So, I want to get into archery but I want to make my own bow instead of buying one and teach myself how to use it (with some help from the internet) Problem is I have no idea how to make a bow. What tools/equipment would I need to carve it? what sort of wood and string would I need to use to make it? Would I also have to make my own arrows or could I buy those? I just wanna use it to shoot some targets in the woods. Any help would be very much appreciated.
>>805133
Look up the bowyer's bible. IIRC, it has 4 volumes. Start with a board bow. You can go to Home Depot or Lowes and get a nice oak board for $5-$10 to start with.
A word about board bows: They have to be backed with something unless you can find that perfect board that follows one ring all the way down the board. The back of the bow either needs to be one ring all the way down, or the bow will come apart on you.
(Backing a bow simply means gluing something like sinew or linen to the back of it to prevent wood fibers from lifting up.)
Tools that you will want:
Various rasps/files
Farrier's rasp
Draw knife
There are other tools that would be useful, but stay away from power tools once you have started tillering. I know, it is tempting to get the belt sander off, but you're talking about doing something where taking off 1/32 of material at a time is kind of a big deal.
Here is the first part of a three part video on making a bow:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jpPnlYj5NPc
He talks about how to work with the wood. It's good stuff. I will say that some of the advice is specific to Osage Orange. With some woods, it is acceptable to leave the sapwood on the back.
http://www.wikihow.com
Primitive technology on youtube is god mode
Found him yesturday and I have 15 years of primitive survival training. He is really good.
>>805269
You are a nigger
>>805133
Google selfbow, there is like a million hits.
Got to tradgang or the stickbow leatherwall, two traditional archery hunting boards
Become enlightened.
>>805133
Board bow is the way to go, but specifically a pyramid bow. There's a huge thread with instructions on tradtalk I think or one of those sites.
Pyramid bow is about the most efficient simple bow design there is.
>>805133
This is a good write up. I used it to make mine.
http://poorfolkbows.com/oak.htm
It will take a while, and it costs more than $10 in the long run. Id suggest using a belt sander if you have access to one to save a ton of time.
>>805269
Only if you're a moron who cannot tiller a bow properly. If it's going to blow up, it's going to blow up on the tillering block.
>>805269
>Im a consumer Im a consumer Im a consumer. I like not to do anything
PVC bow if all else fails.
>>805133
buy a wood plane, buy a $10~ piece or red oak, if you have access to a band saw it will go alot faster. of not then a large knife or very sharp axe will help.
you can get sinew, artificial sinew, rawhide, silk, or a snake skin to back it with some granulated hide glue from the Internet.
total like $50 for ok materials and some research. I used rawhide fit my first bow by getting those gigantic dog chewing toys they sell during the holidays, soak it in soapy water and stitch it if necessary, then glue it, let it dry and sand it untill you ate balanced. it takes time.
the most important thing is that you get the right piece of wood, learn about the grain and what is optimal, getting a more exotic wood is not great to start with sience you will break a few of your bows due to impatience and inexperience. it's not easy but it's very gratifying. good luck op.
ChopWithChris How to make a bow and arrow https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FL0p3uxKNd8
I've made my own and it took me over 100+ hours. Its fun but costly for tools (even second hand)
this is the book: hunting with the bow and arrow by saxton pope, published 1923
http://www.gutenberg.org/files/8084/8084-h/8084-h.htm
there is a chapter on how to make bows
