Indoor Boomerang

I teach a class called "Make and Throw a Boomerang in One Hour." Actually you make three boomerangs in this class:

1. A light weight indoor boomerang to learn the basics.
2. A heavy cardboard one that flies outdoors in a light wind
3. A boomerang made from heavy polystyrene foam that flies in light to moderate breezes.

All three use the same template. This instructable is for the indoor model.

Step 1: Template

1. Download this template
2. Cut it out
3. Trace around it onto a piece of cardboard. Cereal boxes work well as does the poster board.

Step 2: Start Cutting

Ready to cut

Step 3: Cut, Cut, Cut

The card board can bend a bit as you cut as long as you don't overdo it and put a heavy crease in it.

Step 4: Camber the Leading Edge

Boomerangs use aerodynamic lift (among other things) to help it fly and return. This is a "right handed" boomerang, pinch and bend along the "leading wing" as shown below.

Step 5: Camber Trailing Wing

Pinch and bend the trailing wing.

Step 6: Tuning

This part can be tricky but typically both wings need to be bent up just a little bit

Step 7: Throwing

Throwing is just like a real boomerang.

Safety First:

1. Do not throw at anybody. Yes this is cardboard but NOT practicing dangerous behavior can be a useful process.
2. D0 not throw it like a frisbee. It tends to make a rapid ascent and and even more rapid descent in most instances with little predictability. Again not super dangerous with cardboard but . . .

Throwing:

1. The grip is a light clasping between the thumb and knuckle/first joint of the index finger.
2. The throw is like snapping a whip. You don't need to "twist your wrist" to make it come back.

Youtube helps as always:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WTjl6zUnh8Y
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Z6x2yYfGlw

These youtube videos are for outdoor but very good:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JC61CtcYSGI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a4ihRxoeaPk