mallard_drake85 Posted April 10, 2007 Report Share Posted April 10, 2007 Any yall ever made your own bow?? my bro and i are in the process of tillering our bows we made....they are Hedge (Osage orange) with bamboo backing and cocobola tips and riser, they are 64" tip to tip and between 60 and 65 lbs when they are fully tillered. we just finished making our stings (alot easier than i thought it would be) i cant wait to harvest a deer with a bow and arrow i made. (we also knap arrowheads out of flint, chert, and glass) any yall do that kind of work?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toddyboman Posted April 10, 2007 Report Share Posted April 10, 2007 Re: Hand Made bows Nope. That would be sweet to kill a deer with a bow and arrow that you actually made!! Good luck Lets see some pics of your bow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VTbowman Posted April 10, 2007 Report Share Posted April 10, 2007 Re: Hand Made bows I have made a few "board" bows but have not hunted with them. I use Hickory mainly since its available up here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magnatecsteve Posted April 10, 2007 Report Share Posted April 10, 2007 Re: Hand Made bows I would like to eventually, I know of one local fella that makes his own bows and has for quite a few years. I have thought about asking him to coach me on one someday. Really sounds neat that you're doing one yourself, lets see some pics! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimPic Posted April 10, 2007 Report Share Posted April 10, 2007 Re: Hand Made bows I made an ash bow and a sinew backed osage static recurve.Fun to make and shoot--I might make another this year.Let's se some pic's--I'd like to see the knapped heads too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tominator Posted April 10, 2007 Report Share Posted April 10, 2007 Re: Hand Made bows I read an article about a guy in Kentucky that makes longbows from Osage, and have been trying to find a suitable piece of wood ever since. I think I have a nice stave now, (thanks to my buddy Tom) but now I don't have the time. Hopefully this summer I'll be able to work on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Huntress Posted April 10, 2007 Report Share Posted April 10, 2007 Re: Hand Made bows My dad spent 20+ years making his own bows and arrows. I picked up on the trade when I was 8 or 9 and kind of grew out of it. I made my first Bodark longbow when I was 8. I always wanted to sinew back it but never did. It was a lot of fun for sure! I went to shootin a fiberglass Bear recurve but it is still nice to get my little bow out once in a while and fling some arrows! Congrats on your bows! I hope you take many dear with them! Marijane Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhunt Posted April 10, 2007 Report Share Posted April 10, 2007 Re: Hand Made bows Have never tried to make one. How about posting some pics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hardwood_HD Posted April 10, 2007 Report Share Posted April 10, 2007 Re: Hand Made bows I always thought it would be neat to do but never have done it...cant wait to see pics of yours Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toddyboman Posted April 10, 2007 Report Share Posted April 10, 2007 Re: Hand Made bows [ QUOTE ] Osage, and have been trying to find a suitable piece of wood ever since. [/ QUOTE ] I was walking around on our land the other day and found a bunch of hedge trees that would be great for making bows. Straight 6ft tall sections before it branched all over. If I just knew how to do the rest of the bow making. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PAstringking Posted April 10, 2007 Report Share Posted April 10, 2007 Re: Hand Made bows that would be quite an accomplishment to kill something with a bow that you made. doesnt get much more traditional then that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tominator Posted April 10, 2007 Report Share Posted April 10, 2007 Re: Hand Made bows [ QUOTE ] [ QUOTE ] Osage, and have been trying to find a suitable piece of wood ever since. [/ QUOTE ] I was walking around on our land the other day and found a bunch of hedge trees that would be great for making bows. Straight 6ft tall sections before it branched all over. If I just knew how to do the rest of the bow making. [/ QUOTE ] Good luck. What you think is straight, ends up with a bunch of twists and knots once you split the wood. One source that I've found said that 80% of the staves he starts with are useless for bows. Here's a decent site. http://www.solartracker.com/archery/osagebow.htm There are others out there too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VTbowman Posted April 11, 2007 Report Share Posted April 11, 2007 Re: Hand Made bows Here is one I have going now. I takes me a long time as I do a bit and then put it down for months sometimes... Its hickory I got from a hardwood rough cut mill here in VT. The grip is Cherry I had in my kindling bin. I plan it to be around 60#@26 but we all know how tillering can go. 64" ntn and 2.5" wide at the fades. I styled the grip after an old recurve so this is an experiment bow hybred. LOL Obviously it needs more tillering. Its at about 80# in this pic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magnatecsteve Posted April 11, 2007 Report Share Posted April 11, 2007 Re: Hand Made bows VTbowman, looks real good so far! That's gonna look real nice when finished I'm sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VTbowman Posted April 11, 2007 Report Share Posted April 11, 2007 Re: Hand Made bows My garage or the bow...??? LOL (Thanks...) