Author Topic: bow making with hand tools  (Read 20148 times)

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Offline arachnid

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bow making with hand tools
« on: January 22, 2015, 08:07:46 am »
Hi guys.
I've been having some truble with my neighbors lately, claming I'm making too much noise in the building. It seems I have to start using more hand tools and much less power tools.
My main concern is roughing out the bow, when the major wood happens (since tillering is done with hand tools already).

I have a wood saw, wood rasp, spokeshave, plane, files and a scraper.
I'd like to know which hand tools are you all using to rough out the bow (mostly boards, some staves). Thing that remove a good amount of wood. Pictures will help a lot..

Thanks

Dor

Offline Pappy

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Re: bow making with hand tools
« Reply #1 on: January 22, 2015, 08:16:56 am »
I use a draw knife if I don't want to use my Band saw. it will take a lot of wood quick the a farriers rasp to finish hogging it off. :)
  Pappy
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Offline arachnid

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Re: bow making with hand tools
« Reply #2 on: January 22, 2015, 08:40:28 am »
How does a draw knife works on boards? Isn`t there a danger of ripping of too much wood because of the grain orientation in the board?
And how about tropicl woods like ipe? Does a draw knife works good with it?

Offline Drewster

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Re: bow making with hand tools
« Reply #3 on: January 22, 2015, 08:47:11 am »
X2 what Pappy said.  If you use a draw knife with boards, you'll just have to pay close attention to the direction of the grain you're working so you don't split it.......same as working any wood.  Can't help with the ipe.....haven't worked with any.
Drew - Boone, NC

Offline Pappy

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Re: bow making with hand tools
« Reply #4 on: January 22, 2015, 08:47:19 am »
Sorry I can't say, someone will chime in I am sure, I don't do boards or IPE. Works great on staves of all kinds, I think I have heard at least Badger say he uses a draw knife on boards. :)
  Pappy
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Offline mhof86

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Re: bow making with hand tools
« Reply #5 on: January 22, 2015, 08:49:33 am »
It was all rasp for me for the first few. I haven't had much luck with a draw knife on boards though. That being said my draw knife could use a good sharpening.

Offline E. Jensen

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Re: bow making with hand tools
« Reply #6 on: January 22, 2015, 09:25:46 am »
A lot of people also use a hatchet.

Offline The Gopher

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Re: bow making with hand tools
« Reply #7 on: January 22, 2015, 09:35:09 am »
what Pappy said. Also, since boards are flat to begin with i have had great luck using a handplane (like a #3 bench plane), you can set it to take a pretty good slice and remove a lot of wood in a bit more controlled manner than a drawknife (still have to watch the grain). A spokeshave also works well, but again watch the grain.
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Offline bambam

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Re: bow making with hand tools
« Reply #8 on: January 22, 2015, 10:08:43 am »
Get a farriers rasp (used for horse hoofs). These are much more aggressive than a wood rasp. Try to find one where the teeth go all the way to the edge.
He was honest for a politician, meaning he would not steal a red hot stove.   Mark Twain

Offline bow101

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Re: bow making with hand tools
« Reply #9 on: January 22, 2015, 10:12:33 am »
To get 'er down to a workable bow I use a hatchet.  Other than that if you can afford it move out and make some noise.   >:D
"The privilege of a lifetime is being who you are."  Joseph Campbell

Offline ajbruggink

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Re: bow making with hand tools
« Reply #10 on: January 22, 2015, 10:25:48 am »
I like using a drawknife to rough out the bow, I have used it on both board and tree split staves with little problems as long as I cut from handle to tip, not the other way around otherwise it snags and lifts off a large splinter of wood. The only problem with the drawknife is you need something to hold the stave down like a vise or a shaving horse. If you don't have that, hatchet, machete, or a big knife. Then I use a Farrier's rasp or a Shinto sawfile to get it done to the lines. Hope this helps.

Offline OTDEAN

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Re: bow making with hand tools
« Reply #11 on: January 22, 2015, 10:28:00 am »
I use a hand axe to cut the wood close to shape and then bring it too bow dimesions on width and tiller mostly with small draw knife and wood rasp, mostly rasp for close work. Dean.

Offline Joec123able

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Re: bow making with hand tools
« Reply #12 on: January 22, 2015, 10:43:07 am »
I don't have any power tools. I remove all the excess material with a hatchet then when it's roughed out pretty good I use a rasp to do a lot of removal and a scraper for tillering, then sand paper to smooth it out.That's basically all I use to make a bow, oh and a draw knife to chase a ring if needed.
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Offline George Tsoukalas

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Re: bow making with hand tools
« Reply #13 on: January 22, 2015, 10:50:08 am »
Bows have been made without power for millennia.
I don't use a bandsaw but use a belt sander which can be omitted.
For ring chasing-dknife, scraper-like tool (push knife) and shave hooks.
I'd use a hatchet, dknife, and scraper-like tool.
Jawge
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Offline bubby

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Re: bow making with hand tools
« Reply #14 on: January 22, 2015, 11:01:13 am »
Are you working realy late or something, I'd at least talk to them and then if they are just being unreasonable I'd tell them to pound sand, that said try to use the noisy tools at a decent hour
failure is an option, everyone fails, it's how you handle it that matters.
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