New to building bows!?!?

[maddog314]

Hello everyone! I normally post in flint knapping, but since my bow building brother (Mark Anderson) moved to scotland I decided it is my turn to start building bows. I am looking to do my first one and I would like to maybe start with a kit or somthing, but they seem to be a little more $ than I am able to do. Do any of you have suggestions? I do need a list of tools I will need as well. Thanks!
Micah

[Crogacht]

Depends how much of a hurry you're in If you want to get going asap, then I would go to a lumberyard and find a nice board of a suitable species. Otherwise you'd need at least a couple of months or so to get a stave prepared fresh from a tree.

As for tools, it rough order of usage:

Hatchet, drawknife, 1 or more rasp (nicholsons/farriers etc), scraper of some kind, sandpaper, round file. And some way to hold the stave securely.

[maddog314]

Thanks I was hopping to maybe build a bow by Christmas. I do have a couple staves up in the rafter of my shop, they are a couple years old. I think one is hickory and the other might be black walnut. not sure if they are any good.

[Crogacht]

If you've already got staves I would use one of those for sure. I'm partway through my first couple of bows, waiting on string material arriving this week, and, while I haven't tried a board, the amount you'll learn working a stave with dips, knots, cracks, bends, holes etc. is immense and I personally think it's the best way to go.

Black Walnut is OK, but from what I hear you sort of want to have some idea of how to handle it before you attempt one of those.

Hickory sounds good I would go with that. Assuming the staves are "decent". If you could get some pictures up, people will have a much easier time letting you know if they're worth using or not. You need to show how straight the grain is and where knots etc. are positioned if possible.


 

[maddog314]

I will try and post some pictures this weekend! I do have some tools. I have a draw knife, hatchet, hoof rasp, and sand paper of different grains.

[George Tsoukalas]

There's info on my site. Jawge
http://georgeandjoni.home.comcast.net/~georgeandjoni/index.html