Bare-bones tool kit?

[WhistlingBadger]

Hey, kids.  I have next week off work, and I think I'm finally going to get started on a board bow, maybe with sinew backing eventually.  I'm reasonably sure I'm going to have a job for the foreseeable future, but I don't want to go spending a ton of money either.  So, here's what I'm thinking:

--A biggish chopper/cutter for roughing out.  Hatchet, kukri, something like that.
--A furrier's rasp.  I already have one, so it's in the kit.
--A shinto rasp--I hear they're a lot easier to use than a furrier's, and they're fairly cheap, so I might pick one up.
--A couple C clamps to hold the aspiring bow to my picnic table while I work.
--Tape measure, chalk line, ruler.
--I have some lumber that might eventually turn into a tillering board.
--Various knives, files, and sand paper that I already have lying around.

Any glaring omissions here, or is this enough to get my started?

Thanks--Thomas

[High-Desert]

There are always tools you can ad, but you have the basics there. Me took that I love, is the micro plane, they are cheap, about $14, and it’s the tool I use after the farriers rasp and before a scraper. But you can definitely do with that list there. The C clamp and picnic table was my first bow building bench when I started at 12, didn’t upgrade to a regular bench till I was mid 20’s. 

[George Tsoukalas]

Sounds good. I had a bad experience with a tillering board. Consider making a rope and pulley.
Also, a wood worker's vice with a leather sleeve is a good buy.
I'm wondering if you can mount the vice on a 2 x 4 and then use the c clamps to clamp to the table.
I don't thin the C clamps alone will do much for keeping your work steady and you all get frustrated.
Jawge

[Mo_coon-catcher]

Pencil, pocket knife, tape measure, straight edge, drawknife/machete/hatchet(for roughing), ferriers rasp, 12” bastard file (smoothing over corners), stout straight scraper for majority of tiller work that I can put some weight into, curves scraper for funky staves, Sand paper and a flat board for good glue lines on overlays, and a chainsaw file for nocks are what I use to make everything. And still need a fine bastard file, sharpening stone, burnishing rod and oil to keep everything sharp. I can reduce the tools to machete, ferriers rasp, scraper, pocket knife, tape measure and pencil and still not have a difficult time. The scraper and rasp are just for clean lines. So a bare minimum for a usable bow is a pencil and machete/hatchet since you can use it as a scraper to tiller and clean lines. The measurements can be done with body measurements.

Kyle

[WhistlingBadger]

OK, cool.  Thanks, guys.  I've read that a kukri can pull double duty as a scraper/draw knife (not too shabby in a brawl, either) so I might go with that.  I'll let you know how it goes.

T

[Hawkdancer]

Maybe a small to medium drawknife and sharpening stuff, and a good scraper set, the English furniture scrapers are very good, but I used my Buck 119 hunting knife.  The Shinto will cost around $30-$40 if you can find one in your area.  The farrier's rasp works well with a handle, but both have a learning curve. You could do your rough out work with the rasps, but a band saw is quicker, maybe a buddy has one.   I'm in the sharp tool camp, dull tools don't cut well, but will cut you!  A large bottle of patience is also good to have !  Bow making can be similar to trying to herd cats or elementary/middle school students! :
Hawkdancer

[Handforged]

OK, cool.  Thanks, guys.  I've read that a kukri can pull double duty as a scraper/draw knife (not too shabby in a brawl, either) so I might go with that.  I'll let you know how it goes.

T

I think that will turn out to be a bad decision. Kukri are wonderful knives but they're not a draw knife. a sharp hatchet, draw knife, rasp, scraper. You can expand that list in any direction that you want but those are the essentials for me.

[Ricardovanleeuwen]

 You can also make some tools yourself from old other stuff, made my drawknife from An concrete Saw blade, the blade is a bit on the thin side but It does its job ( i double edged my draw knife, one Sharp and one dull side for Bark removal so i dont have to sharpen or dull one every time) and made the machete like knife from a worn out agricultural machine, the handle is made out of soaked dog chew winded with sisal rope and then sanded in to form

[bassman]

In the winter I build bows with all hand tools in my cellar. String,pencil,straight edge,sharp ax, good draw knife ,half dozen sharp rasps,and rough to fine sand paper,and some kind of finish like shellac,poly , bee's wax mixed with turpentine, and linseed oil, leather ,and backing. A GOOD SHARP DRAW KNIFE IS A MUST if you are going to build on a regular basis. When the weather breaks, I use all the power tools that I own,and can use along with hand tools in my outside shop.

[Eric Krewson]

I just happen to have an extra tillering gizmo, PM me your address And I will send it to you for free. This is an extra fancy curly maple gizmo, I wasn't paying attention and put the nut in from the wrong side. When I saw my error I drilled from the correct side and installed another nut in the right place. I came back and ran a 5/16" bit through the first nut to take the threads out of play. It works perfectly and actually looks kinda' neat withe the brass nut on the bottom.

[WhistlingBadger]

I just happen to have an extra tillering gizmo, PM me your address And I will send it to you for free. This is an extra fancy curly maple gizmo, I wasn't paying attention and put the nut in from the wrong side. When I saw my error I drilled from the correct side and installed another nut in the right place. I came back and ran a 5/16" bit through the first nut to take the threads out of play. It works perfectly and actually looks kinda' neat withe the brass nut on the bottom.

Wow, that's awfully nice of you!  PM sent.