all power tool bow challenge?

[The Burnt Hill Archer]

hey guys, ive been thinking again. weve seen bows made only with hand tools, only with a hatchet, only with stone tools ect. but i was thinkin what about a bow made only with powertools. from rough out all the way to final tillering. anything that takes wood off would have to be a power tool.

now i may get crucified for this, but i figure alot of us use power tools somewhere in the process, so why not see if a bow could be made using only power tools.

it may seem kinda cheap, but with my schedule right now i cant even think about bowmaking. im barely finding time to work on the christmas trade. but if anybody wanted to give it a shot, ill root ya on!

so what do ya think? do-able? or just a stupid idea?

Phil

[Bowbound]

I would like to do this, but with a lack of power tools it is impossible for me.

[Hickoryswitch]

It's definitely doable. I've built several this way. Using a bandsaw and belt sander. It sure makes it go quick.

[brownhillboy]

I have done this before, but with me anyway, it usually leads to a mistake and either a broken bow or a very light bow.  I have 1 that is hunting weight, but it's tiller isn't too pretty.  I'm too impatient anyway!  I'm sure someone can do better!

[sailordad]

yup its doable

but like brownhillboy  it always leads to a bad bow for me,always comes in way under intended weight and tiler is never very pretty for me then either.

however i will watch and root everyone else on that does it.

good luck    to all


                                                                           peace,
                                                                                 tim

[The Burnt Hill Archer]

that was my original thinking with this. sure a bow can be made with all power tools, but can it be a hard hitting, dependable, perfect tiller bow? i made a bow a long while ago using a belt sander for the tillering. but i created a hinge, and it eventually broke.

what I'm looking for here is for a bow that looks and shoots just like it was painstakingly made with hand tools. and if somebody has already done it, lets see em!

[JackCrafty]

Stationary or hand-held? Rented/borrowed or owned?

Obviously, I can be done.  Actually, many of us (me included) wish we had all the state of the art machines we could get our hands on.

[JackCrafty]

The bow in the picture is a child's bow...made entirely with power tools.  It is an ipe self bow.  The lower limb has a lot of set because of the way my daughter braces the bow (when I'm not looking).

The stave was cut from the ipe board with a circular saw, it was roughed out with a hand-held disc sander, tillered with a belt sander and the notches cut with a scroll saw.  The only think that wasn't powered was the final sanding and finishing....and only because I don't have a flapwheel and rotary buffer that work well.

34-1/2" long
5/8" wide limbs
3/8" wide tips
4" brace height
7#@16"
Max draw 20"? (again, when I'm not looking)

[sailordad]

i still love that set there jackcrafty

[JackCrafty]

Thanks Sailordad.

[knightd]

This bow was built using all power tools.. the only thing that was done with a hand tool was the final shaping of the string grove's.. they were ruff cut with a dremmel..

[knightd]

And I built this one for Christmas for my son 6 yrs Ago. Useing only hand tools..Hand carved the Arrow heads on the back flattend the handle lams with a file..

[The Burnt Hill Archer]

nice work Jack and Knight. i figured it could be done, looks like you guys did a really good job of it too.

[lowell]

jackcrafty.... what age child did you make that bow for?  I want to make a bow for a 5 year old little girl but wasn't sure what I should being trying for. 

 Any other suggestions would be appreciated!!

[El Destructo]

                              OK..........I'll bite...........I can make one with just a Router and a Finish Sander...........