Kids self bow

[Paul R]

I just took some photos of the latest self bow that I made for my kids a couple of months ago and I thought that someone might be interested.

It's a 48" Grey Ironbark flat bow with a radiused belly, drawing 15 pounds at 19 inches. It now has a leather wrapped handle and leather side plate and shelf.
It was a bit tricky working it down to fifteen pounds but I am impressed at the speed it spits an arrow out. It's the latest in few that I have made my kids over the years and they absolutely love it.

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b198/PaulRea/100_2251.jpg

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b198/PaulRea/100_2248.jpg

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b198/PaulRea/100_2267.jpg

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b198/PaulRea/no3.jpg

[timbo]

That's very nice to look at Paul. I would be happy with one that good.

Tim

[XTfreak]

Awsome looking bow.
How about doing a how to on building them?
Bill

[HOOD]

Thats just great, top job.

I have tried making a couple for Bella alas they ended up fire wood :(
But will keep trying.

[Paul R]

I have learnt most of what I know about selfbows from our very own resident bow maker Glenn Newell, who is a veritable wealth of knowledge on the subject and only too willing to help anyone who asks.

Glenn was discussing doing a self bow build along on TBGA with me a few months ago and if there is enough interest i'm sure he would love to get it started.

[XTfreak]

Im interested...
Bill

[Clinglish]

Great work ,I'll take 4 all 5# apart starting at 10# at 19inches let me know how much each .Cheer's

[Paul R]

:lol:
I put too much work into these puppies Clinglish to then go and sell them. I'm a very slow and methodical worker and couple that with my busy life and a self bow normally takes me about 6 months to complete. :lol:

It wouldn't really work out very cost effective to sell them and the turn around for 4 bows would be two years. :lol:

[Clinglish]

Mate the dedication is evident in the photo's , but now I have to break the news to 4 little boys :cry:

[johnnail]

Very interesting to me. We use Osage Oeange and Hickory mostly over here. What are your favorite woods?

[Glenn]

Good work Paul, nice looking bow, no doubt about the grey ironbark it makes a very good selfbow...Glenn...

[ed]

looks hot! :D

[Paul R]

Thanks fellas, I'm quite proud of this one, it's a real little shooter and I've been pinching it off the kids a fair bit over the last month, having a ball shooting milk bottle lids in the back yard. :D
Some of my past attemps at self bows have been real dogs, they looked good but didn't shoot well, thankfully with Glenns advice the latest ones have been turning out a lot better balanced.

Johnnail I am relatively inexperienced when it comes to making self bows and I have only used a few woods; Merbau which is an Asian timber, Spotted gum and Grey iron bark which are both Australian natives which grow around my area. So far the Grey Iron bark has produced the best bows for me. There are other members like Glenn who have used a lot more Australian native species to successfully make selfbows as well as the North American woods.

[Jeffro]

Nice looking bit of work Paul,
Id like to try it myself sometime.

[petersabbath65]

Hi
I would like to try Trad, I do love my training wheels, but want to try something else. Has anyone ever purchased off these people? or I once saw a story on making long bows using grey gum floor boards, but alas I can not find it, has anyone got any ideas

http://www.desertdogarchery.com/products.php?cat=3

[Glenn]

Peter to get into making selfbows you can go to a timber yard and just buy shotedge flooring of spotted gum and other Australan hardwoods for selfbows. The flooring is a good way to start as you will get a lot of bows staves ready to use at a cheap rate. If you can't find Australian timbers the Asian shotedge timbers will make good selfbows, but usually of the lighter pondages but they are good to start on. You could also buy hardwood framing timber, rough out some bow staves and let them dry while your are making some floor board bows...Glenn...

[petersabbath65]

Hi Glenn
Thanks for the advice, I am going to have a go, but I have two basic questions than I will leave you alone
1. I am guessing the you aim to have the grain left to right?
2. With the hard wood framing timber, It is easy to buy second hand hardwood timber that is fairly clean for about $2/metre, this stuff is usually about 35 years old plus and is so hard that you have to drill it to put nails in it, is this stuff just to hard or is it worth a try?

[XTfreak]

OK I'am in as well.
Anyone know where I can purchase a book or dvd/video or 10 on building bows?
Thanks for all the help...
Bill

[Glenn]

Peter if you are going to buy second hand timber it should be allright but timber can dry out too much and become brittle. A bow needs a certian amount of moisture to bend.
When I am chosing hardwood for bows from sawn timber I just look for the straighest grain running both ways through the timber. When looking at Australian hardwood don't mistake growth rings for grain as it is in northern hemisphere timbers, just ignore the growth rings and look closely at the timber and you will see the grain of the timber.
One of the best books to buy for the first timber bowyer is The Bent Stick by Paul Comstock and for the best book tillering is Hunting the Osage Bow by Dean Torges...Glenn...

[XTfreak]

Thankyou Glen.
I will be buying 2 books this week. :D
Bill

[petersabbath65]

Looks like Book sale will be going up...... thanks for the help

[petersabbath65]

Hi
well I have found a web sight on long bow making that I can understand.
The Wood has cost me a incredible $5.00, so I am on my way.

http://www.avha56.dsl.pipex.com/longbow.htm

First Bow Brocken at 28 inchs draw, so close :-( but I have learned heaps, the next is on it's way. here is some better instructions for bow building

http://www.peteward.com/