Homemade Bow

[MJD]

We have an assortment of talented folks on this board. I am curious if anyone has made a bow from scratch? I have been pondering this as a winter project and was curious if anyone has experience or insight to share.

I have done a rudimentary amount of research and have access to a few well-seasoned ash logs to use as a source material.

I'd be using this for shooting and not actually hunting....just find it enjoyable to take on a project to stretch my skills. Welcome any thoughts and experience folks can share.

 

[theotherwaldo]

I made a canvas-backed red oak long bow.
It tillered out to about 45 pounds.
I don't use it as much as the other bows, but it's good for exercise, practice and SCA events.

 

[Mk-211]

I think it was Alaska the last frontier that I was watching, they had made a bow or crossbow out of PVC pipe.

Came out pretty good, worked well enough for homesteading.

 

[theotherwaldo]

A fella on YouTube called Backyard Bowyer can show you a lot of ways to make PVC pipe bows - and other stuff... .

 

[thirty-eight]

I am curious if anyone has made a bow from scratch?

You bet, and ash is usable as bow wood. Misinformation on the subject of traditional bowmaking abounds and I suggest studying a text or two on the subject before starting. The Bowyer's Craft by Jay Massey is very good and Saxton Pope's Hunting With the Bow and Arrow (1925) is superb. If there were ever a place to avoid the You-tube garbage, this is it. I found producing really fine arrows more difficult than the bow itself. To paraphrase Ishi, "arrows kill deer."

 

[Shanghai McCoy]

The Traditional Bowyers Bible, edited by the late Jim Hamm, has been a long standing source for building self bows and other types of traditional wooden bows. Volumes 1 and 2 will give you plenty of information for your project.
There is an annual gathering of self bow builders in Missouri every July called MOJAM. It's a week/weekend of bow building with plenty of help,advice,friendly competition and food.

 

[jdsingleshot]

Second the Traditional Bowyer's Bible series. First volume is the most useful for bows. Primitive Archer forum is very helpful.

I quit counting how many bows I've made after I reached 100.

 

[Shanghai McCoy]

Add my vote for the Primitive Archer Forum as well.

 

[JeffG]

I am curious if anyone has made a bow from scratch?

Yes, two. Maple board bows, backed with hickory. This one I put a rattlesnake skin on the back also.

 

[kBob]

I have not seen it but I understand that the early 1950’s BSA Archery Merit badge book had useful information in it….. unlike the current one.

My Uncle made bow, arrows, and bowstring for his badge and I played with the bow around 1960 after he was aged out of scouts.

People use “Boy Scout” as a snide comment, but the scouts used to teach valuable skills.

When the wife got interseted in Bee Keeping we spent $$$$ on building a real library on the subject. The current BSA dropped Bee Keeping as someone might get stung or there was not enough interest or some such. I recalled a buddy in the 1960’s that got his badge and looked for a Merit badge book from that era. Found one and it was the most useful of all our books! Bare bones, but what you NEED and little else.

See if your local library has copies of the older issues or surf Flea-bay or some such. The older the print date the better.

-kBob

 

[MJD]

Wow! Some very good resources right off the bat.

@kBob .....Eagle Scout here and will see about old texts....my Archery badge book didn't include that 20 years ago!

@JeffG ....beautiful bow and like the snake back.....any random tips and tricks welcome from your experience...same to @jdsingleshot and @thirty-eight and all others as well.

Very much appreciate the book and forum references from all....looking forward to digging in.

 

[JeffG]

@JeffG ....beautiful bow and like the snake back.....any random tips and tricks welcome from your experience...

Take your time, and don't rush. I was self taught, and I owe all my knowledge to the Trad Gang forum. https://www.tradgang.com/tgsmf/index.php

The knowledge base there is fantastic. Board bows are one school, self bows and laminated bows are others.

Three Rivers Archery is your friend.
JeffG

 

[Kingcreek]

I made an Osage orange self bow from a stave I cut on my farm. 55# at 28” draw. It would probably shoot a lot better if it wasn’t me pulling the string.
I had a lot of help. I traded some other staves with a bowyer for a day long bow making lesson and went home with my bow and 6 broadhead hunting arrows and 6 target arrows (cedar shaft with turkey feather fletching. Made a leather arm guard and a coyote pelt quiver.

 

[Dirty Bob]

I made a "bundle bow" (like Arnold's bow in Predator), though mine is of bamboo and draws about 30 pounds. I got eager to try it out before the bamboo had seasoned properly, and it took a set. Still works, though, and it was EASY to make. I think there's a pic of one in one of the Traditional Bowyer's Bible volumes...maybe book 1 or 2.

A good source of info is the Primitive Ways site (http://primitiveways.com/). I found some good articles there, including the idea of a cable-backed bow, which allows mediocre bow wood to still do the job! My wife was very patient when we saw a couple of cable-backed Native American or Eskimo bows in the Field Museum in Chicago and I got really excited and had to look at them for longer than she thought was sane. That website also has some good "quick and dirty" ideas if you're in a hurry.