newbie hickory bow

[tahirsdt]

Hi guys, I'm a newbie to making bows, need some advice on making my first bow.
I have a hickory board that is 2" wide (iv been told that should be a good width for a hickory bow) and 2.4m long. Firstly I'd like to know should I use a pyramid style layout or should I usea layout where it starts to taper after mid limb? And is my 2" width suitable? What length should I go for?was thinking around 1.7m. Keeping in mind that I would prefer something easy to make and shoot as this is my first bow.thanks

[RyanY]

Well the first thing you need to do is figure out what draw weight and draw length you want it and also if you want a bow with a stiff handle or one that flexes throughout its length.

[tahirsdt]

Well the most I can draw is around 26" and because I'm new to archery I'm not sure what weight I can shoot to because I've shot lighter bows so far but because I'm average height and build I would guess I could do 50# maybe? As for the handle I'm not sure, that's what I plan to ask here, what would be easier to build and shoot as a first bow? Thanks for the help btw!

[steve b.]

You new guys that jump right in and start building bows with minimal instruction, impress me.  The 2" and 1.7 m are good numbers.  Generally a D-bow, or one that bends slightly through the handle is more complicated than a rigid handle.  The pyramid is a little more complicated too.  So I would go with the rigid handle and parallel bow.  Just don't make a bow that you are pulling as hard as you can in order to get it to bend because you might be capable of pulling 60+ lbs. and that might cause the bow problems.  Not sure.  Better to just overbuild the first bow in order to get all the moves down and then make some better later.

So make it long and wide and make the handle and tips rigid and tiller it for increasing bend from handle to tips.  Don't worry about cutting in a shelf.  You can glue one on later.  I just finished an oak bow almost identical to yours that came out very light.  If you want some pics of that or any more help let me know.

sb

[RyanY]

If you've never shot before I'd go with 40#@26" or maybe even a little lighter. Not that you couldn't shoot a 50-60# bow right now but the lighter weight will help your endurance and form.

A lot of guys recommend a stiff handle bow to start off with but the only problem is making sure that the handle stays glued on. But if your board is deep enough then you may not have to glue on the handle. Either way I think 1.7m is a good length. If I were you I'd suggest the bendy handle bow. Here's the dimensions I'd use. 1.5" wide for the middle two feet, then tapering to 1.25" wide over the next foot, and finally to 1/2" wide at the nock. As for your thickness taper I'd start with 3/4" thick for the middle foot and then tapering straight to 1/2" thick at the nocks.

When tillering the bow make sure the bend is almost like the arc of a circle but with a slightly stiffer handle section.

[tahirsdt]

Thanks a lot guys, realy appretiate the advice, its hard to understand sometimes coz I'm new. Just wanted to know in terms of a bowstring, I have a string similar to the cord used for blinds, would that work as a bowstring?

[RyanY]

When considering bow string, the first thing you probably want to worry about is it's breaking strength. If you can make a string that'll withstand the strength of the bow then it'll work although it might not necessarily be good. The second thing to consider is stretch. A good bow string should not stretch very much. When I started making bows I didn't know how to make a proper string so I used nylon cord. It could definitely withstand the draw weight but had lots of stretch. If I were you I'd start trying to learn how to make a string now. Its important to learn and also very rewarding. Look into making a string jig and getting a spool of Dacron B-50. In the mean time use what you can. The rule of thumb that most go by is that the string should have a breaking strength of at least 4x the draw weight.

[kevinsmith5]

I have made strings using the hemp cord sold in craft stores for jewelry projects. It comes in 10, 20, and 48 lbs weights.

[tahirsdt]

You guys have no idea how much confusion you just cleared up for me. Should I not be able to get a hold of a dracon spool, would something called "builders line suffice"? It says it has a 70pound breaking strength, if I used it would I need to still braid it? Or would a single strand suffice?

[steve b.]

Not sure about  the alternative string thing, but if you want, tahirsdt, when you get to building the bow, let me know the length ntn and I will build you a fast flight string for the bow.  Just PM me your address and I'll put one in an envelope.

[tahirsdt]

Would I need to back this bow? If I did then what benefit would I get out of a fibreglass tape backing?

[kevinsmith5]

Ick. If you're just gonna do a backing for protection from raising splinters, use linen. You'll use less glue, get more protection, and it will look better.

[RyanY]

If you're using that cord for a string then you'd need more than just the one strand. Remember, a bow string needs to have a breaking strength of AT LEAST 4x the draw weight. For example, if the bow has a 40# draw, then the string should have a breaking strength of 160#. Because your cord is 70# breaking strength, if you make a braid of 3 then it should be fine.

The backing depends on the grain of the board. Hickory can generally have poorish grain and still be ok but there's always a limit. In order for us to judge the need for a backing, we'd have to see the board and its grain.

[kevinsmith5]

I've linen backed each of my board bows. Its cheap, tough, and honestly looks good.

[tahirsdt]

I'll post a pic of the stave soon, I got it tapered on all sides so far, need to taper it in width only now