BOW: build-a-long

Md 25v

Md 25v

Joined
Jun 11, 2008
Messages
1,409
Had a request for a build along on a bow so I made a short vid that shows how I went from board to bow. Here is the vid:


[youtube]6wWUPjJI-Ks[/youtube]




Here are some progress pics from during the build:



This is the board I started out with

bowboard.jpg



My friend roughing his bow out with a draw knife (push knife the way he uses it:D)

029-1.jpg



My bow tips roughed out

032.jpg



Tips glued up

042.jpg



Deer toes from a failed nock attempt

055.jpg

058.jpg



Tiller stick

tillerstick.jpg



Finished bow

bowfinished.jpg

083.jpg
 
That's awesome!!! My son loved the video...he's been making sapling bows recently and really wants a recurve bow (I have a PSE as a Christmas present). I really like this tutorial...just excellent:thumbup:

ROCK6
 
TheHunt said:
Looks great!

How does it shoot and how many lbs?
Click to expand...

It says twice in the vid. 62lbs at 27in.

I broke it in today with 140 shots at full draw. Shoots much faster now and the stacking doesn't happen until the very end of the draw.
 
No worries.
I'm halfway through another one already. Its a recurve thats only 60in long and will be 40lb at 26in when I'm done. It is a style that was picked from the second volume of TBB and has three scalloped edges above and below the handle on the left side. It's an odd little bow but should be a fast shooter. I'll post pics when I'm done if there's interest.

P.S. the Holmagaard bow in this thread is fully broken in now and has a draw of 61lb at 28in. I got half an inch more than expected after breaking in the limbs and its shooting much faster now. I usually don't see much difference in speed from breaking in but this one was a pleasant surprise. I also recontoured the handle to be more comfortable and its close enough to center that it shoots like and english longbow but with a smoother pull.
 
Md, what kind of wood did you use? Think Im going to try and make my own, thanks for all the info!
 
Do you mind me asking why you put so much material in the blade tips? It would seem to be the last place you'd want the extra weight and stiffness but you probably have a good reason for doing it.
 
The bow sucked. I was trying to follow measurements from a historical bow. There is another thread I made later after removing a full 2/3rds off the tips and retillering and the bow shot much faster. I'm on my cell right now so I can't link the thread but the cast per pound was so greatly improved that it was like a whole different bow. I'm actually hunting with it on Tuesday

Edit to add- Here RiverJohn, this should explain it http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=793330
 
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Hey, I have one of thease I made a while back out of a similer piece of red oak, And I got the profile cut and shaped, riser glued on and then shaped, but It seems really hard to draw for me, and I can pull an 80lb bow. Do you think I should start removing wood from each limb till I get it pullabull? When I first made it, I used a planer to thin it down.
 
If you didn't tiller it then it's not a bow. Its just a board that flexes.
Tiller the bow. Don't worry about it not going well. At this point your using it as a learning experience. The bow will shoot faster after it's tillered to you desired draw weight and length because it will be efficient and not carrying extra mass. Good luck.
 
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