Band saw tiller

[Badger]

  Once you get used to a draw knife when working osage you will find it goes pretty fast. I routinely will start a bow about 8 am in the morning and be shooting by 1 pm. Thats with numerous computer breaks inbetween. I figure about 1 hour to chase a ring and rough out the profile, another hour to reduce the stave to floor tiller and about 2 hours to tiller. The finish work is another thing all together. I keep mine simple so will usually not spend more than about 2 hours on a finish.

[Onebowonder]

Just read a few of these, but is any bow really primitive unless we scratch all the excess wood off of the stave with our fingernails or perhaps gnaw off the heavier stuff with our incisors?

I mean to each his own, ...but a real primitive styled bow has to be handcrafted patiently while the wood speaks to you.  I understand the urge to pick up a sharp edged rock and hurry the process along, but is that really what it is supposed to be about?

OneBow

BTW - no fair eating mass production foods while building a primitive bow either!  The stave can sense the presence of GMO corn on your breath if you try to gnaw its bark and fibers while eating unclean foods.  Better to stick to fresh caught grubs and wild picked berries roasted over a friction started fire in order to get the FULL primitive experience.

BTW2 - don't even get me started on the whole sleeping indoors thing while trying to build a primitive bow...

[Jim Davis]

To me the bow is primitive if it has the geometry of bows made by some primitive maker of an earlier era. Making it by primitive means is a different aspect (also legitimate).

I  made my first real bow about 20 years ago. I used hand tools start to finish. That's when I decided I needed a band saw. I would rather shoot primitive bows than make them.

Back to the OP's questions. I don't bother to tilt the table when roughing out the belly. I just tilt the stave. Otherwise, I do as you do. I also sometimes use the blade as a rasp if there is  a lot of wood to remove. One of the authors of Vol. I of the Traditional Bowyer's Bible mentioned that technique--with a stern warning about how fast it can eat wood.

I only make pyramid design bows and always bring them to floor tiller on the band saw. Often, they come from the saw ready for nocks and bracing.

[half eye]

Stick bender, just got my computer back so sorry for the late reply. I use my bandsaw like a carving tool....the table always stays flat. I move the wood through the blade by eye and feel. Obviously you can make regular cuts but can also "shave" and "carve" with it also. I use a 3/4 3 hook blade ....I use the "hook" tooth profile and set so that i can use the side of the blade as I deem necessary.

I'm 70 now and still got all my fingers.....and drivers licenses too   For what it's worth there is this same nonsense in the wood carving arena as well....chisels VS power carvers so my recommendation is get the waste wood off the stick any way that makes sense to you, develope your hobby anyway that gives you some pleasant time spent....other folks opinions shouldn't bother you at all.
rich 

[Stick Bender]

Thanks for the coments Rich Im also a wood carver I like using the higher TPI blades as they work as a micro rasp where I dont remove to much wood paticularly on days with to many trips to the coffie pot I save the others for actual cutting I have a veneare blade her I was going to give it a shot also good luck on your works look foward to seeing your next shortie bow !

[bjrogg]

Well Stick Bender it sounds like it's possible to tiler with bandsaw from what I'm reading and I believe that was your real question. My Grandma live to the age of 94. She was a happy lady as far as I could tell always giggling. She past about 12 years ago but the thing I remember her saying the most was "the good old days, the good old days, what the hell was so good about them. Anyone who tells you that never lived through them. I like my indoor plumbing, kitchen, bathroom, washing machine. The only thing she missed was the horses she never learned to drive. Good luck happy bow building

[jeffp51]

I don't own a bandsaw because I have no space for it, yet.  I would use one if I had one.--But since I don't, I made a shave horse and do all my work with a draw knife and a scraper, with a couple of cheap rasps thrown in.  I find sitting on my homemade shave horse very satisfying, and probably as quick as a band saw for most applications.  Lot's of ways to get something done.

[bjrogg]

I'm the same jeffp51 but without the shave horse. Would like to make one of those. More than one way to skin a cat

[JoJoDapyro]

I'm the same jeffp51 but without the shave horse. Would like to make one of those. More than one way to skin a cat

I have a band saw, and 2 shave horses! Now if I only had a Building partner!   

[Mounter]

JMO, but a primitive bow is any bow built with all natural materials. I.E., self bow, sinew, wood horn composite, etc. shouldn't matter if you use a CNC mill to make it.. Primitive "building" techniques are a whole different story...

[JoJoDapyro]

JMO, but a primitive bow is any bow built with all natural materials. I.E., self bow, sinew, wood horn composite, etc. shouldn't matter if you use a CNC mill to make it.. Primitive "building" techniques are a whole different story...

Do you use only hide glue? How about primitive tools?

[Mounter]

I know better than to get involved in these type discussions, since it doesn't really matter to me how others build a bow. If it works and they're happy, than I'm happy for them. To answer your questions, I use every tool I have. Bandsaw, table saw, thickness sander, ridged sander, etc. never claimed to build using primitive techniques. The wood bows I've made, almost as primitive as it gets. Self bows with self nocks . Primitive finish? Nope. string? Nope. Do I care? Nope. I did sinew and snakeskin a couple of kids bows, just to learn how. (Yes, hide glue!)

[JoJoDapyro]

I know better than to get involved in these type discussions, since it doesn't really matter to me how others build a bow. If it works and they're happy, than I'm happy for them. To answer your questions, I use every tool I have. Bandsaw, table saw, thickness sander, ridged sander, etc. never claimed to build using primitive techniques. The wood bows I've made, almost as primitive as it gets. Self bows with self nocks . Primitive finish? Nope. string? Nope. Do I care? Nope. I did sinew and snakeskin a couple of kids bows, just to learn how. (Yes, hide glue!)

Every Time someone starts a topic about doing something a different way, someone always brings up "That isn't primitive". The fact is, not many tools we use to make bows here are primitive tools. Not many glues used are primitive. And for sure, not many techniques are primitive.

[Tx Hrvstr]

Hi
all this is my first post on this site and I certainly do not want to offend anyone. The reason I joined this forum was to gain knowledge of how to build a self bow. While it intrigues me to learn a primitive way to produce a bow I had a grandfather that always told me " Laziness is the key to invention. I think throughout history mankind has always sought an easier way to do things. That being said wouldn't a bandsaw be considered a primitive tool 200 years from now? I think if one can master all tools new and old that person should be considered a skilled craftsman . That's my 2 cents worth   

                                                                                     TxHrvstr

[SLIMBOB]

I wouldn't worry too much about offending anyone.  Well except for that PEARL DRUMS character, keep your eye on him.  Come on in and join the party.