Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: stickthrower on August 17, 2009, 09:00:20 pm
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Okay, so this might be considered blaphsemy by some, but I am looking at making my first bow using a board. I have been reading about it in Bowyers bible, and it sounds like it should work okay. At least as a good way to learn.
Any thoughts? I don't have access to any staves, and if I am going to start up, I am thinking this might be my only way to start learning what I am doing. Once I get better at it, then I can start working at getting staves and doing it that way.
Is this a reasonable expectation?
Any thoughts or help would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Nathan
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Why would this be blasphemy? A lot of guys on here make bows from boards. Great way to have a good bow quickly. See Jawge's site for board bow build-a-long.
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Go for it......select the right board. I make board bows all the time....even times when I should be doing lots of other things. :) :)
Easy transition then into laminated bows and the incurable illness of "bowyerizm"
piper
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Yup Go for it. Its all the same wood. Get one with good grain and maybe also back it if its your first. Staves are great but for learning how to tiller I would much rather break a cheap board than a stave I cut, split, dried and reduced to size. Get a couple and you wont worry so much about doing it perfect the first time. The only way to learn is to just go for it. Ask questions on here a lot as well.
oh and dont forget to post pics so we can help ;)
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Almost ALL of my bows come from a board.. ;D
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My first was made from a red oak board from Lowes. Dang I remember (less than a year ago) the absolute THRILL of pulling (the nylon mason line) string back and shooting a 1/4" dowel arrow with duct tape fletching.......I got that bow out of the corner over the weekend and strung it up. It pulls about 15#......wow!! But the bug bit and bit hard. I'm still not making really HEAVY bows, but the ones i make do pull nice, and look decent and they fling arrows .
When I was a kid, my Dad got me the book , "The Boy Mechanic"......i always wanted to make a bow like the men in that book did, but it said you needed lemonwood, and had to have a lathe to make the take-down sleeves, and learn to chase rings (??). Well, the end result is that I got that book in 1963 and made my first bow in 2008, WHEN THE GUYS HERE AND A COUPLE OF FRIENDS GOT ME GOING.
The fellow who did the most for me, a traditional competition shooter here in Louisiana just said, rather plainly, "go buy a board and just make a bow, don't wait, do it now!!" Thank you Joey!!
So, I give you the same good advice, GO BUY A BOARD AND GET TO WORK.
piper
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As everyone else says just go for it!!!! Also what helps me is to look at everyone's bows on here especially their full draw pictures so you can already have it drilled into your head what a full draw is supposed to look like. This also helped me develop a better eye for tillering. (still aint perfected it yet tho :) ) Also as everyone else says post pictures everyone on here is really friendly and you will get expert advice from the experts. I have never met a better group of people as I have met on this website. Everyone is always willing to give you a hand. Well good luck!!!!!
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yup go for it
nothing wrong with a board bow
i have two in the making
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One thing about this whole bowmaking thing.....YOU NEVER GET BOARD (bored)!!!
::) ::)
sorry, couldn't help it.
piper
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Do check out Jawge's site. It has everything you need to know about picking out the right board through the tillering process and on. What you can't find on Jawge's site, come here and ask!
Welcome to our addiction!!! ;D
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Thank you all for the responses and support! I am looking forward to getting the board and starting on it. I will post pictures as I go as suggested so you all can help me figure out what I have done wrong.
Nathan
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Yep, Go for it ! I think it's harder to make a selfbow out of a board than it is to make one out of a stave....much easier to get boards though ! :)
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By making a board bow, you are saving that piece of wood from the cruel fate of becoming a base board or shelf ;).
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Only way to learn is to get started. I started with hickory boards and redoak boards. Even made several glass lam bows. I still make board bows.
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What's wrong with board bows? Boards are wood. Good way to cut your teeth, and cheap, too. Just gotta pick the proper board.
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I don't know why everyone says boards are a good way to get started. I think they are a good way to keep going. ;) I really enjoy building board bows. I like to experience different styles of glue-ups and profiles. It is very educational.
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Never built a board bow ,but sure don't see anything wrong with it.Get at it and show us a bow. :)
Pappy
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Heck yeah, I love to make board bows. I think most of the reason is that it's ready for me, and I don't have to wait on the wood to dry. :)
Boards make wonderful bows, and like Justin said, they are great to experiment with.
As others have said, be picky. Choose the board with the straightest grain in the bunch.
Sean
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Tim Baker put a tutorial on Paleoplanet.net title your first wooden bow, i wish i could have read that 15 years ago when i first started making wooden bows... i have broken many a board bow, but they are sooooo dirt cheap you can't even get mad about it! go for it! plus if anyone gives you flak over it just remind them that the lakota and also apache tribes used wood from oak or hickory barrels or wagon parts to bows out of.
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Well, as soon as I can get out to get some wood to work with, I am going to get started on making my bow! I am hoping to get good enough to make one for my wife and get her started shooting with me. :) Have a small area, about 10 yards that I can shoot into the back of the garage. So I figure that is a good start for shooting my first bow!
I will post pictures as I go and will be asking lots of questions.
Thank you all for your help and suggestions!
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good luck with the bow
and hey,all my backyard shooting is done at 1o yds,unless the neighbors are willing to remove their vehicles so i can
stand in their driveway then i shoot at 20 yds >:D
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Well, I could probably get to 30 yards if I stood at the alley, but i would be shooting towards the road, and somehow I think those guys in blue (or black) might take offense. ;) And it would be a downhill shot. And I am not too good at those.
I shoot from the opening of the garage to the back of it. That is just shy of 10 yards.
Nathan