"home-crafted' bows? | Page 4 | SouthernPaddler.com

"home-crafted' bows?

tx river rat

Well-Known Member
Feb 23, 2007
3,043
2
Waco Tx
Yep thats right JD one growth ring, but I do that on all my bows, knock on wood I have never broken one.
I hate osage orange , its to crooked to knotty want split straight, hard to work turns bright orange take 20 years to age right, but dam it builds a hell of a bow.
Ron
 

islandpiper

Well-Known Member
Here are some pics of several bows I have made during the last week or so, fitting them in between answering the phone and doing my REAL JOB. These will be for sale at the local Resaissance Festival.

Two are hickory and one is Ash. All are 72" and pull 35 to 40# at 27".

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piper
 

islandpiper

Well-Known Member
Ron, a bottle of rot gut whiskey costs about $25, women are way more expensive than that. I can make a Hickory bow for under $5, have fun making it, and shooting it and then sell it for $100.......

My wife, who would never set foot in my pirogue, has agreed that if I make her a bow, we can go shoot together. My daughter is asking for her own bow. She and I have been shooting in the back yard and having fun.

Yup, another one of those addictive hobbies. You're right. Guess I'll be parked in this section of the forum for a while. I can't afford to build another boat.

piper
 

Wannabe

Well-Known Member
Apr 5, 2007
2,645
2
on the bank of Trinity Bay
Piper,
I read about a guy who goes to Boy Scout Jamborees and other youth gatherings that makes bamboo bows with a bandsaw and gives them to the boys. Not much poundage but it gets a lot of boys shooting pretty quick.
Bob
 

bearridge

Well-Known Member
Mar 9, 2005
3,092
4
way down yonder
Friend piper,

I dont know who ya buy yer sippin' whiskey frum, but yer payin' way too much. After bow 'n arrows, how bout ya give moonshinin' a try. I know it iz illegal in the U.S., but yer in Louisiana. :wink:

Dont worry, it wont have ya makin' more'n more sippin' whiskey like boats, paddles, bows 'n big ass trunks. Trust me......I used ta charge fer my advice. Good 'er bad....it all cost the same. :mrgreen: Besides, I kin write ya a order fer sippin' whiskey fer baldness, impetigo, warts, bad breath, high blood pressure, cancer of the liver 'n spleen, gingervitus 'n bad vision. That way when ya gotta deal with the tax law, ya tell 'em how yer still iz a medikle necessity (frum a doctor up ta the Shade Tree Medikle Clinic).....like when ya git a free money scooter frum the scooter store.

regards
bearridge

ps What iz the pull on the cello? :roll: :roll:

Woodrow Call: What do you want legs for anyway? You don't like to do nothing but sit on the porch and drink whiskey!
Gus McCrae: I like to kick a pig every once in a while. How would I do that?
 

jdupre'

Well-Known Member
Sep 9, 2007
2,327
40
South Louisiana
Them bows are so pretty, it looks like they were made by a violin maker. :wink: All them bows made and I didn't here of one breaking on ya. Fess up, Piper. Either you're good or ya ain't tellin' us the whole story. :)

Joey
 

islandpiper

Well-Known Member
JD, have not broken one, have not even cracked one. Guess I must have started with good wood. Also, working within the limits of the materials may be the key. These all feel good, shoot nice, but don't draw over about 35 lbs. I think that selfbows that are broken may be the ones that guys try to tiller and use at 55 lbs or so.......could be that hickory or ash just should not be bent that way.

But, I think about a break everytime i pull 'er back.

Hey, here's a pic or two of a happy young lady. Before heading back to college today she said, "Can I go out and shoot arrows?"........well, by golly, you bet! She was not content to just shoot the 3x5 foot cardboard I had up.....she had to make a three color target, AND THEN SHE PROCEEDED TO POP IT FULL OF HOLES!!! Yes, I'll make her a bow.

Look close and you can see the arrow streaking away.

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piper
 

CutNShoot

New Member
Jun 23, 2009
2
0
Try these web sights. You will get everything you need. You can use bamboo for the backin and you want need the glass or epoxy. you can use Tite Bond III glue.
Site # 1 Paleo Planet , Badger is your go to guy. Site #2 primitive archery, Badger is there too. Site # 3 leather wall II. I just roughed in a 60 lb oak bow last night and shot it. it's pretty fast. I bought the wood at Home Depot. It needs to be straight grained no run offs and quarter sawn 1"x 2"x 6' is best grain. I have less that 10 bucks in a hunting bow. I build em for friends. All wood. If your good you can make an all wood bow shoot with a glass bow. Actually you can make em shoot faster. I cant do that yet but I'm getting better. Badger on the other hand saws em up if they dont shoot 170 fps. It's true whats already been said. It's like Crack once ya start your doomed.
 

Kayak Jack

Well-Known Member
Aug 26, 2003
13,976
171
86
Okemos / East Lansing Michigan
CutNShoot,

Welcome aboard. Help us a bit more on these site URLs? I found paleo OK at http://paleoplanet69529.yuku.com/forum/view/id/18 Badger has way too many possibles; can you narrow that down a bit?

And, BTW, welcome aboard. Lots of us build things at home, then slyly call it "hand crafted" so's the other fellas don't tease us so bad. And, some of these guys do class work! A few are honest, and some are fishermen. I tell the truth. Over two hundred years ago, Cap'n Meriwether taught me to be honest, and I have been ever since. so should you.

Happy paddling or shooting or WTH ever you like to do.