A year in bows

[FVR]

Well, end of 2009 and I realized that my bow making has increased this year.  2004 to 2008 my yield was one bow.  2009's yield was three completed bows and two failures with two bows in progress on the bench.  95 to 2004 I averaged about one bow every two months.  Kids.

As of tonight I have two osage staves on the way, an elm and hickory drying in the garage and a new interest in ELB's.  I have three phone numbers where I may be able to get lemonwood and yew and if that falls through, I may just glue up some blanks.

All in all, a great year (for me). 

[Del the cat]

Over the last year I kept a bowyer's diary just to keep track of what I got up to.
I think I ended up making about 8 and re-furbishing an old crossbow of mine.
I got a 'Chrony' for my birthday (27th Dec) so I can do some more serious testing, plot graphs and generally bore the family rigid!
Del

[Del the cat]

in 2009 i made a truckload of bows, 3 white oak holmegaards, 3 white oak recurves, and more yew longbows and recurves than i can remember offhand...a couple of those bows have found their way to their owners (people i had in mind when i made them as gifts) and one i am trading for two wedding rings.  Just now i'm in the UK and dying to make a bow (too much free time, nothing to do but study chinese) but i'm short on tools and i need a ride to the hardwood store some half an hour away by car. 

2009 was  a great year for bows.

I fear you may be dissapointed by the 'Hardwood stores' in the UK  .
It will be interesting to hear what you think...that's why I get my timber from the woodland, I'd meet up but I'm waaay down South (by UK distances)
Del

[juniper junkie]

what you really mean is "my disease has progressed" your addiction is secure now.

[FVR]

Yep.LOL.

I'm trying to get one more out.  I have a 70" hickory stick that is about 2.5" across.  Worked a nice stave out of it tonight, tomm. plan on getting a bow out of it.

Or break it.

We'll see.

[bootboy]

2007 i made about 5 bows, and really started learning more about bowery
08-09 i really increased to maybe 45-50 bows. in june i went to my first show, and had a booth selling my work. it was gross and unthought out and all together one of the best times i have had in years. A group of my mates all pitched in before hand and I made a sweat shop and had them servicing different stages of the bows with me doing the tillering.  Then I bought a website and currently I am building stock up before launching.
 All in all this was a terrific year in bowyery for me aswell. Lets see what 2010 has for us.

[Parnell]

One thing about starting in on bows and being on PA is that it has served as a great log. 

I sure wish I had a picture of every fish I caught!

[Grunt]

In 2009 I made 42 bows total, broke 5. Three were self bows out of hickory staves from a tree that came down across a dog path in our woods. Three more are Re/De laminated and the rest are board bows. Some of the bows are child bows and some are for young folks and women. I spend my days in my studio working and I always have made lots of whatever I worked on. I made about 75 cherry salad bowls also in 2009 and a few dozen arrows. 

[profsaffel]

This was my first year as a bow maker, so I have nothing to compare it to. However, I completed three bows, broke two, and have two more started. I think it was a successful year  considering how I had little time and resources and tools for the first year and I've learned so much.

[AKmud]

I just got started this year and managed to finish 9 shooters, broke 5, and have 5 more in various stages.  All board bows (not much good stave wood in Alaska... ).  Funny thing though....I still don't have one to call my own!  I am having too much fun giving them away to friends/family!  I have a dozen arrow shafts from 3 Rivers waiting for me to tackle as well.  This hobby is definitely addicting!