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How do you make a bow? (Read 3963 times)
bobquail
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How do you make a bow?
Apr 2nd, 2005 at 6:08pm
 
Hello I would like to know how to make a bow. I was thinking of making one of yew but I don't know how. Could you help me. Thankyou for your time.
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Re: How do you make a bow?
Reply #1 - Apr 2nd, 2005 at 6:12pm
 
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Johnny
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Re: How do you make a bow?
Reply #2 - Apr 2nd, 2005 at 9:06pm
 
This is a good starter:
http://p081.ezboard.com/fpaleoplanet69529frm13.showMessage?topicID=354.topic

Remember this, it's not the type of wood you use but the design of the bow that counts. You can make a fast, durable bow out of most any wood.
Johnny
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Re: How do you make a bow?
Reply #3 - Apr 3rd, 2005 at 3:54am
 
I think that composite bow is a bit complicated.  For most people, let alone those just starting out.
  Johnny is absolutely correct.  If you made a bow out of willow or pine with wide, rectangular limbs, then it would probably shoot quite fast.  Having said that, if you can get hold of yew, then do so.  It's not a good wood if you aren't very experienced with carving (or bowmaking in general), however.
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Hellfire
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Re: How do you make a bow?
Reply #4 - Apr 3rd, 2005 at 9:25pm
 
From what I heard, yew has an interlocking grain so it is very hard to split without a razor bladed axe.
To English-
Is it true that very good English longbows were actually made of heartwood on the belly because it can stand compressive force, and sapwood on the back, because it is elastic?!? That is an inverted grain... sounds very difficult to manufacture or even attempt..

Anyway, I suggest going to that same website www.primitiveways.com/ and checking out the "sapling bow" I also suggest sinew backing it, because then it is not likely to fail on you even if you do screw up, its cheap insurance....
well.. cya later
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english
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Re: How do you make a bow?
Reply #5 - Apr 4th, 2005 at 5:51am
 
I don't think yew has an interlocking grain.  I know birch and elm do, but that's it, to my knowledge.
  The sapwood in yew is not terribly elastic, really.  The heartwood is the thing that gives it power.  That's how the stone age yew longbows with no sapwood were still very effective shooters.  But the sapwood is the natural foil of the heartwood, and it prevents rising splinters, and that kind of thing.
  What do you mean by "inverted grain"?  Sapwood is naturally on the back, and heartwood on the belly; that is how the tree grows.
  Anyways, that article on "sapling bows" is pretty good.  If you want to know about bowmaking, go to that.  Alternatively, you could buy the Traditional Bowyers Bible, vols 1-3.
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Lionheart
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Re: How do you make a bow?
Reply #6 - Apr 4th, 2005 at 6:58am
 
I made my first bow today, I just found a bendy twig the right size and thickness, stripped the bark off and tillered it so both sides bent equally.  Ill post pics soon.
Rik
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Re: How do you make a bow?
Reply #7 - Apr 4th, 2005 at 8:32am
 
That's a good way to make a bow.  It will launch arrows, and if all you want is a little light target shooting then a stick bow is perfect.  And if you make some good arrows, then it should shoot fine.  Any old stick will do for a bow, but arrows are important.
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Lionheart
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Re: How do you make a bow?
Reply #8 - Apr 4th, 2005 at 10:01am
 
Oooops broke that bow by drawing it too far  Cry.   However now im making a bigger one, ive stripped the bark off, I now need to split the stave with a hammer and axe, and then tiller it.
Rik
PS, although i didn't fire my stick bow, it seemed to have a decent snap to it when i pulled the string back.
But hey, now i have a set of nunchucks!
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english
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Re: How do you make a bow?
Reply #9 - Apr 4th, 2005 at 2:42pm
 
Don't dry fire a bow, ever (that's drawing it and loosing it without an arrow).  That will break it.  And let it season a while.  Green wood breaks much easier than dried out wood, and if you draw it early, the bow, with it's moisturised cells, will take set much quicker.  So season it for a couple of weeks, maybe a little less if it's a stick bow.
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Re: How do you make a bow?
Reply #10 - Apr 4th, 2005 at 7:09pm
 
Hey, this thread made me go out and make a stick bow of my own. I cut a 5' piece of willow, no limbs and pretty straight. I let it dry beside the hot water tank for a week. Then yesterday I went at it with my pocketknife and a piece of sandpaper. After about 45 minutes I had both sides the same (When I was a kid I made tonnes of stick bows and they were pretty lethal, I killed many packrats, and gophers and such) Then I strung on a piece of nylon cord so that runs along the back before spanning the belly. This just gives 'er a little more kick(says me, but I could be wrong) Then for the arrow I dug up an aluminium one I found stuck in a tree somewhere. It's a little short and needed to be straightened but what the hell. I took it outside and to my shock it worked well. After a couple of adjustments to the tillering it even shoots straight. It is about 25 lbs pull (Will be much more once the wood is completely dry and if I tighten the cord along the back up. But from 15 meters I can hit my dart board and it sinks into the shed pretty good if I miss.

I took some pics, and will post them later.
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Hellfire
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Re: How do you make a bow?
Reply #11 - Apr 4th, 2005 at 9:43pm
 
To English
I did see an article once about some guy who figured out how to make a longbow out of yew that he made with a smaller peice of wood. What he did was that he inverted the grain, even though it was a pretty tight circle, he sinew backed it and it fired very well.
I dont know how he did it, but he says that he makes them pretty regularly and sells them, maybe it explodes into splinters after a while? no idea
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Re: How do you make a bow?
Reply #12 - Apr 4th, 2005 at 11:00pm
 
YAY stick bows i made a 1 pound stick bow i know i know its sad but it was made when it was green and it set lol
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Re: How do you make a bow?
Reply #13 - Apr 5th, 2005 at 6:11am
 
Im makign a new one now, a bit bigger bit still probably a stick bow, its made of a cut branch.  i think the wood is already dead, as it wasn't very green, but ill let it season for a bit before i tiller it.  As i dont have the tools to split it, I'm using a rasp to remove the wood from the belly, as it doesnt need to be split halfway.  Then ill let it season for a while, before tillering and stringing.  I also found a good straight stick for an arrow, but is there anyway to make it straighter, and wht can u use for the fletchings instead of feathers?
Thanks, Rik
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Re: How do you make a bow?
Reply #14 - Apr 5th, 2005 at 6:37am
 
I personally wouldn't use anything other than feathers for fletchings.  Nothing else works as well, in the same way.  Paper, leather, pounded bark, and leaves can all work, but sometimes they are too heavy or difficult to use.  So if you can find some feathers, use them.
  Willow makes a bad bow.  But I think that with the nylon backing, it should work ok.  Nylon does work well, it's not just your opinion, it's actually fact!
  The sinew backing that the guy put on would definitely prevent most splinters.
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