Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: NOMADIC PIRATE on March 25, 2008, 11:12:36 pm
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I had this thread running a couple of years ago, and I was astaunded by the number of bows some like Steve and Marc did,..in the 1000's :o :o
...Well just want to see where you guys are at, I'm not moving to fast, working on my 27th at the moment.
one thing that POPE wrote will always stick in my brain, "untill you make 100 bows you're a novice"...I have to totally agre with him, and that elusive number 100 is what I wanna write on one of my bows one day,...but it's gonna take time, of course ;D ;D
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Somewhere around a couple of hundred survivors, Manny. More if you count tomato stakes. Probably double that. Manny, you are no novice. This winter I made myself one. Helped some others with theirs. Gonna build my wife another one too. Better hurry up fishing season starts soon and I just bought myself a 4 weight fly rod. Jawge
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19 keepers....Manny....not including the 5 in the Corner...and the three I burned ...because they just Pissed me off to no end!!!!
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I have no idea really-probably 30, 40???
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working on my third
one lived so far
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I lost track a long time ago. In the early days, I'd crank out 3 bows in a week but most of them where nothing to brag about as long as they flung a arrow thats all I cared about then........ Now its more like 5 or 6 a year seems like but I've become much more fussy about details . I'd be totaly guessing but I'd say Ive probally passed the one hundred mark some time ago. ;D I'm still just a novice though....... ;D
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I'm up around a dozen or so now (I think). Have three shooters at the house and a couple abroad - think I have at least a dozen in the works though :)..
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One or two ;D ;D Manny I have to agree Jawge You are no novice. I think that theory is true for some but not for all. Some peoples ability to grasp concepts and read the wood comes naturally and they are off and running from the start. You are one of those bowyers. We all have different giftings and abilities and some things come natural and some things are struggles and it varies from person to person.
Some will dive right iinto new areas trying new woods and new styles and others will make the same safe wood and design for years. Niether right or wrong just different.
For some they will make alot of mistakes on there first attempt and remember the lesons for life and others will make one mistake per bow and it might take 200 to gett the skills honed in.
But all in all it's great food for thought and I still consider myself a rooky ;D Keenan
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I have been building since January, and have 5 so far.
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21 that still work. Do I get to count the ones that I wasn't happy with so I kept tweeking until they broke, like the hickory recurve sitting in my garage just waiting to meet its doom? How about the willow bow, I was never happy so I never bothered to put a finish on it. ;D If it doesn't get a finish on it I dont count it. ;D Justin
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umm...I've made about 20-25 bows, but only about half of them are ones I would want to bring to a shoot of any kind. ;D
Sean
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14, 4 broke in the beginning 3 fretted I kept 3 and gave the rest for gifts.
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3 or 4... ;) ;) ;)
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I've been building wood bows since the late 1980's. Like Ryan, I quit counting long ago. I'm sure its over 100 but most of the early bows were badly bent; not broke mind you but BADLY BENT! ;D I have probably built less than 50 hunt worthy bows.
Manny, Your winning(by tying yourself) that BOM was proof that you are no novice! And if that ain't enough, take a good look at both bows. 8) Keenan hit the nail on the head. Some of us(ya'll) pick it up right off the bat and others of us take a while for it to sink in. Pat
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Started last spring and have made 10 so far. Of those, 3 of the first 5 were junk. I broke a couple also. Saw Filer
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7 or 8 so far, 1 broke.....but it was cuz mullet set me up! ;) ;D >:D....Brian
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5 hickory board bows, 1 black locust character bow (that a compound shooter was kind enough to break for me by proving that bows tillerd to 25" don't handle a 31" draw too well) and one osage stave bow. have two more osage, one boo-backed elm and one hickory in the works plus a black locust, an elm, a boo-backed elm and 3 more hickory waiting their turn. now that's what i call a novice ;D
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Working on number 26 now. I got a long ways to go before I hit the 100 mark :P
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I have built a lot of bows but I would have to say that a lot of them were quickie board bows that I used for running experiments. I normaly do about 1 stave bow a week sometimes 2. And will usually do a couple boo or hickory backed bows a week. I rarely do any finish work as building bows is basicaly my morning entertainment when i drink my coffee. I am addicted to the bend and the rush i kind of get in that last few inches of tiller. I never have been a perfectioneist either or I couldnt have built so many bows. This last few months I have slowed down considerably and have actually been spraying finishes on a good share of my bows. I don't feel much need for experimenting anymore for the moment at least but still enjoy the process of building bows very much. This year I plan to just do stave bows once I finish getting my flight bows together for the once a year flight shoot. I think since the first of the year I have probably built less than 20. Steve
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Hi there,
been up to about 50 - building bows for 4 years now. But only a hand full are good ones - a lot of are testobjects to learn tillering or just "low weight ones" which are still in a corner of my shop - waiting to get ready or to end up in the fire. These days I've learned such a lot about heat treating and tillering to the end and finishing a bow. I think I will build only some bows this year but good ones with a good tiller and a finish. I've learned that every bow you build is a new one and with some staves or some specials I'm still a novice.
