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General >> Other Primitive Weapons >> New Bow https://slinging.org/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1601845654 Message started by walter on Oct 4th, 2020 at 5:07pm |
Title: New Bow Post by walter on Oct 4th, 2020 at 5:07pm
65" ntn, 2" wide to mid limb, haf inch wide @ nocks. Heat treated. Pulls 47lbs @ 27" draw. No hand shock, but a little vibration at release.
Going to narrow the tips a little and add silencers. |
Title: Re: New Bow Post by Mersa on Oct 4th, 2020 at 5:37pm
Nice one !!!
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Title: Re: New Bow Post by vetryan15 on Oct 4th, 2020 at 7:27pm
Sweet. Alot beeter then the one i recently posted. ;D
What type of wood? |
Title: Re: New Bow Post by walter on Oct 4th, 2020 at 8:08pm
Thanks! It is red oak. When I finish shooting it in, I am sure it will draw 50lbs @ 28. :) Can't get a pic at full draw without the LP's help. Tomorrow I think.
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Title: Re: New Bow Post by vetryan15 on Oct 4th, 2020 at 8:39pm
Thats so awesome.
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Title: Re: New Bow Post by joe_meadmaker on Oct 4th, 2020 at 9:57pm
Looks great walter! Nice job! :)
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Title: Re: New Bow Post by walter on Oct 4th, 2020 at 10:13pm
Thanks joe! Tented my hernia patch four times getting to 50 lbs, but it didn't give me any trouble this time, so I now have a good deer bow just in time for deer season :)
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Title: Re: New Bow Post by Bill Skinner on Oct 5th, 2020 at 12:04pm
That looks very good. That's a very good job.
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Title: Re: New Bow Post by walter on Oct 5th, 2020 at 5:52pm
Thanks Bill! Bows are my new favorite passtime :)
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Title: Re: New Bow Post by Mersa on Oct 6th, 2020 at 3:46am
Have you ever tryed Black locust? (Robina pseudoacacia)? It’s what I had my most successful bow build with, morphy helped me learn via texts. Very pretty, are you using green timber or pre dryed stuff??
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Title: Re: New Bow Post by walter on Oct 6th, 2020 at 9:01am Mersa wrote on Oct 6th, 2020 at 3:46am:
All my bows have been red oak because that is what I can get at home depot. We have a specie of Robinia and rocky mtn juniper growing here. I would like to try them both, but the forest rangers take their job quite seriously here, so I buy boards. |
Title: Re: New Bow Post by IronGoober on Oct 6th, 2020 at 12:07pm
That's a beautiful bow. I've always wanted to try the board bow, but haven't braved it yet. Nice tiller on that!
@Mersa How did you find a piece that was straight enough? All the black locust I've seen are squat and gnarled trees. |
Title: Re: New Bow Post by Mersa on Oct 6th, 2020 at 8:03pm
Well I’m lucky enough to be a Arborist, so I cut trees , whenever I find a suitable staff I make sure I put it aside. A while ago we removed approximately 20 robinias, I was able to obtain a few somewhat straight staffs, I actually have 4 growing outside my new rental, I’ve offered to prune them , there may be one or 2 extra branches that might need to come down, if you catch my drift.
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Title: Re: New Bow Post by walter on Oct 6th, 2020 at 9:43pm
@ Mersa
LOL |
Title: Re: New Bow Post by walter on Dec 9th, 2020 at 11:01pm
Ctr mnts az. Still following the staightened arrow ;)
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Title: Re: New Bow Post by vetryan15 on Dec 10th, 2020 at 7:20am
Thats just awesome. Look so badass
Is that a wooden or metal arrow? |
Title: Re: New Bow Post by walter on Dec 10th, 2020 at 7:44am vetryan15 wrote on Dec 10th, 2020 at 7:20am:
It is aluminum. I use them for shooting in a bow and roving. Wooden are for hunting. Got some carbon at walmart. Broke every one of them >:( |
Title: Re: New Bow Post by vetryan15 on Dec 10th, 2020 at 8:49am
I just picked up some Walmart arrows for targets.
