Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => English Warbow => Topic started by: Timmah on July 04, 2007, 03:54:49 am
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Hello All,
I am desperately searching for somewhere to purchase an affordable warbow. Myself and several friends have been searching high and low for a good bow. I know of a few makers like Pip Bickerstaffe but unfortunately his prices are in pounds and with our current exchange rate a bow + shipping will cost in excess of $1500. *urghh*
A few relevant facts that may affect your answer:
I am in Australia;
I am looking for 100#-120# draw weight;
I would prefer to stick with a yew selfbow or backed yew bow but will stoop to laminations if absolutely necessary;
And i would like to keep it under $1000AUD including shipping etc.
I know what your going to say... "Make it yourself" and believe me I have tried. A pile of broken bits of timber and a few hits to the head have made me consider the expensive option ;-)
Cheers Guys,
Tim
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Timmah,
where abouts in Australia are you from?
are you and your friends part of a club? or just a group of like minded warbow enthusiasts?
I am in Perth.
Cheers,
Mal.
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Hi Timmah
I can help you with a laminated warbow.
PM me if you are interested
Cheers
Steve
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Timmah,greetings from sunny and warm calif have you tried rudderbows,he has bows that are done the way you want and you do all the finish work very nice or he can finish a bow for you,bacsically its what you want Terry J Ceres CALIF
just had a look at rudderbows :D thats not a warbow 65# at 31" lol ;D
(http://rudderbows.com/Englishwarbow1.JPG)
lol :D
id stick with stevesjem they are much better ;)
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I had a look at rudderbows too. It's quite a flat bow - I'm sure it works well, but it's not an english warbow for sure.
It seems you can order one with a drawlength of 10 inches!
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Just a reminder guys--no advertising your bows, or other people's bows on this forum unless you are a paying advertiser. Please communicate through Private Messages if you are a bowyer, or would like to suggest one. Thanks!
J. D.
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Did he manage to hit the house or did it get away ???
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I just missed; but it was very close. ;D
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did the bare foot approch help you get so close,
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The joke on the old forum was that he had to sell his shoes to buy the bow :D I know i'd sell mine to have a bow like that...
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Making a warbow isn't that hard. Why not let us talk you through it? If I can do it OK I reckon anyone can.
A laminated bow is a good place to start. A good bit of Ipe, glue on a hickory backing, make it about an inch and a quarter wide and same deep at the handle, taper in width and depth to half inch or maybe 5/8ths at the tips, round the edges, make it maybe 74 inches long, use a walky talky stick to check for an even bend, gradually tiller to your full draw length keeping an even bend and almost be accident you end up with the classic full arc warbow.
I would never buy a bow now when all it takes it some time and patience to mkae one. You can do it. You have already done the ground work of breaking a few! Why not have another go?
Mark in England
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What Mark is saying is true, except in Canberra ipe is not easy to get (read you will have to import).
Tim, I am also from Canberra and have made a few warbows, laminating is the easy part, finding good quality wood is the challenge in Oz. I suggest you head down to M@#$%& Timbers in Fyshwick and have a look. (JD, hope this satisfies your advertising rules).
I spent three years building a pile of wood splinters, now I reap the benifits of my toil. I have taught a few blokes how to make bows in build-alongs so they did not have to go through the pain that I did, will be willing to show you and your mates a few of the tricks on how to make bows instead of fueling the BBQ!
Also, to prevent the bang on the head I ALWAYS wear a helmet when testing a stave. I learnt that lesson early on, thrice! ::)
Hope you get your warbow, loosing an arrow from a warbow is one of the joys in life!
Gaz
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Someone in Oz was telling me that you can use some local timbers for bows ...red ash I think (which apparently isn't a true ash) and eucalyptus possibly. I'm sure there must be others too. Otherwise head for M@#$%& Timbers as Garry suggests.
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Timmah,
If you're interested in reading a tutorial on building a war bow, check out this link. I did this thread last year while I was building my first 'real' war bow. It should tell you most of what you'ld need to know.
http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,863.0.html
J. D. Duff
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Tim,
I would recommend that you take advantage of Garry's local knowledge, and take him up on his offer to help you and your mates. There is a lot that you can learn from guys like JD, his build along is a great read, and makes it look simple, but does not show the years of work to get to that level. Having someone with you as you put steel to wood will go a long way to ensuring that your first effort at warbowyery (new word?) gets close to the mark.
