Finished my first bow
 

Well its done. Im really happy with how it turned out! Its only 30# at 28" but I originally made this bow for hunting bunnies and squirrels so it should be okay. It deffinatly is addicting. Im planning on getting another piece of Red Oak or maybe some hickory and making a bow for deer season this year.:D

Sorry for the bad pic, I need to get a better digital cam.

RE: Finished my first bow
 

Congrats!

Hatchet Jack

RE: Finished my first bow
 

Oh you have to get a better pic! I want to see what it looks like.

I'm getting ready to start my first. What kind of bow did you build? I was going to start with a laminate bow, but was told that that might not be the one I'd want to do for my first, so I'm now thinking about a board-bow, with something nice on the back. Or maybe even one of those U-finish bows, just to get my feet wet with.

RE: Finished my first bow
 

Steve,

I've build selfbows, board bows, bamboo-backed osage bows and glass laminated bows. Go for the glass one...it's much easier.

RE: Finished my first bow
 

I like to see a pic of the bow tillered and then one strung up and pulled to see how the limbs are pulling
Then I can give you my opinion.

RE: Finished my first bow
 

I can take a picture with a regular film camera, but thats about the best quality picture i can get out of my digital. I have a pic of me withthe bow at full draw, but its no better than the pic i posted

RE: Finished my first bow
 

I don't know if I'd say 'easier', but definitely different. IMO, glass bows are more of a mechanical process while all wood and wood lam bows are more of an artistic process. That's just the feeling I get when working up different bows. I'm in machinist mode with glass lams and in whittler mode when I'm working all wood.

You're more certain of what you'll wind up with with glass lam bows. You know if you use this thickness for your core lams and that thickness of glass, you'll wind up with a bow that draws close to however-many pounds.
An all wood bow pretty much tells you what it wants to be. If you want a narrow 60 pound bow with a deep stack belly and the wood wants to be a wide 45 pound flatbow, then you make a wide 45 pound flatbow. Period. Then you go looking for another stave that might want to be 60 pounds.;)

Anyway, congrats on your first bow, BH46! :)