New
 

Been hunting with a compound for over 23 years but decided to only use my trad. equipment from now on, no matter how long I need to practice. I’ve been shooting with a nameless longbow for a month or so. Unfortunately my bow gave in last week, but instead of buying a new one I decided to enter a new world by building one myself. This proved to be quite challenging for there is not that much info available in South Africa about native wood selection. Anyway, I’m going to try my best. So far the internet has been a honey hole of info on the hole building process. I’m so exited I struggle to sleep and keep on dreaming about this project. I just know going traditional will soot me as person like a glove and I’m looking forward to enter this new “world”. My firstborn’s name will also appear on the first decent bow I managed to create. His due on the 5th of October 2005.
The compound will not be used for hunting anymore but will be hanging on my wall to remind me of grate hunting experiences we had over the past years.

RE: New
 

Some of the wood we use to make bows here in the States comes from Africa: Black Limba, bubinga, Gaboon ebony, padauk, shedua, wenge and zebrawood. You might know them by different names, I don't know. Good luck with your project. There's nothing quite like shooting and hunting with a bow you made yourself.

RE: New
 

MUCH appreciated!!
We do call them by different names here, I managed to get their botanical names and it will not be a problem getting any one of them. Do you perhaps recommend a specific one?
Thanks very much once again

RE: New
 

Africasunrise,

Welcome to the traditional forum! Once maybe people start, they never look back. The traditional bug BITES hard.

Also congratulations on your upcoming little one!

Anyway, my longbow (below) has a gaboon ebony riser which I like a lot. I'm not the expert by anymeans on wood, only to know the more popular types of woods available. But I do knowa good place to lookand ask questions:

http://tradstore.com/woodshed/

RE: New
 

If you want to see and learn how to make longbows and recurves go here ; http://groups.msn.com/ferretsarcherywebpage

Africa is full of good trees, but the acasia trees have one of the most tight rings in the wood anywheres in the world, they make an excellent bow.

Watchout for the thorns, LOL

RE: New
 

Hi
I managed to get some African Rosewood (already dried) and started building on Saturday afternoon and worked until Sunday morning. The bow was one of the prettiest things I ever created (according to myself) even took some photos. Anyway, I somehow missed a bad spot just above the riser and yesterday while working on the tiller it broke.:( Sad, but just a learning curve I suppose. I’ll get there someday don’t worry.:D Maybe I’ll try a different type of wood next time.

RE: New
 

What happened to you is very common on first try, Next time shape the bow and don't include the handle, glue the riser and handle later on.
That way you have a smoot surface that you can eye through, the riser sometimes is a bother to eye and make both limbs the same thickness.

See if you can get Hickory or acasia. Keep trying

RE: New
 

Thanks for the advice, will surly try that! appreciated!.
By the end of this year I’ll be able to name every capable tree in SA to use as bow wood. At the moment I’m busy with a new bow (found some local acacia wood also recommended by a friend) will see how it goes.
Getting some different types of wood this weekend, most of them listed earlier by Arthur P, not to sure if I’ll be able to find hickory though, hopefully I’ll be shooting before too long.
(Haven’t touch my compound since I started this “project”) NEED TO SHOOT can’t wait until I finish my first working bow:).
Thanks you people are extremely friendly.

RE: New
 

You've inspired me to start another bow. The last one I was working on broke during the initial tillering phase. I was using a red oak board and I knew the grain was looking a little odd in one spot. My intent was to glue a backing on it before getting too far along with the project, but the wood had different plans. It broke exactly where I suspected it would. Sometimes wood simply does not want to become a bow.

This one is going to be a Holmegaard pattern, and will be 78" nock to nock. I've always wanted to make a bow as long as I am tall.[&:]

RE: New
 

You're a seriously disturbed man ArthurP [8D]