Welcome Guest 

Register

Author Topic:
Deagol112LotR
Council Member
Posts: 118
Send Message
Avatar
Post Bow Building
on: May 17, 2006 09:39
I've been thinking about building a bow for a little while now. I found a really good site that talks about it too:

http://www.geocities.com/salampsio/index.html

Has anyone made one in the past? Have any tips. I've been wondering about what type of wood to used. I was considering bamboo... but I remembered I'm allergic to it. Any suggestions?
vicarcat
Council Member
Posts: 448
Send Message
Avatar
Post RE: Bow Building
on: May 17, 2006 08:10
OK I'm out of practice but I thought these sites looked good:

http://huntingsociety.org/archinfo.html

http://www.buildabow.com/

http://www.traditional-archery-supply.com/traditional-bow-making-hints.html

http://www.rudderbows.com/

I don't usually post urls like this so I hope they help.

I talked to my friend and bowyer Lorie.
And she says that Ash is the best wood for a first bow.

Also do you have the Bowyer's Bible V1?
If not the please get it.

For tools Lorie suggests Harbor Freight Tools...
seems they have good prices on quality tools.

Well that's all for now.


[Edited on 21/5/2006 by vicarcat]
Fellowship
Leader of Lórien
Posts: 718
Send Message
Post RE: Bow Building
on: June 07, 2006 04:34
Well My dad and I made three and used Hickory wood. It works very well.
helion_dk
Council Member
Posts: 2
Send Message
Avatar
Post RE: Bow Building
on: June 20, 2011 10:15
as said i would like to know if anyone have made their own bow, be it longbow, recurve or whatever u have made.

i have made 2 longbows both are made of elm tree (if his isnt the right translation please say so) and have a draw weight of 20 and 25 lbs.

one of them have fur as a handle the other have leather as handle .

i made my first bow 3 years ago and my second was finished recently.

i shoot with them often and have a great time doing so.

-helion-
Eruvyreth_Himiel
Council Member
Posts: 28
Send Message
Avatar
Post RE: Bow Building
on: June 20, 2011 10:15
I've never made a real one, but i'd like to one day. I've always had an interest in archery since i was little, and used to find bendy sticks and twine to make a bow and pretend to hunt. Not very high tech, but the interest stuck!
Lady_Aldalynn_of_elves
Council Member
Posts: 1
Send Message
Avatar
Post RE: Bow Building
on: June 20, 2011 10:17
I've tried to, but it ended up turning out like a five year olds bendy stick and twine creation, and goodness knows I need no more of those
I plan on trying again though, but for now I'm content with my bought one!
(if anyone has found or made a bow making instruction website or the like, PLEASE tell me about it!!!)
:wave: bye
glory2glorfindel
Council Member
Posts: 334
Send Message
Avatar
Post RE: Bow Building
on: June 20, 2011 10:18
I've made my own bow-- and it actually worked... mostly. It's either elm or ash (I can't remember which). It's got something like 15-20 lb. draw, not much I know, but good enough. Simple wood handle, no recurve.
Okay, so my dad made it, mostly. But, y'know... I was nine years old... I did all the sanding...

If you don't mind a long search, you can check used bookstores/sites for something called "Architecture for Boys" -- my dad gave it to me when I was eight, and no, I'm not a boy-- it has good measurements for longbows, and a lot of boat-stuff.
Fellowship
Leader of Lórien
Posts: 718
Send Message
Post RE: Bow Building
on: June 20, 2011 10:18
OH! I have! Ok well it was mostly my dad. Mine is made out of hickory. We took a small hickory tree and bent it while it was still green then let it dry by the fireplace.
Then we sanded it and put the string on it. I'm not sure of all the details like I said my dad made it. But then I put some "Gold" Letering on it and polyerathained it.
And voila! It's not got a very heavy pull, but it works really really well.

Forgot Here is a pic of me and my friend with the bow. (#1 I"m in white #2 this was over a year ago)
http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n240/Emeraldquill/ShowLetter7.jpg

[Edited on 28/8/2006 by Fellowship]
findemaxam48
Council Member
Posts: 9188
Send Message
Avatar
Post
on: August 02, 2013 04:11
My dad and i are working on constructing bows now. Oh, by the way, this thread is really old, so I dont know if anyone is even on here anymore who has interest, but im gonna post anyways

Anyways, we are using cherry ood for one, and birch, I think, for another. The hardest part is cutting the wood just right so that you have a nice, smooth curve to the bow to be. And then the string cant be so heavy that you'll snap the bow in two. I suggest going to a hardware store and asking them, however strange the qustion may be. we have seeral varieties that we a re still testing out for quality, but when we reach a soulution, I will be sure to post it.

