Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: The Burnt Hill Archer on November 15, 2008, 01:23:38 am
-
hey guys, ive been thinking again. weve seen bows made only with hand tools, only with a hatchet, only with stone tools ect. but i was thinkin what about a bow made only with powertools. from rough out all the way to final tillering. anything that takes wood off would have to be a power tool.
now i may get crucified for this, but i figure alot of us use power tools somewhere in the process, so why not see if a bow could be made using only power tools.
it may seem kinda cheap, but with my schedule right now i cant even think about bowmaking. im barely finding time to work on the christmas trade. but if anybody wanted to give it a shot, ill root ya on!
so what do ya think? do-able? or just a stupid idea?
Phil
-
I would like to do this, but with a lack of power tools >:( it is impossible for me.
-
It's definitely doable. I've built several this way. Using a bandsaw and belt sander. It sure makes it go quick.
-
I have done this before, but with me anyway, it usually leads to a mistake and either a broken bow or a very light bow. I have 1 that is hunting weight, but it's tiller isn't too pretty. I'm too impatient anyway! I'm sure someone can do better!
-
yup its doable
but like brownhillboy it always leads to a bad bow for me,always comes in way under intended weight and tiler is never very pretty for me then either.
however i will watch and root everyone else on that does it. ;D
good luck to all
peace,
tim
-
that was my original thinking with this. sure a bow can be made with all power tools, but can it be a hard hitting, dependable, perfect tiller bow? i made a bow a long while ago using a belt sander for the tillering. but i created a hinge, and it eventually broke.
what I'm looking for here is for a bow that looks and shoots just like it was painstakingly made with hand tools. and if somebody has already done it, lets see em!
-
Stationary or hand-held? Rented/borrowed or owned? >:D
Obviously, I can be done. Actually, many of us (me included) wish we had all the state of the art machines we could get our hands on.
-
The bow in the picture is a child's bow...made entirely with power tools. It is an ipe self bow. The lower limb has a lot of set because of the way my daughter braces the bow (when I'm not looking). ;D
The stave was cut from the ipe board with a circular saw, it was roughed out with a hand-held disc sander, tillered with a belt sander and the notches cut with a scroll saw. The only think that wasn't powered was the final sanding and finishing....and only because I don't have a flapwheel and rotary buffer that work well.
(http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg112/jackcrafty/11-08-08/DSC_0178.jpg)
34-1/2" long
5/8" wide limbs
3/8" wide tips
4" brace height
7#@16"
Max draw 20"? (again, when I'm not looking)
-
i still love that set there jackcrafty :o 8)
-
Thanks Sailordad. ;D
-
This bow was built using all power tools.. the only thing that was done with a hand tool was the final shaping of the string grove's.. they were ruff cut with a dremmel..
(http://i312.photobucket.com/albums/ll323/knight3169/kids%20bow/handle-1.jpg)
(http://i312.photobucket.com/albums/ll323/knight3169/kids%20bow/Bows066.jpg)
(http://i312.photobucket.com/albums/ll323/knight3169/kids%20bow/stringalignment.jpg)
(http://i312.photobucket.com/albums/ll323/knight3169/kids%20bow/tip.jpg)
-
And I built this one for Christmas for my son 6 yrs Ago. Useing only hand tools..Hand carved the Arrow heads on the back flattend the handle lams with a file..
(http://inlinethumb12.webshots.com/44427/1073337574046104752S500x500Q85.jpg) (http://sports.webshots.com/photo/1073337574046104752yvlIpu)
(http://inlinethumb29.webshots.com/42716/1073337654046104752S500x500Q85.jpg) (http://sports.webshots.com/photo/1073337654046104752BfTObh)
(http://inlinethumb39.webshots.com/43814/1073337619046104752S500x500Q85.jpg) (http://sports.webshots.com/photo/1073337619046104752UysTFs)
-
nice work Jack and Knight. i figured it could be done, looks like you guys did a really good job of it too.
-
jackcrafty.... what age child did you make that bow for???? I want to make a bow for a 5 year old little girl but wasn't sure what I should being trying for.
Any other suggestions would be appreciated!! ;)
-
OK..........I'll bite...........I can make one with just a Router and a Finish Sander...........
-
OK..........I'll bite...........I can make one with just a Router and a Finish Sander...........
Yo are better than me with a router then.
Do we get to use a axe to split it out of the log or do I have to chainsaw it out. :o Once it is in stave form it can be done with just a belt sander. Justin
-
Does it have to be a Stave....or can it be an Oak 2X4???
-
personnaly i would think a 2x4 would work since it was industrial power tools that put it in the form of a 2x4 jm2c
peace,
tim
-
I have a beautiful 2X4 Oak from Work...it was part of some cribbing that a Large Boiler came in on....I cobbed on toit as soon as I seen the Straight Grain!!....I am going to bandsaw it in hald....and make two nice Paddle Bows from it...
-
yeah id say a 2x4 is ok. cant wait to see what you come up with! do you guys think there should be anymore criteria? im pretty open with this one, but any more restictions to make it more fun are fine with me!
Phil
-
lowell, that bow as made for a six year old. If you make a bow's weight about equal to the child's age (girls), you're pretty safe. What I mean by that is the bow will not be too strong for the child and the arrows will not fly with too much force (in case of an accident). After age twelve, a child's strength starts to increase dramatically, so I add 5 pounds to the draw weight. After age 15, I add 10 pounds to the draw weight. So....for example:
Age 5 = 5# bow
Age 12 = 12# bow
Age 13 = 18# bow
Age 16 = 26# bow
These examples are for girls, using my daughters as a guide. My boys are only 5 (twins) and I'm sure they will be a bit stronger than the girls, but for now the chart above works well for them too.
-
OK..........I'll bite...........I can make one with just a Router and a Finish Sander...........
Wow! El Destructo- A router? I have seen and done many things with a router.....but please explain....what would you do to shape a bow with a router? Or do you mean something more like a dremmel tool? I'm curious. ???
I have used a router to do this compression patch on a bow that I am making for my daughter.
(http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e279/bonney-weyers/DSCN6137.jpg)
(http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e279/bonney-weyers/DSCN6138.jpg)
This bow was made with power tools, except for hand sanding the edges. I was trying to make a bow that did not need any tillering.
-
Thanks Jackcrafty,
That helps a lot ;).. just got to spend some time in the shop instead of the tree!! :D