Atlatl (Spear Thrower) - Printable Parts

The atlatl is an ancient tool that predates the bow and arrow. This profile includes printable parts to build and test an atlatl and dart setup for educational and experimental use.

Included in the print profile:

• Blunt dart tip
• Dart fin (bright colors make finding them easier)
• Atlatl spur
• Atlatl handle
• Atlatl handle with dart rest

Suggested print settings:

• Dart fin and atlatl spur: 2 walls, 10% infill. 
• Dart tip and atlatl handles: 6 walls, 10% infill (for strength and durability)
• No supports required

Materials:

• Dart shaft: 7/16" wooden dowel, 4-6 ft (per dart)
• Atlatl shaft: 3/4" wooden dowel, ~2 ft
• Hardware: M3 x 6mm screw + hex nut (4 sets minimum, one set per printed part)

Assembly:

1. Thread the M3 hex nut onto tip of M3 x 6mm screw a few turns (leave near the tip).
2. Insert the screw + nut into slot on printed part.
3. Insert the dart or atlatl shaft.
4. Tighten the screw until secure. It should bite into the wood a little.

Update 3/13/2026: Unsurprisingly, with very little testing, I can confirm that these don't do really well on crushed gravel. Be sure to stick to turf or soil surfaces. I have pretty solidly hit a tree a couple times and saw no damage.

Update 3/13/2026 - 2: While printing replacement parts due to the previous update, I've found some of the dart parts are having adhesion problems. I've added brims to all the profiles with dart parts and that has solved the adhesion issue.

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Disclaimer:

This design is provided for educational and experimental use only.
 

This device can cause injury if used improperly. It is not a toy and is not intended for unsupervised use by children.
 

No guarantees are made regarding safety or suitability. Use at your own risk.

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This model was tested using Voxel PLA+ filament on a Bambu P1S printer.

Printed it? Comment your setup (dart/atlatl length + printed part weights) and how it performed. I’d love to see if anyone finds a better-performing combo (tail drop? wobble? range?).