Bowyers Bench

[BayfieldHunter]

I am interested in building my first bow.  I have always wondered how to hold a work piece in place as a bowyer works on it.  Three Rivers has a bowyers bench.  Would this be a helpful piece of equipment for someone starting out?  Thanks!

[LittleBen]

I mostly just use a vise bolted to my workbench, with either leather or softwood pads on the jaws to hold the stave.

I've never tried a Bowyers bench like that so can't comment.

[Roy from Pa]

A bench is ok, but I do as Ben suggested, I use a padded vice.

 

[PEARL DRUMS]

If you have the room and money? Build a big 4 x 8 bench like Roy's. Get at least a 5" heavy duty bench vice and mount it in the corner like he did. A Stave Press is an absolute gem of a tool as well. But, if you can have only one? Go with the vice. I have both and use them both equally for different aspects of the build. Don't go cheezy, that's number one. Pulling bark and sapwood off osage aint nuttin' nice on benches, tools and vices.

[Pat B]

A bowyers bench is nice but definitely not necessary. A set up like Roy has is plenty good. Once you get going you may want to upgrade but you may also choose not too.
 Having the vise set up so you can work around both sides of both limbs will make your bow building easier.
 I went through 4 cheap red vices over a few years but since I got a good vise I haven't had to replace it.

[gifford, MO]

Bowyer's Benches are pretty nice, not to hard to build. A quicker way of doing it is the 'Baker Bow Bench' a heavy duty bench with a heavy duty vise attached.

Used one for years, made several for fellas to use at MoJAM, they are still going strong. I used 2X10s for the bench and legs and a Harbor Freight vise.

Some like to mount the vise one riser, either made a big square beam or some 2X6s nailed together.

No single bench or shaving horse will work for all applications but the Bow Bench beats having to have constantly put pressure on the shaving horse pivot to keep the wood held in place.

Might just be my old knees that object to it, who knows.

Good luck on the construction project and upcoming bowyering. G.

[LittleBen]

I second what PD said. Roughing out staves or reducing sapwood with a draw knife is real work. I like the vise on the bench because I'm standing! That means I can actually put some weight behind the draw knife.

If I was just using a cabinet scraper for tillering a seated position is fine, but draw knife needs some power behind it.

Think of it like rowing in a fixed seat vs rowing in a sliding seat .... No comparison in terms of power.

[Roy from Pa]

If you decide to build a work bench like in my picture,  make it solid as hell. Everyplace wood met wood, I put Elmer carpenters glue on both pieces, then ran 3 inch wood screws into those joints. When it was completed, I anchored it to the concrete floor with 3 inch angle brackets and concrete lag bolts.

[LittleBen]

Originally posted by Roy from Pa:
If you decide to build a work bench like in my picture,  make it solid as hell. Everyplace wood met wood, I put Elmer carpenters glue on both pieces, then ran 3 inch wood screws into those joints. When it was completed, I anchored it to the concrete floor with 3 inch angle brackets and concrete lag bolts.

Roy makes a good point. I've taken to building all benches with appropriately sized SPAX or similar self tapping construction screws. If you haven't used the. before you're in for a treat. Almost as revolutionary as the first time you discover epoxy resin.

[passion for knowledge]

I guess when the house falls down, at least you'll still have a bench!

[BayfieldHunter]

Thank you to everyone for your replies!  I am going to build a work bench with a vise on the corner!

Dave

[LittleBen]

Originally posted by passion for knowledge:
I guess when the house falls down, at least you'll still have a bench!

That's Roy's earthquake and tornado shelter. Just enough space for him and a 6 pack on the bottom shelf. Lol

[fujimo]

Ben, that info on the screws is awesome-wish i had known about them when i was building saddles full time!!
 i will be using them in the future though!
thanks

[Roy from Pa]

Fujiboy, you're gonna get hurt... LOL

[Eric Krewson]

I started out with a vise mounted on a work bench that was bolted to the wall and a shave horse.

After working staves on both for a few years I gave away the shave horse and built another work bench. I made my second bench so heavy it didn't need to be bolted to the wall.

As you can see in the picture, I have a support post bolted to the end of my work bench. This support post is as important as the vise for controlling a stave when you are working on it.

I use the support for straightening wood as well, in this case taking the twist out of a propellered stave.

 

[Pat B]

I built a shaving horse as per directions in PA Magazine years ago and used it for many years for most of the tillering. I use the vise for hogging off bark, sapwood and reducing the stave to floor tiller stage. From that point it is strictly the shaving horse.   A few years ago I bought one of Keenan Howard's "Stave Master" work benches. It was the best purchase I ever made as far as bow building tools. It was a bit expensive but well worth the money for this old man's back.
 My work bench is bolted to the cinder block wall in my basement. Over the years I've had to replace the bolts after pulling then back through the cinder block walls hogging off sapwood. I don't have the energy any more to do that much damage.

[eflanders]

FYI:  I have not built bows from a stave, but still like to use a good strong vise for bow building all of the time.  Roy's advice to bolt things down is excellent and worthwhile doing even if not working with a stave.  His advice to bolt it on the corner of the bench is also excellent to allow for easily working on both ends of the bow.  Super sharp tools are also essential and will save you tons of work and mistakes.  Learn to sharpen and you will save a bunch of money and time too.