Trad Gang

Would like some suggestions for a fun (and relatively cheap) bow build. Will do a build along for whatever I pick so let's hear the ideas guys. Thanks    :goldtooth:

If you're looking for cheap, red oak board bow or PVC bow.

Or how about a hickory self bow.  I've had a hankerin' to try building one myself for a while.

Can't get much cheaper than what jsweka suggested and any would be fun to build. I'm kind of partial to selfbows.

James, What materials do you have?  Board bows are cheap if you can find a good board.  Staves will cost more, unless you have access to cut your own, but will take longer to dry.  I agree with Pat, kinda partial to selfbows.

I've got some black locust staves that I have had in the corner for a couple months as well as some hickory I've had for over a year.

I thought building a bow was, just for the sake of doing it, fun.

I'd have to say that even the ones that broke were fun - until they broke!

Not just bows - I try to make as much of what I use, myself, as I can.

Arrows, strings and what not.

I live near Lake Ontario and right now the geese are shedding wing feathers like crazy. I'm picking 'em up nearly as fast!

In the process of trying to make a new stringer for my new bow. If it works out, I'm taking photos.

I'll post if all goes well.

There's no better feeling than shooting arrows you've made off a bow of the same origin and hitting your target!

I love making bows, and have never made on that wasn't fun. In truth I was hoping that not only would I get some new ideas, but also maybe jump start the creativity of some of those who look at this forum without taking the leap and building their own. Plus I just love seeing what ideas everyone can come up with. And good luck with the stringer man, I look forward to seeing it when it's finished.

The easiest bow to make is  pyramid flatbow. Eg. one where the widest part is right out of the fades and then the width tapers in a straight line to the nocks. The reason being that bows like this need very little thickness tapering/tillering. I can make one in about 30 mins  :)  The performance will be right up there too.

Nice thing about making bows is you don't need a lot of equipment, just patience.

Here are all the tools I used for my most recent bow these and sandpaper.

http://tradgang.com/noncgi/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=125;t=013702

What part of UK, mikkekeswick? Is there a clue in the name?

I was born in Warrington. Went to Uni in Sheffield. Moved to Canada in '88

Curses, forgot to add the image!

https://postimg.org/image/4gu9rzkjv/

Here's the stringer.

I cycle everywhere these days. I find all kinds of stuff by the side of the road! I've picked up 2 pairs of tin snips, dozens of bungies, wrenches. I found a pretty decent filleting knife close to a fishing spot car park last week.

I found one of those big rubber suspension stops off an unknown vehicle. As soon as I saw it, I knew what it was going to become.

I cut it with a coping saw, as the rubber tends to grip wider blades. Drilled a hole in the middle to accommodate a piece of metal tube, to spread the load, and pressed it in - made sure it didn't go completely to the edge so it wouldn't cut the paracord I used.

Sanded the overall shape. Started rough went smoother at the end, as usual with sandpaper.

The pouch is made from the thumb off a pair of pigskin work gloves from the local dollar store. The pouch only holds things in place, the cord takes all the strain. I twisted the cord over itself in the middle of the pouch so that it doesn't close up so easily.

Easy to adjust the length.

Works a treat.

It's not just that I's a cheap so and so. I enjoy making stuff.

 

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Guys I promise the build is coming, but it will most likely be some time this winter as I am currently in college 6 hours from home and all my tools. Because I'm going to be on limited time its gonna be a red oak board bow. probably a pyramid bow because I enjoy those. Hopefully it will go pretty quick once I get started. Sorry its taking me so long to get started guys but college is kinda kicking my rear end and has been since back in the summer when I was filling out paperwork that seemed to multiply if I blinked. Best of luck to everyone this season

I have built a bunch of oak board pyramid bows and so far have had only one failure.

One thing I learned about oak and pyramid bows is that while you CAN apply equal thickness taper full length, it's best to have just a very little bit of extra thickness coming off the fades.  Just for a few inches.  That will give you a more even set (with oak boards there will be set!) And avoid the gull wing at the fades which is a huge performance thief.

If the air is much drier in winter where you live, I'd break out one of those hickory staves.  Hickory performs best at low RH.

X 2 pyramid bow.

How about an all bamboo bow? TBB IV has some pictures. One of the others TBB has some cord backed boo too.
Jerry

If I didn't have an 8 week old baby and had plenty of free time I'd be working on a herters style form fg bow. I really want to make one of them shorties.

How about a sapling bow?  I've had my eye on some of my neighbor's mulberry branches...

Also crepe myrtle self bow could be fun. Tons of ppl have been throwing out crepe around my area. I got a slightly crooked 6 ft piece about 1.5 inches diameter last week

QuoteOriginally posted by YosemiteSam:
How about a sapling bow?  I've had my eye on some of my neighbor's mulberry branches...

Sam, I have a mulberry sapling I cut a few years ago. I was going to work it down to heart wood and make a walking stick. It is really dry with no checks a little over 2" in the middle. Would it make a bow?