Author Topic: Kids Bows  (Read 5008 times)

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Offline JoJoDapyro

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Kids Bows
« on: August 24, 2014, 04:45:22 pm »
Here are my 2nd and 3rd bows ever built. For my 2 nephews, ages 5 and 7. Made from Red oak 1/2 X2's. 48 inches long, 47 knock to knock. Artificial sinew strings. Dyed with Rit dye, and sealed with rattle can polyurethane. Cedar used in the handle. Handle wraps are tennis racket handle wraps, with a leather flipper rest. The blue one pulls about 30# at 22, and the red one pulls about 25# at 22. They both really shoot smooth and fast.
If you always do what you always did you'll always get what you always got.
27 inch draw, right handed. Bow building and Knapping.

Offline TimBo

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Re: Kids Bows
« Reply #1 on: August 24, 2014, 04:48:33 pm »
Nice work - I bet they are happy!  (The nephews, that is...maybe the bows too.)

Offline JoJoDapyro

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Re: Kids Bows
« Reply #2 on: August 24, 2014, 04:58:51 pm »
They wont get them until they get to the cabin. I am thinking Friday. I'll have more photos to add then.
If you always do what you always did you'll always get what you always got.
27 inch draw, right handed. Bow building and Knapping.

Offline wizardgoat

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Re: Kids Bows
« Reply #3 on: August 24, 2014, 06:04:45 pm »
Nice bows jojo, they remind me alot of west coast Indian style bows. I bet they're fun to shoot.

Offline Josh B

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Re: Kids Bows
« Reply #4 on: August 24, 2014, 06:17:50 pm »
Cool looking bows.  How old are your nephews?  It might be that those bows are a little strong for them, depending on their age and strength of course.  I enjoy making kids bows.  The look on their faces when you give it to them is priceless.  Josh

Offline Knoll

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Re: Kids Bows
« Reply #5 on: August 24, 2014, 07:27:57 pm »
Cool looking bows.  I enjoy making kids bows.  The look on their faces when you give it to them is priceless.  Josh
what he said.
... alone in distant woods or fields, in unpretending sproutlands or pastures tracked by rabbits, even in a bleak and, to most, cheerless day .... .  I suppose that this value, in my case, is equivalent to what others get by churchgoing & prayer.  Hank Thoreau, 1857

Offline JoJoDapyro

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Re: Kids Bows
« Reply #6 on: August 24, 2014, 07:50:12 pm »
They may be a bit too heavy yet. They are around 30# for the blue one, and around 25# for the red. I plan on taking a scraper with me just in case. LOL, They try to pull back mine every time they come over. They are fun little guys. Tough as nails too. The only thing that slows them down is stepping on sticker weeds. They are 5 and 7.
If you always do what you always did you'll always get what you always got.
27 inch draw, right handed. Bow building and Knapping.

Offline Josh B

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Re: Kids Bows
« Reply #7 on: August 24, 2014, 08:05:23 pm »
Nephews are a blast for sure!  If I may be so bold as to offer a suggestion?  I can just about guarantee those are too heavy for boys that age.  For the 5 yr old you would be better off with 10 to 12 lbs @ 18" and no more than 20#@22" for the 7 yr old.  The last thing you want to do is over bow them when there learning the basics.  Also, count on making them new bows every couple yrs for a while and stock up on straight grained 1/4" dowels for making them arrows.  They will go through dozens of them in short order.  You can get 1/4" nocks and drawn steel points for a little of nothing from 3rivers.  Once they get over 20# you'll want to switch to 5/16" dowels though.  Josh

Offline Knoll

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Re: Kids Bows
« Reply #8 on: August 24, 2014, 09:41:50 pm »
Lotsa good info, Josh.  If my grandgirls are typical of 10-yr-old kids, 17-18 lb @ 20" is aplenty.
... alone in distant woods or fields, in unpretending sproutlands or pastures tracked by rabbits, even in a bleak and, to most, cheerless day .... .  I suppose that this value, in my case, is equivalent to what others get by churchgoing & prayer.  Hank Thoreau, 1857

