New Simple Aluminum Longbow Form

[Dick in Seattle]

On one of my visits to OnLine Metals, I picked up a neat scrap, a 1' length of square 1 1/2" aluminum tubing with .183 (3/32") wall thickness.  My first thought was, "Hey, I could lay up a bow on that! stuff!" I mentioned it on-line and a couple of folks commented that they'd seen it done.  I knew I had to try it.  I eventually bought a 72" length and this week I gave it a try. Here are some pix of the resulting form and the first bow blank I pulled off of it.

Obviously, we're talking traditional straight longbow, here, but there's nothing wrong with that, especially for early bow making efforts.

I didn't really need another form. What appealed to me about this idea was that it would be a fantastic way for a beginner to get a first form relatively easily and inexpensively. The piece of square tubing cost me $30. The washers and bolts were about another $12.

I was due for a new pressure pad, both because my old one is showing wear and because I was using a new, shallower riser pattern. I made a new pressure pad, using 1/8" aluminum backed by 1/4" neoprene and 1/8" tempered hardboard. I used C clamps rather than my pin clamps, since I didn't want to drill that many holes in the aluminum and because from a beginning builder's standpoint, C clamps are cheaper than the 3 way edge clamps I used to make my pin clamps.  They're also ready to use without work. (Note: You need two 10" clamps, 4 six inch clamps and 24 4" clamps. I think you could use inner tube rubber bands with this form, too. You could either use circular bands with the dowels below, or full length cuts wrapped on.)

Notice that the form is resting on pieces of 2x2. This is to raise it enough to allow the noses of the C clamps to slide in.  Layup and clamping went quite smoothly.



End view, showing wall thickness...



Full length...



This is a staged pic with the blank and only a few clamps after the layup.  A clamp goes at each vertical line.  A picture with all the clamps and opaque plastic covering everything wouldn't have shown as much.  



Showing the wooden "feet" I put on the ends of the clamp screws.  Spreads the pressure out to the edges and also keeps the end of the screw from walking around on the aluminum surface as you tighten them.



Here's the first bow blank off the new form.  This is a slimmed down version of my "Forward Scout" riser.  It actually didn't come out as slim as I intended, so another pattern is in my future.

The form worked quite well and I added a full page with more pix to the bow building page on my site.  (  www.dickwightman.com  ).

[blacktailchaser]

that is pritty slick and i love a simple straight stick...john

[1oldbowguy]

Dick, man you are just to good sir, looks great.  Went to the site, again, thanks for sharing you knowledge with us.

[bjansen]

Dick, that is a nice, light form...very good!

Nice bow glued up on it as well

[**DONOTDELETE**]

All ya gotta do now Dick is take it to a muffler shop and have them put some sexy looking curves in that thing and it will be perfect!          


You KNOW I'm just pulling yer leg bro...    

Dick and I have a standing "Battle of the bulge" going guys... it's all in fun....

Keep an eye on that thing for straightness bro. it can and will move with temperature changes.

[Trux Turning]

Too cool Dick!!  

[aric]

great idea dick