Start to Finish

[PAHunter]

Though I can get jazzed up and pump a few bows out quickly, generally I enjoy taking my time and enjoying the process.  It's not a race and I could care less if I'm quicker than last time.  Not to get all deep up in here but I found enjoying the process is the key to most things in life.  Well and lots of pie!   

[Stick Man]

Thanks for all the great opinions and answers to the post guys, I wasn't to worried about the time either was just curious about averages times that some of you professionals take.  As far as why I picked Osage, well because I swing for the fences I guess.  I really bought this Stave prior to delving into the different species of wood and how easy or hard to work these species are.  I was cruising eBay and came across the Osage Stave that look straight, didn't have any knots, and there wasn't very highly priced.  I might take the advice of not using Sinew on this bow.  I just like the idea of incorporating material from the animal I plan on hunting with this bow into the build.  Also plan on using Whitetail deer horn antler for the tip overlays.  I like the idea of the little added performance coming from the animal I will be hunting.  Anyway again thanks for all the great responses and discussion on the topic.  Some of you guys really are masters of this craft no matter how long you take lol

[Stick Man]

I'm in your boat as well. A 4 and 1 1/2 yr old. I work second shift the wife works days. Just get after it when ya can. It's not a race. Take your time and ask lots of questions. Where ya located?

Im in South Carolina

[bigcountry]

Really depends as others noted.

Standard Osage with no knots and straight, (yea it happens), only have to go one ring down, 15 hours.

Lots of pin knots, add about 3-5 hours.  Have to go down 5 rings, add 3 hours. Put on skins or rawhide backing, add 4 hours. Add horn tips, add 2 hours, nice leather grip, add an hour, on and on.

Last summer I finished a yew longbow with slide on horn tips, and takedown sleeve and I bet I had 50 hours in that thing.  First time I ever fitted tips onto a bow like that, and first time I make a takedown.

[H Rhodes]

Depends on my own mood at the time .... and how many mountain dews i drank, how many days till the Classic....  how long till hunting season, what songs are playing on the radio,  etc...  I have learned to savor the process more lately, but I have picked up an osage stave, seen a bow hiding in there somewhere,  and gorilla tillered/attacked it till I was shooting it three or four hours later.  That's just using hand tools.  Some of those quickly built bows have been real good shooters and are still hanging on my rack.   I have never worked with sinew backing so I don't know much about that.   These days, I usually work on one off and on for a couple of weeks, and I am enjoying it more all the time.   I think by putting in an hour or so of well thought out work on a bow and then coming back to it again and again,  with fresh eyes and hands each time, I end up with a better finished product.   

[Eric Krewson]

When I first started making bows, I moved ahead so cautiously I had a month in each bow. Now that I have a few under my belt and know exactly how to proceed, I can start one in the morning and be shooting it in the afternoon. Do I do this often, no, too much grunt work, and not any fun at all.

My normal now is to work on a bow for a couple hours a day, put it down and chase rings on another stave, glue up some billets, split a few quarters or just goof off in my shop on other projects.

[PEARL DRUMS]

Thanks for all the great opinions and answers to the post guys, I wasn't to worried about the time either was just curious about averages times that some of you professionals take.  As far as why I picked Osage, well because I swing for the fences I guess.  I really bought this Stave prior to delving into the different species of wood and how easy or hard to work these species are.  I was cruising eBay and came across the Osage Stave that look straight, didn't have any knots, and there wasn't very highly priced.  I might take the advice of not using Sinew on this bow.  I just like the idea of incorporating material from the animal I plan on hunting with this bow into the build.  Also plan on using Whitetail deer horn antler for the tip overlays.  I like the idea of the little added performance coming from the animal I will be hunting.  Anyway again thanks for all the great responses and discussion on the topic.  Some of you guys really are masters of this craft no matter how long you take lol

Im a fence swinger myself who ran before I learned to crawl. I know the feeling. My advice? Tear it up man, if that's what you want to build. Its your bow, your build, your hunt and your time.

[Blaflair2]

I'm with Chris, build whatever u want. There's no time limit. I have an Osage bow I chased and roughed out within 2 hrs. I also have a black locust bow I have about 12 hrs into. And it's not even bending. Each person is different and each piece of wood is different. Find what works for u and go with it.