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mallard_drake85 Posted April 11, 2007 Author Report Share Posted April 11, 2007 Re: Hand Made bows I would post some pics, but my camra (a cheap gift from grandma) doesnt work anymore. however im in the process of trying to find a new one and then ill post some pics for yall. mallard_drake85 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magnatecsteve Posted April 12, 2007 Report Share Posted April 12, 2007 Re: Hand Made bows LOL! Trut me...your garage is IMMACULATE compared to my pole barn!! : Yeah, the bow looks like it shaping up REALLY nice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParsonsOutdoors Posted April 20, 2007 Report Share Posted April 20, 2007 Here is one I have going now. Obviously it needs more tillering. Its at about 80# in this pic. I've read and heard that you should never pull your bow past the 'desired' draw weight during the tillering process. It causes excess stress and weakens the limbs some causing excess cast. I made a little bit of that mistake on the one I made. I overbuilt mine also to make sure it was more durable than fast. It launches a 540 grain arrow at a screaming 158 fps. It's still plenty strong for deer sized game. My first kill was a red fox directly under the tree. The next was a fat mature doe at 18 yds. She only went 28 yds then fell over. Once you start making your own, you may never switch back to a compound. It's addictive!!! JP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest realtrhunter Posted April 20, 2007 Report Share Posted April 20, 2007 You need to bring some pics to school so I can check your bows out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LLBUX Posted April 26, 2007 Report Share Posted April 26, 2007 Tominator- I cut a 12" hedge log last summer and had it sawed into quarters to dry. I cut these quarters in half on my bandsaw and made them available to my kids in Shop class to make long bows. Two kids took the challenge and made bows from scratch. It was a lot of work with a draw knife and spokeshave, but they were successful. I have several staves remaining and maybe I'll have time this summer to make my own bow. Good luck to you! Arnie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tominator Posted April 26, 2007 Report Share Posted April 26, 2007 Tominator- I cut a 12" hedge log last summer and had it sawed into quarters to dry. I cut these quarters in half on my bandsaw and made them available to my kids in Shop class to make long bows. Two kids took the challenge and made bows from scratch. It was a lot of work with a draw knife and spokeshave, but they were successful. I have several staves remaining and maybe I'll have time this summer to make my own bow. Good luck to you! Arnie Hey Arnie, Good to see you posting. Give ol' Lane a knuckle sammmmich from Uncle Chris. I actually found a nice piece on Tom's property last year. Letting it dry now, and hopefully, I'll have some time to use the draw knife this summer. That's some hard wood though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LLBUX Posted April 27, 2007 Report Share Posted April 27, 2007 Can't slip one by you Chris- Lane will be tickled to hear from Uncle Chris. If other members want to build an Osage long bow of their own, you can come by and pick up a stave from me. Always glad to meet others and share the wealth of bowhunting. Chapin, IL is my home and I teach in Waverly, IL. Good luck all! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Posted April 30, 2007 Report Share Posted April 30, 2007 Any yall ever made your own bow?? my bro and i are in the process of tillering our bows we made....they are Hedge (Osage orange) with bamboo backing and cocobola tips and riser, they are 64" tip to tip and between 60 and 65 lbs when they are fully tillered. we just finished making our stings (alot easier than i thought it would be) i cant wait to harvest a deer with a bow and arrow i made. (we also knap arrowheads out of flint, chert, and glass) any yall do that kind of work?? You bet!! When I was 11 years old, I made my first bow. I carved it out of a hickory that I cut off the hill. My Dad had some old draw knives up in the shop and actually, it looked kind of the way it should. I made arrows out of willow branches (no fletchings or broadheads) The string was bailing twine. It actually shot pretty good for the crude way it was built. A few years later, my Dad started to build custom laminated recurves. I bought him a paper-back book on bow manufacturing for a Christmas present That was all I could afford), and it must have sparked some interest because it wasn't too long afterward that glue laminating jigs and ovens showed up along with a full array of other specialized wood-working machines and tools. He was cranking out some pretty nice bows, but soon realized that any thoughts he had of competing with Fred Bear was simply out of the picture. However, everybody in the family wound up with a custom made recurve, and we were all started off on a fanaticism for archery. For you guys that have the skill and patience of building 100% of your equipment from the ground up, and successfully using it to harvest a deer, all I can say is that you have my total envy. I can't think of a more rewarding way of approaching archery hunting. That feat is one that you can rightfully brag about. Doc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rut-Nut Posted April 30, 2007 Report Share Posted April 30, 2007 Gonna try this in a few weeks................hopefully! A friend I met thru our state bowhunting org. offered to show a few of us how it is done. He has all the tools and the 4 of us split the cost of the raw materials. ALl we have to do now is find the time to get together to start our bows. He is going to walk us thru it every step of the way. Can;t wait to get started! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.