Do you make wooden arrows? I am looking to make some out of bamboo i just got and use ash as the foreshafts |
Title: Re: New Bow Post by walter on Dec 10th, 2020 at 4:59pm
Have not made any arrows- yet
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Title: Re: New Bow Post by Mersa on Dec 10th, 2020 at 11:20pm
I’m a big fan of a quality carbon arrow with good components. You get great durability out of them if they’re built tough. Wood arrows are great to but they all eventually break, and Ali arrows are nice but tend to bend when stumping.
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Title: Re: New Bow Post by J on Dec 11th, 2020 at 6:57am
Ligustrum Vulgare
makes amazing arrow wood You can make arrows in very little time, because they grow straight, and in the perfect size. Ducttape makes a durable fletch |
Title: Re: New Bow Post by Morphy on Dec 11th, 2020 at 6:59am
Beware Walmart arrows. The consistency is not great. Sometimes they work well other times not so much.
If you are fond of the current function of your hand I would suggest at the very least you flex every arrow after every shot. A high quality carbon is hard to beat though for aesthetics I prefer homemade wood. |
Title: Re: New Bow Post by walter on Jan 3rd, 2021 at 9:04pm
Latest bow. 71" n-n, 1 3/4" at fades and 1/2" at tips. Shoots 45lbs @ 28". 1 1/2" immediate set :)
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Title: Re: New Bow Post by Morphy on Jan 4th, 2021 at 5:28am
Looking good man. What kind of wood is it made from?
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Title: Re: New Bow Post by vetryan15 on Jan 4th, 2021 at 5:59am
Awesome bow. I actually have 2 i am working in lineup.
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Title: Re: New Bow Post by walter on Jan 4th, 2021 at 6:48am
@ Morphy
It is red oak cause that is home depots best and only bow wood. Ryan, are you using ash? |
Title: Re: New Bow Post by vetryan15 on Jan 4th, 2021 at 9:10am
I have 1 white ash, and. 1 birch that are both in various stages .
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Title: Re: New Bow Post by joe_meadmaker on Jan 4th, 2021 at 11:13am
Nice walter! What do you use for the tip overlays? Is that red oak as well?
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Title: Re: New Bow Post by walter on Jan 4th, 2021 at 7:25pm
@ joe_meadmaker
Yes they are red oak. Been thinking I might try something beside oak next bow ::) |
Title: Re: New Bow Post by joe_meadmaker on Jan 4th, 2021 at 8:24pm
Hey, if it's working for you, I don't think you'll get any complaints here. :)
If you don't have other wood types available, I'd definitely recommend ebay. If you pull up the site and just run a search for 'bow staves', there are usually a couples pages of staves available. There is the downside that once you add shipping, you'll usually be around $50 - $70 for a stave, so a little pricey. But you can get a nice stave that's all set to go. Not all, but may of the staves I've used were ebay purchases. All your bows look great. I'd be curious to see what you could do with a nice piece of osage. ;) |
Title: Re: New Bow Post by walter on Jan 4th, 2021 at 9:30pm
LOL, at an average price of $60, I would just hang that osage stave on the wall :D
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Title: Re: New Bow Post by vetryan15 on Jan 5th, 2021 at 3:45am
I got big birch quarters logs cut up. Big enough u can get 2 or 3 bows per piece. If anyone is in the area. U can have some.
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Title: Re: New Bow Post by Morphy on Jan 5th, 2021 at 1:13pm walter wrote on Jan 4th, 2021 at 9:30pm:
I feel the same way about Yew. Hardwood Lumber yards my good men. Hardwood lumber yards. Get yourself enough hickory or shoot any other wood for practically nothing. Even without a truck just make a trip and have them cut you a 20ft board of hickory into 6 ft sections. You'll have enough for what... 8 bows at least depending on style. And hickory is king in Arizona Walter. You'll like it I bet. :D |
Title: Re: New Bow Post by walter on Jan 5th, 2021 at 5:41pm
I wiil probably buy a hickory stick on the net asap, but inspired by how well the last bow shoots and how little set it took, I started another red oak bow a couple days ago. This one is 68" n-n, 1 3/4" wide at fades to 3/8" at tips and I am trapping the back. Have one limb trapped 7° . Hope to get the other limb trapped and tips reflexed this weekend. Hoping for less than 1 1/2" set.