Offline JoJoDapyro

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Re: Kids Bows
« Reply #9 on: August 24, 2014, 10:46:02 pm »
Thanks Josh. I figured that I would have to take them down a bit (or by half)  :o. I have made some bamboo arrows from Depot garden stakes. They are far too small for me. As long as they are interested, I will build them more. The real trouble is there little sister. I make them stuff all the time, or bring them neat new things to play with. As soon as I see her she has one question "Where is my present?". She is a little stinker.
If you always do what you always did you'll always get what you always got.
27 inch draw, right handed. Bow building and Knapping.

Offline Josh B

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Re: Kids Bows
« Reply #10 on: August 25, 2014, 12:07:59 am »
Lol! We musn't neglect our nieces!  I started all four of my kids and most of my nieces and nephews at four.  Six to eight pounds@15" worked about right. However, at four they require ALOT of supervision!  When my son turned four I gave him a little osage selfbow that was 6#@15" and a dozen 1/4" dowel arrows.  He didn't give a hoot about hitting a target.  He just wanted to see how far they'd fly!  Well...I was in the backyard with him for an hour or so just watching him shoot them out in the field.  Then we would walk out, gather arrows and walk back to do it again.  He was doing pretty good.  Really catchin on fast.  So...in a moment of stupidity, I decided to get a little work done in the bow shop and just sort of keep an eye on him.  I checked on him a few times and he was doing good so I went on doing my thing.  Shortly there after, I heard the unmistakable sound of a projectile shattering glass.  Apparently my son decided to double his shooting pleasure by shooting out into the field, gather his arrows and then shoot them back towards the yard instead of walking back and shooting them into the field.  The problem was that when he shot out towards the field, he was shooting into the wind.  When he turned around to shoot at the yard, he was shooting with the wind.  That little arrow carried a lot further with the wind as you might expect.  His first arrow towards the yard went right through the bathroom window just as easy as you please.  I still hear about that 2 1/2 yrs later.  Momma was not impressed!  Anyway, back to the point I intended to make before I got sidetracked.  There's no reason uncle Joe couldn't make a nice little bow for his niece as well as the nephews.  You can even go to Wally world or some other place that sells cloth and glue on some girly pattern cloth to make it more feminine for her.  Sorry about the ramble there. :-[  Josh

Offline JoJoDapyro

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Re: Kids Bows
« Reply #11 on: August 25, 2014, 01:03:48 am »
After my wife shot one of them on Friday, she told me she wants one as well. I picked up some pink and black zebra print fabric and a pack of hot pink racket wraps. Hers is next.
If you always do what you always did you'll always get what you always got.
27 inch draw, right handed. Bow building and Knapping.

Offline Tyke

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Re: Kids Bows
« Reply #12 on: August 29, 2014, 09:21:32 pm »
Is there going to be enough fabric left when your done with yours to do hers?  :laugh:
why buy it when you can build it

Offline Knoll

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Re: Kids Bows
« Reply #13 on: August 29, 2014, 09:23:55 pm »
After my wife shot one of them on Friday, she told me she wants one as well. I picked up some pink and black zebra print fabric and a pack of hot pink racket wraps. Hers is next.
Wonder what the checkout person was thinking ........
... alone in distant woods or fields, in unpretending sproutlands or pastures tracked by rabbits, even in a bleak and, to most, cheerless day .... .  I suppose that this value, in my case, is equivalent to what others get by churchgoing & prayer.  Hank Thoreau, 1857

Offline JoJoDapyro

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Re: Kids Bows
« Reply #14 on: September 01, 2014, 12:38:34 am »
I'm safe, it was Wal Mart after all!
If you always do what you always did you'll always get what you always got.
27 inch draw, right handed. Bow building and Knapping.