Beginner - which tools will i need?

[Apprentice]

I checked it out again. 15mm was the thickest, however none of them had acceptable grain. I found one that was 8mm thick but 360cm long (figured I would split it in the middle and glue together). It had really nice grain for about 320cm, the last 40 they kind of gradually ran off to the side, but I figrued that would work if I used the straighter piece on top.

However, whats a normal width for a bow blank? I was thinking of splitting it down the middle to make two blanks, but I didn't dare because it would be 16mm thick and maybe to thin.
For a bow blank it would be 1.35 inches wide (3.45cm) and 16mm thick split down the middle.

So would it work to split it down the middle or would keeping it as one be safer to have more width?

[El Destructo]

I normally only make Paddle Bows from Boards...so I get the 1" X 4" X 1" boards and only make one Bow from a Board....plus I will look and if I see one that is wider and the Grain is good I will but it to split it...bout Normally I buy a single Board for a single Bow...as for Gluing two together...that would work in a Pinch...don't they sell 4/4 or 6/4 Lumber at this Shop? I would go for a straight peice of 6/4 ...si I had the thickness to make a Bow out of every 2 inches of width of the Board....JMO

4/4 = 13/16"
6/4 =  1-5/16"
8/4 = 1-13/16"
12/4 = 2-13/16"

[chuckp]

A picture is worth a thousand words. Would someone go into more detail and explain to me why the bottom cuts are the most desirable in the stavewood jpg.

[cracker]

Haven't read all the posts but the most important tool you can own is probably the traditional bowyers bible series of books.Ron
P.S. if someone already posted this I'm sorry to repeat it.Ron

[Neolithic]

Hello Jonathan.

I also live in Skåne, a couple of kilometres east of Lund, and they've been thinning the forest in the vicinity and a lot of straight and branch-free logs are laying about in the woods (they are serviceable, but a bit thin, because they keep the larger trees). There's plenty of them so if you live close by and feel like scavenging the forests for free material let me know and I can explain how to find them. They are mainly maples, but you can find a bit of everything. Can't guarantee that you'll have any use of them, but you might as well give it a go. They'll just rot away otherwise.

Edit: The traditional bowyer's bible series are really great. You can borrow them at Lund city library if you feel like it.