Introductory post, perhaps more?

[bitterarcher]

Hello good people!

So i'm just a nobody checking in from Eastern Europe and i'm here looking for some guidance for my first bow build. Since i'm so poor i'd have to sell a kidney to afford anything my resources are pretty much limited by what i can gather in the wild or salvage from around the city.

I hope that primitive doesn't mean only selfbows else i have to go look for help elsewhere? I would like to make a takedown bow for a nearly 32in draw length but relatively low draw weight - something that's good for a beginner with no prior experience in archery.

I've acquired some oak wood (Quercus robur) that could be used for limbs, if not then surely it can be used for a riser? Some pics...

[bitterarcher]

Some more pics...

[Parnell]

Hello and welcome to PA.  This post should likely be moved to the "bows" section for more help.

Sounds to me like you should start reducing this stave to near bow dimensions and let it dry for a month or so if it is brand new before moving on.  That's a very long draw length.  Are you extending past your mouth?  Perhaps you can consider "short drawing" while learning with this piece of oak. 

Let's see if we can get this moved...you'll get lots more people to chime in for pointers.

Good luck and again, welcome!

[bitterarcher]

Hey, yeah i wasn't sure where to begin so i just went for the most "general chat" looking board.

I'm kind of tall with long arms so my calculated draw length (arm span divided by 2.5) ends up somewhere between 31 and 32 inches.
I chopped down this oak some three days ago and only debarked it a few hours ago. I've coated the ends with some PVA glue for drying.

I don't know where and when to begin with splitting this log, i do know i won't be making a selfbow out of the whole thing. With a bow length of some 72 inches i think the relatively branch free portion of this log would probably be sufficient for a couple of bow limbs measuring between 25 to 30 inches each.

[mullet]

First, I would split the log down the center and coat the ends again. And with your draw length I would consider going with a bow 66-68" in length. Let the wood dry for 6 months to a year, I don't know what kind of weather you have where you live.

[Jim Davis]

With your draw length, you are correct, you want maybe 72" nock to nock.

For billets, you need 36 inches, at least. 38 inches would be better, since a splice will take up at least a couple of inches.

Jim Davis

[Josh B]

First off...welcome!  That's the good part of my post.  As far as your potential stave...you're going to want to find a better piece of wood for your first bow.  That chunk of wood looks to have about 180 degrees of propeller twist that will be problematic to say the least. Look for another piece and take note of the bark before you cut it.  If the bark looks like it twists around the trunk, the wood underneath the bark does too.  Find a nice, clean and straight tree that the bark runs straight up and down and ideally has enough length that you don't have to make a takedown or deal with splicing billets.  For the first few bows, you want to make things as easy on yourself as you can.  Once again, welcome!  Josh

[mikekeswick]

Hi and welcome!
Yes forget about making a 3 piece takedown - they are a lot more complex than you might imagine. You will need tools galore to make a good one.
Find a good 74 inch tree and make a selfbow. Selfbows can be made with just a knife and a few basic tools.

[loon]

How about the Mead longbows sort of take-down design? Especially with a lighter weight, it should be doable I guess. Or maybe the sort of bhutanese design.
Hmm... what about this guy?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ibX_0LgbTEw
Maybe steamed r/d could increase draw length?..

[bitterarcher]

I was hoping to start practicing archery with my homemade bow at least by the end of this summer. I will need more wood anyway so even if this log is utterly useless for bow making it's not too big of a setback, however, i don't really want to wait more than a month or two for my first bow build while the wood dries so i might end up making my first bow out of some old skis instead.
I am in total agreement that for my first build i shouldn't make things more complicated than necessary but carrying around a full length bow is also going to be problematic. I figured i would go for the easiest takedown design i can find to have a more portable bow that i can take with me when i'm cycling out of town.

If not for the bow, could this oak be used for arrow shafts instead?