New Bow Maker

[cadet]

Hey cadet
Yeah im on ozbow. Does gum work well?

I've only made a couple from spotted gum, but they seem ok.  As with any board, the grain flow MUST be good - be prepared to go to more than one outlet and reject dozens of boards before you find one worth using.  It also has an annoying tendency to interlocked grain, making working with the grain difficult when one layer's going one way, the next the other - sharp tools and light cuts to avoid tearout, unless using rasps.
The willingness and ability to cut and split staves will open up more possibilities.  Yew is rare to find here, but elm and a few others grow in the eastern states; osage can be found wild in parts of NSW; not sure about over west though.

[Joseph]

Haha it looks like i just got schooled by some more experienced bowyers
I think ill just make a pyramid bow.

[bubby]

http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,35312.0.html

[Joseph]

Hey Bubby
Thanks alot
When I'm done i'll probably post some photos
Wood might be a bit difficult to find as masters just crashed

[cadet]

Has Masters actually closed its doors?  Or are they still trading pending sale/restructure?
Never mind: plenty of spotted gum at many of the independent hardware stores.

[riverrat]

welcome. second bow is the one you might want to try in the pic. to use power tools or not ?, thats up to you. i personally feel that if they were around wayyyy back, theyd of been used! however just once you have to try with just all hand tools non power, and once you have the hang of it its fun giving it a try with stone/bone/shell/ect tools. Tony

[bubby]

Have you got privet growing there, it makes a decent bow

[Joseph]

Nah no privet. All there is is some paperbark trees and pine, so, not really suitable for anything.
Masters has terminated their phone number anyway, so I might go check today
Ill try to make one out of either ironbark or gum, whichever has the best grain.
Can You laminate bows with floor laminate?

[Joseph]

welcome. second bow is the one you might want to try in the pic. to use power tools or not ?, thats up to you. i personally feel that if they were around wayyyy back, theyd of been used! however just once you have to try with just all hand tools non power, and once you have the hang of it its fun giving it a try with stone/bone/shell/ect tools. Tony

Hey do you guys actually use stone/bone/shell tools? like legit?
Man, I watched a documentary on commercial bow making and the amount of machining they use, you would assume the bow would be good quality but some bows I've seen on here **AhGordonem** would best them by miles.

[riverrat]

i have. actually i use some in conjunction with steel hand tools, theres just placxes that a round piece of sand stone fits better on a limb with character than any file or knife, or rasp does.and yes occasionally a belt sander. lol  most my arrows are made from natural materials with natural materials. a number of years ago there was a fella named Jamie on here who made a elm bow with all stone bone ect tools. it inspired me so i made a ash bow with like tools. as long as you work it green no problem. i still kind of remember his post about how hard working the elm was, hence my thought of using a ash sapling. lol anyways, yea give it a shot. it takes a little bit of time. but its not like work unless you make it that way. i enjoyed making that ash bow little by little. Tony

[Joseph]

Nice bro
Must be difficult
If this wood archery trend stays with me then I might try that
someday

[bubby]

http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,35727.0.html

[Joseph]

Pretty sic bro
It'll be a long time before I start trying that

[Stick Bender]

I have never tried stone or bone tools but it interests me you can build a bow Joe for about $50 or less worth of tools fairly easy ,rasp,cabinet scraper ,sand paper etc was what I used on my very first bow  it turned out nice !

[Joseph]

Thing is, I am planning to make most of my bows at my high school since they already have all expensive tools and such
It's a really wood/metal work centred school, so we have rasps and draw knives.
Again, I might try it someday