Production rates?

[stuckinthemud]

Quick question, anyone have any idea how many bows a medieval (for arguments sake let’s say 15th century) bowyer would be required to produce? Would be nice to know.

[Hamish]

I'd say a copy of Toxophilus by Ascham, would be the best place to start. Its a Renaissance / Tudor age book, but it details what was required to be a bowyer etc. My copy is in storage, otherwise I'd dig it out and have a look for you.

[stuckinthemud]

Thank you, I’ll try and get hold of a copy

[Badger]

Quick question, anyone have any idea how many bows a medieval (for arguments sake let’s say 15th century) bowyer would be required to produce? Would be nice to know.

  When I am in good working shape I can do about 2 in a day. Not sure how that would compare. I once did 28 reproduction in 3 days but I used a bandsaw .

[WhistlingBadger]

When I'm really crankin' I do about two a year.     Need to get some lessons from Badger.

[Wyrda]

I'd say a copy of Toxophilus by Ascham, would be the best place to start. Its a Renaissance / Tudor age book, but it details what was required to be a bowyer etc. My copy is in storage, otherwise I'd dig it out and have a look for you.

I'm not sure how much help that would be as Toxophilus is about archery rather than bowyery. Though it does have some very interesting details regarding the construction of good bows.

[medicinewheel]

I'm quite sure medieval English bowyery was sort of industialized. Means one guy roughed out blanks, another tillered the bow. The family name Fletcher for instance hints that someones profession was fletching arrows. I even know a German guy who's last name is Tillermann.
@badger: question would be how many ELBs could you - or someone else of your caliber - finish in a workday if you were handed perfectly floor-tillered blanks one after another.