Newbie Questions

[Slackbunny]

You should take a look at the Archive section of this website, and also the buildalong section. There is a wealth of information with good pictures to go along with it. Also I'd recommend picking up at least the first volume of the Bowyer's Bible. I believe there are four volumes total, but the first one will get you started.

As for the bow you've got started you shouldn't expect much from it. A 2x4 isn't the way to go for a bow, and like others have pointed out you've got a fairly bad hinge forming, and those knots are going to be problematic even with a backing. But if you are determined to finish it out, i would sand down those knots on the belly, remove that hinge (by removing material everywhere on the limb except the weak spot), and back it with that rawhide that you have. You probably have your work cut out for you getting that rawhide down to thickness without a belt sander but if your patient it can be done.

Once you've finished up with this bow, I'd recommend that you buy a maple or oak board with as straight a grain as possible. I'd also recommend that you go out and cut down a suitable tree (if you have legal access to some) and get some staves drying. I've found self bows to be far more satisfying than board bows.

[Galelyan]

I guess i'll do some stress tests on the backing after the glue and hide finish drying 
I got the leather to a bit under a 1/16"  by scraping across it with my knife, so hopefully that won't work out too badly, assuming the glue holds

Definitely gonna get some better wood and leather for my next go at this, i'm not sure what the laws are about cutting down trees here, but i'll look into it

thanks for all the help everyone

[lostarrow]

I hate to sound negative here, especially to someone starting out. Don't get discouraged by what I say , as there is always an exception to the rule.
   A  2x4 or the like is probably the worst choice for what you are doing. Spruce /Fir /Pine are on the bottom of the list of bow woods to begin with. Couple that with a moisture content of 15% (approx.) and severe violation of knots  and  less than  ideal handleing of the wood from the time it is cut as a tree, and you are setting yourself up for disappointment and frustration ( totaly the wood and not because of your skills.) I'd hate to see you give up ,thinking it's beyond you ,when I know you can do it with the proper piece of wood.
  As a side note, construction grade lumber gets dipped in a chemical bath at the mill (fungicide and pesticide) that you probably don't want to expose your lungs to any more than necessary. It's recommended that you don't burn it and wear a mask when cutting it (not that that ever happens) . Just giving the info here. You do with it what you want.
  The cracking sound you hear is likely from the knots. I would be amazed if any kind of backing would keep that in tact. The rawhide would only keep pieces from flying all about when this one blows.
  You mentioned cutting some trees as well. This is a great way to make a bow,...................... If you know what you are doing. It's not just a matter of chopping it down and shaping it into a bow.  You have to know what you are looking for in a tree. Hidden insect damage ,knots ,spiral grain, disease, etc,etc,etc, will all make a tree worth more to everyone left standing, than cut down and turned into a failed bow. Consider the amount of time a tree has taken to grow to that size and endeavor to craft something that will last at least that long . It doesn't always work out that way but it makes you think long enough that you will pass on something that doesn't really suit your needs. After you cut it(assuming you didn't incorporate any damage due to improper felling) It then needs to be split (maybe) and seasoned  properly ,so it doesn't mould, crack  , check  etc. This could take a few months or a few years.
   IMHO your best bet would be to get 1x2 board (Oak,Maple,Ash, Hickory) with nice straight grain, and check out the build along that "Bubby" has on this site   or check out GeorgeTsoukala's website which can also be found through this site. A little more time on research will payoff greatly with time not wasted with the wrong board. Best of luck !Looking forward to seeing that first bow.

P.S. it never hurts to find a mentor in your area that you can talk to face to face. Saves a lot of time typing.

[Galelyan]

Duly noted 

yeah cutting down a whole tree when i'm still on my first bow is a tad bit excessive haha, but i'll definitely take up that piece on the 1x2, had i done that in the first place this process would probably have only taken me half the time

does the draw weight of a bow and it's length-draw length ratio depend on the wood? because to get a longer draw length we remove wood from the limbs, but removing wood reduces the bow's draw weight and the strength of the limb in exchange for flexibility doesn't it? So if i choose a type of wood that isn't naturally really springy am I signing myself over to a weaker bow?

hey, just saw your comment on the other newbie posting about bows exploding from low moisture content, I'm in a dorm room so... what should my moisture level be and is there a way for me to get there somewhat accurately?

[Marks]

You might want to consider the laws regarding building weapons in your dorm room as well as having the hand tools and knives you have in there as well. Weapons are a real touchy subject right now with all the gun control talk and I'm gonna go out on a limb and say bows in dorm room might be frowned on. Maybe I'm wrong though. Good luck with your bow. I'm building my first one as well so I'm no help as far as how to build it.

[Galelyan]

yeahhhh, i really don't want to get into a discussion on weapons controls on a craftsmen's forum, but i'm keeping quiet on what im doing  how's your first going for you?

[Maxspin]

Galelyan,
I recommend that you spend some time looking at the following.
George Tsoukalas  http://georgeandjoni.home.comcast.net/~georgeandjoni/
&
Sam Harper http://poorfolkbows.com/index.html

Make sure you understand what kind of board you are looking for (Straight Grain). Don’t expect to find good boards every time you look. If you have several hardware stores that carry hardwood look at them all.  I would go no shorter than 68” for a first bow.

Keith

[lostarrow]

Short answer :yes!  Every piece of wood is different ,even within the same species. Learning what stlye ,size , weight and draw each is capable of comes with experience. The beauty of this site is you can draw on the accumulation of hundreds of lifetimes worth of experience  from all over the world . Thanks again PA for providing this to all of us!

[Marks]

yeahhhh, i really don't want to get into a discussion on weapons controls on a craftsmen's forum, but i'm keeping quiet on what im doing  how's your first going for you?

Mine is going well. I started from cutting my own osage tree and I'm to the point of shaping my handle and getting ready to start tillering. This is the part that is scary. Mistake at this point can be costly.