First go at making a bow

How to make a Bow, a String or a Set of Arrows. Making equipment & tools for use in Traditional Archery and Bowhunting.

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smigreth
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First go at making a bow

#1 Post by smigreth » Fri Jan 18, 2013 5:15 pm

Hello,
I am looking into making my own bow, but i haven't a clue how to do it. So... can i have some guidance on how to do it?
*what type of bow would be best to start off with?
*what wood would be good for me to use, and where can i get it?
*what tools would i need?

I am sure there are plenty of threads about this so could someone direct me to them?

Thanks

oh and thanks Jeff for helping me get through my troubles signing up. :biggrin:

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Re: First go at making a bow

#2 Post by Stickbow Hunter » Fri Jan 18, 2013 6:53 pm

Welcome to Ozbow. Have a look at this recent thread as it may help you. http://www.ozbow.net/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=34&t=13396

Also do a search on Aussie bow woods and bowmaking and I'm sure you will be kept busy reading for quite a while. :lol: Once you have decided on the type of bow you wish to make and have any specific questions ask away.

Also I see you are from Sydney and there are quite a few Trad archers from down that way and a club with a number of bow makers in them. The Hunter Valley Club would be a good place to check out. :biggrin:

Jeff

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Re: First go at making a bow

#3 Post by smigreth » Sat Jan 19, 2013 6:59 am

Thanks for your help. I've looked around and a flat bow looks pretty good, I've found this would this; http://www.instructables.com/id/Red-Oak-Pyramid-Bow/ would it work?
but I'm getting mixed results about material, I've seen people recommend pine, eucalyptus, bamboo, spotted gum and more. So could I have your advice on which would be the best?

smigreth

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Re: First go at making a bow

#4 Post by Stickbow Hunter » Sat Jan 19, 2013 6:01 pm

I thought you might have got a few replies from some of the more experienced self bow fellas here but they might be busy over the weekend. The flat bow design would be best for you to start with IMO and Spotted Gum would work for that design. Also a timber called Masurumba (spelling?) has been mentioned in a few of the recent threads. It is supposed to make a good bow and is available from Bunnings as it is used for decking boards if I remember correctly.

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Re: First go at making a bow

#5 Post by smigreth » Sat Jan 19, 2013 6:34 pm

Do you mean massaranduba?
Also how would I have to adjust the dimensions to suit? The bow in the guide is made out of American red oak

Smigreth

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Re: First go at making a bow

#6 Post by greybeard » Sat Jan 19, 2013 6:45 pm

Deleted the original reply as it was meant to be placed in another post. Must have had a senior moment.

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Re: First go at making a bow

#7 Post by Stickbow Hunter » Sat Jan 19, 2013 6:48 pm

smigreth wrote:Do you mean massaranduba?
That sounds like it. :mrgreen:
smigreth wrote:Also how would I have to adjust the dimensions to suit? The bow in the guide is made out of American red oak
You could keep them the same but you may have to make the limbs thinner.

Jeff

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Re: First go at making a bow

#8 Post by yeoman » Sat Jan 19, 2013 6:52 pm

Smigreth,

Massarabunda is a South American wood, and is also not all that great in tension.

Spotted gum is a reasonably common decking and flooring timber, and makes a fine selfbow. In the link that Jeff posted, I attached a printout that would be suitable for spotted gum or ironbark.

Woods that you absolutely must stay clear of include pine, Tas Oak and bamboo. You mustn't try them.

There's several buildalongs here on the forums regarding making selfbows and backed bows. Have a search and you should find quite a bit.

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Re: First go at making a bow

#9 Post by smigreth » Sun Jan 20, 2013 8:19 am

on the bunnings website there are 2 different types of spotted gum flooring at 19mm thick. would both be fine to use? also is there any difference between flooring and decking?

smigreth

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Re: First go at making a bow

#10 Post by yeoman » Sun Jan 20, 2013 9:51 am

The decking will have small grooves running along the length of the board. The flooring will not. I prefer flooring over decking, but if the only suitable boards you can find are from the decking section, then grab it regardless.
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Re: First go at making a bow

#11 Post by Stickbow Hunter » Sun Jan 20, 2013 11:25 am

Have a look at this thread in relation to picking a good board - http://www.ozbow.net/phpBB3/viewtopic.p ... rientation

Jeff

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Re: First go at making a bow

#12 Post by smigreth » Sun Jan 20, 2013 1:31 pm

just went to bunnings and it turns out you have to special order spotted gum. :roll: so does anyone have suggestions on where to get it in the sydney region?

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Re: First go at making a bow

#13 Post by smigreth » Sun Jan 20, 2013 3:59 pm

never mind, I gave a local hardware store a call and they stocked it, so ill be heading out to buy some wood soon. :biggrin: but I've been wondering about how to make an arrow rest for the bow. The bow in the guide I'm following doesn't have an arrow rest, so could I have your advice on how I should do it? should I carve it into the handle or should I glue a separate piece of wood onto the handle?

smigreth

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Re: First go at making a bow

#14 Post by Stickbow Hunter » Sun Jan 20, 2013 5:34 pm

smigreth wrote:The bow in the guide I'm following doesn't have an arrow rest, so could I have your advice on how I should do it? should I carve it into the handle or should I glue a separate piece of wood onto the handle?
When you are holding the bow you just shoot it off the top of your index finger. There is no need to have a built in arrow rest.