Greetz
Cord
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welcome bambule.
Gordon, 26 ?....I've would have guessed 260 ;)
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I was thinking the same thing Northshore,I have seen a bunch of you guys bows
and only wished some of my early ones looked and shot like that.I gave up on trying
to keep up with them several years ago,I use to# each one but I would say 150-200
and been pretty deeply involved in many many more. :)
Pappy
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I haven't bothered to even try to remember in many years. Several hundred but certainly not in the thousands
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Hmm I have made about 50 bows, +/- 10. Out of that, I still have 5, while the others I gave away, pushed to the limits after I made it or was broken by someone else...you probably can guess the reason if it has happened to you before. :'(
-Alex
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The one I finished last night makes 34 since I started in Nov of 2006, 20 or so board bows, several that broke,
lots that took a ton of set, some that were down right fugly. But I have to say even the fugly one and the ones that took set would
still be capable of hunting with. Beauty and performance ain't every thing.
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I've not counted but I guess only about 12 or so for me so far. But three out of the first four were junk. ;)
Alan
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I'm not sure, probably between 50 to 75 I would guess. But like Pappy, I've been involved with a lot more while helping others.
Greg
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I'd guess around 75. But like a lot of folks I would not call the first 25 bows really. They shot an arrow but had lots of issues. The last 25 I'd say were good enough I would not have any regrets or make any excuses for. Some folks take to it much more quickly than others and I put myself in the slow learner group. But I did take a non-typical approach, perferring to experiment on my own versus following verbatim the dogma, or challenging it in my projects. Also in the sense I didn't make the same bow over and over, preferring a variety of materials and designs. I've never really had as a goal to make a perfect bow, only to have fun at it and to try to improve in both my understanding and crafting with each new project, focusing more on process than product. I've been at it long enough to have changed my opinion on a number of critical aspects though, the lesson being I'm not sure one ever really learns it all. More like chasing your tail around the mulberry tree enough times that you begin to recognize the scenery, then you have the insight to begin looking for what seems out of place. LOL
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I'm "sort of" at 7 or 10.
By sort of, I mean that 4 of them are micro bows, 1/6th scale. But a bow is a bow, no matter how small. Or is that a person? You have to ask Horton. I have 5 more waiting to be finished. Then there are 3 kids bows. 2 of them exploded dramatically. Those will wind up as atlatls. 1 needs decorative finishing. 1 is waiting to be spliced. Of the 4 full sized bows, three are unfinished. One, the first one, was by far my favorite and my best work. But, alas, I popped a splinter on the back, and instead of glue and sinew, I didn't know any better at the time, I cut it up. IT was a fine shooting bow for one night. Perhaps I'll find pictures of it some time. Then I've helped a buddy of mine make another half dozen.
So 2 shootable full size, 1 shootable kid size, 4 shootable micro size, 3 broken, 7 unfinished.
100 huh? I heard this weekend that an expert is some one who has learned and practiced at his craft for 10,000 hours. That is roughly 5 years of full time work. But I guess that only counts if you also have a brief case and you are from out of town. :)
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I'm probably in the 60 to 75 range in the past 6 years. 30-40 pretty ok ones maybe.
Dave
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Maybe 30? Half of those in the past 12 months.....and about half of those are kid's bows. I think I may reach 100 bows in a year or two? ;D
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Hm, started in November 06 with a Black Locust that survived.
since than I finished six of which three survived but only one (bamboo backes maple) is performing ok.
Currently I'm working on four (sinew backed locus, rawhide backed osage, rawhide backed locust and an osage selfbow which is almost finish).
Radon
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I have built around 60 bows, plus or minus five bows. I have settled into making four or five each year. I would probably build four or five times that amount if I didn't spend so much time on the computer. Also, I watch/teach four or five people to build bows each winter.
