I dusted off the bible
10-18-2005, 07:49 PM
#1
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: some were
Posts: 801
I dusted off the bible
The bowyers bible that is. I figured I should finish reading it so this winter I can make some chips. I haveheard that alot of guys use red oak as a starter wood, I figure I could get my hands on some for a good price.
What are some of the basic tools I need. I have alot but I dont knowif I will be able to adapt them to bow building. I am just going to buy the wood from a lumber yard so it should be dry enuf.
I am still going to spinsome shafts this winter, anyone use aspen, probable not the best for a shaft. I think I may go with maple, I have lots of it in the rafters of myshed.
well back to the book.
What are some of the basic tools I need. I have alot but I dont knowif I will be able to adapt them to bow building. I am just going to buy the wood from a lumber yard so it should be dry enuf.
I am still going to spinsome shafts this winter, anyone use aspen, probable not the best for a shaft. I think I may go with maple, I have lots of it in the rafters of myshed.
well back to the book.
10-18-2005, 09:04 PM
#2
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 9,175
RE: I dusted off the bible
Up till now I've made most of my bows with hatchets, machete's, planes, wood rasps, draw knives and such. I've done enough hacking and scraping. From now on, it's gonna be BELT SANDER! 
I don't particularly feel any qualms about using modern tools to make my primitive bows. 
I don't particularly feel any qualms about using modern tools to make my primitive bows.
10-21-2005, 08:19 PM
#4
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location:
Posts: 18
RE: I dusted off the bible
That's my current red oak bow. Oak is an excellent beginner material for bow-making. Pay attention to the Bible's section on tillering, I broke 2 bows at the tillering stage before getting it right. The bow in the picture is 70 inches long, it's around 50 lbs, full draw.
10-22-2005, 10:55 PM
#6
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location:
Posts: 18
RE: I dusted off the bible
Well, I lost a total of 3 bows before getting it right. The first two were due to tillering. I tillered too muchboth times.
One thing that you need is a good hand rasp. Planes work too, but a really balanced bow requires for the removal of extremely minute slivers of wood. There isn't really much point of making string notches to the tips of the bow. For a longbow the stress on the notches would be too much after a couple of months, either the notches break or the string will. It's easier if you justsand the tips of the board down a little andput on2horn tips and then notch those tips. This will protect the string as well as the limbs of the bow.
The last one wasdue to nottreating the wood with a protective coating of linseed oil. That bow shot fine for a couple of weeks before breaking on me.
Still, when all is said and done, you'll beessentially limited to a bow of around 170-180 fps with a 100 grain broadhead. If you want greater speed, I would try using seasoned yew ora recurve design.
One thing that you need is a good hand rasp. Planes work too, but a really balanced bow requires for the removal of extremely minute slivers of wood. There isn't really much point of making string notches to the tips of the bow. For a longbow the stress on the notches would be too much after a couple of months, either the notches break or the string will. It's easier if you justsand the tips of the board down a little andput on2horn tips and then notch those tips. This will protect the string as well as the limbs of the bow.
The last one wasdue to nottreating the wood with a protective coating of linseed oil. That bow shot fine for a couple of weeks before breaking on me.
Still, when all is said and done, you'll beessentially limited to a bow of around 170-180 fps with a 100 grain broadhead. If you want greater speed, I would try using seasoned yew ora recurve design.
10-23-2005, 09:37 AM
#7
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: some were
Posts: 801
RE: I dusted off the bible
I am not to worried about the speed, I would just be making it for a target bow and maybe for small game. I would like to make some kids bows fora few of my young realatives, but I think I am try and make them lam bows with glass.
10-23-2005, 12:05 PM
#8
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 9,175
RE: I dusted off the bible
If you need to follow a growth ring, then you definitely want to work the back down by hand. I use the belt sander for profiling and tillering, not for the delicate work. I'm a machinist by trade and have a highly developed touch for doing freehand work with power tools.
