Information on making your own long bow?

[Fullabull]

Hello all,

My son will be a senior in high school next year and they are required to do a project. If my son can get permission from the school, he wants to make a long bow.

Facts:
He archery hunts with me but uses a compound.
He would like to make this bow to hunt with.
We do not have a wood shop and we do not know if the school would allow him to use theirs.

Unknowns:
How long of a process is making a long bow.
Where to find a good set of instructions on making a long bow.
How to determine the draw length and weight or a long bow
Pretty much everything falls into this category

Does anyone know of a good starting place for my son to investigate a project like this and what it would take to complete?

Thanks for any assistance/direction you can provide.

Regards,
Fulla

[Old Dog]

The Traditional Bowyer's Bible is a good place to start.  There are several volumes, and I believe they are available at amazon.com.

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

3 Rivers Archery has kits,
and check out Traditional Bowhunters of Washington WAJAM
WAJAM       
 8 - 10 Jul, 2011
Cashmere, WA

[Lowedog]

http://www.binghamprojects.com/ 

[quadrafire]

The Traditional Bowyer's Bible is a good place to start.  There are several volumes, and I believe they are available at amazon.com.

Fulla
If you are on the east side I have the first 3 of these you could borrow. PM me if interested

[Oneshot1Kill]

Hey that's pretty cool! Next year I'm a senior and trying to get it passed so that I can make my homemade bow and arrows. Looking at Rose City Archery. They got some great arrow making kits and what looks to be great long bow kits too. Tell him good luck if it's his senior project!

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

What is funny, back when I was in High School, they had the form for making a recurve in our woodshop,
I wish I knew then what I know now.....

[Fullabull]

As always, this forum has lots of good folks willing to share information and knowledge 

Thank you very much for your responses and messages. My son is a junior this year but has been searching for an idea for his sinior project. This was his first year archery hunting with me and he loved it. We only have compound bows but he took an interest in wanting to shoot a long bow. Well, I told him when he gets good at hunting with a compound, we'll look at a long bow.

As teenagers often do, he found a way around my conditions
If he gets it by the school, I think it's a great idea for a project...

Quadra, we are on the west side but I appreciate the offer!

Oneshot, good luck with your school and project as well..

If my son gets to do this I will post pictures next year while he is working on the project.

Thanks and regards,
Fulla

[Hornseeker]

Definitely look at/go with the Bingham Projects kits... they are a piece of cake and NO ONE has catered to more first time builders. You can have your son email Elmont Bingham, at the address provided on the website.... he will be VERY helpful...he is an old man that has built and helped others build thousands of bows!

[scout88]

i remember doing my senior project back in 06/07. its not that bad at all and i hope your son gets this approved!

[bigdave]

I have seen on this thread several times "if the school will let him".

Why wouldn't they let him? I can see then not allowing him to string it or shoot it at school....(duh)...... but to deny it as a project? If the couselor said no I'd be scheduling a meeting with the principal and if I didn't get any satifaction then I would schedule a meeting with the Superintendent and bring a lawyer.

I work in the school system and this kind of thing really gets me going. As a teacher there would be TONS of teachable moments in this project. The science and math applications would be almost limitless.

Good luck and good hunting!!

[scout88]

I have seen on this thread several times "if the school will let him".

Why wouldn't they let him? I can see then not allowing him to string it or shoot it at school....(duh)...... but to deny it as a project? If the couselor said no I'd be scheduling a meeting with the principal and if I didn't get any satifaction then I would schedule a meeting with the Superintendent and bring a lawyer.

I work in the school system and this kind of thing really gets me going. As a teacher there would be TONS of teachable moments in this project. The science and math applications would be almost limitless.

Good luck and good hunting!!

i dont think that its the fact of it being a weapon or anything, but the project itself has certain requirements that you have to follow. dont really remember what they are but they can be a pain for sure. you have to write a research paper, do some interviews, do some community service is what i think they tried calling it in the that field, make a presentation board and do a presentation on it. personally i dont see what the problem would be with it but its up to the teachers, and we all know how that can go...

[Ray]

The project could be as simple or as complex as you want it to be. I think you'd be best finding and following the most simplistic set of instructions based upon the type of bow your son wants to make. Instructions are all over the web. I.E. Laminated recurve,longbow from board wood vs. a bow made out of tree billets. That's probably the first decision to make...

