Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Stick Bender on March 12, 2018, 05:54:17 am
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A friend of mine sent me some pics of his first bow that he ever made so I thought it would make a interesting thread to see every bodys first & a little story behind it so here is mine,
It is 70 in. 80 lb @31 , Hickory, the only bow education was a copy of PA magazine at the time, the unbraced says it all !
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Unbraced
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I'll post some pictures of mine tomorrow. It's baaad.
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Lol...its humbling Clint !
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Mine was a sinew backed osage board bow so poorly made that it blew after 30 shots. I put it on a pile of bagged leaves for the city to pick up and haul off. I looked out abuot a half hour later and someone driving by had seen it and took it with them. It is probably on someones wall being displayed as an "ancient Indian bow".
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I wish I had a picture of mine. It was a board bow and I finished it up to look very nice - and shot it about 200 times. At about shot 201 I thought to myself, "Man, making a bow isn't tough at all." The archery gods heard that thought and reached down to touch my top limb - and blow it up in my face! After I realized I wasn't really hurt, I laughed, picked up the pieces and went into the house to start working on bow #2.
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Mine is a 27 lbs pine boardbow, still "shoots" today. Here some pics of my daughter shooting it. It was both her and my first day of shooting a bow ever! We had no idea what we where doing but it was so much fun!
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4789/40056627984_b823c02b09_c.jpg)
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4779/40056628124_f5e26035e6_c.jpg)
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Pretty good looking bow Leonwood for a first.
Rich...Yours does'nt look too bad either for 80#'s @ 31".
I've still got my first self bow.It was osage.I was'nt on this forum back then and no full draw pic but resting and brace pic.I made bows on my own for 2-3 years before joining the PA forum.I've also just tillered and shot in an osage bow lately.Waiting to put finish on it.I'll show both when I post the latest.I want to show the difference.
Well on second thought here's a couple pics.Not good pics though.
(https://i.imgur.com/515QHnw.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/G0kAhfj.jpg)
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Looks just as good as the latest ed!
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Well I'm a slow learner....Ha Ha Ha.I'll try to show how much I've learned in few days ok?
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(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-zzn32Cwcv8PJnc8Xv3DLHnBGK3rQLEqiS3t--QKK_DJKeXAFrqAqteClfTr6bosGdQupVPo91bNVWKJnhS_0ZvK-U_gWSPMMeekRE1bcP82JrcDEL0vQ5TYvKRNJWVL8WZS8FAe7WtoUWoQiPax-fxp0wFT4-rPXUmFroqHmnO-0oyq0P2RPp8ygJXC6NQ-uMWFW2fzU8T4ZpX82tI_3KYBnKzWOviMqMui_1vFhyowB0eT4krFIWccSJ7uYWeGhKkcFXDWyrQhXLOPXKjbZKXZR3No_2UocTlpdcqFKDZ0ZQXUrPjzyyqZ1Uw3ATDeoMp899q9X1P9XZxR2TnKy-SM-Vt-rIoTHtffwY8G--Yzzz2ouvBnqYVCw5WgHkTun6Siqtr5MQ709QNDYTuKwYlbedPDiaUOCSp13ZxhYh8FT5bJc7ZaG2yYBo9bpicyG8dUpOoXXJ9TYzp60aGi5IqvBRS6WSLZoV0BGLonSO8qwU63qMqXhjLHWG8sQ68Q1Man2TS5u7JQbB9syWL4mIU5kBJw0RzTJpTo-vXgMW6rG_oXrDNdWPy4tVsvNsLOXH0HeWHUyb-ZqDphJgtVtw7wqwV1KfBPaQHid8wCfW-D9gCmDCEvD2TAtZ4zA33BwamUdbuE8Oz9M1Nq9xGBe2Yonwl2PPnZ1Q=w640-h740-no)
Sinew backed Juniper branch. Was a measly 20-25 lbs, but it shot. I wanted to increase poundage so I applied another layer of sinew. I didn't bother re-tillering and took it to full draw as soon as it dried. Since the new sinew threw off the tiller, it was enough to break it. It wasn't much of a loss, but it was my first broken bow too haha. Those breaks just demoralize ya.
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Neither of these two were my first bows but the short one was my first osage bow. It is 42"t/t. It shot pretty good at about 20". I built it in late 1989. While we were building our house in Brevard in 1990 I was showing it to the guys working on the house. I told them not to draw it far but the 19 year old lummox helper, a 6'+ muscleman decided he could draw it farther. Yep, you guessed it it went kablooy. It was an osage board and broke right where it should have.
The other bow is black locust, 62" t/t, 1 1/2" wide at the fades tapering to about 3/4". I was so proud of this bow it was going to be my first hunting bow. It has 3" of set and plenty of frets. Needless to say I never hunted with it even though I called it "Killer".
(https://i.imgur.com/5p3sfMb.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/sQlaVzz.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/9p5CueC.jpg)
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Jeez, I wish! Do you know how many times since then I have destroyed a phone while fishing or something, since then?
