Boomerang Construction Materials, Making and Finishing

Boomerang Construction is as much of an Art, as a Science. Making a basic, plywood boomerang requires a few basic tools - a saw, wood file and sandpaper are the essentials. Different tools can be used to make the process quicker, but the end result is the same. First you need a boomerang plan. This plan will show you the outline of the boomerang, and how you need to shape the airfoil on the wings. Simple plywood boomerangs require a piece of plywood 4 or 5 mm thick, with as many ply's as you can get, preferable at least 5 plies, 1mm thick. Aircraft plywood is the best to use, with each ply being about .5mm thick. After the plan is marked onto the plywood, you can cut it out with any saw that can cut out a curves such as a coping or fret saw, a bandsaw, or a scroll saw. One the shape is cutout, the fun part begins. You must shape the boomerang airfoil as shown on the plan. This is the most critical part of construction. Use a file, sanding disk or sandpaper to shape the wings like an aeroplane wing, being careful to shape the leading and trailing arms the correct way, or the boomerang will not fly at all. Some boomerangs require an undercut on the wing tips to help create lift and make the boomerang fly. This should also be indicated on the boomerang plan. Once you have the basic shaping done, with most of the rough parts sanded smooth, you should go out and test fly the boomerang. Depending on how it flies, you can tell what refinements of the shape need to be made. Once you have it flying OK, it's time to finish. Finsihing can be done many ways. A simple paint job with spray paint will work, a lacquer or oil finish is fine too. It's really up to you, as long as the finish provides protection from moisture and is not destroyed by the boomerang hitting the ground. It is recommended that you purchase a good returning boomerang and know how to throw it, before making your own, otherwise you will have a difficult time flight testing your creation, as you will not know how it should be thrown, or fly. A good basic boomerang is the EasyAus, available under the beginners section of the Boomerangs page. Boomerang throwing instructions are included with each boomerang. For a look at these instructions, visit the throwing page.