If your son took his time, he could make a great vine maple bow in a few days out of raw tree material from right here in the northwest. But even board laminated bows wouldn't take someone more than a week if they dedicate their time to it.

My personal experience with the Traditional Bowyer's Bible is that it is too broad and might confuse or otherwise intimidate a first time bow maker. It has a ton of information that is useful, no doubt.

[quadrafire]

My personal experience with the Traditional Bowyer's Bible is that it is too broad and might confuse or otherwise intimidate a first time bow maker. It has a ton of information that is useful, no doubt.

Ray
I would agree. They are a good read, but I think part of the reason I haven't tackled the project yet. Kinda intimitading.

[TONTO]

 http://tradgang.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=125;t=002064;p=0

I followed a link I think I picked up here to Tradgang.com and found this thread, been building my first oak board bow following 4est's instructions. Every time I end up in a lumber store I start digging through the hardwoods and stocking up , might be a new addiction, anyhow there is alot of usefull info to be gained from the bowers bench section of their site. Good luck and lets see some pics when it all comes together I've got my first bow just about finnished up just need to get me a string now and get out and do some shooting, then on to building the next one . Some day I hope to start on some laminates.

[TONTO]

 Update: After posting the above I wandered out to the shop and started to finish up my bow, well to make a long story short I tryed to remove alittle more wood off the belly and fired up the band saw ,the band saw won    Looks like my first attempt is gonna work out to about 15# pull now if I decide to try and salvage it    Well I do have a few more boards in my stock pile, guess I'll be starting my next bow alittle earlier than planned. Lesson learned, time to move on, I'm out $15 and three nights labor.

[quadrafire]

Update: After posting the above I wandered out to the shop and started to finish up my bow, well to make a long story short I tryed to remove alittle more wood off the belly and fired up the band saw ,the band saw won    Looks like my first attempt is gonna work out to about 15# pull now if I decide to try and salvage it    Well I do have a few more boards in my stock pile, guess I'll be starting my next bow alittle earlier than planned. Lesson learned, time to move on, I'm out $15 and three nights labor.

[carpsniperg2]

 

[Ray]

Lesson learned, time to move on, I'm out $15 and three nights labor.

You got the right attitude. Move on and learn from it. I have broken several bows in the build process. Including one this summer. I learned from every one of these issues. Sometimes it's been learning about wood consistency and character, about gluing or what to look out for in your plan prior to committing to a design.

[Fullabull]

Tonto....sorry about that..we got you all rialled up to work on your bow and now it's off to the lumber yard again 

Someone told him it might be a problem because a bow is a weapon but I have a hard time with that as well. He has not formally asked anyone official at school yet but I'm going to push him too so we can get our ducks in a row if there is push pack.

It's still a long way off since he is still a junior but you guys are giving me great ideas and resources.

Thanks again...

Fulla

[TONTO]

  Not a problem got another glued up tonight letting it cure and I'll be tillering again soon enough. Even the bow I screwed up last night may still live again the limbs are now 1/4" , but I just may find some bamboo to back it with and breath some new life into it.

[Brisky Bow]

I can build a bow with you online.  I'm at www.briskybows.com in Ferndale, Wa.  I have all you need...........Curt

[mjbskwim]

Update: After posting the above I wandered out to the shop and started to finish up my bow, well to make a long story short I tryed to remove alittle more wood off the belly and fired up the band saw ,the band saw won    Looks like my first attempt is gonna work out to about 15# pull now if I decide to try and salvage it    Well I do have a few more boards in my stock pile, guess I'll be starting my next bow alittle earlier than planned. Lesson learned, time to move on, I'm out $15 and three nights labor.

Hey,no waste just yet.Do you have a young one that might like a bow?

I told my son I was attempting this and he told me to make one for the grandkid.
Just a thought

[Oneshot1Kill]

Back to the original topic, I got my project cleared to build a bow. I can even make one in shop. Just for fun. I just need a note from the principle saying it's okay. A bunch of kids are making knifes and axes even. The superintendent even said you can bring a gun on school grounds if for school purposes. But as to making a bow, i have no clue where to start. Especially cause i wanna build a recurve for my first bow. hahaha

[mjbskwim]

Back to the original topic, I got my project cleared to build a bow. I can even make one in shop. Just for fun. I just need a note from the principle saying it's okay. A bunch of kids are making knifes and axes even. The superintendent even said you can bring a gun on school grounds if for school purposes. But as to making a bow, i have no clue where to start. Especially cause i wanna build a recurve for my first bow. hahaha

Go to Youtube and watch the videos.
There is one guy,who looks like he was just rolled out of a pub and starts with a log.
Then there are the guys who really get complicated with it,and make some show pieces.

