I need some suggestions for about as un-primitive a bow one could make...

[bryan irwin]

didn't some one post a pic of a bow made frome pvc pipe a while back.

[skyarrow]

I ain't never cut any of the plastic boards thin but in 2x6 it seems stout.. If you like the PVC idea. You could cut a strip out of a thick walled 12" diameter or larger pipe that would be more than enough to get the # you are looking for.. And it would be almost flat..

it will caust alot to get but a good SDR17 casing pipe will do like the 14 inch is over 1/4 in wall thickness

[skyarrow]

been doing some thinking pvc pipe is springy and if you fill the inside with somthing springy maybe you can make a bow like the one that was used in the predator  movie when Arnold banded the vines to make a bow

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[Dane]

Perhaps a “panda” type bundle bow made with carbon or fiberglass fishing rod material? That would be a very quick bow to build, and all man-made industrial materials, maybe with that Gorilla tape or duct tape to hold the bundle together.

What about a ballista bow? In TBB V4, Tim Baker shows one, basically a torsion frame the archer holds in the middle and fires as a hand held shooting device.

You could build the spring frame out of some sort of plastic / manmade material, lexan or Plexiglass?, use parachute cord or nylon rope for the springs, plastic washers and tenons locked with plastic pins to twist the rope springs, and use some soft of plastic material for the bow arms.

There is a simple formula for designing catapult spring frames, based on the diameter of the torsion spring. I can post that if it may help you.

Also, maybe use artificial sinew in some way, certainly for the bow string, maybe to even lay courses on the back of a bow, something like a real sinew job.

If you win using my ideas, I get half of the non-prize

Dane

[recurve shooter]

when i was a little kid i thought it would be a good idea to get a pvc pipe, heat it, and flaten it, then use that for the bow. after being heated that much, when cool would it go back to its original springyness and what not?

anyway i want to see this contraption when you get it done. 

[makenzie71]

The problem with heating PVC is that it turns brittle...I used to use to make intercooler plumbing for my cars.  I was reading a post earlier about having PVC with a wooden core...it'd be the same as like a damascus knife: a soft material to add resilience and a hard material for strength.  I don't know how it'll work just yet.

[recurve shooter]

yeah a guy made one of them, but i thought you couldnt use wood? or is it just that you cant use a totally wood bow?

[makenzie71]

nah it was just a reference...can't use wood.  If I could find something softer than the PVC to use as a core it might work okay.

[KShip85]

nah it was just a reference...can't use wood.  If I could find something softer than the PVC to use as a core it might work okay.

How about filling PVC with a foam core either the kind from those pool noodles or perhaps spray foam.  I do know that at least some spray foam has adverse reactions with PVC though and melts it.

Kip

[medievalhamster]

Well... there's always latex tubing, put some rollers on the ends of a frame and attach 2 ends at the handle, wrap around the tips, and meet at the draw point with some string to nock the arrow, use enough strands of that and it'll shoot pretty good, especially you pre-tension the tubing.

[recurve shooter]

Well... there's always latex tubing, put some rollers on the ends of a frame and attach 2 ends at the handle, wrap around the tips, and meet at the draw point with some string to nock the arrow, use enough strands of that and it'll shoot pretty good, especially you pre-tension the tubing.

that would be cool. kinda like a giant arrow launching slingshot. 

[makenzie71]

The garlock and formica worked out.  54" bow with lots of reflex.  Draws about 35lbs at 28" and it seems to draw forever without any issues.

I'll post pics later this week.

[recurve shooter]

awsome. cant wait to see it.

[skyarrow]

sweet if it holds up mite make a good bow firhing bow

[recurve shooter]

sweet if it holds up mite make a good bow firhing bow

now we could swim accross the river with that tied to us without hurting it.