Author Topic: New guy with some materials to make my first bow  (Read 2145 times)

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Offline CritterPreserver

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New guy with some materials to make my first bow
« on: December 11, 2013, 12:08:34 am »
Hi everyone, I got to say I really like this forum, really strong good hearted community on here. Let me just say I have many other community forums not per say bowmaking but still a forum setup that i'm involved with and this one really has there stuff figured out. I've been reading a lot of the threads on here the last few days kind of at random since I'm new to this bow making but not to woodworking Ive built many different small projects and have plenty of tools too so equipment wise im prepared just not to knowledgeable with the design factor and some of these interesting techniques you bowers posess, like some of the threads ive read about such as backing materials, which I say you guys use almost everything under the sun to back bows, one thread I read said something about using bull penis tendon for backing on a bow... if I may just put my two cents in, I completly support multi-tasking but come on guys thats a baseball game fully equiped and then throwing in hey you know what lets build a bow. Which no offense  to the experimentive minds out there but Id rather not on my part haha ;D all the more power to you guys! lol. Im guessing those who want to know a bit more about these materials I have for my first bow build are exaclty since thats a part of the subject of this thread so Ill get on with that, right now I just ordered some ea-40 laminating epoxy, some maple, cherry, and some left over dark walnut that should be sufficant for a riser/grip on the bow that I make, it was going to be a gun stock I was making but the project went dead after I decided not to make it, so lets just say I have a fine looking piece of wood just waiting to be used... haha, girls dont get excited. Many of you guys may be wondering what kind of bow I hope to make and its most likely going to be a multiple piece wood laminate Im just not sure of the dimensions and draw and poundage of the end product, im also still looking to get my hands on some bisen horn for a horn tips on it but if I cant get any of that I always can use whitetail antler I suppose since I have plenty of old racks laying around. Let me know what you guys/gals think and thanks everyone and happy bow making to everyone!  :D

Offline DuBois

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Re: New guy with some materials to make my first bow
« Reply #1 on: December 11, 2013, 02:08:21 am »
Hey there, welcome! Yeah, that was me asking about the bull penis. Butcher had some bison penis layin around and asked me if it would work so I thought I'd ask about it. Not worth the work for a little penis sinew  :'(
Anyway, hope your plan works out well. I'm sure someone with more experience may have some suggestions.
Marco D.

Offline PEARL DRUMS

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Re: New guy with some materials to make my first bow
« Reply #2 on: December 11, 2013, 07:51:22 am »
Id suggest a very simple one piece bow, probably a board. It wont take long to build and it will teach you a multitude of things you can use on your lam bow dream you have cooking. Starting right off with a tri/bi lam will be tough. But, if your anything like me? You'll do it anyway.
Only when the last tree has died and the last river has been poisoned and the last fish has been caught will we realize we cannot eat money.

Offline CritterPreserver

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Re: New guy with some materials to make my first bow
« Reply #3 on: December 11, 2013, 08:43:38 am »
Hey there, welcome! Yeah, that was me asking about the bull penis. Butcher had some bison penis layin around and asked me if it would work so I thought I'd ask about it. Not worth the work for a little penis sinew  :'(
Anyway, hope your plan works out well. I'm sure someone with more experience may have some suggestions.
Marco D.
Nice to meet you! Omg that topic had me dying :D I didn't even get to read all of them some of the others responses were just too much lmfao

Offline Blaflair2

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Re: New guy with some materials to make my first bow
« Reply #4 on: December 11, 2013, 10:31:22 am »
I agree with pearlie on trying to make a board bow. They can be decent shooters and pretty basic to make. George has a build along on his site. Maybe he'll chime in
Nothing ventured nothing gained

Offline CritterPreserver

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Re: New guy with some materials to make my first bow
« Reply #5 on: December 11, 2013, 12:34:27 pm »
Id suggest a very simple one piece bow, probably a board. It wont take long to build and it will teach you a multitude of things you can use on your lam bow dream you have cooking. Starting right off with a tri/bi lam will be tough. But, if your anything like me? You'll do it anyway.
What would you suggest if I did go with the tri/bi laminate, like some important things I should be aware of and with the material I have currently like combination wise, I was thinking a black walnut riser with maple and cherry but I could get ahold of some oak also?

Offline CritterPreserver

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Re: New guy with some materials to make my first bow
« Reply #6 on: December 11, 2013, 12:38:02 pm »
I agree with pearlie on trying to make a board bow. They can be decent shooters and pretty basic to make. George has a build along on his site. Maybe he'll chime in
Thanks for the words I may go with a one piece, not sure yet but who is this George and what is his site, I Deffinatly want to check out his work?

Offline PEARL DRUMS

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Re: New guy with some materials to make my first bow
« Reply #7 on: December 11, 2013, 12:52:48 pm »
Riser materials are almost insignificant. Its what is bending that matters. Osage, hickory, yew, white oak, and maple make nice backings. Osage, yew, white oak, ipe and maple make nice bellies. Things to consider on lam bows:

Perfect glue lines from end to end

Very flat slats that are actually able to be glued flat and clean to one another

No knots on the back at all, not even pins or thorns. Same goes with a single piece board as well.



Only when the last tree has died and the last river has been poisoned and the last fish has been caught will we realize we cannot eat money.

Offline CritterPreserver

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Re: New guy with some materials to make my first bow
« Reply #8 on: December 11, 2013, 04:44:25 pm »
Riser materials are almost insignificant. Its what is bending that matters. Osage, hickory, yew, white oak, and maple make nice backings. Osage, yew, white oak, ipe and maple make nice bellies. Things to consider on lam bows:

Perfect glue lines from end to end

Very flat slats that are actually able to be glued flat and clean to one another

No knots on the back at all, not even pins or thorns. Same goes with a single piece board as well.
So a risers only purpose is for a hand grip on the bow and has no structural benefit your saying? Im going to be using ea-40 2 part epoxy, but yes even glue lines are key to get the best hold between the wood for the best hold, would you advise roughing the wood areas being glued for best hold, ive done this for autobody work so i figure it would be just the same?