Newbie looking to make his first bow

[Bamsk8brder]

Hey guys. This is my first time posting and being a member to this site. I'm looking to make my first bow and should be harvesting my hickory sometime in the next few weeks. I plan on making self bows to start with and am looking for ideas and things to do on my harvest and general tips for someone making their first bow. I've read several articles guides and threads on here on what everyone is doing. My biggest question to start is since this is my first bow and most likely won't be made perfect should I let the wood season? I have plans to harvest more than I need for now so I can let some season for my next bows including plans on getting some oak from a friend.

Some things I don't know are what draw weight I should aim for or am capable of drawing easily. I'm a small framed person and idk what I can generally draw at. Also plan on eventually making my own sinew but can't due to not being able to find the proper things for it so will probably be using artificial until I can obtain the supplies. Will artificial be a fine substitute?

Any other questions I may have forgotten may get added but for everyone out there that has tons of experience please feel free to give me any helpful advice or tips for me. All your knowledge and advice is welcomed. Thank you guys in advance and will probably try to post pictures of my first bow in the process of being made.

[Stick Bender]

There is a lot more exsperience guys here then me but I would recomend getting a hold of a copy of TBB1 it will put you way a head of the game from the start it covers pretty much every thing from harvesting to seasoning ,design,tiller and so forth as far as the artificial sinew it's realy only good for cosmetic type things it has none of the same properties of sinew  Good luck and welcome !

[loon]

Apparently stubbier people can handle higher draw weights more easily than longer limbed people..

I use a fish scale to measure draw weight and put tape on arrows to mark draw length and when the tape reaches the back of the bow I know i've hit the draw length

I guess that, for your first bow, you can tiller for 40lbs@28" and if it's too heavy you can shave it down until it's light enough? Or make another..

thumb draw, 3 finger or other?

I got some cheap pieces of leg sinew on ebay, good enough for wrapping arrow nocks and bow string nocks but not for bow backing unless you get a lot. Sinew should be pounded dry in smooth surfaces and not way too hard to avoid breaking fibers. It does take forever. Backstrap is easier and better for wrapping stuff but leg sinew works and is cheaper from what I saw.

most important things about form i've learned recently: push the bow arm shoulder out so that the arm elbow twists clockwise (rather than just trying to twist the arm without rotating the hand which seems very awkward??), have the bow shoulder not hunched, pull shoulder blades together near the end of the draw?

did you see this? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NxUG5E9-1w8 I guess you don't have to let the wood season for that long, necessarily

[Bamsk8brder]

@stick bender thanks for the info have done a lot of research on this and actually bought a different book from tbb1 but might invest in that series. Also the sinew I meant was for the bowstring not for the backing.

@loon thanks for the info and I will probably go with a 3 finger draw. Also the sinew would be for bowstring. I haven't watched that particular series but I did watch a series of this topic by a guy called primitive pathways he has some good videos and info. I know in my state 40# is the lightest to legally hunt with so that would probably be a good starting weight and could always build up the arm strength from there from the use. And how long would you suggest I wait after harvest and roughing it out?

[loon]

i wonder about the differences of rawhide, sinew and gut in bowstring performance.

[SLIMBOB]

You don't NEED to know what draw weight you are going to build.  I never weighed my first ones.  I just shaved on them until they felt right when I drew the bow.  I guessed them to be around 55-60 lbs.  When I did finally weigh them later on, seems they were all between 50 and 60 lbs.  I weigh them all now but it is not a must.  Your wood needs to be dry, seasoned is a different animal altogether.  Aim for dry on the first one.  The others you cut will dry and season  as you work through them at some rate.  You will need to know your draw length before you start whittling.  You said you are a smallish fellow, so figure 26 inches as a starting point, but measure that on someones bow, or go to an archery shop and have them measure you.  That length can be all over the place for different guys even if they are the same build.  Read up and post lots of pics and ask questions.  Welcome! 

[Bamsk8brder]

@loon I'll have to look it up I haven't thought of looking into those even though I knew they could be used. Thanks for reminding should e easier to find something to make a string out of.

@slimbob thanks for letting me know that. Dry and seasoned are such difficult terms for me to grasp no matter many time I try to figure it out. I know as time goes on and the more bows I build I'll start to understand them more. How will I know when my hickory is dry enough to work with?

[SLIMBOB]

Get yourself a kitchen scale.  Just weigh it every day and watch it lose weight.  That is moisture it's losing.  Once it has quit losing weight for a week or so it's getting dry enough to work on.  You can use a counter balance weight and adjust it until it's level and that will work as well.

[Bamsk8brder]

Okay thanks one other thing I've seen said around is you can get a bow staff to the floor tillering  stage and then let it season. If this is true is floor tillering just roughly shaping it and not any tillering? That's how I took it by the name of it.

Again thanks everyone for all the info it has really been helping.

[SLIMBOB]

You want the bow shaped to it's final dimensions in length and width.  Then you start taking wood off the belly until it begins to bend as you lean into it.  One tip on the floor, one hand on the tip of the top limb, and the other hand on the handle.  That is floor tillering.  Yes you can get a less than dry stave to that point, and then set it under your bed for a bit.  It will dry much quicker at that size as opposed to full stave size.

[LittleBen]

If I had to just make a ballpark guess as to what draw weight, I would typically tell someone ~25% of their body weight (or what their body weight should be with an average build) is probably reasonable for a first bow. That will be a bow you can draw relatively easily and should allow you to develop good form.

I would not buy artificial sinew, bowstring material is not expensive and it is the proper material.

[Dakota Kid]

If you have a deer processor nearby wait until deer season starts then stop by and ask if you can raid the scrap bin for sinew. I have a guy that lets me take all I want if I help him skin and quarter for a couple hours. That actually works out better because I can remove the sinew with a little more care and get bigger pieces.

If you are completely new to archery altogether it may be to your benefit to find a shop in your area. They typically have bows that you can shoot to find your fit. They probably won't have anything primitive but even a modern FG recurve may give you a better idea of your draw weight and length.

Braided fishing line from the big box store is a top notch bowstring material. If you get into building it's worth the investment for a spool of fast flight or dacron, but for your first few builds 100 yds of spectra fishing line will make several strings.

Post your questions as you go. These guys around here are probably the only reason I stuck with it after several failures. Aside from being friendly for the most part, they are some of the best bowyers on the planet hands down.

[Bamsk8brder]

Thanks everyone you guys have been amazing and very helpful I will continue to ask questions so i can pick the minds of the best bowyers so I can get better. Talking to the guy at work tonight about the hickory. Just because every video I see has been a main trunk just wanted to make sure I can get a decent sized limb from a tree to make a bow as long as it follows the same parameters that you look for in a trunk correct?

[SLIMBOB]

I like limbs a lot.  Be mindful that with the smaller diameter you will have a crown to deal with.  No biggie.  Get one as straight as you can find it.  The straighter the better for 6 feet or so.  No limbs or big knots on at least one side for 6 feet.  5 inches around or thereabouts will get it.  Cut and seal the ends right off.  Before it hits the truck.

[Bamsk8brder]

Thanks for the advice slimbob since I'm cutting on someone else's land wanted to avoid chopping whole trees for their sake and mine. And bc I'm such a newb what do you mean crown?