How to get started in bow making ?

[Jacob1]

Ok thank you

[Morgan]

If you have to use boards, it is a good viable alternative to staves IF you can find good lumber to work with. It has been easier for me to find good staves than boards. Hardwood Boards are cut for building furniture, cabinets, pallets etc. You have to look hard for a board stave that will work for bow making, and then hope that it has no unseen degradation during its processing from log to lumber. Search for a hardwood sawmill or a portable sawyer in your area. If it’s a smaller operation you should be able to talk to the sawyer and have a better chance at getting what you are needing. Boo and hickory backed lumber bows are awesome, but material costs start to add up. I have had a many more failures using lumber than using self cut staves.

[Morgan]

Another outlet for obtaining cheap staves is to find someone who sells firewood. If you contact them and explain what you are looking for, they should be able to help you or point you to someone who can. If they can sell 4-6” diameter logs 6’ long for the same as they sell a truckload of cut and split firewood, they’d be silly not to. You have to be clear on what you are looking for or ask if you can go with them to cut.

[Hawkdancer]

Atlatls are fair game on this site!  Several of us use them, and/or make them!  They will definitely draw attention if you take them to an archery range!  I believe it is Ryan Gill that has a good website on hunting with the atlatl, much more difficult than a bow to get accuracy and sealth, but as easy as throwing a football.  Fun to use!
Hawkdancer

[willie]

traditional native americans from tidewater used hickory and maybe white oak ?  I might be able to post scans if you are interested in NA bow from your area.
saplings could be found in unlikely places as a swamp behind a shopping center etc.
the "Cave Men only "Oooga Booga"" has atlatl stuff, do you throw?

[ssrhythm]

I’m sitting in a ditch with the first bow I’ve finished for me...gave my first two away...waiting on an Antelope to come by.  I started two years ago.  I’ll reinforce...get and read at minimum the Trad. Boyers Bible Vol 1...more you read, the better.  I second looking up Clay Hayes on YouTube and you might consider joining his Patreon group.  He does a lot of great vids regarding a lot of this stuff...but he has a great series on building bows from Osage.  You might have people tell you to start with hickory or start busy building a board bow...it’s probably wise advice.  I, however, figured I’d just jump into working with Osage, as this is the wood that really cranks my scooter.  I made a couple of kids bows then got 4-6 different bows to various states of completion before making fatal mistakes and screwing them up.  Failure is a great teacher!  I have places in Indiana and Ohio where Osage is plentiful and the landowners care nothing for the tree.  If you take a weekend and ride toward Ohio and scout it out, I’m sure you can find folks willing to let you cut Osage off their property...just knock, chat, and ask.  Lots of good videos on harvesting, splitting, and sealing staves on YouTube too.  Good luck!  You are about to get hooked on something you’ll try to perfect and not quite get there for the rest of your days...it’s awesomely addictive!

[willie]

I’m sitting in a ditch with the first bow I’ve finished for me...gave my first two away...waiting on an Antelope to come by...... 

welcome to PA, SS.

One of your first bows is on an antelope hunt? sounds challenging! hope you can post some pics even if there is no antelope in the background. good advice for jacob1 btw.

[Weylin]

I just drove up to Va Beach last summer and bought a truckload of seasoned osage staves off of him.  He'd had them sitting around since the early 90's.