[dagger dog]

Hey to all,
I've grown this great stand of bamboo, and it's just begging to be turned into atlatal darts. Any one lurking or posting in this non-firearm forum had any experience building them? I got the raw hide and some antler, was thinking about stone tips.
The basic concept is within my grasp, the questions are the length of the thrower, and the method of retaining it when throwing, and the length of the dart.

If any one has a link or some pictures (close ups) of the binding of the hook on the thrower and the tips on the darts.

This project has been on the back burner for somtime now, and since aquiring my 1ST PC, I can finally gain the knowledge to finish.

I'm on very slow dail up as I live in a rural area, and am having trouble uploading pics, but I can keep any interested in this project informed through written word. I'm wanting to eventually hunt deer or feral hog with this weapon.

Any help will be greatly recieved, thanks in advance!

[CWL]

Did you google it? It really is that easy.

I just googled "atlatl plans" and the first link had over 50 different types of detailed atlatl plans, divided by geographical region.

If you scroll to the bottom, there are modern atlatl designs.

http://www.thudscave.com/npaa/designs/index.htm

[dagger dog]

CWL,
I'm still new at this PC thing and I never think of the simple things.
Many Thanks

[theotherwaldo]

Don't use stone tips for atlatls. Stone tips are single-time use in relatively powerful weapons - kinda like rifle bullets.

I've never made an atlatl that I was satisfied with, but I did learn to make pretty good bone points out of beef, deer, bear, or goat leg bones. Just cut into cylinders as long as your desired point, then on alternate diagonals as wide as desired.

Bevel inside to match outside curve, drill or notch for mounting, and you're good to go. Much tougher than stone, especially if you use uncooked bone.

Anyway, this is the website that you really need: http://www.thudscave.com/npaa/

The throwing stick is the easy part. It's the dart that you have to get right!

[dagger dog]

theotherwaldo,
Would antler be a good material for dart tips?

[theotherwaldo]

Not really. It's tough but fibrous and doesn't work to a sharp edge. It would probably do very well for practice points that would take a beating, though. It's also hard to work antler very thin.

Long, thin-walled, tubular bones work best.

[mole]

These points look like they could take a beating.

http://www.primitiveways.com/field_points_for_atlatl.html

I like to use river cane and use it to make both the atlatl and darts.

[Colt46]

Stuff I've tried was too stiff and didn't fly all that well. Find a stand of Arundo Donax. Out west you see it all the time around wet areas. It makes superior darts and you will need some kind of hardwood foreshaft. Just whittle the foreshaft down to a rounded point and you will be good to go.
Great fun as a hobby and trips people out when they see those massive darts flexing and bending downrange.

[Sunray]

"...never think of the simple things..." You should always start with the simple stuff and work towards the complicated.
Have a look at archery field points and make an adapter.

[dagger dog]

Colt
The bamboo growing on my back 40 is all diameters, from 3/8" and larger, I imagine it will take some, time getting the spine,figured out.

Sun,

The field point thing sounds like the most logical. Besides that I shoot a long bow, and I got the field points!