Slinging.org Forum - Just made some Atlatls

Eino Senior Member Offline Projecting stones with a cord-based device! Posts: 350	Just made some Atlatls Sep 2^nd, 2023 at 11:41pm Hello, I made my first two atlatls today. So far I only have one dart, though, and it is short, stiff, and bent. In the near future I hope to make more (and better) darts.
Back to top	20230902_203828.jpg (124 KB \| 140 ) 20230902_203843.jpg (85 KB \| 132 ) Once, Toivo and Eino were out hunting, and before setting out, Toivo told Eino to fire three shots in the air if he got lost, and Toivo would find him. Soon enough, Eino got lost, aimed his weapon up and prayed: "God, please let Toivo see my arrows!" IP Logged

Eino Senior Member Offline Projecting stones with a cord-based device! Posts: 350	Re: Just made some Atlatls Reply #1 - Sep 5^th, 2023 at 11:30pm I got some 4' by 3/8" dowels at the hardware store the other day, and with simple duct-tape fletching they made great practice darts. Sadly there were no 6' by 1/2" dowels, so I am splicing some 4' and 2' sections together. I used this site for reference: http://www.thudscave.com/npaa/darts/index.htm.
Back to top	Once, Toivo and Eino were out hunting, and before setting out, Toivo told Eino to fire three shots in the air if he got lost, and Toivo would find him. Soon enough, Eino got lost, aimed his weapon up and prayed: "God, please let Toivo see my arrows!" IP Logged

Eino Senior Member Offline Projecting stones with a cord-based device! Posts: 350	Re: Just made some Atlatls Reply #2 - Sep 5^th, 2023 at 11:47pm Here's a picture of the 4' darts.
Back to top	20230905_204336.jpg (127 KB \| 139 ) Once, Toivo and Eino were out hunting, and before setting out, Toivo told Eino to fire three shots in the air if he got lost, and Toivo would find him. Soon enough, Eino got lost, aimed his weapon up and prayed: "God, please let Toivo see my arrows!" IP Logged

Eino Senior Member Offline Projecting stones with a cord-based device! Posts: 350	Re: Just made some Atlatls Reply #3 - Sep 6^th, 2023 at 10:28am 6' darts.
Back to top	20230906_072630.jpg (100 KB \| 134 ) Once, Toivo and Eino were out hunting, and before setting out, Toivo told Eino to fire three shots in the air if he got lost, and Toivo would find him. Soon enough, Eino got lost, aimed his weapon up and prayed: "God, please let Toivo see my arrows!" IP Logged

joe_meadmaker Slinging.org Administrator Offline Slinging Ice is Cool! Posts: 3732 PA, USA	Re: Just made some Atlatls Reply #4 - Sep 6^th, 2023 at 8:11pm Looks good! There's some guys here who have worked with atlatls before. I'm not one of them. I've wanted to for a while but never found the time.
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Eino

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Re: Just made some Atlatls
Reply #5 - Oct 2^nd, 2023 at 9:55am

I recently made my first carved atlatl from a piece of vine maple.

Joe - I definitely recommend trying out an atlatl. If you use milled wood dowels for your darts and duct tape for your fletching, it is quite easy (and pretty cheap). For the atlatl, I started with this design (http://www.thudscave.com/npaa/designs/highplains.htm), which was quite simple and easy to make.

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« Last Edit: Oct 2^nd, 2023 at 3:54pm by Eino »

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Once, Toivo and Eino were out hunting, and before setting out, Toivo told Eino to fire three shots in the air if he got lost, and Toivo would find him. Soon enough, Eino got lost, aimed his weapon up and prayed: "God, please let Toivo see my arrows!"

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Eino Senior Member Offline Projecting stones with a cord-based device! Posts: 350	Re: Just made some Atlatls Reply #6 - Oct 12^th, 2023 at 10:29am A larger carved atlatl for 6' darts. I really like the vine maple for carved atlatls, as it has a soft center that makes it really easy to carve the loading groove. Soon, I will try making some 5' darts. I have 4' dowels, on which I will put 1' foreshafts.
Back to top	« Last Edit: Oct 12^th, 2023 at 3:04pm by Eino » 20231012_065126.jpg (93 KB \| 133 ) Once, Toivo and Eino were out hunting, and before setting out, Toivo told Eino to fire three shots in the air if he got lost, and Toivo would find him. Soon enough, Eino got lost, aimed his weapon up and prayed: "God, please let Toivo see my arrows!" IP Logged

Eino

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Re: Just made some Atlatls
Reply #7 - Oct 15^th, 2023 at 12:01am

24" oak atlatl based on the basketmaker design. I'm contemplating if I'm going to add finger straps / loops or not.