I just started mine today with a baluster,you know the things holding the rails up on the steps? It's a blood wood? 2X2 (1.5" X1.5")
I cut some meat out with my circular saw (no band saw and it worked fine) took the draw knife to it and a rasp.
Tomorrow I'll take a little more off then make the thinga ma jig to check the limbs

A recurve needs to be steamed after you shape the limbs and all.

Heck some laminate woods and fiberglass and some just shape it out of 1 piece.

Good luck

[Tim]

go to www.binghamprojects.com they will have everything you need
Tim

[Snapshot]

Yes, the Traditional Bowyer's Bible, volume 1, has a lot of information...
If you want something less broad then get The Bowyer's Craft by Jay Massey. With it one can learn to make a selfbow or a simple composite bow, arrows, strings and gear.

[scotsman]

Hi,

Did you have any success planning / building a longbow? I have built quite few laminated reflex/ deflex longbows and would be pleased to give a few tips.

Dave R.

[Ratdog68]

Mine is Osage Orange (great for compression strength) and backed with Bamboo (great for tension strength, and, has great memory).  I used Bacote for the riser.  A buddy of mine coached me every step of the process.  All in all, I have about 60hrs. into building this bow.  Mine is 65lbs. @28" when I finished it... and, after warming it up for about half an hour at the NockPoint indoor range, I chrono'd mine at 187fps. (TYPO CORRECTED)  I want to find out what it'll do "cold" (should be higher).  I finished mine with Tru-Oil and learned to do a Flemish Twist dacron string.  I think I did a 14/3 (fourteen strands, three bundles) for mine.  Here's the link for my build.  I tried to detail every step of the process with as much narrative as I could, and we took photos to go along with it.  I tried to detail the "why it's being done" as well.  Hope some of it will help you in your endevour.  I bought the stave from Jim Boswell at RudderbowsarcheryDOTcom.  Great folks to deal with, and are just east of Ellensburg.  

http://www.archerytalk.com/vb/showthread.php?t=894382&highlight=American+Flat+Bow

[Ray]

197 FPS is smoking for a board bow.

[Ratdog68]

197 FPS is smoking for a board bow.

TYPO... I meant to type 187fps (actual was 188 fps, after reading the recap on the thread).  It should end up in the LOW 190s when cold.  Still, not too shabby for bow that weighs in less than 26oz.

I was very pleased with that.  I was shooting a full length Goldtip 5575 carbon which I put 5" feathers on and had 125gr field tips on it.  My draw was a little longer than the spec'd 28"... around 31".  

[quadrafire]

Hey ratdog
you said you purchased this as a stave. Was that just the osage, or was it already glued up with the backing? If you did the gluing what did you use?
That is a nice looking bow. Even without the training wheels
If you don't mind, how much was the raw material? Lets not count the hours

[Ratdog68]

Hey ratdog
you said you purchased this as a stave. Was that just the osage, or was it already glued up with the backing? If you did the gluing what did you use?
That is a nice looking bow. Even without the training wheels
If you don't mind, how much was the raw material? Lets not count the hours

If you look through the entire thread, you'll see the step by step.  It was a raw stave of Osage, raw length of Bamboo, and raw chunk of Bacote.  We used "Smooth-On" bowyer's epoxy from 3-Rivers Archery.  I think (ebay) my cost for the stave was about $50ish.  A pole of bamboo big enough to fab the strip is probably under $50 and may make three bows.  The Bacote probably ran me about $20 and was a big enough piece to get a couple of riser pieces from.  I bought the Dacron from 3-Rivers, as I did the rest of the string twisting supplies, and the DVD that tells ya how to make a Flemish Twist string. 

[quadrafire]

Hey ratdog
you said you purchased this as a stave. Was that just the osage, or was it already glued up with the backing? If you did the gluing what did you use?
That is a nice looking bow. Even without the training wheels
If you don't mind, how much was the raw material? Lets not count the hours

If you look through the entire thread, you'll see the step by step.  It was a raw stave of Osage, raw length of Bamboo, and raw chunk of Bacote.  We used "Smooth-On" bowyer's epoxy from 3-Rivers Archery.  I think (ebay) my cost for the stave was about $50ish.  A pole of bamboo big enough to fab the strip is probably under $50 and may make three bows.  The Bacote probably ran me about $20 and was a big enough piece to get a couple of riser pieces from.  I bought the Dacron from 3-Rivers, as I did the rest of the string twisting supplies, and the DVD that tells ya how to make a Flemish Twist string. 

