Table of Contents
How long should a bow stave be?
Opt for a length of 70 inches on white wood, 64 inches on osage. The middle 8 inches of the stave forms the handle and the base of the limbs.
What wood is best for bow making?
Some of the best wood for making bows include Osage orange, yew, ash, black locust, and hickory; most hardwoods (like oak and maple) will work. Start with a relatively straight sapling or branch that is free of knots, side branches, and twists, about 6 feet (2 m) long and 2 inches (5 cm) in diameter.
How long does it take to season bow wood?
Let the wood season. At this point the bow stave should be kept under cover and not exposed to extreme temperature or humidity changes until it is seasoned. Typical wood cures at a rate of 2″ per year, so a 4″ diameter log will take approximately a year to season, while a 12″ diameter log could take three years.
What are bow staves?
Definition of bowstave : a trimmed rod of wood to be made into a shooting bow.
How long does it take to make a bow?
Each bow is made from different wood, has a different draw and is set up for the needs of that shooter. From tree to bow usually takes 30 to 40 hours of work and it can’t be rushed.” Equipment needed to make a bow includes a band saw, sander and various hand-shaping tools.
How thick should a bow be?
For most woods, 3/4 inch is a good thickness to shoot for. The only place to leave thicker is the center ten inches of your bow. This will be where your handle lies and can be 1 1/2 inches thick.
How wide should my bow be?
As a simple rule of thumb bow length should be at least double your draw length, but this doesn’t always correlate to a good decision, so the values in this table should assist.Recurve Draw Length and Bow Size. Draw Length (inches) Bow Size (inches) – AMO 19-21 58 21-23 60-62 24-27 64-66 27-29 66-68.
How thick should a flat bow be?
Registered. The handle is 7 inches long from the tip of the fade to fade of the glued on piece. The thickness from the back of the bow to the top of the handle is 2.450 inches using calipers and 1 3/8 wide.
Does cedar make a good bow?
Eastern Red Cedar is actually in the juniper family, and it makes excellent bows. Just ask Marc St. Louis. If you’re using true cedar, it’s a little light and soft, but if you back it, with maple (my favourite), it works OK.
Is pine good for bows?
Pine is not used for bows because it’s a softwood. Bow’s are generally made of hardwoods such as oak,alder,birch..etc…for the sturdiness.. but what the heck…sure can’t hurt to to try.. at very least it’ a learning experience! You can use almost anything for making a bow, even plastic plumbing pipe.
Is oak good for a bow?
In Europe and North America, common woods such as maple, ash, elm, and oak make excellent flat bows, and are far easier to obtain than good-quality yew. The fibres on the back of a self bow must be, so far as possible, continuous. Denser timbers can make narrower bows.
Can you make your own bow?
A good hard wood works great for homemade bows. Red Oak, Maple, Black Walnut, Hickory, Osage Orange, Ipe, Ash, Yew, etc. all work well for bows. Some of those listed are more exotic and harder to find.
Can you make a bow from green wood?
Not just any hickory or bois d’ark tree will work for bow-making. Most bow-mak- ers prefer trees that are relatively straight, free of large knots, and free of grain twist. Green wood is softer and easier to work than is dry, seasoned wood.
How long does it take to dry a bow?
This is a cool, dark and slightly damp location that starts the drying process slowly. After one week I bring the stave inside and put it in a dark corner for three more weeks. This is usually long enough for a properly thinned down stave to dry before starting to work it into a bow. That’s all for now.
Does hickory make a good bow?
A hickory self bow is a great place to start the bow building journey. Hickory is readily available, nearly indestructible, and very forgiving as a bow wood. There are dozens of species of north American hardwoods that will make great bows and many of them are covered in the Traditional Bowyer’s Handbook.
What string do you use for a longbow?
Two types of bowstrings are available for recurves and longbows: the Flemish twist and the endless loop. A Flemish twist has braided loops on each end that give it a beautiful, traditional look. An endless-loop bowstring has loops formed by wrapping serving material, which is a braided string, around the bowstring.
What kind of wood is used for a longbow?
The wood most associated with the longbow is yew, imported in huge quantities for many years in the heyday of the longbow as a weapon of war.
