How much room needed to make your bow ?

[IndianKid]

So I made a few bows a year or two ago, had my Davis tent set up with a wood stove and had plenty of room... We moved, a more suburban area and now space it tighter than ever before. My single car garage is loaded with tools a work bench, soon will have the snow blower from the shed, and my Harley... So, things are crazy tight... Whats the smallest amount of room (LxW) that you guys think is practical ? (And no, the Harley will not be moved outside !)

[Julian]

I make bows in the outside area of my apartment complex,


I don't even have a bench, I hold my work by sitting on it on a chair.

So really, its work with what you've got.

[Morgan]

If weather is bad or I’m working after dark, I use a room in my little shop building that is about 8’ x 16’ and most of the work gets done in half the area, so 8x8 would be big enough. I like getting some distance from the tiller tree though as it’s easier for me to see differences in the limbs.

[Hawkdancer]

Snowblower stays in the shed, Harley stays in the garage, take whatever room you need for bows - rule one - but never upset the significant other!!!  If any other situations arise, see rule one!  I think my space is about 8x8 at best! And that's a stretch.  Will report back after I really make a bow!  It's in the works.
Hawkdancer

[Mo_coon-catcher]

All my work is done outside. So I'm a fair weather bowyer. If it's nice, I'm working on bows. I'll work in the dark and cold. But not the rain and maybe a light snow. I even had a setup to hold a bench vice in the bed if my truck. It worked well, too. The detail work I'll do inside, such as markings, strings, handle wraps, and skin backings.

Kyle

[Hawkdancer]

Rain and snow ain't no fun unless you planning to hunt rabbits or deer, maybe birds!  Been there, done that!!  'Course down there in Mizzouri, weather is always hot and muggy , or cold and dank, perfect for hunting!  Not necessarily for bow making outdoors .
Hawkdancer. LOL!

[Del the cat]

The actual working end of my garage is about 7'6" x 15'. But if you take away the storage etc I reckon the actual area I mainly use is about 6' x 11'
I open up the end door or get outside when I can. My biggest prob is not much room for the tiller tree, I can't get back away fr om it to see what's flexing, so I have a camera mount on the opposite  wall (7'6" away) and take video which I can watch in comfort.
Del

[simson]

I made my first bows in the kitchen.
Meanwhile I have a garage for doing the hard ware job. For finish I have a little room in our house.

[bushboy]

I work outside,can't beat natural light and it keeps the sawdust down!living in Canada - 30c becomes normal after a bit!

[LittleBen]

I built my first bow in my bedroom (I was in college so that explains a lot).
After that I had a small workbench in my friends basement. Built about a half dozen there.
Then I moved to northern VA and my only workspace was a 6x 10 outdoor porch. Built about 2 dozen bows, and a 8' sailing dinghy including all rigging on that porch.
My first actual shop was a 1 car garage at my apartment that shared space with my car. We had a single parking space driveway for another car. Tonuse the shop I would have to move my wife's car to he street, move my car to the driveway, roll out tools, then I could begin. I built my benches along the perimeter of the garage, and the car was parked in the middle ... it was a tight fit. But I'm betting my car was bigger than a Harley.

So how much space doesn't it take? At least 4' x 8' assuming you have a ceiling height of 8'. You're gonna have to turn the bow end for end pretty frequently. I'd wanna be able to stand back and look for tillering, so practically I think you could swing a 8' x 8' area. If it were me I'd make a simple bench at the back of the garage, and build a shave-horse that you could pull out into the workspace from under the bench. If you wanna use more power type tools, I would check out some of the small one car garage shops that have been built for woodworking because the tool storage and workspace needs are similar.

P.S. I grew up on the island, but this is why I live upstate, I can actually afford enough space.

[Stick Bender]

I live in a small house with a small 2 car garage that doubles as a work shop I have a lot of bench tools but had to put every thing on wheels or hung and also use the rafters for storage I installed 2 barn heaters & a dust collector in each corner the best thing I did as I do most of my work in the winter its small and cramped & I have to constantly move cars out to get to somthing but it works for every thing !

[Stick Bender]

Other side

[George Tsoukalas]

I make them in my cellar workshop.

My vice is bolted to my workbench which is bolted to the floor. My rope and pulley goes in the vice and is clamped into the first floor joist.

My work bench goes in the vice for the heavy work and is also clamped to my workbench. Tillering starts when the heavy work is done.

Bench is removed and stave is worked off to the side.

Jawge

[Eric Krewson]

When I started making bows I set up a workbench in a offset made for the water heater in my garage that was approximately 5X7. I had a bandsaw and put big dolly wheels on the legs so I could take it outside to use it, I also bought a bench belt sander and used it outside under a maple tree as well.

I made at least 50 bows in this tiny corner of the garage.

Anyone who is crafty and working out of a restrictive space always dreams about having a "real" shop. My wife wanted a new house in the country, I agreed with the condition that a shop building would be part of the deal. When I retired the dream came true, we bought the house and had the shop built.

A day doesn't go by when I am not out in my shop doing something. I may be working on a tractor part, flintlock rifle, making a bow or a host of other projects.

The bad part of all this is I am getting old, live alone (wife died) and someday I will have to give up my house in the country, that won't be all that bad but moving away from my shop will be a heartbreaker.

[Badger]

  Beautiful shop Eric, I can relate to the getting older thing. I down sized several years ago when I retired. Now I have a 6X12 storage shed I roll everything into and work on an out door patio. I get by ok but would love to have a shop like yours. If I did I would move the bandsaw and sander up under an attached cover out doors because of dust. Any chance as you aged you could possibly take on a younger responsible couple with grown and gone kids to help you out and allow you to keep your shop? I know you have to be careful in these situations but it can be nice when it works out.