I will confess, it was basically a copy of a fiberglass takedown, R/D boo-backed bamboo flooring, reverse trapped because I didn't understand the principle. Pretty little walnut and purpleheart handle, pulling about 32 lbs.
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I don't have a pic but my first bow was actually a success followed by a long string of failures. I had zero idea anyone else made all wood bows. I went by memory from my childhood on what a fiberglass recurve looked like. I purchased some 1/8" by 2" strips of hardwood with no regard for grain run out. Maple was my back, walnut was my core and Brazilian rosewood was the belly. I think my riser was a solid block of maple but not positive now. The bow was 62" long recurve with the tips slightly behind the handle. I did no tillering beyond narrowing the outside 1/2 of the limb. I used gorilla glue to glue it up. The bow shot great for at least a year and was about 47# at 28". I had an archery shop run it through a chrono and he was impressed but I have no idea what it was reading.
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That's a. Interesting story Steve a zero taper recurve and it held together, I made mine back in 1995 when I could pull a 80 lb. bow ,if I pulled it now I would need to use my senior discount at the chiropractor :)
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I built bows for probably 10 years before I had one blow. Most were badly bent but no breaks.
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"It was an osage board and broke right where it should have."
Pat, where exactly does one OBTAIN a bow-quality osage board? That sounds like a finding a unicorn to me.....
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Check out this beauty. She's got it all; frets, giant antler arrow shelf, 3/4" wide tips, under weight, set, and a horrible tiller. I did a good job chasing a ring and the finish looks decent. I think it was spray poly. I only shot a handful of arrows out of this bow the day that I finished it. I knew it had problems and I started a new one the next morning.
(https://i.imgur.com/W1PIsfbh.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/6rkVyM6h.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/5vcr1o1h.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/G8Sn4oKh.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/l3hSg1Ph.jpg)
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Ok guys this is embarrassing but lets have a look at my first effort!
In my defense, I was I think 15 or 16 when I made this monstrosity. I had a heat gun and I was determined to use it.
(https://i.imgur.com/Ufh4Zx8.jpg?1)
(https://i.imgur.com/otODaTH.jpg?1)
(https://i.imgur.com/eSnmgBi.jpg)
This bow is actually made from bamboo flooring boards. I got a box of them for free from a local store. Doesn't work at all for a board bow, but I've heard reasonable things about them as middle laminations. the board took all the torture I had to throw at it. zero tillering and it came out about #15 at that thickness and width hahaha.
just look at that draw on the admittedly pretty good effort at a tillering tree by me..
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Springbuck, I got that board from a guy named Dan Tice (maybe from OK.)back in 1986 or 87. I think he was Jay Massey's cousin.
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My first was finished on Jan 6, 2011. I was so proud of my 68 inch red oak, pyramid, board bow with a purple heart and curly koa handle. It was backed with an old pair of Dickies brown work pants. It took some set during tillering and came in about 15 lbs underweight. I did kill some good sized catfish with it and I had it until last year.
(https://i.imgur.com/N1Mkhqd.jpg?1)
(https://i.imgur.com/nxcBpyU.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/KXQYCk7.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/3zD9i5f.jpg)
The bow is over my back. Those giant yarn silencers didn't really work.
(https://i.imgur.com/cIxxhv6.jpg)
Msturm
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Simple red oak board bow, long, nice wide pyramid design, October 2016.
(https://c7.staticflickr.com/6/5613/30338118926_1c17c4ac16_h.jpg)
(https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5750/30414274351_673bbb04c5_o_d.jpg)
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My first was finished on Jan 6, 2011. I was so proud of my 68 inch red oak, pyramid, board bow with a purple heart and curly koa handle. It was backed with an old pair of Dickies brown work pants. It took some set during tillering and came in about 15 lbs underweight. I did kill some good sized catfish with it and I had it until last year.
(https://i.imgur.com/N1Mkhqd.jpg?1)
(https://i.imgur.com/nxcBpyU.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/KXQYCk7.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/3zD9i5f.jpg)
The bow is over my back. Those giant yarn silencers didn't really work.
(https://i.imgur.com/cIxxhv6.jpg)
Msturm
Beautiful tiller on that bow!
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No pics but my first was a simple flatbow made in the early 70's. Probably pulled about 90# and it would shoot about the same distance as my younger brothers 55# glass recurve. One of the limbs broke after awhile
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I didn't think I had pictures but I actually found my first post. http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,41218.0.html
Ocean Spray somewhere around 50"NTN, I didn't have a scale then but it was pretty light. I eventually broke it trying to get it a little heavier.
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Simple pine bow, stained with coffee (didn't have any wood stain). Was a training bow to familiarize myself with the tools and the craft of bowmaking before attempting my first real bow (hickory backed ipe). Bow has had about 100 arrows through it and still in one piece. They said it couldn't be done with pine. Its a wall hanger now, I have since made 2 hickory backed ipe bows and they shoot really nice.
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Hi Guys,
My first bow, a Red Oak board from Lowe's. It's backed with fiberglass drywall tape, covered in camo fabric. It's about 44 lbs at 27 inches.
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More
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sorry about the pics, having problems getting them to send, will try again later.