I have seen Garry's warbows, and have taken advantage of his knowledge in the past. So get in touch with him, as he won't be living in Canberra for ever.
Why buy when you can make yourself? that way its 'your' warbow, and not someone elses that you now use!
Cheers,
Mal
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Tim,
I would recommend that you take advantage of Garry's local knowledge, and take him up on his offer to help you and your mates. There is a lot that you can learn from guys like JD, his build along is a great read, and makes it look simple, but does not show the years of work to get to that level. Having someone with you as you put steel to wood will go a long way to ensuring that your first effort at warbowyery (new word?) gets close to the mark.
I have seen Garry's warbows, and have taken advantage of his knowledge in the past. So get in touch with him, as he won't be living in Canberra for ever.
Why buy when you can make yourself? that way its 'your' warbow, and not someone elses that you now use!
Cheers,
Mal
Good advice.
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Thanks for the replys guys.
I already know Garry which is the funny thing. If I can get some guidance I'm sure to save myself some cash. I think Garry has already seen a few of my attempts as well.
Cheers Guys,
Tim
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So your that TIM! Thought you might have been.
Haven't seen you around for a while, Looks like we have some warbow building to do. I can't be the only one at the club who shoots a warbow. Will contact you off line. To all the other posts, thanks for all the help and I will get Tim sorted out and into warbows! ;D
Garry
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Hey Mal, hows the 100# Elm warbow going?
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sweet bro,
good feeling to finally use what I have made, (Tim, you're next),
but my shoulders are feeling it today. A shame I didn't have any 33" arrows made, had to settle with 29" draw.
Just need to make some 1000gr arrows now. I have some nice jarrah that will work well. Do you want some more shafts while I'm at it?
I'll start on that FF flemish string for you in the next couple of days.
That elm is nice to work with. Will get some more, as it is the only elm to be had in West Oz, you still want some?
Cheers,
Mal
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MalV,
Could you give me the demensions of your ELM bow? I have an elm stave that I'd love to coax into a ELB/Warbow.
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As requested jpitts, (name unknown)
All measurements are close approximations, as I converted from metric for you.
The Wood:
Elm, possibly English, grown in Perth, Australia, Mediterranean climate. Summer to 45 C (? F) winter down to 0 C (? F). No rain in summer.
Cut from slab milled from trunk of felled tree. Age, girth unknown. Back of stave reduced to single clean growth ring.
Fairly straight with slight reflex at handle, and slight kinks causing deflex for outer third of each limb, resulting in 1" reflex before and zero set after tillering.
Growth ring width about 5-7mm, MC about 10%.
The Bow:
Length 78.5” NTN
Handle 1.5” above and 2.5” below centre.
Width at handle 1 7/16” and about 1 3/16 thick.
Parallel 20” above and below centre, width at 20” above and below centre 1 7/16”.
Taper slightly from 20” to 29” above and below centre. Width at 29” above and below centre is 1 1/4”.
Sharper taper from 29” to nock. Nocks are 1/2” with horn fitted.
The result so far:
Shot in with 100 arrows up to 29” drawlength.
Weight is 100# @ 32”
Small tillering adjustments yet to be done. Poss including piking 1” from lower limb. Uneven reflex and deflex in stave creating challenge in tillering. Just taking it slow and should end up with good result.
Please don’t ask for photos, will only post them if I’m happy with the end result. Anyway, just looks like a white stick with string.
Thanks to JD for the advice contained in your buildalong.
Cheers,
Mal
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Thanks MalV,
This gives me a better ides of what to shoot for. I have a 74" red elm stave That I want to make into my first ELB.
BTW.....my name is Jimmy ;D
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Started Tim off with his build-along today, White Oak. Used my super quick bow design so he is up to braced bow in 3 hours. It should come in at about 80-90#. Had a slight problem with a hinge in the tillering so 100#+ is not possible. The smaller bows that Tim has already made is a real advantage as he already understands how to make a bow just needed to be shown what happens when you try to tiller a stronger stave. I then took him out to shoot the 120# Yew warbow, just to get him motivated and to see a real arrow go 215m (235yards). I guess the 80-90# bow will be good for him to build up to a real warbow ;D
And as to affordable, all up cost, AU$35.00 (US$30). better than $1500!!!
Garry