Walt Francis
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Manny, I haven’t made a lot of bows because it takes me so dog-gone long to build one. I am constantly amazed at how quickly some of the folks on this site can crank them out. If I ever had to make bows to support myself I would be living in poverty. :-X
Also I don’t count all the bows that I discard, and I have had my fair share of those. But I do think I learn as much from my failures as from my successes so I don’t let those bother me much.
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After reading this thread I feel like we should all give each other a big group high five and slaps on the back. All of us have been contributing and posting pics and experience for years now. Young relatively new bowyers hitting their 10th bow are building bows as good as I can. I remember how a lot of us use to struggle, My first bows were shocky and slow but very rewarding. I see guys now on their third bow and they are real hunting weapons. This sight has been a real good thing for primitive archery. Steve
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50 or 60...
not bad for 4 years...
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lost count a couple years ago. i'm guessing somewhere between 60-70. i seem to have too many hobbies here lately to work on bows.
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finished between 25 and 30 bows, just like manny and gordon (which really surprised me to hear!)
frank
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Just getting started. I built one bow 6 years ago without knowing anything and it snapped. Since September I have made 6 and all are surviving so far. Biggest challenge right now is hitting my target weight with good tiller. One of my favorites is a "one day bow". Start it in the morning and shoot it before sunset.
I expect I'll make 50 or so. That should cover the designs I want to try.
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After reading this thread I feel like we should all give each other a big group high five and slaps on the back. All of us have been contributing and posting pics and experience for years now. Young relatively new bowyers hitting their 10th bow are building bows as good as I can. I remember how a lot of us use to struggle, My first bows were shocky and slow but very rewarding. I see guys now on their third bow and they are real hunting weapons. This sight has been a real good thing for primitive archery. Steve
I agree with Steve. GOOD FER ALL OF US ! I am lucky I was taught by the elders in the tribe ta do it starting at 8 years old cause I showed an interest in the ole' ways.That dosent mean I became proficient at huntin' weapons right off. Why would they do that ? Like Grandfather said "Ammo costs money and ifn ya aint got any what ya gonna do..........starve and die ?" ;D How many..I honestly have no idea I lost count years ago. Like Steve says "THIS SITE HAS BEEN A REAL GOOD THING FOR PRIMITIVE ARCHERY.".................bob
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Of the ones I took the time to make a note of, this covers most of the ones I have made, I am up to 113 and working on 114 and 115. I made 40 before I would take pictures of dead presidents for one, sorta' a self imposed apprenticeship. I am slowing down a good bit and will probably make around 10 this year.
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I think about 80 or a little more since 1996. The first years of bowbuilding I have build a lot but then I slow down (only one bow in 2001) and now I'm at the stage of may be 6-8 bows a year. But with every new bow I learn a little more... ;) and I enjoys to have a look on your new bows, that's truly inspiration!
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I built one really pretty piece of firewood... :'(..but searching for the next victim ... ;D Hawk a/ho
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I wonder what the count would be if we totalled all the bows that Oldbow has done for the BOM,,,Stagering I'm sure ;) Keenan
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I wonder what the count would be if we totalled all the bows that Oldbow has done for the BOM,,,Stagering I'm sure ;) Keenan
That ought to be around 400 this year alone. :o Justin
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Badger, I am amazed at the talent the newcomers have. Manny, Ryan, Gordon come to mind as well as several others I can't remember. It is a wonderful thing! Jawge
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I have made ummmmm lets see....8 kids bows now (with two more half finished since my knife making detour) I have only made four adult sized bows (with Pappy's osage and a bamboo backed ipe bow in various stages now) And another ten tomato stakes that I had completed (or is that takedown bows) early in my carreer (hobby?) I guess that brings my total to about 22 or so attempts with the result being an even dozen shooters with four more in the works and a fifth that I need to get started on for a trade in July.
I only have 78 bows to go I guess to reach that magical number of 100....I will not count broken bows since I feel that if they don't survive a couple hundred arrows/draw cycles then they arent really bows
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Nine so far - in about 18 months. One broke on the tiller, one broke during testing and one works great but has chrysalled so I don't shoot it any more. I shoot three of them regularly all in different classes for field archery. One is an an ELB, one a primitive and one counts as an American Flat Bow under British rules.
Each time I finish one I'm planning the next! Maybe its time to start giving some away.