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Title: Re: New Bow Post by Morphy on Jan 5th, 2021 at 6:37pm
Overpowered compression is definitely a contributing factor of set. Have you tried tempering the belly yet?
If I make a bamboo backed poplar bow instead of sinew backed which has been a consideration, I've considered doing a very heavy trapping to see if I can force it to work. I suspect the boo will crush it like a tin can either way lol. Still worth a shot. |
Title: Re: New Bow Post by walter on Jan 5th, 2021 at 8:31pm
Yes I have heat treated a couple of bows. One caught on fire :-[ The other not cooked enough. Trapping may be a saner approach. The ifs, what ifs and whys are what makes bowyering so interesting :-?
Hope you post the results of your experiment. |
Title: Re: New Bow Post by J on Jan 6th, 2021 at 5:15am
I learned a lot from this video about bowbuilding even though I don't have osage
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V3v8mvqR8DU |
Title: Re: New Bow Post by Morphy on Jan 9th, 2021 at 8:30pm walter wrote on Jan 5th, 2021 at 8:31pm:
I like to keep s’more ingredients sitting by in case things go bad. S’mores for white woods, craft beer for Osage and Crown Royal if I burned a Yew stave. Obviously the worse the screw up the higher the shelf. |
Title: Re: New Bow Post by Slyngorm on Jan 11th, 2021 at 5:21pm
I sorta finished my first bow today.
Corners were cut during the process but I have tested it and it definitely works even if only ineffectively. It was stripped of its bark and seasoned for a month. I never really cut a profile, only tillered it a bit so it still is round but I strung it and it's not too bad. Any advice to do now? I have pulled on it a couple of times to break it. Should I use a weight or stick to leave the bow bend like you @ walter does? |
Title: Re: New Bow Post by walter on Jan 11th, 2021 at 10:40pm
@ Slyngorm
No, you should not draw a bow past brace and hold it there for more thana second or two because that will strain the bow and induce excessive set, which will lower poundage at your draw length. ;) |
Title: Re: New Bow Post by Slyngorm on Jan 12th, 2021 at 4:11pm
Duly noted. How much should I pull it? At the moment it seems too tight for me to launch an arrow very far but that might also be due to much underdeveloped arrow holding muscles.
When I draw back the first few centimetres are really dull but then it suddenly gets VERY resistant. |
Title: Re: New Bow Post by Morphy on Jan 12th, 2021 at 8:21pm
I'm editing this comment because I misread the previous post.
A low early draw weight is usually indicative of deflex or set depending on what's going on. While a lot is bad a little is normal especially for newer bowyers. It robs bows of efficiency but a little set like 1/2 " is sometimes a sign of a bow that's not over built so that's good though to determine that one needs a bit of practice and experience. Still good though as virtually no one by themselves starts out building very low set bows. It's a process. |
Title: Re: New Bow Post by Slyngorm on Jan 13th, 2021 at 10:09am Morphy wrote on Jan 12th, 2021 at 8:21pm:
That is probably the best advice there is. |
Title: Re: New Bow Post by walter on Mar 21st, 2021 at 10:41pm
Red oK 68.5" n-n pyramid. Back is trapped. Heat treated. One and a half inches permanant set. Forty four lbs @ 27".
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Title: Re: New Bow Post by vetryan15 on Mar 22nd, 2021 at 2:44am
Thats so awesome..
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Title: Re: New Bow Post by walter on Mar 23rd, 2021 at 10:58am
Thanks Vetryan! This bow had a half inch natural reflex in one limb so I steam bent the other limb to match it. When I was done tillering, I started to shoot it in. On the second shot at a quarter draw the bottom limb hinged where I had steamed it :-? so I heat treated it then treated the top limb too.
Finished shooting it in yesterday. No hinge. Still even tiller. Happiness :) |
Title: Re: New Bow Post by vetryan15 on Mar 24th, 2021 at 4:10am
I tried the steam bend to fix a propeller twist.it didnt work out. So i know your pain
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Title: Re: New Bow Post by walter on Mar 29th, 2021 at 11:23pm
Almost finished a bow for my 5 year old grandson. Still needs sanding, a riser, a string and staining.