Jeff

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Re: First go at making a bow

#15 Post by smigreth » Sun Jan 20, 2013 5:58 pm

yea but i like to have one :lol:

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Re: First go at making a bow

#16 Post by yeoman » Mon Jan 21, 2013 5:13 am

Rather than cut into the bow, I'd recommend building one up out of a soft wood like pine, or even leather, then gluing that onto the side of the handle to be your arrow shelf. When you have a couple of unbroken selfies under your belt, then start playing with cutting into the handle of the bow.

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Re: First go at making a bow

#17 Post by scuzz » Mon Jan 21, 2013 8:51 am

yeoman wrote:Smigreth,


Woods that you absolutely must stay clear of include pine, Tas Oak and bamboo. You mustn't try them.


Dave
Do these timbers have toxic characteristics??

Scuzz

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Re: First go at making a bow

#18 Post by yeoman » Mon Jan 21, 2013 3:39 pm

No, they just are rubbish bow woods. Pine and Tas Oak are weak, poor in tension and compression, and are best left to other wood crafts. Bamboo will not be stiff enough on its own to make a worthwhile selfbow.

Before all those others chime in about Bhutan - they use bamboo for selfbows and do very well with it thank you very much. However the bamboo they have available is different to ours.

Dave
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Re: First go at making a bow

#19 Post by scuzz » Mon Jan 21, 2013 8:01 pm

yeoman wrote:No, they just are rubbish bow woods. Pine and Tas Oak are weak, poor in tension and compression, and are best left to other wood crafts. Bamboo will not be stiff enough on its own to make a worthwhile selfbow.

Before all those others chime in about Bhutan - they use bamboo for selfbows and do very well with it thank you very much. However the bamboo they have available is different to ours.

Dave
I am currently shooting a bamboo backed bow, with Tas Oak shafts, so i was a little concerned :lol:
So thanks for the clarity :biggrin:

Scuzz

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Re: First go at making a bow

#20 Post by smigreth » Fri Jan 25, 2013 9:11 pm

just realized something in the guide the guy glues the nock wedges on instead of cutting them in. would i need to make the end thicker to compensate for the material being removed or would it be ok to leave it as it is?

smigreth

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Re: First go at making a bow

#21 Post by yeoman » Sat Jan 26, 2013 7:36 am

If your tips are 12mm wide or so, cutting nocks into the sides of the limb will be fine.

If you want overlays on your bow, so the string groove goes over the back of the bow, you will need to glue that extra little wedge of wood on.
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Re: First go at making a bow

#22 Post by smigreth » Sat Jan 26, 2013 4:09 pm

i got some wood today. How does it look? in one of the ends the grain curves off the board (you can just see it just start to curve at the bottom of the photo), thankfully the board is so long i can just cut that off and use the rest instead.
The whole thing is about 2.6 m long and 19mm thick, but the wood in the guide is 1 inch (25.4mm), so how thick would i have to taper my limbs to now?

smigreth


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Re: First go at making a bow

#23 Post by yeoman » Sun Jan 27, 2013 6:22 am

Looks pretty good to me. Like you said - just lose the bent grain at the ends, and keep the straightest bit and it should to well.

As to the taper...in the first link Jeff posted I uploaded a template that will work for spotted gum or ironbark. That has just the very taper you're after. I promise, no matter what else you might be told, you will not need to glue a riser on the handle of the bow.

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Re: First go at making a bow

#24 Post by smigreth » Sun Jan 27, 2013 1:03 pm

I've got a bit of a problem. turns out the grain on both ends curves away
there is 2.65 m between the markings I've made in the pictures.

EDIT: I mean 1.65 not 2.65

i noticed this at the store
Image

but i didn't notice this
Image
Last edited by smigreth on Sun Jan 27, 2013 2:01 pm, edited 3 times in total.

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Re: First go at making a bow

#25 Post by Stickbow Hunter » Sun Jan 27, 2013 1:48 pm

smigreth wrote:there is 2.65 m between the markings I've made in the pictures.
That is more than enough length for a bow mate so I don't see a problem. :biggrin:

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Re: First go at making a bow

#26 Post by smigreth » Sun Jan 27, 2013 2:00 pm

oops i meant 1.65 m. :oops:

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Re: First go at making a bow

#27 Post by Stickbow Hunter » Sun Jan 27, 2013 2:25 pm

That is just over 61 inches. Looking at your photos I don't think you would have much trouble adding a bit more length so you ended up with a bow 64 inches between nocks or even 66" perhaps. This would be enough length for a 27" draw or even a bit more. You may just have to make the limbs a bit wider. Dave can probably make some suggestions in this department. :biggrin:

Jeff

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Re: First go at making a bow

#28 Post by smigreth » Sun Jan 27, 2013 2:48 pm

this is the same side as the bottom photo in my previous post
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Re: First go at making a bow

#29 Post by Stickbow Hunter » Sun Jan 27, 2013 2:56 pm

Yeah the grain really does bend - more than I thought. You could possibly make a really wide flat bow with the shorter length. :confused: Probably best to wait for Dave's advice mate.

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Re: First go at making a bow

#30 Post by smigreth » Sun Jan 27, 2013 2:58 pm

not looking good is it? :sad: i should have been more careful when i was picking the wood :neutral:

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