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Stik, broken bows count, there all experience getters. Steve
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LOL...good thing because I just reread my post and BOY was my math screwed up. A dozen shooters would mean that I need 88 more to hit 100. Since you said the brokens count Steve, I will hang onto my original 78 more to go figure. That means that the other ten (88-78) should be SPECTACULAR lol
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I'm around 400 bows, having had to keep track for tax purposes :o. It's the bows made in the 80's which are still hunting that I'm most proud of.
Rich-its a great way to kill time :D
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I started in August last year...i have made 8 bows...working on my 9 right now.....i broke 2 by now...one broke trying to bend the tips to make a recurve....and on broke on the tillering tree...its just snap....so...i hope to learn a lot, and to make better bows....i also dont think that you dont realy have to do 100 bows to consider your self no longer a novice...it depends on each person skils and talent...
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I have not kept good count but somewhere around 2 dozen bows. My first bow was an oak board bow that I made with help from jawge's and sam harper's websites. It had terrible set but it threw arrows. I still have it though I am not sure it is shootable anymore because I tweaked on it too much. A good many of the bows I make broke on me shortly after finishing them or while tweaking on them and I still have the peices of many of them laying around the garage. One those broken ones was an osage self bow that I am currently trying to salvage. I spliced the pieces together and sinewed the heck out of it. It is not finished but I shot about a dozen arrows through it yesterday. My three best ones are a 60@26" osage selfbow which is my hunter, a 47#@26" elm selfbow and a bamboo backed ipe that is 48#@26".
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lol, i made 1 that was worth anything, that was a red cedar self. beutiful till i broke it when the dangleing string got caught under the 4 weeler tire. i have broke about 6 though. as they say, i break 12 and i might start makeing some good ones. im still trying to get the tillering down.
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Badger, I am amazed at the talent the newcomers have. Manny, Ryan, Gordon come to mind as well as several others I can't remember. It is a wonderful thing! Jawge
I too am in Awe of the Designs that you people come up with...I am not in any way ....in a League with most of the Bowyers on this Site....I am a Humble Bow Builder of the Old Ways....I have never built Laminated....overlays....fancy nocks....glitzy Grips....Hell I couldn't ....I can build Injun Bows ....cause thats what I was taught...and have never had the guts or ambition to do anything different....call me Old Fashion....or just OLD!!!! I am living Proof that an Old Dog just likes to be left Alone!!! ::)
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I've made something around 90. 50 of those were before I had any idea what I was doing and I probably broke 49 of them. : ( Many of the others took horrible set because I wanted a narrow short bow to draw 80lbs or so. My heavyest was a 103lb bamboo pole bow from when I was ... 15? (I've always been kinda strong). My last 15 or so actually shot somewhere around half decent. My last 4 are bows that I'm proud of so,... lets just say that I've made 4. I feel like I still know nothing sinse the stuff in TBB is just finally starting to sink in. I really consider myself a total novice.
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thats the way you gotta be. ya get cocky ya screw up. that how it work.
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I've made about 40 Keeper's. Between Jawge, Marc, Rich, Keenan, Pappy, Pat, Gordon, Manny, Ryan and all the new guy's on here, and broken bows, and the internet, I do not think that Mister Pope or Youngs' estimate would figure in to Modern bowyer society.
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i dont get it but im sure its safe to agree! ;D
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i guess i've made about 30...but i'm definitely still a novice, because i keep trying new ways to make 'em! i want to post a build along on here, making two osage board bows at once, slightly different from each other, and watch the progress...they are 62 inches long, and just under 1.5 inches wide, and i'm aiming for 65# pull...
but i am not sure how to start a thread/ post a buildalong....anyone help? thanks
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radius just go to the build along forum and go for it.You can update it as you move along.
I love build alongs. :)
Pappy
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It wasn't until 2004 that I finaly could buld a bow that I could hunt with. Since than I have built 7 good shooters. I lost track of how much fire wood that I have made.
I have tree that I am working on right now.
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i want to post a build along on here, but i am not sure how to start a thread/ post a buildalong....anyone help? thanks
go to the main page....go to build a longs....and start a Thread....just that simple
http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/board,6.0.html
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First one, last month. 52# red oak board bow - it shoots straight. :) Planning to take a whitetail with it before I move on to the second one -- would like to do one from a stave, I need to find a good tree.
Currently coaching the boys and a couple of their friends through the process, I hope to have a half dozen of us shooting them by deer season.