archery on the cheap

[poekoelan]

Cost was the reason I got into building self bows. I used to shoot a compound and I wanted to switch to a longbow. Then I saw how much a longbow cost. I put that idea down until I came across TTB1. Yes, I did have to buy the book and a few tools. But I still have that book and those tools many years/bows later. I should add that I didn't know there were less expensive production models. I only saw the high end of the market and that is what caused me to get into self bows. But cost was a major factor in my decision.

Before the book arrived in the mail, I didn't even know the difference between a modern bow and a self bow. All I knew was that I was going to make my own long bow because I couldn't afford to buy one.

And you have to admit that if someone has the itch to make bows, self bows are a lot less expensive to make than fiberglass backed bows. If you can cut your own wood, the only cost you have in them is some string material, sandpaper and some kind of finish.

[Baim]

I dont know enough about anything to offer any frugal tips..but I now have this hilarious visual of baby bottle nipples on the tips of my bow and yarn pompoms (like on the back of girl's footie socks)on my string.

Steph~

[buck-tamer00]

oyea i also forgot,
for my st epics,
if i want to add wight,
i just slide in some fish pump tubing,
fits absulutly perfectly,
and adds alot a weight.

[coyote Tim]

For silencers, I buy furin bulk from fur coat companys.  I bought 4 coyote furs off ebay with shipping for $9.80

[LoneWolf]

Cheap Targets: Talk to your local furnature store, Laz-E-Boy coachs and chairs come wrapped in a heavy gray plastic blanket, fold them up to a 3' by 3' square, they will stop arrows cold.  Just picked up 4 of them the other day free, guy even threw in 3 heavy seat cushions(feel like ethafoam) that stop lighter bow arrows pretty good.

[BobinTN]

Rolling target:

When I have shot out my 3D deer target (I get one every other year for my birthday{dad's present}), I hand saw the rest of the target into sections (like CAT scan slices) of a couple inches thick.  Then lay on an appropriate size bucket to draw a round circle with magic marker.  Take a sheet-rock saw and round out the shape to a circle.  Spray paint on a dot in the middle and you have a rolling target.  If you have a hill you can roll your target up the hill, prepare to shoot for when it comes down.

[Dryrot]

Someone mentioned using used/fired .38/357Mag brass for blunts which work great for 11/32 shafts and I melt solder into mine to get whatever weight I want. you can also use fired .30 carbine brass for 5/16 shafts

[sagebrush]

I use brand new 357 maximum brass for my blunts. They are longer, heavier,and stronger than 357 magnums. They are also rarer so I buy new ones. They cost about 10 cents each.

[adeeden]

I use the .357 or .38 casings for blunts as well, I found that if I put  2 or 3  1/4 20 washers inside it brings the weight up. Just a dab of glue on each washer holds them inside before going on the shaft. You can make them as heavy as you want that way!

[Doug S]

When I hunt from a tree I use a cheap chalk line case from the hardware (Lowes). About $5.00. It reels in and doesn't get tangeled. Also use it for moving a decoy (turkey or predetor)

[Ralph Renfro]

Go to Garage Sales to find cheap fur coats. I bought one for a dollar. Turned out to be chinchilla. World's most expensive, yet cheap, string silencers. Every time you  or your friends harvest a deer, take all the legs from the knee down. Lot's of good sinew gets thrown away.  Got friends that hunt waterfowl? Have em save the wings off geese. Goose feathers are nice on arrows.  Go to your local high school wood shop. Ask to go through the scrap barrel. Small pieces of walnut, maple, oak, cherry, etc make good accent strips in composite bows. Also, while at garage sales or flea markets, look for leather jackets, use leather for handles. You can even make a nice quiver out of the sleeves.

[randy grider]

buy full length feathers and chop you're own fletchings. save the scrap pieces (untrimmed)and 6 fletch arrows for cheap flu flus. with 6 fletchings spine is unimportant, anything will fly good, so found, and mismatched arrows make up the batch. often times i just add 3 untrimmed feathers to the 3 trimmed feathers allready on the shaft. they fly great out of any bow, and may be an assortment of colors that don't match, but they look real good flying through the air after a foam disc,bird, or squirrel. good cheap fun!

[Doug S]

As far as blunts. The 38 casings and 357 are to light so I tried a 223 with the shoulder ground off. It weighs in at 150 grains. Perfect for my setup. Fit nicely on the arrow too.

[ratgunner]

Wow did this thread take off.I thought it would be a good time of year for this sorta thing.I guess I can add different colored cat[rubber]whiskers for string silencers.I buy them in bulk at the tackle shop they are made for the skirts on bass lures and flies.

[Doug S]

I goofed guys. It's the 220 swift that fits well on a wood arrow. Not the 223. OoOOpS  

[jdupre]

[jdupre]

3" thinwall PVC  coupling with a wooden plug inserted makes a great cheap bowfishing reel. Old purses can be taken apart for the leather and various buckles and zippers. One inch wide steel banding material makes great belt clips for various knife sheaths and other belt worn accessories.

Joey

[buck-tamer00]

a washer behind a screw-in fieldpoint makes a great smallgame head.

[GrayRhino]

Got a few pieces of scrap leather from the tannery and a length of elastic from a fabric shop and made my own armguard and tab.

Got a big woven plastic burlap type of bag and stuffed it full of grocery bags that I bought in bulk from a wholesaler and it makes a great target.

Got a nice new set of raingear from Cabela's and it was on sale!  Does that count?