Since the spur wasn't tall enough, I glued and whipped a piece of carved scrap wood on to make it taller.

I purposely got a piece of wood with a curve to it, but it felt a bit wrong searching the hardware store for the most warped and curved piece of wood...

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Once, Toivo and Eino were out hunting, and before setting out, Toivo told Eino to fire three shots in the air if he got lost, and Toivo would find him. Soon enough, Eino got lost, aimed his weapon up and prayed: "God, please let Toivo see my arrows!"

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Morphy Slinging.org Moderator Offline Checkmate Posts: 8239	Re: Just made some Atlatls Reply #8 - Oct 21^st, 2023 at 5:49pm We used to have a regular here that was quite skilled with atlatls. Paleoarts I believe. They are great weapons. Hits very hard and much easier to be accurate with than a sling.
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mountainman

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Re: Just made some Atlatls
Reply #9 - Nov 7^th, 2023 at 1:14pm

I love atlatls for the same reason I like slings. They can easily be made with minimal tools and can be deadly. I am trying to improve my accuracy but don't have the best place to practice so its kind of hard to get out and practice but I love Basketmaker styles and really prefer willow darts. I have never made a dowel dart with a scarf joint but I think that will be my next attempt. Love the pics Eino.

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Eino

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Re: Just made some Atlatls
Reply #10 - Nov 9^th, 2023 at 11:47am

Same. I got into slinging and atlatl due to its simplicity.

mountainman wrote on Nov 7^th, 2023 at 1:14pm:

I love Basketmaker styles and really prefer willow darts

Do you have any pictures of your atlatls?

Scarf joint dowel darts work well, although make sure that you get good dowels. I've had two darts break so far due to bad grain patterns in the wood.

mountainman wrote on Nov 7^th, 2023 at 1:14pm:

Love the pics Eino

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Once, Toivo and Eino were out hunting, and before setting out, Toivo told Eino to fire three shots in the air if he got lost, and Toivo would find him. Soon enough, Eino got lost, aimed his weapon up and prayed: "God, please let Toivo see my arrows!"

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joe_meadmaker

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Re: Just made some Atlatls
Reply #11 - Nov 10^th, 2023 at 12:31am

Eino wrote on Oct 2^nd, 2023 at 9:55am:

Joe - I definitely recommend trying out an atlatl.

I will at some point. I just need to pick one of these summers and make it a priority. I really want to try out a bolas too. That's another one I love seeing videos on, but have never done it.

Those vine maple atlatls are beautiful. Thumbs Up

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Eino Senior Member Offline Projecting stones with a cord-based device! Posts: 350	Re: Just made some Atlatls Reply #12 - Nov 22^nd, 2023 at 9:25pm Thank you! I also need to try bolas. They seem like they'd be pretty fun.
Back to top	Once, Toivo and Eino were out hunting, and before setting out, Toivo told Eino to fire three shots in the air if he got lost, and Toivo would find him. Soon enough, Eino got lost, aimed his weapon up and prayed: "God, please let Toivo see my arrows!" IP Logged

Eino Senior Member Offline Projecting stones with a cord-based device! Posts: 350	Re: Just made some Atlatls Reply #13 - Dec 3^rd, 2023 at 6:24pm My latest atlatl, made of a strip of oak, cotton string, and wood glue. This one was basically free, as it is was scrapwood.
Back to top	20231203_152345.jpg (107 KB \| 137 ) Once, Toivo and Eino were out hunting, and before setting out, Toivo told Eino to fire three shots in the air if he got lost, and Toivo would find him. Soon enough, Eino got lost, aimed his weapon up and prayed: "God, please let Toivo see my arrows!" IP Logged

IronGoober Interfector Viris Spurii Offline ...and now, No. 1, the larch... Posts: 1885 California Gender:	Re: Just made some Atlatls Reply #14 - Jun 8^th, 2025 at 12:38am @eino How long are the atlatls? and how long are your darts usually? I have a very short atlatl and my darts are also short (~5.5ft, 1.6m) because any longer and they flex too much.
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