Self bow

[Uba Tracker]

Hi all, well after looking at all the beautiful examples of self bows I think it's time to have a go myself. I've perused many a web page and site but the vast majority have their origins in the States which makes some product purchases a little difficult. Like what is the best glue to use that is available in Oz? Who sells Bo - Tuff, is there an Aussie Bowyers publication? Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Cheers
Harry

[NormGunston]

Harry, know that dream well! I got bowyer's manual some time ago from John Clark at Ausbow in S.A. He also has materials. I highly recommend you begin with his website. Good luck, we are now expecting you to produce an archery work of art!
Ant
www.ausbow.com.au

[Uba Tracker]

Oooooooooo the pressure's on now, I love a challenge. Thanks heaps Ant. :D

[Kimall]

Mate a tip which might help in the serching process is that if the bow has laminations or bo tuff on them they would be called compasite bow as a self bow is normally only made from one piece of wood and perhaps backed by somthing like hide or simililar.Good luck with the bow making but be carfull it is very addictive. :wink:
Cheers KIM

[Uba Tracker]

Coolo thanks Kim, well that throws the cat amongst the pidgeons. What to do, a self bow, or a composite bow.....................hmmmmmmmm.............ah what the heck, I'll make one of each :wink:

[Kimall]

They very differant and have their good and not so good points.
If you make a seld bow all you need is some basic tools and a floor
board but are normally harder to get one to stay together.If you make a composite bow with glass on the limbs then they are easier to make one that lasts but you need to know about glues and forms so a bit more of a commitment when you first start out.
Cheers KIM

[Glenn]

Harry it's much easier to start out making selfbows, just a couple of basic tools and as Kim said a floor board and you are away. You could make do with as little as a rasp and a knife and you are away, it can be a lot more rewarding making selfbows, and you are restricted by forms, you are only limited by your imagination with selfbows...Glenn...

[Uba Tracker]

It would seem that appropriate perhaps paramount that wood selection be scrutinised when making self bows. A timber with uniform straight grain devoid of knots and not too dense should be used, some plantation timbers would be ideal...........I think :?

[Glenn]

To have good straight grained timber free of knots and defects does help the first time bowyer, you can work around knots and and various defects bow staves can have but these character bow staves are better made by experienced bowyers, and anyway good clean bow staves will yeild better shooting and longer lasting bows. I like grey ironbark for a selfbow, red ironbark is good as well, tallow wood and yellow stringy bark will make very good selfbows as well...Glenn...

[Uba Tracker]

Ironbark?????.......fair dinkum. Mate I would have thought great riser wood but too brittle for any degree of limb movement. The old man and I cut and split tons of the stuff for firewood when I was a kid. Thanks Glenn, that's great. :D :D

[Glenn]

Harry I sent you a P.M. mate...Glenn...

[XTfreak]

Good luck with the bow. Looking forward to the pics.
Bill

[Kimall]

Thanks Glenn for stepping in here as I know you have told me all the timber names but can never remember them if asked. :wink:
Cheers KIM

[Glenn]

No worries Kim, those are just a few of the hardwoods, some scrubwoods that make very good selfbows are red Ash and crows ash and pink ash will make a fair selfbow, I like the red ash, a lot of wattles are good as well, it's just a matter of cutting some and trying it.
You will make very good selfbows out of floor boards of spotted gum, The Australian army made selfbows out of spotted gum during WWII...Glenn...

[Paul R]

The Australian army made selfbows out of spotted gum during WWII...Glenn...


You have me interested Glenn, I'd like to hear more about that mate, like why they were doing it etc. :D

[Glenn]

Don't know a lot about it Paul, an old Digger told me about it, had something to do with the pending Japanese invasion of Australia, I know the home defence developed a crossbow that could shoot a projectile through the amour of the Japanese light tank.
It was what this old solider told me about the selfbows made out of spottedgum that made me use it in the first place in 1994...Glenn...

[Paul R]

I know the home defence developed a crossbow that could shoot a projectile through the amour of the Japanese light tank.

Wow :shock:
Thats a powerful crossbow.

Thanks for the info Glenn, it's interesting stuff.

The spotted gum self bows may have had something to do with survival techniques or guerrilla warfare after any invasion I guess.

I remember my Grandfather telling me about the Australian Special forces soldiers during WW2 using longbows and crossbows against the Japanese.

[Glenn]

I think the old Sefab hollow steel bows came about in the second world war to be used against the Germans and I think they were used prior to the invasion of Normanby. I have a Sefab steel recurve, 1956 vintage, still shoots.
The crossbow was a serious weapon, it was mounted on a carriage just like anti tank guns, I have seen movie footage of the Australian Army blowing up a ligh tank in Central Australia when they were preparing for the Japanese invasion....Glenn....

[NormGunston]

Harry, have you had yerself a squiz of the Tradgang.com forum? Lots of info on home-brew 'build-a-long' selfbows there. Hope you've started... we're waiting! :wink:
Ant

[NormGunston]

OOPS!! Have a look at Ozbow.com first!! :oops:
Ant

[Luke]

ozbow.net ;)

[Glenn]

The USA sites are good but their timbers are very different to our aussie timbers. If using one of our hardwoods you don't have to worry about chasing growth rings as the Americans do, but good tillering practices are essential to yield a good shooting bow no matter what timber you use.
It is amazing just how much bad information is out there just the same. I tried to post some common sense tillering fundamentals on another Aussie site and got slammed for it, it seems as though the self appointed gurus there didn't like what I had to say because it upset their universe too much. One fella wrote a heap of misinformation full of assumptions to discredit what I had to say, if he had of bothered to try what I said about tillering he might have worked out where he has been going wrong for so many years. Even his mate who lurks on here has built laminated longbows for years explained how he tillers one of his longbows and then admits that he doesnt know why he tillers them that way but it's just what he does, I couldn't believe that. Whenever I write about building selfbows it is from experience and trial and error and not from an assumptions...Glenn...

[Uba Tracker]

Wow great feedback guys, this particular aspect archery obviously strikes a chord with many people, which in itself feeds the desire to venture into making a selfbow.
Cheers
Harry

[Kimall]

Come on Glenn you build your bows UPSIDE down :D
I have built a selfbow using instructions from Glenn and it worked first time so if Glenn says somthing I say BELIEVE it.I would like to thank Glenn publicly for the countless questions he has helped me with and the hours he has spent answering them.I am looking at selling my last compound to fund some wood working machines cause as I said before it is very addictive.Then of course there is the laminated bows to try also gee I hope I live to 100.
Cheers KIM

[Uba Tracker]

Ah yes the love of wood work happily married to the passion bows and bow making, you can't go wrong Kim. If you need any advice on gear selection the chap that owns Tmba Woodworks in South St is the man to see. Very down to earth and even knows a bit about the needs of a bowyer. :wink:

[Kimall]

Thanks mate I am going to waste some of his time tomorrow morning and have got all the woodworking mags from the libary as well and am learing heaps.
KIM

[Glenn]

Yes I was just thinking I should patent the right side up-upside down bow and I might make some money, Christ I'm confused now, which way is up?...Glenn...

[Uba Tracker]

Yes, a question I've also asked after one too many beers or conversely after face-planting while bare footing. :(