Help for beginners

[kyleighterry]

Hey everybody, new to the sub and happy to be here. I’ve wanted to build a traditional self bow for around two decades now and finally am in a position to do it, does anybody have any advice on finding wood to use? A little clarification: I watched the Dan Santana video on the board bow and liked it but I really don’t want to have to glue on an extra section of wood for the handle. I would really rather use a more traditional stave and work it from there. However, I am hoping not to have to wait two years from the time I find a good stave. Are there lumber yards that sell seasoned wood in appropriate cuts for bow making? I’m in northern Colorado if that helps anything. Thanks for getting to the end of this long winded question but I am very enthusiastic about this, albeit a bit lost as to where to start. Been watching Correy Hawk’s stuff for a while, making it to one of his courses is definitely bucket list. Thanks everyone!

[Muskyman]

I’ve bought a few yew staves from ravensbeak. They are seasoned 4-5 years typically. That said, they are a little pricey at around $300.00 +- And you might find something else online.
You could also make a bend through the handle board bow. If you’re really lucky someone on here might have a stave they would part with.
Either way you’re definitely on the right site to get help. Some really good people and advice to be had on here. Good luck.

[willie]

I am hoping not to have to wait two years from the time I find a good stave.

you can build bow a month from cutting the stave if you dry it correctly.

what kind of trees do you have nearby?

[Del the cat]

Here's my advice from my blog, but I don't know what trees grow near you;-
https://bowyersdiary.blogspot.com/2021/04/advice-for-beginners.html
Del

[PEARL DRUMS]

Spend the money on a nice osage stave and don't look back. I don't buy osage and have no idea what it goes for. But, I know its less than yew by half, I'd bet. Paul Comstock's flyer "The Bent Stick" is a very simple, generic build and easy to follow guidleine. Traditional Bowyers Bible 1 and 2 are a few more priceless learning tools. Take your time a success is very achievable. I tend to stay away from YouTube stars. There is a lot of blah, blah, blah, blah, with no experience behind it. Clay Hayes vids are some I would suggest. He's just a guy making bows like just a guy would. You will need a pencil, 12" flexible ruler, sharp draw knife, 3/16 chainsaw file, a few half round rasps and a scraper. The rest is just work and patience.

[Aaron1726]

I'm still a beginner myself, but I'd recommend starting with a board bow first.  You can always find your tree, split your staves and start the drying process now, but while you wait why not start to get some practice on a cheap piece of lumber.  I've made plenty of really decent bows from red oak boards from the store.  Just take care to select ones with straight grain. 

By starting with boards you can get started quicker and if you fail, it's easy enough to get another one started.  Then when your staves are dry you ought to be ready for the challenge.

Good luck with this no matter what path you go.  This place is great with lots of folks willing to help you along the way.

[RyanY]

Spend the money on a nice osage stave and don't look back. I don't buy osage and have no idea what it goes for. But, I know its less than yew by half, I'd bet. Paul Comstock's flyer "The Bent Stick" is a very simple, generic build and easy to follow guidleine. Traditional Bowyers Bible 1 and 2 are a few more priceless learning tools. Take your time a success is very achievable. I tend to stay away from YouTube stars. There is a lot of blah, blah, blah, blah, with no experience behind it. Clay Hayes vids are some I would suggest. He's just a guy making bows like just a guy would. You will need a pencil, 12" flexible ruler, sharp draw knife, 3/16 chainsaw file, a few half round rasps and a scraper. The rest is just work and patience.

Osage stave prices have blown up, Pearlie. Not saying they’re not worth the cost but the relative price might be difficult to afford.

I’d still recommend doing a board bow but just don’t do one with a glued on handle. It’s such an inexpensive and easy way to start and get experience.

[Selfbowman]

Pearl he’s from Colorado. My experience with Osage is its to dry there for Osage unless you keep it in a room with a humidifier to control the moisture. That being said hickory will do better in my opinion . You know I’m a Osage guy. Mointain juniper also works good there I’m told. I seen sinew on most of them at the flight shoots. You might go with a maple board bow with bamboo glued on the back. Guys tell me if it’s not a good combination. I can hook you up with a bamboo supplier. That’s s the hardest part starting without dry wood. Been there done that. Pearl gave you good information though.

[Eric Krewson]

The bottom line; new guys break a few bows before they get it right, it is best to break a few boards than a $300 osage stave. There is nothing to glueing on a handle, every bow I ever made from billets had a glued-on handle, I never had a problem with them and made at least 100 billet bows out of osage.

The next issue is what kind of tools do you have? You can make a bow with a hatchet but having an aggressive rasp, a 4-way file and drawknife makes things go much easier. If you tackle osage a drawknife is a must.

I have backed osage, red oak and hickory with bamboo, all made very good, durable bows with no set. Hickory backed with bamboo will surprise you, you can't tell it from osage as far as performance goes.

