Self Built bows

[Vicioustom 10]

Several year back I went to a six hour work shop about the self built bow. Now, I've never been much on archery, so I had to be dragged into the class by a friend who is an archer and more or less conned me into it.

 

The man running the class had a bench full of tool and after the initial intro ran us through what all the different tools where, and informed us that none of them would be used for the class and instead pulled out 16" Martindale machete. It's at about that time I started paying attention.

 

Over the next six hours he made three very functional bows using rules of thumb, eyeballing, a machete and some cordage as he walked us through making our own using the same techniques.

 

My bow turned out passable in that it would lob an arrow in a general direction. He told me to think about it and make one in my back yard in about a week, which I did. Surprise, surprise, it turned out pretty well, slinging arrows on par with my synthetic recurve.

 

Since then I've built six or seven more bows, each better than the last, I've given them away to friends kids and such, not really hanging onto them since they only take a couple hours to make with a minimum of supplies.

 

Has anyone else ever attended one of these workshops? If not I'd recommend it, and maybe reading up on a making arrows which is actually easier than you'd think.

[Gilla 10]

Great, now there's another class I need to find.

[tinderwolf 11]

I haven't but it sounds like it would be a good time and informative. You should post some pictures of the bows you have made.

[Vicioustom 10]

lol sorry about that man, by now there's probably a ton of youtube videos on the subject so you could do it while relaxing with a beer in you living room.

 

And sadly I've never taken pictures of them, I suppose if I can ever get up off my ass I could do a step by step with pictures in the back yard when the weather warms up a bit.

[Vicioustom 10]

Just an update, the guy I used to buy my staves from has gone out of business, and for the expense of the the staves purchased through other sources it looks like it may be better if I make another drying box and cut my own staves, so if I do make a how to journal it'll be delayed a bit.

 

Sorry about that, and I'm a bit disappointed myself, I kinda got restless hands after writing about it and wanted to rough out another one.

[juzcallmesnake 1,514]

Viciostom

 

good post

 

i thought I would add a woomera a spear launching tool also use in Borneo and Australia

 

 

and I found a site that tells how to make a arrow type spear launcher

 

http://www.gizmodo.com.au/2009/10/make-a-high-speed-spear-launcher-ensure-no-parents-let-kids-trick-or-treat-at-your-house/

 

and I have made spear guns with a piece of PVC and some rubber tubing or back in the day I used

inertube and made bands tied them to the outside and shot the spear through the PVC pipe and it

was a handle and helps steady the spear a line to keep the fish from taking off with your spear

I was thinking a plant stake plastic covered and a black synthetic core very durable and strong.

 

and if you made ridges and a rub stick it is a worm grunting rig not like the heavy iron bar and stob

push the PVC pipe in the soft damp dirt take a stick or another piece of PVC and holding it horizontal

using both hands rub up and down like washing clothes on a wash board make vibration and the worms

come to the top of the ground and pick them for bait.

 

a bow with a zebco reel to retrieve arrows while fishing is great I use to have one carp and gar fishing

are popular here in Texas.

[Regulator5 11]

I would also recommend "Traditional Bowyer's Bible" series for those truly interested in learning even the science behind building bows. I find them very informative.

[Vicioustom 10]

Thanks Regulator, I'll be sure to keep an eye out. That archer friend of mine may actually have them.

 

And Snake, that worm grunting rig sounds pretty slick, I'll have to try it out one of these days.

[101matt 17]

Excelent post.I just knew snake already made one,LMAO..

[juzcallmesnake 1,514]

I got enough crap to build another small house that is why I am trying to save and get a

 

shipping container I want a 40 footer but I think I can only afford a 20'

 

well does not matter I will have upper berth and build it like a rail road sleeper car and have a lot of

 

overhead storage and most all furniture internal storage like bench seating and boxes for coffee tables

 

and end tables with side pockets.

[Guest kevin]

hey tom, i just caves out a 5 ft out of a 2nd growth hickory. iv'e got it tucked into 2 inch section of pvc and packed that to keep it from bowing as it drys. any idea how long it will take it to loose enough moisture to become hardened? i did a ceder 6 ft awhile back and it took 2 weeks.

[Vicioustom 10]

I'm not too sure about that. The last time I dried some staves I did it in and old wall locker lined with aluminum foil with a 100w light bulb for heat. I just left the staves in there for about a month and they were dry enough to work with.