Atlatl Made of Wood

When I had my turn at the bow bench yesterday, I worked on my atlatl. It is starting to look like an atlatl now. I still have quite a lot of shaping to do though. I'd love to get it finished in time for the next archery event, which is May 3 and 4. Busy busy. Off to work on it I go.

Branch Atlatl

Today I roughed out a new atlatl made from a branch. I'm not making the same mistake I made last time by making it too short. If anything, it's a bit too long. I'm using green wood this time. I'm not sure what kind because it is a branch I found on a walk one day. I thought it might come in useful someday so I propped it up against my house. I'm making it on the bow bench, which I didn't have last time I tried to make one. I'm not using any power tools. I'm using a drawknife, a Shinto rasp, and a scraper.

But it is pretty hot today, so I put it away until tomorrow. I'll work on it at an archery event we are vending at tomorrow. We still have to load half the truck, and then get an early start in the morning. But I'm getting a headache from the heat, so now I'm sitting inside sipping iced tea.

Spear chucking Women

Some people opted out of the group photo, so this is only about 3/4 of the people that came on Sunday.

On Sat. I got to teach my friends Rick and Lynn how to use an atlatl.  Rick made up a little ditty on the spot about how he loved spear chucking women.

Then on Sunday we had our usual monthly Paleoplanet gathering in Pasadena and I got to show my friend Marianne how to use an atlatl.  And I'm getting better too.  Two days of practice in a row really helped. My fletching is coming all undone so I had to re-tie it and re-glue it with Superglue, and it still came off again.  I'm hard on feathers, that's for sure. The fletching tape failed completely.

I also shot my bow and arrows and did pretty good until my arms started to get tired. Then I couldn't aim anymore and gave it up for the day.  We had a great turn-out even though it was Father's Day. I got to see Derrick and his new baby, and Ken and Barbara were there with baby Jack. Lots of people were there that I didn't know.  Mike was there with a woman spinner. My friend Tessa just got back from England so her and her mom came to work on bows.

Guy finished his bow and got to shoot it for the first time. Now comes the fun part of decorating it, adding a handle and putting on a finish.

We had people spinning, knitting, bowmaking, woodworking, log splitting, and spear chucking all day.
Happy times.

Derrick with a longbow

Ayana and son.

Mario's tiny arrows

What a great way to celebrate Father's Day

One of Mario's sons shows off his shell necklace.

Mike works on spinning

Our two archery babies

Guy shoots his new bow for the first time

Two spinners

Marianne tries the atlatl

Spear Chick

Lynn gives the atlatl a try

You never know when you might have to protect yourself from a wooly mammoth

Two New Paleoplanet Babies

Tomorrow I'm off to another Paleoplanet meet up at the range in Pasadena, CA. It's been a bit drizzly so I don't know what to expect weather wise, but I should probably bring a rain hat and a sweater just in case. I missed last months meeting because I was up in Atascadero visiting family, so I'm looking forward to tomorrow.

Now I need to figure out what I want to work on tomorrow. Gourds? Arrows? Bows? Atlatls? Darts? So many projects, so little time. I think Guy has some arrows to deliver too.

Two members have given birth to baby boys since I went last! Maybe archery makes you fertile. Better watch out.

Congrats to Ken and his family and Derrick and his family.

Making Atlatl Darts

Our Paleoplanet meeting that was supposed to be today got moved to next Sunday because of a schedule conflict at the archery range. Even so I decided to work on my darts instead yesterday. I should work on them more today but I'm a little burned out on the project. It's taking me forever.

Atlatl Time

I just got back from the Conejo Archers traditional shoot in Simi Valley. What perfect weather we had! We are so spoiled in S. California.

I met two atlatl makers named Chris and Cary.  Coincidentally they also use the name Paleoarts. When I ferret out their business card from our many bins, I'll add their link. Cary lent me a fancy atlatl to test out. I didn't have much luck with it, but she's really good with it. I think you just have to try a bunch of styles and weights until you find one that works with your hand, arm, shoulder form of throwing.

I found that one of Tom Mill's atlatl's worked really well for me so I traced that one to make my own hopefully. It's going to go into the 'roundtoit' pile until I have more time. I'm taking today off just to unpack, do camping laundry, and get my banking into order because those bills keep coming whether I'm out of town or not.

After the dust settles, I need to finish my own atlatl darts.

On Friday I tried out atlatl's again for the first time in about five or six years. That first contest I only got an 8, but the next day I did it again and got 23, so I'm improving already. Go me!
Sunday I was manning the arrow booth so I missed not one but two atlatl contests. Ah well, I'll have to wait until the next Pasadena meet to try again.

Photos soon. I have to unbury my camera before I can download them.

Photos From Paleoplanet October 18, 2009

I was so busy I didn't get to take a lot of photos. The dog's name is Biscuit and he was a total riot. I worked on my berimbau, and my atlatl darts. I never even got around to my beadwork.

Mississinewa 1812 and Paleoplanet

Tomorrow is our next Paleoplanet gathering in Pasadena. I'm looking forward to working on a berimbau, my atlatl darts, some beadwork, and learning more basketry techniques.

And to get in the mood, someone just sent me this video. I love the boy with the hoop, and of course the fire eater and the musicians.

Atlatl Husband and Wife

David made this little video of Barbara and Ken (the newlyweds) learning to use an atlatl. Enjoy.

Tom is in the background shooting a bow he made.

March 17 Paleoplanet Gathering Photos

We had a good time last Sunday out at the Pasadena Arroyo. It was a chilly overcast day and the sun only poked out it's smiling face a few times, but we were just happy it didn't rain. We were busy making bows, atlatl darts, beadwork, gourd water bottles, quivers and all those things we love to work on. This weekend many of us are going to the Sierras to an event called Springville and in a few weeks the atlatl throwers are off to an event in NV called Valley of Fire. So much to do, so little time.

Atlatls

Our last meeting focused on atlatls and Tom gave me a piece of yew to carve into an atlatl. An atlatl is basically a primitive spear chucker used to throw 6 or 7 foot long darts. Some of our members are going to an atlatl festival in Vegas soon so they are all busy bees making lots of atlatl darts and trying them all out.