Home >> Hobbies >> Other Hobbies

How to Make Boomerangs Out of Wood

Many people enjoy throwing boomerangs, especially if it is constructed from scratch. Boomerangs use the spinning force applied by the thrower to fly in a rough arc. The fun of boomerangs resides in their return process. A thrower does not need to hunt for a thrown boomerang. The toy comes right back to the thrower if thrown correctly. Wood is a perfect material for creating a personalized boomerang. A few key construction steps will result in a quality boomerang for many years of use.

Things You'll Need

1/4-inch birch plywood
Paper
Pencil
Band Saw
Sandpaper

Instructions

- 1
  Print a boomerang pattern from a computer website. Cut out the pattern. A basic boomerang shape resembles a roughly drawn capital ̶0;V.̶1;
- 2
  Trace the pattern onto a one-quarter-inch piece of birch plywood.
- 3
  Place the plywood onto a band saw. Cut the boomerang shape out of the plywood with the saw̵7;s motioning blade. Use a smooth arm movement to create an even edge along the boomerang̵7;s sides.
- 4
  Sand the edges and surfaces with sandpaper, removing all rough wood protrusions.
- 5
  Create fine sloping surfaces along the boomerang̵7;s edges with sandpaper. Similar to an airplane̵7;s wings, the boomerang needs leading and trailing edges for generating lift in flight. Make sure that the leading rounded edge extends into the boomerang's surface by .25 inches. In contrast, the trailing edge extends from the edge into the surface by 1 to 1.5 inches. This shaping effectively creates a helicopter's rotor design for easy lift into the sky, according to "Popular Woodworking Magazine."

Other Hobbies