Any help would be appreciated!!

[HUNter95]

Well the thing is i have made a about half a dozen bows from saplings, and they've worked out pretty well all between 20-30lbs, but those were just stick bows. every time i start to actually carve out the bow, and make it a self bow, now a stick bow, when i get to the tiller tree i always crack! Ive made them out of maple, and oak, as those are the two types of wood i have readily available, can you guys please give me a couple pointers as to what i should and shouldn't be doing?? thanks a lot guys, take care!!

                               Dave

[druid]

Bend it easily. Remove wood where it is stiff and do not touch where is bending. When bends equal everywhere then go further. You can ruin nothing working this way.

[HUNter95]

how thick should the bow be, when looking at from the side, not the belly or the back. my draw length is 28.5'' if that helps any

 
                    Dave

[Stingray45]

Every piece of wood is going to be different, even of the same species. A safe place to start would be 5/8" thick at the fades out of the handle tapering down to about 3/8" at the tips. But again that's just a general idea and even that changes depending on how wide the limbs are and the bow design you are using. Like druid said, just bend slightly, just enough to seem some bending. Then look for flat spots that don't bend as much and remove some wood slowly until they bend like the rest. Just keep going that route.

[HUNter95]

thanks a lot guys, ill be posting pictures in about 14 days when i get home from camping! and then you guys can kind of guide me along with what to do, thanks a lot for the help fellas!


                    Dave

[aznboi3644]

The bow will be as thick as it needs to be.

[GetWood]

Dont touch the Back of you bow, just take the bark off.
If you do cut into it,then you have to take that/those whole growthring off.The back needs to be strong..

grts Kristof.