Author Topic: How i work on bows without a vice  (Read 4493 times)

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Offline Joec123able

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How i work on bows without a vice
« on: November 14, 2013, 04:12:48 pm »
Since my vice broke on me I had to come up with a way to work bows easier so here's how I work on them now. All it is is a large Y shaped fork piece of Osage all I basically do is sit the bow in the middle of the Y and Basically sit on the bow lol use your own body weight to hold the bow down and it seems to make raspig easier and allows you to rasp with two hands it allows you to work the handle the limb thickness and width you just have to move the bow up and down the fork








I know this looks and sounds so stupid and I was hesitant to even post this lmao but hey trust me it does work very well
I like osage

Offline Gsulfridge

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Re: How i work on bows without a vice
« Reply #1 on: November 14, 2013, 04:22:48 pm »
What ever it takes man!!  Pretty creative.
Greg Sulfridge, Lafollette, TN

Offline lostarrow

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Re: How i work on bows without a vice
« Reply #2 on: November 14, 2013, 04:24:05 pm »
Nothing stupid here. Looks like a good use of what is on hand.

Offline AhMunnaEChoo

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Re: How i work on bows without a vice
« Reply #3 on: November 14, 2013, 04:45:22 pm »
I just got a vice last week, prior to that Id work sitting in the floor with the stave in my lap,  wrapping my leg over it, or wedging it againts the floor/wall and my waist (belt) and working away from me... It worked but the vice makes things muuuuch nicer. Thats my first bow stave there.. ;D


ok, n/m I'm not sure how to upload pics
Jack of all trades, master of none.

Speaking of Primitive methods... just try sounding it out!

Offline BOWMAN53

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Re: How i work on bows without a vice
« Reply #4 on: November 14, 2013, 05:01:23 pm »
before i made my work bench i used to clamp my bows to an old book case and sit on it, used it like a bow bench.

Offline Joec123able

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Re: How i work on bows without a vice
« Reply #5 on: November 14, 2013, 05:11:03 pm »
I just got a vice last week, prior to that Id work sitting in the floor with the stave in my lap,  wrapping my leg over it, or wedging it againts the floor/wall and my waist (belt) and working away from me... It worked but the vice makes things muuuuch nicer. Thats my first bow stave there.. ;D


ok, n/m I'm not sure how to upload pics


Lol I did the exact same thing
« Last Edit: November 14, 2013, 05:22:00 pm by Joec123able »
I like osage

Offline IdahoMatt

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Re: How i work on bows without a vice
« Reply #6 on: November 14, 2013, 05:22:21 pm »
Very crafty.  That's putting a crotch to good use >:D

Offline huisme

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Re: How i work on bows without a vice
« Reply #7 on: November 14, 2013, 07:30:10 pm »
I just cut a wafer of elm and stand the stave on it for all my hatcheting and rasping (I use a farrier's rasp). My super-advanced steam bending form is a 2x4 with some scrap screwed on to hold various forms 3/4" (for the tip of the bow) from another block of 2x4.
50#@26"
Black locust. Black locust everywhere.
Mollegabets all day long.
Might as well make them short, save some wood to keep warm.

Offline rps3

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Re: How i work on bows without a vice
« Reply #8 on: November 14, 2013, 08:09:07 pm »
If you are on the lookout for a new vise, let me suggest watching craigslist for a blacksmiths post vise. I got 2 of them and paid 70 bucks a piece, they are on e-bay for a lot more, just have to be patient. They are perfect for all phases of making bows

Offline toomanyknots

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Re: How i work on bows without a vice
« Reply #9 on: November 14, 2013, 08:53:27 pm »
Pretty creative. I use something I made to put the bow up against, it is about the same concept. I will post a pic...
"The way of heaven is like the bending of a bow-
 the upper part is pressed down,
 the lower part is raised up,
 the part that has too much is reduced,
 the part that has too little is increased."

- Tao Te Ching, 77, A new translation by Victor H. Mair

Offline toomanyknots

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Re: How i work on bows without a vice
« Reply #10 on: November 14, 2013, 08:59:11 pm »
Here's what I use, I just put the bow up against it and rasp/work it. I have carpet to pad it so the bow doesn't get nicked. I use the carpeted part on top to do nocks and tips...





"The way of heaven is like the bending of a bow-
 the upper part is pressed down,
 the lower part is raised up,
 the part that has too much is reduced,
 the part that has too little is increased."

- Tao Te Ching, 77, A new translation by Victor H. Mair

Offline toomanyknots

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Re: How i work on bows without a vice
« Reply #11 on: November 14, 2013, 09:01:58 pm »
Very crafty.  That's putting a crotch to good use >:D

Ha
"The way of heaven is like the bending of a bow-
 the upper part is pressed down,
 the lower part is raised up,
 the part that has too much is reduced,
 the part that has too little is increased."

- Tao Te Ching, 77, A new translation by Victor H. Mair

Offline Joec123able

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Re: How i work on bows without a vice
« Reply #12 on: November 14, 2013, 09:03:25 pm »
Well that's pretty cool Toomanyknots
I like osage

Offline steve b.

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Re: How i work on bows without a vice
« Reply #13 on: November 14, 2013, 11:40:28 pm »
Whatever works, Joe.  I can't say enough about the Stave Press.  Treat youself to one someday.  You won't regret it.

Offline wood_bandit 99

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Re: How i work on bows without a vice
« Reply #14 on: November 15, 2013, 12:06:45 am »
I have a stave press and It is amazing. Sometimes I wrap my body in weird positions to rasp tho. Whatever I find holds it more stable
"Judge a man by his questions, not his answers" ~Anonymous

   "The person who says it cannot be done should not interrupt the person who is doing it." ~Chinese Proverb