do it yourself kits

[bigbuck90]

I used to have a recurve and i liked it but i traded it off for some other hunting gear but i really liked shooting it and wanted to get into traditional but i dont have the money to buy a good one so I was lookin around on the net and saw a homemade bow and it looked pretty good so i was wonder:

Cost??
Time??
And how hard is it to do and after all the work do they shoot good?

Thanks for the info.

[Lilhunter]

I'm a switching back and forth between two bows right now. Well playing more with one and gearing up for this years hunts with the other. Both are home made bows. They both shoot great, one is fiberglassed lam, the other is a bamboo backed osage composite (all wood).

It takes a few tools and a bit of knowledge but it sure doesnt cost much at all to get into doing selfbows, other then time and some sweat and blood. I've done two boo backed hickory bows, one twisted up pretty bad on the form. The other came out fine though it's a tad bit light in poundage.

[Arthur P]

For making glass laminated bows, I guess you'd have to figure about $150 for the materials to make an an air hose style bow press. Another $50 or so to get the components for a hot box for heat curing the epoxy. If you go with the lower cost materials, expect to spend another $150 for bow making materials. Could be much more if you want to use some of the exotic woods.

Some basic power tools I'd want to have on hand would be a Dremel tool, band saw, belt sander, disc sander and an oscillating spindle sander. Add a drill press if you want to make takedown recurves. Wood rasps and an assortment of files. A good variety of sandpaper (220 on up through 600 grit). By all means, it is critical to have a good respirator. You don't want to be breathiing that dust. Some good leather gloves will keep glass splinters out of your hands, which is another important point. A flexible metal straight edge for laying out the profile of the limbs is, I think, a must.

You can buy a good bow for the price it'd take to get set up to make your own. On the other hand, the good thing about it, once you get set up - and have a good form - you can make dozens of bows on that form for just the cost of materials.