It is 48" oa, 3/4" wide to a couple inches past mid limb and draws 10 lbs @ 18". The bend in the handle will dissapear when I get the riser glued on. |
Title: Re: New Bow Post by joe_meadmaker on Mar 30th, 2021 at 7:31pm
Nice! I remember as a child using one of those cheap plastic bows with suction cups for arrow tips. What you've got there is a significant upgrade!
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Title: Re: New Bow Post by walter on Apr 9th, 2021 at 11:10pm
Calling it done
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Title: Re: New Bow Post by Mersa on Apr 10th, 2021 at 1:09am
Nice !!!!
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Title: Re: New Bow Post by vetryan15 on Apr 10th, 2021 at 6:00am
Pretty sweet
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Title: Re: New Bow Post by Morphy on Apr 10th, 2021 at 7:13am
Walter...youre our friend. This is an intervention. Do you make bows 3-5 times a week? Do you need to make bows just to feel normal? Do you turn to bow making when stressed? If so I think youre an addict. But dont worry there is help! The only cure is to make more. So keep at it.
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Title: Re: New Bow Post by walter on Apr 10th, 2021 at 11:34am
Make more slings than bows :-?
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Title: Re: New Bow Post by walter on Sep 29th, 2021 at 10:10pm
Another bow at floor tillering stage for another grandson. 50 inches oa, 4 inch handle 3/4 inches thick by 1 inch wide, one and a half inch fades to one and a half inches wide to mid limb to one half wide at nocks.
Arrow pass 1/4" deep and 1/4" above ctr of bow. Looking for 18lbs at 18" and 20 lbs at 20 inches. |
Title: Re: New Bow Post by vetryan15 on Sep 30th, 2021 at 6:18am
That's awesome. Fantastic
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Title: Re: New Bow Post by Curious Aardvark on Sep 30th, 2021 at 7:30am
I'll admit I know bugger all about making bows, but that notch area in the handle just looks really really thin.
How do stop the wood snapping when the bow is drawn ? |
Title: Re: New Bow Post by walter on Sep 30th, 2021 at 8:07am
It is 3/4" oak at the handle and only pulling 20 lbs max. More than that, I would add a 3/4" riser making the handle area 1 1/2" thick.
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Title: Re: New Bow Post by StaffSlinger on Sep 30th, 2021 at 8:10am
That's more than adequate for a 20# draw bow. He could reinforce the handle area with thin -- 1/8" -- handle plates glued on both the back and the belly.
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Title: Re: New Bow Post by walter on Sep 30th, 2021 at 6:52pm
@ StaffSlinger
That seems like a pretty good solution for higher poundage bows. |
Title: Re: New Bow Post by walter on Sep 30th, 2021 at 6:54pm
@ vetryan15
Thanks vetryan :) |
Title: Re: New Bow Post by walter on Oct 10th, 2021 at 4:23pm
Got it to 20lbs at 18 inches. No bend in the handle, no hand shock. 7/16" permanent set top limb 5/16" bottom. Fast shooting bow. :)
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Title: Re: New Bow Post by walter on Oct 10th, 2021 at 4:30pm
The last pic is the bow just unbraced. Forgot to mention that I also trapped the back and will heat treat after I get it fully shot in.
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Title: Re: New Bow Post by joe_meadmaker on Oct 10th, 2021 at 8:53pm
That looks great walter! Really nice job! :thumb:
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Title: Re: New Bow Post by walter on Oct 10th, 2021 at 9:25pm
@ joe_meadmaker
Thanks joe :) |
Title: Re: New Bow Post by IronGoober on Oct 10th, 2021 at 11:31pm
That is very nicely tillered.
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Title: Re: New Bow Post by walter on Oct 11th, 2021 at 7:47am
@ IronGoober
Thanks! I am having a lot fun shooting this bow in. It is surprisingly fast and smooth. |
Title: Re: New Bow Post by walter on Oct 17th, 2021 at 4:44pm
Finished shooting it in this am. Look, draw and release. Arrows all hitting close together at about 10 yards. Got a dozen youth arrows from 3 rivers. Love them.