Oh, and also, if you want a design on your bow that youy want to look authentic, I suggest whittling it in with a sharp pocketknife for detail and a hunting knife for the bigger strokes. Then you can take some paint of any color and, with a fine brush, paint either on the edges of the design or on the entire design. The latter produces a larger, easier to see effect, but the first makes the bow mroe delicate looking and quite Elflike
We were one in the same, running like moths to the flame. You'd hang on every word I'd say, but now they only ricochet.
LadyElarinya
Council Member
Posts: 115
Send Message
Post
on: January 14, 2014 01:44
I've always wanted a bow. I really like long range stuff [shooting, archery and stuff that requires 'aim' hehe], but I never got to experience any of it. It's not something very common where I live or even among my 'social circle'. But now with youtube, internet and etc, I was wondering if it was possible to 'make' a bow. And I found a bunch of videos of people using PVC pipe to make bows. [Like this one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQfV05Yo_pY ] Does anybody know anything about it? Have some tips maybe? Or even give an update on this topic. News sites of 'how to'...
"O môr henion i dhû: Ely siriar, êl síla. Ai! Aníron Undómiel. Tiro! Êl eria e môr. I 'lîr en êl luitha 'úren. Ai! Aníron…"
findemaxam48
Council Member
Posts: 9188
Send Message
Avatar
Post
on: January 14, 2014 01:57
Well, you can read my above post. The bow i made is several years old now, and still works beautifully, better than it did when it was "more fresh."
We were one in the same, running like moths to the flame. You'd hang on every word I'd say, but now they only ricochet.
LadyElarinya
Council Member
Posts: 115
Send Message
Post
on: January 14, 2014 02:55
Do you have pictures, findemaxam48? (And a nickname? xD) I'd love to see your bow.
I'd like a wooden bow, but would be a lot harder to make. I'd ask my father's help but he doesn't have any experience with wood craft either. He likes messing with stuff though. He might enjoy the project. If we manage to make one out of PVC pipe maybe we could try a wood one later. How did you make yours? Did online search or did you two already had experience with this kind of craft?
"O môr henion i dhû: Ely siriar, êl síla. Ai! Aníron Undómiel. Tiro! Êl eria e môr. I 'lîr en êl luitha 'úren. Ai! Aníron…"
findemaxam48
Council Member
Posts: 9188
Send Message
Avatar
Post
on: January 16, 2014 04:53
My nickname is Maxie. I do not have pictures, but perhaps I can get some.


I made my bow camping. I went out with my Dad and we cut down a small tree, about five feel tall and a little less than three inches in diameter. I only did that because I was camping, you can go to the store and have them cut it for you. I then took a hunting knife and stripped it of all it's bark and branches using long, slow strokes. After that, I let the long naked tree set for a bit and dry, about two days. Then we bent it by placing it in a corner and propped up by a door, somehow. Im not too sure about that process, I'll ask my Dad later. Then, after three days, we took it away from the pressure, and it had a very nice curve. Then we took some strong but thin string, and tied multiple square knots at the top end of the bow. Pull down and let loose enough string to string the bow, and leave enough room for the square knots at the bottom. Make sure the string is loose enough to pull back, but taught enough so that the string doesn't fall off, you wont kill many Orcs that way. After that, you can carve little intricate designs in with your hunting knife.

I'll ask my Dad about the bending process and then post in here.


Hope this helps!
We were one in the same, running like moths to the flame. You'd hang on every word I'd say, but now they only ricochet.
LadyElarinya
Council Member
Posts: 115
Send Message
Post
on: January 17, 2014 12:33
It did help. Thanks! ^^ It gives me some ideia of how to make it. Just have to find the wood now.

But first I'll try with the PVC tube. My father has the tools for that, and it didn't look difficult to make in the tutorials I found. We'll give it a try. ^^ I'll post pictures of it too when it's done.

This is a nice father/daughter bonding activity apparently. Hehehe!
"O môr henion i dhû: Ely siriar, êl síla. Ai! Aníron Undómiel. Tiro! Êl eria e môr. I 'lîr en êl luitha 'úren. Ai! Aníron…"
findemaxam48
Council Member
Posts: 9188
Send Message
Avatar
Post
on: January 19, 2014 05:23
You can check Home Depot or Lowes for extra scrap wood, perhaps you will get one for free, which is good. If we lived closer to eachother, I could getyou the wood for free becasue my Dad is a carpenter.
We were one in the same, running like moths to the flame. You'd hang on every word I'd say, but now they only ricochet.
LadyElarinya
Council Member
Posts: 115
Send Message
Post
on: January 19, 2014 06:00
Aww, that's too bad. Live in another country. T.T
But I appretiate the thought. But wood isn't too hard to find. Just have to find the right one. Cherry wood or Birch, right?
"O môr henion i dhû: Ely siriar, êl síla. Ai! Aníron Undómiel. Tiro! Êl eria e môr. I 'lîr en êl luitha 'úren. Ai! Aníron…"
findemaxam48
Council Member
Posts: 9188
Send Message
Avatar
Post
on: January 19, 2014 06:39
Yes, but Birch preferably, not as expensive, but still good to work with.
We were one in the same, running like moths to the flame. You'd hang on every word I'd say, but now they only ricochet.
Members Online
Print Friendly, PDF & Email