New guy with a few questions and in need of advice

[Frosty the Bowman]

Hello to you all,

I was told about your amazing website by my 12yr pld sons teacher. You are all such a wealth of knowledge, thanks.

I am new to archery, especially traditional. But I decided to make the switch, and i am very excited about it, esspecially about the idea of being able to build my own equipment to hunt with.

I am also very excited that I have 4 children who are very interested in joining me in both shooting archery and hunting with it.

I want to build a fairly simple bow to use to learn with and hunt, so it has to have a minumum of 40lbs, personally for starting out I do not want more then about 40-45lbs anyway.
I have about a 26" draw.
As I am just learning I do not want to much weight, so I hopefully dont learn bad habits I hear associated with it.

My budget and skills (obviouslly) are limited, what are some sugestions for styles, woods, etc.

I would like to keep it fairly short as I may be hunting out of a ground blind at times.

I have a few questions, why do you all sugest Red Oak for board bows all the time?

What other styles other then a pyrimid style is ok for a beginer to try?

Realisticly what equipment do I need?

How long should I expect this to take me?

Is it O.K. to buy wood from a lumber store (windsor plywood), or is it better/recomended to save up and buy it from a archery supplier?

Is their any of you who would point out where I can find the basic steps from selecting the lumber to finishing, and give a basic explanation? Is there a thread on here that does this really well? Or even videos?

Also are there are any of you in the Eastern Washington / Spokane/Cour de Alane area? If so would you be willing to talk/meet and show a newbie the ropes?

Sorry this is so long, was trying to get all my thoughts out and be thourough as well.

Thanks, look forward to chatting with you.

[DavidV]

Probably the best tutorial around for building bows from lumber is  www.poorfolkbows.com  

Most people suggest red oak for a first bow because it is cheap and easy to find with straight grain. There are alot of other options however and many woods found at a lumberstore will work better than red oak.

[John Scifres]

I have a friend in Moscow, ID if you want a little road trip.  He would probably be willing to help you out.  He has a stockpile of osage he'd probably sell you a piece from also.

Red oak is cheap and generally available but you definitely have better choices.  If you have a hardwood lumber yard around, hickory is generally a better choice.  

Here is a board bow tute that might help.    Ferret\\' Board Bow Tutorial  

There are some other tutorials and stuff on my site.  Just look to the left after clicking the link for the board bow tutorial.  "Wood 2009" shows me harvesting some osage.  "Roughout" shows what to do to take a stave to rough bow form.  Tiller 101 shows what to do after roughout.

Here's another version of Tiller 101 called   From Blank to Bow

[Frosty the Bowman]

Thanks for the info guys.

The store I mentioned carries alot of hardwoods, zebrawood, cocoblo, wenge, oak, ash, maple, mohogany, etc. even said they have connections to get yew if I wanted.

Other then a pyrimid or a molgebeat, what other styles are there?  I know recurves, longbows, and flatbows, but just the basics.
Someday I want to make a nice laminated recurve, a nice pretty one like I see others build. But I'll need a bit more experience for that probablly.

What are the limits to a basic board style bow, will it habdle the poundage and draw I have mentioned?

Thanks for your help, you guys are awsome

[George Tsoukalas]

My site may help too. Jawge
http://georgeandjoni.home.comcast.net/~georgeandjoni/index.html

[gringol]

Raptor archery in hood river, or does bow building classes.  I think the price is around $350, but you'll finish with a bow and some new skills.  Worth looking into imo...

[Trad Dad]

I can personally vouch for Sam Harper (poorfolkbows.com) and George Tsoukalas (http://georgeandjoni.home.comcast.net/~georgeandjoni/index.html). These are the two sites that helped me get a couple of bows that shoot for the kids (http://www.shemah.net/kids-bows/). After the first of the year, I'm going to try and spend some time on my BBI.

[red hill]

All good advice. Also look at 4est trekker,s "so you want to build a bow" thread.

[psychmonky]

First welcome to the site! These guys have helped me beyond belief!

I think the reason everyone suggests red oak is that its easy to get, and you aren't out a lot if you (and you probably will) mess up. They are right though. If you have access to other choices, they are better.

Just remember not to go TOO short. Especially with red oak, and especially on your first. I know you want a blind bow, but you may come out ahead if you build a couple of longer ones first and then try and tackle the short ones. Just my opinion.

[LittleBen]

Also check out 4est trekkers bow buildalong.

Go for a longer bow and probably bend in the handle for your first one.

[Frosty the Bowman]

Thanks guys!

When you say to build a longer bow, what length are you talking about, suggestions?

Is the pyrimid style in 4est trekkers build along a good choice for beginers? It looks good, has anyone on here ever hunted with one, or have pics to share?

Thanks again guys, you guys are awsome, best website by far.

TTT Please!

[k-hat]

My swap bow was a pyramid from a hickory board.  I loved her and hated to see her go.  This one was 50#, and hickory could easily make a heavier bow if you wanted.

If you have a 26" draw, go for 60"ttt (assuming an 8" stiff handle section).  If you do a bendy design, you can shorten it by 8" (52"ttt).  That (bendy)may be your best bet for your blind shooting.  Using hickory you could do 1.5" wide from center to last 10", then narrow to 1/2 to 3/8" tips.  slight thickness taper from center to the last 10", then same thickness to the tips.  You could build up the handle area a little with leather to make the grip more "roundish".  If you go a little longer you can make it a little narrower if you wanted.  

Hope that makes sense:)

[k-hat]

Hickory likes a good tempering as well, really makes it snappy!

[Frosty the Bowman]

Hey guys,

Has anyone on here ever made a "board bow' out of Osage, Jtoba, or Zebrawood that you all might know of, and if so any idea where to find pics/

I noticed that Windsor Plywood lists osage as a board lumber they carry, made me wonder.

Thanks guys you are alot of help.

Kevin

[Roy from Pa]

It will work for Osage, ya just gotta back it with something. Not sure of the others.