Board Finally Becomes Bow

Arthur P · 09-08-2005, 10:14 AM

A few months ago, I got myself a red oak board to whittle into a flatbow. I had intended to back it with silk after floor tillering, and before really bending the wood for final tillering. Well, as usual, I got carried away with the tillering and didn't back it first.

CRACK!

Hung it on my bow rack and pouted.

Yesterday, I got it down and took a good look at it. It was cracked on one side where a questionable grain line ran into the handle cutout (which was why I'd intended to back the blasted thing to begin with!) Got out my calipers and commenced to measuring.

Well, to make a long story short, the formerly 1 3/4" wide flatbow with a narrowed handle has now become a 1" wide, silk backed, elliptical limb bow with the handle being the widest part of the bow. Limbs taper from the handle to 1/2" wide at the nocks. 66" nock to nock. Already had the limbs thinned way down, so draw weight is only around 35 pounds. Slight bend thru the handle, which was what I'd intended, but it feels kinda creepy after shooting stiff handle bows so much.

I could shorten it and make it stronger, but it's already showing 2" of string follow. Shortening the limbs would only make it worse.

It's not as much bow as I'd intended, but it's a bow!

JeffB · 09-08-2005, 10:41 AM

PICS!

Rangeball · 09-08-2005, 10:56 AM

This is something I really want to do someday. Well, not break a bow then fix it, just craft one

My grandpa was a long time woodworker, has scads of white oak, walnut and cherry stores. I really wanted to build one with him, didn't get to it in time. Now that he's passed, I definitely want to create a bow from his stock. He wasn't a hunter, but it'd be great to carry a part of him with me in the woods. He was the first one to turn me on to archery, with a local bowyer produced long bow from days gone by. He'd take me to the park with the bow and a cardboard box, and wait until I had my fill. Never saw him shoot, and not quite sure why he took me, but it's a bug that stuck and will never die.

I now have both bows. They were a matched set for a husband and wife. Not fancy, no longer shootable, but I've got them.

Arthur P · 09-08-2005, 11:24 AM

I'll post some pics once I can get my kid to teach me how to use this flippin' digital camera and transfer the pics to the web.[&:]

Rangeball, it's really gratifying to make your own bows. Especially when they actually come out like you want them to.

Thing is, a lot of times the wood will tell you what it wants to be. Like this bow. I wanted a flatbow with a narrowed grip. The wood didn't want to be that kind of bow. Sometimes the wood tells you it'd rather be firewood than a bow.[:-]

BobCo19-65 · 09-08-2005, 12:39 PM

Art, if you can get the pictures on your computer, I can help you no problem - PM me.

Rangeball · 09-08-2005, 12:59 PM

I've spent scads of time reading resources on the net, at tradgang, even spent 2 quality weeks with the TBB series. Have the board picked out, have a buddy that supposedly has lot's of straight ossage I can cut any time.

I just need the time. Can someone spare some time?

silverbackpete · 09-08-2005, 02:40 PM

what is a flat bow? I am trying on the boyers hat for the first time. I do not know the first thing about building a flat, long or recurve bow. But I do know how to read(my first step)where should I start?

Arthur P · 09-08-2005, 02:57 PM

Read all three volumes of Traditional Bowyers Bible. The Ferret and George Tsoukalas both have good websites on making bows. I'd suggest making one out of a red oak board for your first bow, before ruining an expensive (whether gotten with money or sweat) bow stave.

http://groups.msn.com/ferretsarcherywebpage
http://mysite.verizon.net/georgeandjoni/archer.html

A page of links to all kinds of goodies.
http://www.women-outdoors.com/traditional/Instruction.htm

silverbackpete · 09-08-2005, 08:02 PM

funny you should mention red oak, I have the piece sitting in my shop as i write this.
Thanks for the site info

Africasunrise · 09-09-2005, 02:06 AM

Hi
Experiencing a piece of wood becomes a bow have changed my live. All I need now is a new vacuum cleaner and maybe a new carpet, those shavings and dust are hard to remove and one can"™t spend the entire night in the garage.

Arthur P, thanks again for your advice about backing material and so forth. Last night, while putting on new horn tips, I unfortunately "œf"™ed" up my linen backing and had to remove it. (Learning curve) "“ Now I have to decide on new backing material and so on. You"™ll probably be gladder than me when this bow I"™m building is eventually complete; I promise to cut down on the amount of questions.

Maybe someday I"™ll be able the do it on my own. One more, do you think I should stick with my current pattern? (see previous post "œif you"™re prepared to read" for pick"™s)