Thanks for the info. I will look through the entire thread when I get some time. I think I read it while you were building, but my memory is crap.
I may have to tackle this process one of these days. Wait until college bowl games are over so I'll have some time

[quadrafire]

You said 65 @28, if you are pulling about 31, what do you think that does to the lbs? and does it put too much strain on the bow, if it is meant for 28? Sorry for the dumb questions. If its in your thread, just tell me to read it and I will leave you alone.
Just curious.

[Ratdog68]

You said 65 @28, if you are pulling about 31, what do you think that does to the lbs? and does it put too much strain on the bow, if it is meant for 28? Sorry for the dumb questions. If its in your thread, just tell me to read it and I will leave you alone.
Just curious.

Going back and re-reading (it's been a year and a half since I finished it), I think it was actually 63#@28" of pull.  The "28 inches" of pull is just the standard used for rating a bow's draw weight.  So, it's more poundage than the "63#" when I draw it.  The bow's big enough to handle the weight though.

[Ray]

I've had good luck with Urac 185 for glue. Smooth on works great too but costs more.. I'd recommend Urac over smooth on for a bow without fiberglass lamination. Titebond III is also a good glue.

[Lowedog]

Ratdog, great write up and what a beautiful bow!

[boneaddict]

You guys have insane patience.  I have it for hunting, but if I were to do this sort of thing I'd have a pile of toothpicks.

[400out]

You guys have insane patience.  I have it for hunting, but if I were to do this sort of thing I'd have a pile of toothpicks.

[Ratdog68]

Ratdog, great write up and what a beautiful bow!

Thanks... now that my shoulders are healing up from good ol' "frozen shoulder"... m'be I can build back up to bein' able to draw the thing again.  LOL 

[Ray]

Ratdog,

I agree a very well done bow. I don't have as much skill as you do but do enjoy making them. I hope your shoulder recovers soon enough.

-RB

[Ratdog68]

You guys have insane patience.  I have it for hunting, but if I were to do this sort of thing I'd have a pile of toothpicks.

I've got a snaky Vine Maple bow that roughed out and been waiting for a year for me to begin working on.  It was a wonderful piece of wood that was hanging out horizontally... so, after being cut, has some NICE, natural reflex built into it.  It sat in a form while drying for nearly a year... just need to get back into working on 'em again.

[Ratdog68]

Ratdog,

I agree a very well done bow. I don't have as much skill as you do but do enjoy making them. I hope your shoulder recovers soon enough.

-RB

All I did was follow instructions... my buddy is the bowyer.  I need to get a few more of 'em under my belt before I'm ready to try one 'solo' and 'unsupervised'.  The working with the tools in my paws is the easy part... knowing what to do next is the tough one for now.  LOL  All part of the learning process.

[ribka]

You guys have insane patience.  I have it for hunting, but if I were to do this sort of thing I'd have a pile of toothpicks.

I've got a snaky Vine Maple bow that roughed out and been waiting for a year for me to begin working on.  It was a wonderful piece of wood that was hanging out horizontally... so, after being cut, has some NICE, natural reflex built into it.  It sat in a form while drying for nearly a year... just need to get back into working on 'em again.

Looks like a very nice build. Tyhat is a really fast bow btw
I made a bow with vine maple and it wasn't easy but a fun project. I used it for a year and ened up breaking on a pig hunt. I like working with osage orange and locust more. You'll have fun though. Post pics when finished

[Ratdog68]

You guys have insane patience.  I have it for hunting, but if I were to do this sort of thing I'd have a pile of toothpicks.

I've got a snaky Vine Maple bow that roughed out and been waiting for a year for me to begin working on.  It was a wonderful piece of wood that was hanging out horizontally... so, after being cut, has some NICE, natural reflex built into it.  It sat in a form while drying for nearly a year... just need to get back into working on 'em again.

Looks like a very nice build. Tyhat is a really fast bow btw
I made a bow with vine maple and it wasn't easy but a fun project. I used it for a year and ened up breaking on a pig hunt. I like working with osage orange and locust more. You'll have fun though. Post pics when finished

I have a hunk of Black Locust in the driveway too.