Hi David,
Well come to bow making. I teach an archery class at the middle school that I work at. We often make bows from Red Oak 1x2's, unbacked. I cut the bows out to rough shape on a bandsaw from a six foot board with the following dimensions and the students procede from there with a rasp, scrapers and sandpaper. Here is the method that I follow, maybe you will find it useful.
Starting with the six foot 1x2 (actually 3/4" x 1 1/2") cut six inches off of one end and save. This will leave you with a 66" board. Locate the middle at 33" from the end and make a mark across the 1 1/2" width. Measure up from the mark 2 inches in either direction and make a mark across the width. This is the center 4" for your handle. Measure in from the edge of your handle 1/4" on either side to reduce the width of the handle to 1" for that 4" section. Make a mark 1" up from the handle section on both ends and mark another line across the bow. Draw a diagonal line from the 1" wide handle to the edge of the board at this new line, giving you a tapered "fade" that is one inch on either end.
Take the six inch block that you cut off and glue it onto six inch section that you just marked out for the handle and fades, making sure not to obscure your lines. Now, beginning at the fades make a mark on each limb every six inches. You should have six for the thirty inches of limb on either end, including one at the tip. Measuring from the back of the bow up leave the thickness of the board at 3/4" at the fade (first mark). Six inches up from the fade make a mark that is 11/16th of an inch up from the back of the bow. 12" up from the fade make a mark that is 5/8th on an inch up from the back. 18" up from the fade make a mark that is 9/16th of an inch up from the back. 24" up from the handle make a mark that is 1/2" up from the back. At the tip make a mark that is 7/16th of an inch. Connect the dots along the length of the limb to form a gradual limb thickness taper.
Now carefully cut out the bow on a bandsaw along the lines you marked for the handle and the limb thickness. What you have in your hand is a blank that can be turned into a stiff handled bow in a weekend with a 4-in-1 rasp, a scraper and some sandpaper. The dimensions for the taper that I listed will make a bow of 50 pounds, though in class we usually shoot for 35-40. You will have some work to do removing wood, but will have enough wood to make a good bow.
Wow, I just read this and it doesn't even make much sense to me. A picture is worth a thousand words. I should have some time on Friday to take pictures of what I mean.
Stan