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Title: Re: New Bow Post by Morphy on Oct 17th, 2021 at 6:24pm
Looking good man.
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Title: Re: New Bow Post by joe_meadmaker on Oct 17th, 2021 at 6:53pm
I love that image with the arrow in flight! :thumb:
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Title: Re: New Bow Post by walter on Oct 17th, 2021 at 8:33pm
Thanks! I have never shot a bow like this one. A four inch brace height and no (zero) hand shock . Not even any noticeable string vibration. I really just pointed, drew and released. Arrows found their target like heat seeking missles ;D
Now, I have to make a 45lb bow behave like a 20 pounder. May take a long while and cause a lumber shortage :D |
Title: Re: New Bow Post by vetryan15 on Oct 18th, 2021 at 6:56am
Thats awesome. I need to work on my other works in progress
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Title: Re: New Bow Post by walter on Oct 18th, 2021 at 7:22pm
@ vetryan15
Got your fire wood in yet? This was my winter wood in the Rockies at 9,800 feet elevation in the Rocky mnts cut with an antique hand saw. ;) |
Title: Re: New Bow Post by Kick on Oct 19th, 2021 at 4:48am
That's a beautiful bow. Great work!
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Title: Re: New Bow Post by walter on Oct 19th, 2021 at 9:11am
@ Kick
Thanks Kick! It is a pretty good design for a kid bow. |
Title: Re: New Bow Post by vetryan15 on Oct 19th, 2021 at 8:28pm
Unfortunately i just started cutting about 2 weeks ago. A little behind lol. But also comfortable with it, i have about 1 1/2 cords cut and split right now. I just purchased 2 1/2 cords. That will get me through 1/2 of winter, i will be cutting all wimterso i dont fall behind, and maybe get ahead of next year
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Title: Re: New Bow Post by walter on Oct 19th, 2021 at 10:07pm
:thumb:
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Title: Re: New Bow Post by Morphy on Oct 28th, 2022 at 10:55am
Anyone still bowyering out there? Seems like this thread needs a revival of sorts.
So I have 3 bows in various stages of completion and going to start on the poplar board bow while I wait for the various things for the other bows to complete them. One is shooting the other two are at floor tiller. Anyone else working on them? |
Title: Re: New Bow Post by joe_meadmaker on Oct 28th, 2022 at 7:29pm
I still have that one I started with a pine 2X4. I keep planning to get back to it, but never actually do. Now that the weather has started making its turn, I should have some indoor time to put toward it.
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Title: Re: New Bow Post by Morphy on Oct 28th, 2022 at 9:11pm
Nothing like the coming of winter to give you the incentive to start carving some wood. For me it just means my garage isnt 95 degrees.
A pine 2x4? Man so you really want a challenge huh?? If you can make a decent bow out of that you can do anything. |
Title: Re: New Bow Post by joe_meadmaker on Oct 28th, 2022 at 10:06pm
I have a piece of linen I'm going to back it with. Wouldn't even attempt it without that. :D
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Title: Re: New Bow Post by Morphy on Oct 29th, 2022 at 6:50pm
Yeah linen is some good stuff. You know just for the hell of it I wonder how good a pine board thats backed with anything decent could work? Is there a limit to how good it would be or could one potentially make a hard hitting, fast, hunting weight bow from it?
I mean...could you not just cut out a 2x4, sinew back it and potentially make a decent bow? How wild would that be? Imagine killing a deer with a pine fence panel? |
Title: Re: New Bow Post by joe_meadmaker on Oct 29th, 2022 at 10:36pm
I can't say it would be impossible. With a good backing, any tension issues with the wood should be taken care of. I'm not sure how pine holds up on the compression side. The plan for the stud I'm working on was always just to try to keep it over 30 lb @ 28".
