If your really just starting out to build your own selfbows what are the must have tools one would need. I'm like most I'm sure as I have made the progression from laminated bows to all wood bows and now I would really like to start making some with my 14 year old son. All help would be appreciated.

hatchet or dra knife for basic shaping.(I prefer the hatchet because you dont need a vise). I really like my farriers rasp, the rough side really takes off the wood ans the fine side will smooth the gouges fairly well. for final tillering I bought a pr of scissors at the dollar store, drilled out the pin and use each piece for a scraper.

Lots of threads on bow making tools. Use the search box above in the Pow Wow and builders bench and you will be over loaded with suggestions.

I posted a bunch of pictures of my basic tools in these threads.

Stick-um got to my thread on my first osage, I have been give and gathered a few tools working on it. I am limited on what I have and dont have. It will give you a good Ideal of what you can get by with.
Plus the brain storming on how to make, or use other things.
Plus there was a thread on making draw knife out of a lawn mower bald and a easy scraper. I am using scissors my self as a scraper.

band saw, drawknife, rasps, files, chainsaw file, scrapers, sandpaper, tru-oil.

There a re buildalongs on my site. Jawge
http://georgeandjoni.home.comcast.net/~georgeandjoni/

My personal must have favorites are as follows.
Home made draw knife from an old lawnmower blade.
4 way rasp

Spoke Shave (which is optional, but I love it)

Scraper which doubles as a fillet knife.

Belt sander cause I use that piece of equipment for just about everything except the tillering process......Never, ever use a belt sander for tillering! That's a no no.

Drum sanders that go in the drill press, these are optional but make my life a lot easier.

Band saw is an added comfort and a luxury but not 100% necessary.

Last would be sand paper. I don't know what I would do without sand paper. Use some smooth sand stones I guess?

If you have the list of tools above, then you can build any self bow you want to.

Ooops....I forgot 2 of the most basic necessities which are a good tape measure and a steel flat ruler. But I kinda figured that was a given without mentioning it.

A must have tool for me is the old Stanley Sure form.

A hacking tool, a rasping tool and a scraping tool!

i use a broken onatario machete instead of a hatchet i can use it as both a tool to take it down to shape it and also use it as a scraper at the same time i also use a 4-in-1 rasp for shaping my riser and tips and an old chainsaw file to make my nocks

don't forget a heatgun. It's the only power tool I use.

I agree with Eric.  There are about 20 "tools" threads that show up in a search.  You access the search function at the top of the page right under the banner ads above.

Patience