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You did an exceptional job on tillering your first bow, I am glad mine blew up so I don't have to show it.
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sorry about the pics, having problems getting them to send, will try again later.
Very well tillered bow!! I would be happy with that even after all the bows I have built.
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Looks a whole lot better then my first.
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Thanks Eric, and Badger. I'm trying to get a couple more pics sent of the belly, and back.
Steve
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Awesome looking bend Steve...Impressive
Don
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Thank you. Stickbender
At the time I didnt have any staves, and was reading about quick build board bows, so off to Lowe's I went. I did learn a good bit making it.
Steve
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Thanks Don,
Working on getting the Hophornbeam posted. Hopefully real soon.
Steve
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The best way I can describe my first bow is to show the progression of the tips from the first one to the most recent. The first looks like a broom handle, the last is down to 3/8th of an inch. It has taken me a while to trust thin tips. (kindly ignore the fiberglass wallboard tape on the back of the first two as well--it took me a while to trust the wood, too. But then I found PA and I have been a good boy ever since)
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Still owe you my first - it's done feb/march 2017. Maybe a bit too much bend close to the handle...
It was stave from european ash.
Why did I do it? Because the storm fell the big laburnum in my garden. After cutting half of it in pieces i remarked the wonderful wood and asked google about laburnum. Ok, it should be good for bows...and i was rememberd, that i always dreamt of doing a bow. So what you see from me are only exercises for future laburnum bows. Can't stop doing bows now and often have to force me not to work on bows.
Cheers
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more
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Simk,
Excellent for a first bow!
Don
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That is nice, did you heat treat the belly? Is that what brought out the grain?
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a little stiff thru the middle... :)
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Very nice bows guys. I am trying to post a few I just finished for my boys but it won’t let me. Maybe because I am new?
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Here’s a couple bows I started 5 years ago when my sons were 1 and 2 years old. Life got busy when the 3rd arrived and just recently found them in a corner and figured I might as well finish them. The string silencers are obviously just for looks on a couple 12# bows. Lol.
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Bob...I think we had the same worries when we made our first bows.I was deathly worried to hinge mine near the fades.I read where that was the end of the bow somewhere if that happened.
Sorta wish I had those nice staves back nowadays.Think I could do them a little different now.
DVS....I still don't see your first bow.
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My first successful bow made in 2012. Lots and lots wrong with it, but it shoots arrows. Red oak board, 4 miles ntn, sleek “lever” tips that are basically 3/4” square for the last mile or so. Super fast. Gotta be At least 75 fps.
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And this was my first blind attempt at making a bow. Little split of locust that was maybe 50 inches long. I had no idea how long a wood bow should be. No idea how to do anything to a bow really. Knew you had to chase a ring on locust and make it bend even. That’s what I tried to do. No bueno.
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Failures are a blessing in disguise at least for me they are made me slow down and pay attention to details and figure out the next path, I still make them but not as often and have yet the make a perfect bow , like a friend of mine says the devil is in the details , no truer statement then that !
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Hi!
My name‘s Torsten and I‘m from Berlin/Germany.
Being a longtime lurker on this forum, I thought that for my first post a presentation of my first bow would be rather fitting... :D
So here it is: a Hazel ELB, 40# @ 30“, 74“ NTN. At that time the only information I had about making bows was a tutorial about building a Hazel flatbow. Since I like ELBs and Hazel seemed to be proper bow wood, I thought I could as well build a Hazel-ELB... :D
It turned out OK, even with an equal width to thickness ratio. But, as was to be expected, it took a lot of set - more than 3“... ...but surprisingly without the slightest trace of chrysals.
The nocks are handcarved from cow horn. String is Dacron.
Greetz from Germany
Torsten
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I knew this thread wasn't worn out. First bows r very special, you have got only one chance and can't do another 8)
DC: Yes, after some time i tried to heat the set out - it came back again but it still looks nice. Cheers
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Lots of very impressing first bows (-P
Well...here´s a picture of the first bow I build tortured. May it encourage every beginner looking at his or her first bow, yes, you could have done worse. Enjoy.
Ps: Moin Torsten
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Completed with help from: "Your First Wooden Bow", by Tim Baker, TBB Vol 4.
(http://i1345.photobucket.com/albums/p663/justrickjustrick/IMG-0220_zps8lctwb2i.jpg) (http://s1345.photobucket.com/user/justrickjustrick/media/IMG-0220_zps8lctwb2i.jpg.html)
(http://i1345.photobucket.com/albums/p663/justrickjustrick/IMG-0221-1_zpsiqw6ywxc.jpg) (http://s1345.photobucket.com/user/justrickjustrick/media/IMG-0221-1_zpsiqw6ywxc.jpg.html)
Thanks Tim!
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Hazel youth's bow made in 2015; 60" ntn, hazel hollow-limb pyramid bow, 16 lb @ 24", antler nocks with a linen string built with a huge amount of very generous support from this forum. My boy shot it for a couple of years, we've still got it but he now shoots an elb of 35#@25".
(https://stuckinthemudsite.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/image.jpg?w=513)
(https://stuckinthemudsite.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/image-1.jpg?w=630)