This is getting my interest picked back up. I need to get that thing back in the stave press and start cutting away at it again. |
Title: Re: New Bow Post by Morphy on Oct 30th, 2022 at 9:28am
I got my poplar board sitting in the vise right now Joe. It might be that time. Just saying... ;)
We also need Walter and Slyngorm and whoever else we can guilt trip into joining us. For those reading, you dont have to start out with a full size bow. Ive seen entire bow building threads just devoted to building mini bows 6 inches long. The beauty is in the act of creating. Grab a stick and start carving! |
Title: Re: New Bow Post by Slyngorm on Nov 1st, 2022 at 4:33pm
Funny you should mention mini bows, Morphy.
Just today at work, a coworker asked me if I could make a bow for someone's 5 year old son. He even offered to pay me! What would be the correct size for such a guy? Maybe a 50cm bow with arrows with cork stoppers at the tip? |
Title: Re: New Bow Post by Morphy on Nov 2nd, 2022 at 11:16am
For a 5 year old I would go with something like a 100-150 cm bow. Maybe drawing 5lbs max with double nocks so the weight can be raised slightly by using the inner nocks seeing as the little guy would be growing fairly quick.
Once he outgrows the inner nocks you can simply pike it and cut in two more sets of nocks and the bow will live on. I would also make a 3 strand braided fishing line braid the length of his intended draw and attach one end to the riser the other end to the bow string. This will make it impossible to pull that thing back just as far as he can and snap it. Kids are prone to this with wood bows, especially boys who at that age have more energy than common sense. ;) You can find safety tips for arrows. Youll need to find some really light shafts though. Cork might work but I assume it would break down fairly quick. Soft, thick rubber would be my first choice. |
Title: Re: New Bow Post by Slyngorm on Nov 4th, 2022 at 2:28pm
I don’t follow your description of the nooks
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Title: Re: New Bow Post by Morphy on Nov 5th, 2022 at 5:55am Slyngorm wrote on Nov 4th, 2022 at 2:28pm:
Instead of cutting in just one pair of nocks on the bow you can cut in a second pair about an inch below the original on each tip. When the bow is strung on the inner nocks it will gain a little weight so the child can increase the weight of the bow without having to use an entirely new bow. |
Title: Re: New Bow Post by Slyngorm on Nov 5th, 2022 at 12:09pm
That makes sense. Just cut down a stave today. So that mini bow is here before long.
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Title: Re: New Bow Post by Slyngorm on Nov 21st, 2022 at 12:21pm
Forgot how easy, fun and fast it is to make regular bows 😁
Chose to make it 100 cm. The outer limbs still need some trimming, as narrow as possible and maybe a bit thinner, and the second pair of nooks. But perhaps they should be bypassed, considering its size? |
Title: Re: New Bow Post by Morphy on Nov 28th, 2022 at 9:06pm
That full draw pic is the spitting image of a Native American horse bow. Now...if only you could find some buffalo.
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Title: Re: New Bow Post by Slyngorm on Nov 29th, 2022 at 3:42pm
I'll have to ask my local natural history museum for one unfortunately :'(
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Title: Re: New Bow Post by walter on Dec 12th, 2022 at 6:56pm
Kid bows are fun to build and a blast to shoot. I make them 48 inches ntn , 1 1/2" wide to 1/2" at tips. The handles have cut out shelves and sight windows. I brace them at 4" and tiller to approx 10" at 10lbs, 15 lbs @ 16" and 18 lbs @ 18".
My goal is to make a 64" 45lb bow with less than 3/4" permanent set. |
Title: Re: New Bow Post by walter on Feb 2nd, 2023 at 9:12pm
Kid bow in progress: 46.5" oa, 1.5" wide at handle, 1/2" wide at nocks, trapped and heat treated with 1/2" reflex.
Working bow on long string. First pic at rest. Second at 5" draw. Tips moving 3". |
Title: Re: New Bow Post by walter on Feb 3rd, 2023 at 6:04pm
Meant to say 1" wide at handle and 1.5" at fades. ;)
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Title: Re: New Bow Post by joe_meadmaker on Feb 3rd, 2023 at 7:42pm
Looking good as always walter.
Are you still regularly making bows? |
Title: Re: New Bow Post by walter on Feb 3rd, 2023 at 11:18pm
Just got back to it. It has taken 6 months to get over moving and covid. Its all good now :)
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