Author Topic: First post, first bow  (Read 5443 times)

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Offline stonebender

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First post, first bow
« on: September 12, 2009, 07:35:28 pm »
Hey guys.  I've been reading this forum and other sites as a guest for a few months now.  I have always wanted to make my own bow but never got around to it until a few weeks ago.  Reading this forum really gave me a can do attitude about it all.  As this was my first attempt I decided to keep it as simple as possible, red oak 1x2 from HD and I backed it with a thin strip of white oak from a hardwood store.  The string is B50 flemish.  Wrapped the handle with some suede, tied with goat leather thread.  It is 70" nock to nock.  About 40# at 28".  I wanted to keep the draw weight light because I am very new to bows in general, in fact this is the first one I own!  Now my problem is that I want to build more bows.  Next I want to do one more oak board bow to hone my tillering skills, then I want to move on to some true wood staves, longbows, warbows...  Jason     



Offline Del the cat

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    • Derek Hutchison Native Wood Self Bows
Re: First post, first bow
« Reply #1 on: September 12, 2009, 08:04:23 pm »
Hey that's a great start...ha, ha ...you are ours now...you can never go back... >:D
So many bows to build...
<exit screen left cackling wildly>
Del
Health warning, these posts may contain traces of nut.

Offline Pat B

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Re: First post, first bow
« Reply #2 on: September 12, 2009, 08:21:47 pm »
First of all, welcome to PA Jason, and to the wonderful world of archery!  8)
   I commend you on your first bow and your attitude towards learning to tiller properly first!
Your limbs are bending nicely and overall you did an excellent job on your first bow. You will fit right in around here.  ;)
  Only criticism I have is your handle area is larger than it need to be, even with a cut out shelf. When I lay out a handle I mark the center of the bow and go up 2" and down 2" for the actual 4" handle(some go up 1 1/4" and down 3 3/4") and add 1 1/2" to 2" for the fade into the limbs. This will get you more working limb and thus a more durable bow. The way you built yours won't hurt anything but I prefer a smoother transition from handle to limb.
  Your choice of woods was a good idea too. The white oak should make a good backing for red oak.
   Pat
Make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes!    Pat Brennan  Brevard, NC

rattlesnake

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Re: First post, first bow
« Reply #3 on: September 12, 2009, 08:37:41 pm »
i think its wonderful!!...nice job...snake

Grunt

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Re: First post, first bow
« Reply #4 on: September 12, 2009, 09:31:22 pm »
First four arrows out of your first bow are something else. Really cool. Good job on the bow. Keep at it and have some more fun.

Offline Jmilbrandt

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Re: First post, first bow
« Reply #5 on: September 12, 2009, 09:38:24 pm »
Good job on your first bow and welcome to PA!
SW Utah

Offline woodstick

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Re: First post, first bow
« Reply #6 on: September 12, 2009, 09:43:41 pm »
very nice job, be warned this is a drug at first a little will do but now alittle wont do no more. you are a junkie. have fun with it.
a drawn bow is a stick 9/10 broken

Offline nugget

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Re: First post, first bow
« Reply #7 on: September 12, 2009, 10:13:48 pm »
You are hooked now. Nice job on your first one.
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intentions of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body. But rather to slide in sideways, thoroughly used up, totally worn out and loudly proclaiming....WOW WHAT A RIDE!!

Offline JustAim

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Re: First post, first bow
« Reply #8 on: September 12, 2009, 10:19:45 pm »
Like all the others said, great job on your first bow! Feels good dont it?  8)

Offline zeNBowyer

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Re: First post, first bow
« Reply #9 on: September 13, 2009, 04:35:44 am »
Good  'on  ya,
   Looks  like  you  had  fun:)
"There's  something  immoral  about  abandoning  your  own  judgement"
Cowards always run in  packs
Ishi did not become the arrow, I suspect. The arrow became Ishi.

Offline OldBow

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Re: First post, first bow
« Reply #10 on: September 13, 2009, 12:29:20 pm »
Cool - Do pay attention to PatB's advice on the handle. Got your bow bookmarked under Laminate Bow of the Month Fun.
When you're retired, every day is Saturday

Offline recurve shooter

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Re: First post, first bow
« Reply #11 on: September 13, 2009, 01:42:09 pm »
much better than anything i have made.  ;D
lets just shoot it

radius

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Re: First post, first bow
« Reply #12 on: September 13, 2009, 05:05:06 pm »
good one man, now get busy!

Offline tombo

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Re: First post, first bow
« Reply #13 on: September 13, 2009, 09:56:13 pm »
bender - Excellent first bow. Just wait until you realize that you can cut your wood from a tree and make an even better bow!
Tom

Shooter_G22

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Re: First post, first bow
« Reply #14 on: September 14, 2009, 03:18:06 am »
great job on your first bow,

   glad to see that you had success and looks like your on your way to becoming a bow making junkie :o...   i pesonaly have blown up more than i have ever completed and thats probably becuase of not starting out proper like you did... i tried to make em short with heavy draw and no backing...  guess i should have done some study and research like yourself befor jumping in...  but we all live and learn...  well, i commend you on your bow great job...  look foward to seeing more bows from you. ;)