, boomerangs will return. The natural spin of the boomerang twists at right angles, which results in the boomerang's curving flight. Since the <a href="http://www.boomerangs.com/centeroflift.html"><font color="#006699">center of lift</font></a> is forward of the <a href="http://www.boomerangs.com/centergravity.html"><font color="#006699">center of gravity</font></a> another tipping force is created, making the boomerang lie down during its flight. The combination of these spinning forces is called <a href="http://www.boomerangs.com/gyroscope.html"><font color="#006699">gyroscopic precession</font></a>.</div> <div> </div> <div>2. A boomerang is in fact simply two wings joined together in a single unit. The wings are set at a slight tilt and they have an airfoil design - they are rounded on one side and flat on the other, just like an airplane wing. This design gives a wing lift: the air particles move more quickly over the top of the wing than they do along the bottom of the wing, which creates a difference in air pressure. The wing has lift when it moves because there is greater pressure below it than above it. <br /> <br /> The two wings are arranged so that the leading edges are facing in the same direction, like the blades of a propeller. At its heart, a boomerang is just a propeller that isn't attached to anything. A propeller spins, and on a boomerang, whichever wing is at the top of the spin at any one time ends up moving in the same direction as the forward motion of the throw, while whichever wing is at the bottom of the spin is moving in the opposite direction of the throw. This means that while the wing at the top is spinning at the same speed as the wing at the bottom, it is actually moving through the air at a higher rate of speed.<br /> <br /> The uneven force caused by the difference in speed between the two wings applies a constant force at the top of the spinning boomerang. That's why the boomerang is constantly turning to the left or right, so that it travels in a circle and comes back to its starting point.</div> <br /> <br /> Now did that make any sense? ha ha. good luck Logan. Just have fun.

here are the photos that go with the "Using IT" text. it should be self explanatory. If you think you might be interested I will send the IT and some wax to get you started.
Let me know.
Art

<div><span style="font-size: 6.5pt;">hey there Logan, <br /> Boomerang competitions are held all over the world. There are world cup events held every year and there are smaller local events held in most states. Also nationals where the teams are chosen for the world cup. Some tournaments are held on beaches, some on farms, the one I went to this summer was at a private academy recreational park here in CT. <br /> Here is a link that explains the different events; <a href="http://www.boomerang.org.au/articles/article-boomerang-competition-events.html">http://www.boomerang.org.au/articles/article-boomerang-competition-events.html</a><br /> This is from an Australian boomerang site.<br /> <br /> <div><span style="font-size: 6.5pt;">I'm leaving these kinds of events to the younger folks now. I went to one tournament this summer and that was enough for me. I don't do diving catches anymore, not that I ever did, LOL, If the boom doesn't come close enough for me to get it in a couple of steps, I let it fall. I'm more of a recrational boomerang thrower. I just do it for the fun and the enjoyment of throwing somethig away from me and having it come back to my hands. It is a lot of fun.<br /> Have a good evening<br /> Art</span></div> </span></div>

here are a couple of links, first is to KUTEK's plans for about a thousand booms, second is on how to build a boom from wood.<br /> <div><br /> Link to plans: <a href="http://www.kutek.net/boomplans/plans.php">http://www.kutek.net/boomplans/plans.php</a></div> <div> </div> <div>Boomerang building 101: <a href="http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=736509">http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=736509</a></div> <br /> that should give you plenty to think about. one of the simplest 2 blade is the "Rusty" easy to make and a good return. It was designed to be made from wood paneling. <br /> <br /> I hope your having a good day, Rain here so indoor chores to do. <br /> Art

hi there, out of the tote lid I made 3 tri-blade booms. all different styles. tri-blade booms have more lift but I find don't go as far as a 2 blader.  I can't say I prefer one over the other.
the material a boom is made from will make a big difference in how far it will go, as will the weight.
recently I received my first composite booms from a fellow in Australia. # booms made of a "paper-phenolic" composite material. Very thin 1/8" and heavy for the size. They will go out about 40 meters before turning back. Super booms. A fellow in Brazil sent me my first fiberglass boom which is a 30 meter boom.
If you decide to get serious about the sport you can meet many real nice people on line. You sound to be good with your hands and like to make things and this sport can really get you hooked. After you have made a few you might like to trade with other people.
You don't have to spend a lot of money on booms. Hasse in Sweden made a boom the other day from an old lp record.
if you want to get on Yahoo IM I will send you an invite but would need either your email address or a Yahoo address.
Art