[superdav95]

Lots of good advise here to get started.  If budget is the main concern then just do a couple board bows first like was already said.  They are inexpensive and good way to cut your teeth so to speak.  If you have hickory in your area and have access to some it’s a great way to set a stave bow build fairly quickly like Willie said.  You can get a very good bow out of a fire hardened hickory stick that is forgiving and performs well.  The tools would be basic hand tools and it’s a great way to start.  This is how I started.  Just work it green and clamp to a form and let air dry for a couple weeks before heat treating and usually good to go.  Humidity and location depending of course.  Heck using a heat gun for first few works for heat treating but then graduate to coal pit.  Best of luck. 

[bjrogg]

Agree with all the advise already given. Even if it might be totally different.

A lot depends on how much the bug bites you.

How determined you are to bring that piece of wood back to life.

How it affects you when it does.

If you become hopelessly addicted to building and shooting Selfbows. Start gathering anything you can for local woods. Reduce a few to closer to bow dimensions. It won’t take as long to dry. Could clamp on form.
 
Try to give yourself the best chance by using good wood to start with. One successful bow is very encouraging. A bunch of broken ones not so much.

You can learn a lot of skills with a piece of firewood though. Don’t be afraid of it. Play with it. Even scrape wood . Learn to chase rings. Glue handles. Make splices.



You can make a great bow with the few tools mentioned.

A couple more really help though.

A good heat gun
A good form to strengthen and shape bows profile
A good supply of clamps
A way of steaming recurves
A good wall mounted tillering tree.
One of Eric’s tillering gizmos
Also it’s important to learn our vocabulary. We use simple words but if you don’t know what they mean you might get confused.

Welcome to PA

Bjrogg

PS don’t be surprised to get several different suggestions for one question. They’re probably all right depending on your situation and location.

[JW_Halverson]

Hey everybody, new to the sub and happy to be here. I’ve wanted to build a traditional self bow for around two decades now and finally am in a position to do it, does anybody have any advice on finding wood to use? A little clarification: I watched the Dan Santana video on the board bow and liked it but I really don’t want to have to glue on an extra section of wood for the handle. I would really rather use a more traditional stave and work it from there. However, I am hoping not to have to wait two years from the time I find a good stave. Are there lumber yards that sell seasoned wood in appropriate cuts for bow making? I’m in northern Colorado if that helps anything. Thanks for getting to the end of this long winded question but I am very enthusiastic about this, albeit a bit lost as to where to start. Been watching Correy Hawk’s stuff for a while, making it to one of his courses is definitely bucket list. Thanks everyone!

Hey, I am just up north of you in the Black Hills of SD. I've got a couple board bow blanks glued up. I can shape the fadeouts for you, too, since that is really the toughest part of the deal and the part most first timers struggle with. Send me a private message and I'll hook you up. I am not a stave dealer, but I have a stave or two if you wanna talk about those, too.

[JW_Halverson]

Pearl he’s from Colorado. My experience with Osage is its to dry there for Osage unless you keep it in a room with a humidifier to control the moisture. That being said hickory will do better in my opinion . You know I’m a Osage guy. Mointain juniper also works good there I’m told. I seen sinew on most of them at the flight shoots. You might go with a maple board bow with bamboo glued on the back. Guys tell me if it’s not a good combination. I can hook you up with a bamboo supplier. That’s s the hardest part starting without dry wood. Been there done that. Pearl gave you good information though.

Hickory would do just fine, but I can tell you that it's not too dry for osage. The Black Hills is far dryer than Colorado and I make osage bows without a problem.

[Selfbowman]

J W I hang out in Colorado some times for a month or so before I go to the flight shoot .im from central Tx . After three years of the Colorado summer thing my record bow blew up. I checked the moisture and it was to dry. It could have been something else it’s wood after all.i also sent one to Salt Lake City and it did not last a month . Could have been me the bowyer. I could not see anything wrong with it though. I’m glad to here of your success with Osage in the black hills though. What are you sealing them with JW?

[JW_Halverson]

J W I hang out in Colorado some times for a month or so before I go to the flight shoot .im from central Tx . After three years of the Colorado summer thing my record bow blew up. I checked the moisture and it was to dry. It could have been something else it’s wood after all.i also sent one to Salt Lake City and it did not last a month . Could have been me the bowyer. I could not see anything wrong with it though. I’m glad to here of your success with Osage in the black hills though. What are you sealing them with JW?

My finishes are typically shellac, polyurethane, TruOil (been a while since I used it because I am lazy), and 2 part epoxy thinned with acetone. A couple bows of mine went to Noatak Alaska where they were hung outdoors on the cabin in -40F temps and virtually zero relative humidity. But then, I don't build aggressive designs and go for high risk returns. I am content with bows that perform well enough but last a long time. You flight shooters love to lick the razor's edge!