Intro

[Bishop]

Hello all, my name is Danny "Bishop" Morrow, from the great state of Kansas, 41 years old and i am getting ready to get my feet wet on the primitive side. I have shot compound bows for many years but for some reason, maybe the Cherokee blood in me...lol, it just seemed like i was missing something. I picked up a copy of PA magazine in the grocery store and i think i figured figured out what it was.... i think i have decided to order a U-Finish Hickory Longbow as my first prim bow. i have noticed a lot of bowyers selling these and was wondering if anyone had any suggestions on the best place to make my purchase. will also be looking to pick up a few basic tools, scraper, drawknife, etc...
any advice you can offer would be great. i have heard some great things about this forum and i am looking forward to picking the brains on here.

thank you in advance

Danny 

[DanaM]

Wecome to PA Danny, you have come to the right place. Good folk here. Don't have any experience with a you finish it kit, but I hear good things about Pinehollow Longbows, I have dealt with 3 Rivers Archery and they treat ya right.

http://www.3riversarchery.com/

http://www.pinehollowlongbows.com/

Anoter option is to start with a red oak board from Lowe's or Home Depot definately cheaper.

Check out Jawge's website  http://mysite.verizon.net/georgeandjoni/archer.html
and Mickey's site  http://groups.msn.com/ferretsarcherywebpage/snakeskinbacking.msnw

And of course you will be getting a subscription to Primitive Archer right? Its well worth it.

[deerhunter97370]

Welcome Bishop, if I were to do a u-finish bow i would use rudderbows the web site is in the magazine I think its www.rudderbows.com 3riversarchery is a good one to you can order all your tools from 3rivers but I like garage sale for the common tools like files planes you might get lucky and find a drawknife but I doubt it. I bought a 12" draw knife from my local timber suppy store. Becareful this is an additing hobby and good luck. Joel

[Pappy]

Welcome Bishop,you can find most anything you need from folks that advertise here or in the magazine and any questions ,just bring um on.Folks here are glad to help where they can.And
what DanaM said the Mag.is always full of great info along with some good build along and
stories.
   Pappy

[Woodland Roamer]

Welcome Danny! You are getting involved in a great hobby and a very addictive one! But the good thing about it is that you don't have to spend a lot of money to make great bows. You probably have some osage close to you in Kansas. I come out there on an annual pheasant hunting trip with some friends and it usually turns into an osage hunting trip for me! I've ordered snakeskins from http://pinehollowlongbows.com/ and was very pleased with the service.

Alan

[GregB]

Welcome Danny,
I'm sure you'll find bow making to your liking! Lot of experience on the forum and great folks glad to offer advice.

My sister used to live in Hesston, Kansas and I visited them there many years ago as a teenager. I remember a neighbor friend of theirs had some monster racks hanging around his shop!

[Bishop]

  Thanks for all the great advice so far, if i would have opened my eyes first instead of my mouth i would have found Jawge`s and Mickeys sites mentioned in other posts....lol..but i sure appreciate everyones patience with a nooby..   i didnt even think about a getting a board from Home Depot or Lowes, i am planning on picking up some boards asap. i guess the thought behind a U-Finish Bow is that i would have something to shoot while i screwed up the first 10 bows i try to make myself.
   I did have another question, is the yardstick against the chest technique a fairly accurate way measuring draw length with a primitive bow? i was thinking i could figure it out by taking my compound draw length and adding an inch to make up for the release but that doesnt seem quite right with the different achor points.
   thanks again for the kind welcome and all the suggestions, now im really itching to get started but my first purchase is going to be a subscription to PA.
   I am from the Junction City area, its near Ft. Riley if any of you are familiar with it. we do have some good deer hunting and they are really starting to run.

danny

   

[armymedic.2]

i don't think you want a u-finish, that means the bow is tillered and al;l ya do is put finish and a graip opn.  you want a floor tillered bow, where you have to make it bend correctly and and do all the work don't you?   the floor tillered bow just takes out the glue up and band sawing part.

[Hillbilly]

The yardstick against the chest is right on for me. I drew 29" with a compound, and draw 26" with a stickbow. Most people use a different anchor point, like corner of the mouth with a stick than a compound.

[Mark Smeltzer]

Danny,
Welcome.
Not tring to discourage you from buying a U-finish bow, but it is really not necessary unless you just want to.  There is no reason why you can't make a  good shooting bow the first time out.  Just take your time and ask lots of questions.
When you're at home depot check out he hickory boards also.  I think Jawges site has some good info on board selection also
When most people swich from compounds to traditional their draw length is actually a couple inches shorter not longer. 

Mark

[Otoe Bow]

Welcome.  I'm a newbie too.  So far I've cut one persimmon tree, bought two red oak boards from Home Depot, a Hickory board and a strip of banboo from Rudderbows, and fell into a nice piece of Bodark.  Total completed bows to date:  0.     But I'm having a great time.  I have started making my own arrows, shooting an old re-curve and moving towards being "primitive".  Like it's often said, "I don't think primitive is a destination, I think it's a journey".  Enjoy the company, wisdom and camaraderie on this site. 

Otoe

[Auggie]

Hey Dan, welcome ! Glad youve seen the path! Got to say go to rudderbows.com and get their 20.00 dvd on building a board bow its worth it. Good site too.Theyve got lots of good stuff, but I like finding tools andstuff at sales and antique shops ect. You dont have to have power tools, just a good rasp,file ,hatchet,pocket knife,file, and get started! Auggie.

[Bishop]

    i am humbled by the responses from all of you, what a fantastic place, i now know why people speak so highly of this forum.
i put in a order with Rudderbows for a Floor Tillered Hickory Board Stave, a scraper, a 4 way rasp, a bow string and some backing material, although i do have a beautiful pet ball python that i have been eyeing in a different way lately, i think there may be something wrong with me..lol....i figure i can make my own tiller stick and pick up anything else i need here and there. i am planning on taking a trip to home depot to look through their selection of boards so i can work one up from scratch. im sure i will have lots of questions and will be on the board a lot. i hope to one day be able to repay the kindness by answering some questions on here myself.
thanks again
danny 

[rkeltner]

u-finish might be a good first try, but you won't learn nearly as much from it! as for tools, i've gotten much milage from a farriers rasp, and a home made scraper made from a piece of a 24" industrial hacksaw blade.

[1/2primitive]

Welcome, with all this good advice, you should catch on pretty quickly. 
    Sean