Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: kinslayer1965 on February 06, 2013, 02:27:56 pm
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Well I have read buildalongs and bow post until I can't focus. Spent hours in every primitive archery supply website I can find. Decided to day to start moving forward toward my goal of building myself a bow. I should say "build myself a bow that functions" I have built three that were disasters. The were board bows using cheap Lowe's redwood so no great loss but they still bothered me. So I decided to start out the right way with tools so I went to 3rivers and ordered the following:
Traditional Boyer's Bible #1
Mystic Scraper
3 piece scraper set
Farriers Rasp
Timber hitch adjustable bowstring (twisting my own strings is also on my wish list)
Rattlesstick instructional DVD
If any body has any input as to any other tools I should invest in I would appreciate it a great deal. I also came very close to ordering a piece of the Osage lumber and a hickory backing strip from 3 rivers. I still might. I have been looking at some staves on pinehollows website as well. Just not sure the best place to start. I think I should start simple but part of me wants to order one of their Osage staves and go for it.
Anyway any advice on additional tools needed or a good starting idea would be appreciated.
Clifford
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what was wrong with the boards you used before? ive made a few and they are all functioning well. I understand wanting to use something more official, nothing wrong there. Ive never used the lumber from 3rivers, but i would imagine a hickory backed osage would be something rather sweet she'll shoot fast as far as ive seen
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Nothing wrong with starting on an osage stave. I have some clean straight staves right now. Check out the link in my signature. Looks like you are on the right track with that tool list.
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A good quality drawknife. I like a sureform sometimes also. Good rat tail file for nocks also.
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get you a nice hickory stave from pine hollows to start, hickory makes a great bow and is more tolerable to a rookies " overzealousness", whatever you get have fun, Bub
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I believe, by referring to "cheap Lowe's redwood," you're referring to western red cedar. It's not suitable for bowmaking. It's often confused counterpart (both regionally and functionally) is eastern red cedar (a juniper, actually). Don't let the fact that it was a board from Lowe's make you shy away from such builds...it was the SPECIES of board that had the biggest negative effect on your attempts. I just rifled through the red oak at Lowe's this morning and came home with one suitable board...out of about 85 I looked through :)
Now, in regards to an osage backed hickory bow...good design, proven shooter, and fun to build. And working with a good clean osage stave is my absolute favorite.
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If your working with boards,a combination square,aluminum yard stick,a ball of twineand the obivous ,a tape and pencil.glue ups are different story.
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Red oak will work better. Jawge
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I think I've now used almost everything in terms of tools to try and see what I like. I think the only thing you are missing is some file to cut the nocks with. I use a chainsaw sharpening file. I also like a shinto rasp (though you don't have to have one). I must say that after getting one, I use it in combination with a scraper more than any other tool I have (though I do love my farrier's rasp as well). I think you have a great start with the tools you have listed. I also recommend a good handsaw. My wife bought me a Stanley handsaw at Wal-Mart for around $20.00 for Christmas. It has also proven invaluable for small jobs. Lastly I diddo the aluminum yard stick. I found mine at Hobby Lobby while walking around with the wife one day for three dollars. It is very handy.
To make your first bow the Traditional Bowyer's Bible is a great resource. Don't get bogged down with all of the info however. If you are like me (and it sounds like you are) I have to have practical experience before the reading really makes sense.
My first bow was a red oak 1" x 2" x 72" from Lowe's by the way. Just remember straight grain lines is essential for a board bow. I also found that when making your thickness taper (which most designs seem to call for) the more prep work you do getting the thickness taper just right, easier it seems the bow goes as you tiller it. If you get the thickness taper right, then it seems that your tiller will be pretty close to correct most of the time. It should just take little tweaks to get the bend right. From there you'll just have to take wood off evenly.
Hope this helps! By the way, what area of the country do you live in? I think if you get the chance to work with an experienced bowyer, your chance of success will go up exponentially. If you live close to Kentucky you're welcome to come work with me sometime.
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Thanks for all the replies! I have been looking at the drawknives on 3rivers. I have a nock file and sureform. I will probably go ahead and order that Osage board from 3rivers with a hickory backing strip. I think I will start with a simple pyramid bow. I want to make it at least 68" to 70" inches long. I am 6'5" and like shooting longer bows.
I want to say again how awesome this forum is and how much I enjoy reading everything you all post.
Clifford
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Don't forget a heat gun if you go with osage staves.
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Thanks for all the replies and advice. Decided to go ahead and order the osage board and hickory backing strip from 3rivers. Decided the waiting was going to kill me so I spent couple hours at lowes and home depot and found a red oak board that looks pretty straight grained to work on this weekend. My tools have arrived and I am ready to put some shavings on the floor. I saw in one of the threads someone had made a tillering board set up with a backboard with a grid laid out on it and that seemed like a great idea so I will probably work on that first. Once I start on the bow I want everything ready so I can concentrate on it only.
Hope everyone has a great weeekend and those of you in the winter storm path I hope it does not treat you too badly.
Clifford