New kid breaking through the paralysis of research...

[RobbyJoe]

 Hello from Washington (the State)!  I've been lurking here and on other forums for a few weeks now trying to absorb some basics before attempting to craft my first bow.  SO much information and experience out there!  Threads like "Pyramid bows vs. everything else" and others sure don't make it easy for a new guy to pick someplace to start.  Anyway, I've finally come to the conclusion that I'm just going to pick a design and go for it.  The first step on a long journey is often the hardest to take... 

So, I'm going to attempt a standard pyramid bow.  I like to concept and the tease of potentially easy tillering if I build it right.  I have a couple of choices for wood.  I have a few good boards of Ipe, and a few good Red Oak boards.  I also have a nice piece of Hickory I'd like to back the bow with. (I really like the contrast on dark wood bows backed with something light).  My goal would be to have a 40# at 27" draw.  Since I have both woods available,

1) Is there any reason one (Ipe or Red Oak) would be better than the other for a first-timer? 

2) I'm having a hard time finding "general" width/thickness guidelines to start off with for a 70" bow, 68" ntn. 

3) Also, how thick should the Hickory backing be in relation to the Ipe or Oak belly wood?

Any guidance is appreciated!  I hope to get to know you all better!

Rob

[RobbyJoe]

Oh, a little background on me...

I have a fair amount of woodworking experience with building small boats (Kayak, canoe, rowboat) an a few teardrop trailers.  I have both power and hand-tools, and enjoy using both.  I'm a firefighter by trade and my other hobbies include restoring old Coleman Lanterns and my stock 1958 Willys Wagon.  Finding a 50 year-old item in a junk pile and bringing it back to useful life is highly satisfying to me.  I guess that's why "traditional" archery has such appeal.   

[willie]

welcome Rob,
there are a couple of ways to get started on your first bow, and a board bow is often the place many others choose. As you have probably seen from some threads, building and tillering are somewhat different skills, both of which have a bit of a learning curve. Sounds like you have probably already acquired most of the wood working basics, so the only advice I might offer is to choose a simple design that will let you get some feel for the tillering process. I would simply start with the oak boards and leave the hickory and ipe for further down the road. If you are like the rest of us, you might build a few before too long. Getting a nice piece of red oak to bend to your requirements should not too hard, i would try it without the backing, as your dimensions and draw requirements are a bit conservative. allow 2 in wide and 9/16 limb thickness to start and concentrate on keeping a nice curve
post progress pics and you will get all the help and advice you need, and then some

have you seen?
 http://traditionalarchery101.com/archer.html

[Del the cat]

IMO, Best way to get over the paralysis is to just jump in and have a go without any great expectations. You will learn more from your first few attempts than any amount of reading.
Ok, sure it's good to do some reading round to get you in the right ball park, but it's more important to learn some "feel" for the tools and wood and to get your "eye" in.

It's like the old question:-
Q. What's the best wood to make a bow?
A. The bit you actually have!
Del

[bushboy]

I would suggest a eastern woodland bow to start.simple d ,no fades to deal with is the best way to set yourself up for success.

[Stick Bender]

I read a lot of bow building books and could patriot what I read but it would be moot tell I actually go to the shop and build a bow with the knowledge learned, you will learn a lot on your first couple of bows and more from using common sense in the shop and listening to the guys on here that are building & posting bows , it gets confusing when your new with all the varied info just pick a design and roll with it if you get hooked you will eventually try them all any way ! I stared at a wavy osage stave for 6 months before I started on it because I was afraid of screwing it up thought it was rocket science but it's not things can sound more complicated then they are the basics of bow building are pretty simple in reality it's just a matter of perfecting your skill !

[Knoll]

For your first bow(s) would recommend not beginning with laminate. Crawl before walk, walk before run approach.
Willie's suggested plan sounds like a winner.
GOOD LUCK!

[bjrogg]

Welcome to PA Robby Joe. I agree with Del. Your right about taking that first step on the journey, but you'll probably do some backtracking to. I wouldn't try to build the bow of your dreams for the first bow. You sound like you should fit in here good. I like that you find satisfaction in taking a 50 year old piece of "junk" and giving it a new life. Believe me when you take a lifeless board or stave and bring it to life as a bow it will change you forever. You will look at boards and trees in a whole new light. In your mind you will always be looking at trees and seeing the bows inside them. Even your nieghbors.lol.
Good Luck and don't be afraid to ask questions. You might get five different answers but that doesn't mean one is right and the rest are wrong. You just do what seems right after you think them all through.
Bjrogg

[PatM]

I would go with the laminate. You have some hands on experience and that skill crosses over well.

 Rather than trying a more advanced laminate just cut a strip of Ipe a bit over an inch wide and glue a strip of the hickory to  it.  The hickory can be around 1/4 inch thick. Don't do any pre-tillering or reflexing of the glue-up.

Then just work that chunk of glued up wood as if it is a stave.  Make a simple longbow bending over the whole length of the bow.

[RobbyJoe]

Thanks everyone!  I'm really looking forward to starting this bow and I'll post pictures as I progress.  I'm hoping to get some shop time in today.  I'll probably use the Red Oak for this first bow since it's common and will be less of a bummer if I start off on the steep side of the learning curve.  My 40# target weight has more to do with my beginner status at archery in general and wanting a bow that I can shoot a lot without fatigue to build up form and technique.  Hopefully, it also serves as a good weight to be easy on the wood for a first bow and reducing the chance of it failing.  Maybe a few pictures will be coming by this evening! 

[George Tsoukalas]

Thanks, willie, for posting my site.

Robbyjoe, choose a nice straight grained red oak board...make sure it is straight grained tip to tip.

Make a simple design. Let the handle bend. Make it 1 3/8" wide. No cut in shelves or narrow shelves. The handle area should be the widest.

Follow the build along on my site. There is a red oak board bow build along set to 1.5 inches wide but you can rip the board to 1 3/8".

Did I say you should choose straight grained stock?

Jawge

[RobbyJoe]

Jawge,   I've spent a great deal of time on your site and especially on your Red Oak build along. I really appreciate the time you've put in to helping folks like me understand some of the basics of bow building!  I'll be using your example as my first guideline.  I hope you'll follow up as I go through this!  I need to read up on how to post pictures here and will hopefully have some up soon.  I've got some time slated tomorrow morning to lay out and start shaping the basic design.  I'll keep you all posted.  Thanks!

[George Tsoukalas]

You are welcome, RobbyJoe. Some folks find 1.5 inches a bit wide so you can rip to 1 3/8" which is  bit more manageable. Jawge

[Hawkdancer]

Welcome aboard, Robbie Joe!  The folks on this site have a wealth of knowledge and are willing to help any one who asks!  Take plenty of pictures and post your progress!
Hawkdancer

[LittleBen]

A pottery class was split into two groups.
The first group was told to make one bowl that semester, and to try to make the bowl perfect.
The second group was just told to make as many bowls as they could during the semester and not worry about perfection.
At the end of the semester the second group had more bowls, and also better bowls.

Practice makes perfect, and wood is cheap. The sooner you get started and the more you build, the quicker you will end up with the perfect bow you are dreaming about owning.