affordable materials and bow backings

[The beginner bowyer]

Hello everyone,

I am new to this group and was wondering if I could get some advice, I am very limited on material due to my location being a small town I dont have access to a lot of options when it comes to wood. one option I have is Ash is this a wood you would recommend? I am also having issues finding information on bow backings iv heard fiberglass drywall tape works but i dont really like the look of it so input on affordable backings would be much appreciated.

thank you   

[Digital Caveman]

Large dog chews have good rawhide, though you'll probably have to sand it down.  From what I've read, I think a bow out of almost any wood will work in the very driest environments with a rawhide backing if the bow is designed right. 

[capitainepatenaude]

Hello,


Ash is good bow wood most of the time. If you have bad ash (which is light, tight ringed and somewhat porous), you have to make it longer and larger. If you are working from board, get straight grained board (red oak, ash, hickory). Just take the heaviest you can find. If the grain is perfectly straight you won't need to back your bow. Hickory should be your first choice when selecting a board

I've made bows from imperfect red oak boards and backed them with beautiful paper. They were 68 inches long, 30-40 lb at 27'' and are still alive today. No need to use dry-wall tape and make an ugly bow. I must add that if you have a board with many runnouts, their's no light backing that could save your bow on the long run.

In addition to paper and dry-wall tape, you could use rawhide (which you can order from ebay) and sinew. You can find those easily if you know hunters or if you have a butcher specialised in wild game near your home. You can alson look on ebay.

Do you have access to trees or only to boards? If you have access to trees, you won't need any backing at all.

Have fun

[ibex]

Jared hung out in my garage building bows when he was a kid. Now he's full grown with a family and still at it. You're asking the right group Jared! Steve

[Del the cat]

Don't use fibreglass drywall tape. There are plenty of natural alternatives linen or silk cloth, canvas. Charity shops may be a good source of material in the form of shirts or ties... many years ago I bought my wife a real nice pair of silk pyjamas ... she never wore them tho'  ... maybe I should use 'em as a bow backing? 
Del

[George Tsoukalas]

Ash is a good bow wood. I've used linen, silk, and burlap as good inexpensive backings.
More on my site.
Jawge
http://traditionalarchery101.com

[bjrogg]

Don't use fibreglass drywall tape. There are plenty of natural alternatives linen or silk cloth, canvas. Charity shops may be a good source of material in the form of shirts or ties... many years ago I bought my wife a real nice pair of silk pyjamas ... she never wore them tho'  ... maybe I should use 'em as a bow backing? 
Del

I’d like to see that bow Mr.Cat.

All very good advice. I’ve heard of guys using wheelbarrow handles, axe handles sledge hammer handles.

Welcome to PA

Bjrogg

[Morgan]

The most affordable is free. Get with tree service people, farmers, power company line clearing crew etc. If there are any hardwood trees that grow naturally in your area, one of those should provide a stave source even if it is limited. If you have hardwood growing locally, do a search on Craigslist or Facebook for sawmill service. There may be a permanent or portable sawmill operating in your general area, if so you could get boards fresh cut off the mill and know they are handled properly from that point on.

[Woody roberts]

Can you tell us the general area where you are?

[The beginner bowyer]

Souther utah

[Pat B]

Welcome Jared. Like said above, silk, linen both make a good backing and both can be bought cheap at a thrift store. Men's neck ties, usually a dollar or 2 at a thrift shop gives you design and protection. Brown grocery bag paper works pretty good too. It's pretty cheap or free. I've never used burlap but if George says it works I would believe him. Air is the cheapest backing for a stave bow with a good, clean back.

[scp]

Get a 1"x2"x8' hardwood board. Do not cut it short. Leave the one feet in the middle alone. Narrow the actual width of 1.5 inch in the middle to 1/2 inch at the tips. String it and see how it bends. If worried about breaking it, just use epoxy to glue any fabric on the back. Once you learn to see how it bends, you will be able to tiller it successfully. I would just use a carbide scraper on the belly. It would be rather difficult to fail to make a shootable bow this way. The longer, the safer. But by and by, you will cut it to around 72 inch long. If still concerned, start with a 1"x3"x8' board. It will just take much longer unless you reduce the thickness of working limbs  to 1/2 inch first. If you can find a quarter-sawn hickory or osage board, it would almost impossible to to fail. Good luck. 

[bownarra]

Get a 1"x2"x8' hardwood board. Do not cut it short. Leave the one feet in the middle alone. Narrow the actual width of 1.5 inch in the middle to 1/2 inch at the tips. String it and see how it bends. If worried about breaking it, just use epoxy to glue any fabric on the back. Once you learn to see how it bends, you will be able to tiller it successfully. I would just use a carbide scraper on the belly. It would be rather difficult to fail to make a shootable bow this way. The longer, the safer. But by and by, you will cut it to around 72 inch long. If still concerned, start with a 1"x3"x8' board. It will just take much longer unless you reduce the thickness of working limbs  to 1/2 inch first. If you can find a quarter-sawn hickory or osage board, it would almost impossible to to fail. Good luck.

It would bend too much in the middle? No need to make a bow over 68 inch for a standard drawlength.

Get yourself a copy of the Traditional Bowyers Bible and follow the 'your first bow' chapter. A basic pyramid design is the simplest style to make.

[scp]

If you make the stiff handle 36 inch long, even a 8 feet bow would act more like a 60 inch bow with much better string angle at full draw. Then, there are very long Japanese bamboo bows. I have no idea how much of its middle is stiff.

[sleek]

I've written an article for the Primitive  Archer magazine about how to make a bow from ax handles. You basically splice two handles together and make your bow. It will be the February/March issue. Id go into detail on it  but I dont want to ruin my article. Happy to help you out though if you decide you want to make a hickory ax handle bow.