what justifies a price of 600 for this type of bow?

[PEARL DRUMS]

It's worth whatever people are willing to pay for it.

BINGO

Just look at what some hot shots get for self bows that look just the same as what most of us build. And a good bit of self promotion never hurt a price tag either. 

[LittleBen]

It's worth whatever people are willing to pay for it.

BINGO

Just look at what some hot shots get for self bows that look just the same as what most of us build. And a good bit of self promotion never hurt a price tag either.

Yeah I mean really. If they're selling me for $600 they're worth $600 by definition.

Plus asking the question here is just crazy because everyone here does produce their own bows. To a guy with no bow, and no means to make one, $600 ain't much to get into a nicely made bow from a name you might recognize.

[wizardgoat]

Some guys sell wooden bows on fancy sites for too much money IMO, I understand there's lots of hidden costs in running this kind of biz, but still, a lot of money. 
That 600$ could buy so many tools and supplies to make wood bows, which is what most of us do anyways

[paulsemp]

Correct me if I'm wrong I do not know a lot about that type of bow fabrication but aren't all these bows still done by hand to a certain point. It's not like they're just cut out on a CNC machine and thrown in a box for shipping. You still need semi talented craftsman to do each part of the process. Or am I wrong?

[PEARL DRUMS]

Some are all mechanical with a touch of hand sanding at the end, some have more hands on. But none are truly hands on until you get to the customs made by a guy in his garage shop.

 CNC mills have dominated the mass produced bow market for about 10 years now. New tooling and fixtures allow mass produced wood products off machines that were dedicated to steel/aluminum parts prior. Hydraulic presses are used for laminating more so that hoses and air by the commercial companies.

[paulsemp]

Thanks Chris was not aware.

[Badger]

   600.00 is not a lot of money to charge for a hand made bow. If a guy just wanted to make $20.00 per hour which is very little for someone with their own tools and shop. Suppose his stave and supplies cost him $100.00. That means he has 25 hours or 3 days work to get the bow out the door. 25 hours is a reasonable time for a bow with a nice finish, handle wrap etc. If a guy has the skill to go faster and still put out a quality product he shouldn't have to penalize himeself.

[bradsmith2010]

to make a fiberglass bow is a whole different skill set,,, you might have the skill to make one,, but would not be able to make a wood bow,, and the the other way around as well,,, if you figure the price of the material,, and the labor to put one together,, it is not unreasonable,, if you figure your time for cutting a tree and rasping out a fine shooting self bow,,,you might make 10 per hour,,,and your tool cost and material would come out of that,,, wood bows are a labor of love,,, really no way to but a true monetary value on them,,,, just like a painting,, how do you put a value on something that took years to develop the skill to do,, you cant,, there is a price the market will pay,, but that is not the whole story,,, if you really want to know,, buy a kit from bingham and put a bow together,, you will have a better idea of what and why prices are like they are,,

[bradsmith2010]

good point Badger,, I was posting when you were,, I like your take on it

[Badger]

 Just for the heck of it I am doing a little bit of a time study on some bows I am doing now. They still have some moisture so I am working them down over a period of weeks but keeping track of the time. 90% hand tools with a little belt sander work around the handle and tips. I don't think using a bandsaw saves much over about an hour at the most 2.

[bubby]

Actual work time on a lam all wood bow isn't all that much but the tools, surface planer, beltsander, table or bandsaw thats what runs the cost up, if you figure the stack and taper out the bow can be 90% after glueup

[bubby]

I also didn't get into building bows to go from start to finish as fast as i can, i enjoy the trip

[TolkienFan]

In my recent gorging on YouTube bow-making videos I saw the Bickerstaffe bow videos and they made some really clean and nice long bows.  Looked them up and they cost between 300 pounds all the way up to 650 pounds!!! They look pretty nice but the only bow I would pay that much for is Simson's Fancy Boo Backed ERC  .

My first bow I was when I was 16 and I got a Martin x-200 recurve for right around $200.  I still have it and shoot it and enjoy it a lot.  I looked a lot at the Bear bows and almost bought one a few years later.  I think making my own is a lot more fun and satisfying and now the only bows I would pay money for are some of the incurable ones you guys make.

[Joec123able]

I also didn't get into building bows to go from start to finish as fast as i can, i enjoy the trip

Exactly I take my time as well, I don't even think about time. It's fun to go your own pace.

[Gordon]

On balance, an average quality mass produced bow should have better performance, consistency and reliability than an average hand-crafted bow because of the engineering and quality control that goes into mass producing a product. That’s partly why armies around the world use mass produced weapons rather than hand-crafting them. So if that’s important to you then yes, such a bow is worth $600.