Which is the Best Boomerang?

1. Which is the Best Boomerang? There is no such thing as the best Boomerang, because each one of them has its own material, importance, look, style, technique, use and effect. We can rephrase it as types of Boomerang, material, its techniques, and so on. Boomerangs in Speech and Sport Today Even today, people continue to confuse the terms, and even when they are aware of two different types of throw-sticks, they speak of them all as boomerangs; and even most contemporary Aboriginal people today use the terms ‘returning’ and ‘non-returning’ Boomerangs when speaking English. But many boomerang enthusiasts today would agree with Fraser’s comment from over a century ago: ‘It is important that two different words be used’. Types of Boomerangs Traditionally made of wood, modern boomerangs used for sport may be made from plywood or plastics such as ABS, polypropylene, phenolic paper, or carbon fiber-reinforced plastics. The most recognizable type of the boomerang is the L-shaped returning boomerang; while non-returning throwing sticks (or kylies in aboriginal languages of Australia) were used as weapons, returning boomerangs have been used primarily for leisure or recreation. www.vivekmontrose.com

2. MATERIALS ABS- A type of plastic for making boomerangs that is denser than wood and polypropylene, but less dense than phenolic. Aircraft grade- Refers to a high-quality grade of plywood. It has stricter controls on voids in the layers and on the surface, and may rotate adjacent layers of ply by 45° rather than 90° (resulting in a stiffer composite material). Aluminium- While metal boomerangs are not allowed in competition, this material has been used for creating a number of boomerangs Baltic birch- Often considered the minimum standard for creating quality boomerangs, baltic birch typically has layers approximately 1 mm thick. Carbon fibre- A very stiff composite material used for a variety of boomerangs, including MTAs. It is pitch black in colour. Cyalume - Used for illuminating boomerangs thrown at night. Most commonly available in capsules, it has a relatively short life (several hours) once activated. Freezing the capsule pauses the deterioration of the chemical for a week or so, allowing it to be used on multiple occasions. Fiberglass- A stiff and dense material, but difficult to work and thus make boomerangs out of. Fiberglass tape and resin is a common combination used to repair a broken boomerang. www.vivekmontrose.com

3. Finnish birch- A high-grade quality of plywood, typically with 2 plys per mm G-10- A composite of phenolic and fiberglass LED- These are commonly used for illuminating boomerangs thrown at night, as LEDs emit a relatively bright light for the small amount of power they consume. Increasingly, they are combined with electrical circuits that allow simple, or very complex, patterns of flashing on and off. Lexan- Normally translucent, it is a poly carbonate plastic that is quite stiff. Marine plywood-It’s Plywood in which the glue is waterproof, yet the actual wood is no more waterproof than that of non-marine plywood. Paxolin (paper phenolic, pax)- A very popular composite material for making boomerangs, made of layers of paper bonded with phenolic resin. This material is denser than wood, yet durable and easily tuned. PET- The plastic used for drink bottles. In thicker sections it is stiff and easy to work. Phenolic resin (Bakelite)- A stiff and dense plastic, usually combined with layers of paper (paxolin), or a linen such as cotton Plywood- A wood and glue composite with thin layers of wood that have the grain aligned at alternating angles to create a much stiffer material than is available with a natural section of wood. Polypropylene -A relatively soft plastic that comes in various colours. The “stress relieved” version is used for boomerangs. Strip- Laminated Boomerang- A construction method involving thin layers of wood adhered perpendicular to the plane of the boomerang as opposed to in the plane of the boomerang (as in plywood). www.vivekmontrose.com