Tool listing for an aspiring Bower

[Brandon Cruz]

How's it going guys,

New to the forum and to bow making. I'm looking for some opinions and advice on what tools I need to begin acquiring for bow making. I currently have a 9" Ryobi bandsaw, a three piece set of Stanley chisels and a 18 piece set of Kobolt files. I already feel like I have spent a good deal of money and want to make sure I spend my hard earned dollars properly. I have a budget of about $500 to get the other tools I need.

I plan on building primarily recurve laminated bows. I greatly appreciate any input and look forward to your advice.

[jsweka]

An oscillating spindle sander is one of my most used tools.  I use it for fadeouts on risers and ripping off glue boogers and getting the bow's profile close to finished shape.

Here's the one I use.  Good price; I've used it for many bows without issue; and my Dad has used it for countless other woodworking projects.

http://www.grizzly.com/products/1-3-HP-Oscillating-Spindle-Sander/G0538

[Robertfishes]

I bought most of my big tools used off of craigslist.  For %200 you can buy a new Rigid combo spindle/edge sander,

[Robertfishes]

there is a 6x80 Grizzly edge sander on Craigslist Clarksville right now for $400..you might be able to get it for $300??

[Robertfishes]

Some tools I use include.. Band saw, edge sander, spindle sander, Mouse sander, sanding blocks, 5/32" chain saw file(string grooves), harbor freight 1"x30" belt Sander(shaping tips), harbor freight 6" chop saw(for cutting glass to length)...I have a small mini drum sander for sanding phenolic and tapering powerlams. I don't have a thickness Sander for grinding lams, thinking about buying a "baby drum" from Grizzly..I have been buying tapers from tradgang sponsors.

[George Tsoukalas]

Fiberglss, composite or wood bows? Jawge

[KenH]

Jawge is right -- the tools you'll use/need depend on the kind(s) of bows you want to build.

[Brandon Cruz]

I will likely be making a fiberglass bow to begin with. However as I gain experience I'd like to progress to the more difficult materials.

I'm I incorrect in thinking fiberglass bows are easier (least complicated) to construct?

I appreciate all the dialogue.

[KenH]

Well......  a board or stave self bow (one piece of wood or perhaps and added handle is technically   easier I suppose.  But each type has its own challenges.  

You can build a board bow (see poorfolkbows.com) with not much more than a 4 sided rasp, sandpaper and sanding blocks, and some sort of saw.  I build "long' (not recurved) bamboo self bows and flax-back bamboo bows that way as well, from bamboo fence slats.

Hill type longbows and wood-glass composite recurve bows require making some kind of 'form' on which you assemble the materials and glue them together,  The form can be as simple as a length of 2x10 with the shape of the bow band-sawed into it; or as complex as the multipiece air-pressure forms that many builders use.

[monterey]

When you break down the list of tools to "must have" and "nice to have", the "must have" list is actually pretty short.

[eflanders]

Given that you want to make glass bows, you'll spend more on tools and other things needed.  But my suggestion is that a either a spindle sander or a big belt sander of some for is definitely on your "must have"  tool list.

[LittleBen]

A decent belt sander is gonna get a lot of use making any bows be especially glass. I imagine a spindle sander is nice to have, and a bandsaw verges on just have too. Although you can probably get away with a smaller one for most glass bow tasks.

Other than that, the usual rasp, file, sandpaper.