Beginner Question

[IProRichard]

 When we moved into our new house we found a selfbow that the previous owner had made and left there. How can i measure its draw weight without a bow scale?

P.S. This is my first post .

[crooketarrow]

   Unless it's wrote on the bow you can't.
  If you've pulled alot of bows you can give it a try and maybe tell when it's getting tight. But thats takeing a BIG BIG chance. Start at 26" pull it and inch at a time but like I said your takeing a BIG chance. If it's a short bend through the handle indain type bow your likely looking at 22" to 24 or 25. If not your starting at least a 26"draw. With 26" to 28" being adverge.

[osage outlaw]

Can you post some pictures of it and some measurements?  You can use a bathroom scale and a piece of wood to check the weight, but without knowing what drawlength it was made for, you really have no idea how far back to draw it. 

[aaron]

yeah, with a bathroom scale:
string the bow (twist or untwist the string so that it is about 5 inches from the back. )
-get a 2x4 and cut a groove in one end like the nock on an arrow- pad it to protect the string. -consider stapling a piece of sandpaper to the bottom for traction.
-mark numbers on the 2x4 showing inches from the nock.
-next put the 2x4 on the scale, nock end up
-then hold the bow horizontally, rest the string on the nock with the bow hanging down towards  the floor.
-next, zero the scale if it's adjustable.
-lastly, pull/push the bow towards the floor like it's being drawn.
post a picture and measurements and we'll tell you how far to draw it. Or for now just stop at the 20 inch mark to be safe. If it pulls 30 lbs at 20 inches , it would pull about 40-50 at 28 inches.
good luck