Thinking about making my first bow

[battman]

Got a big beam of what I think is Hickory.Wanting to get the grandkids a bow and figured I'd try and make them one just don't know what demintions to start with.I've watched videos on making board bows but they were for adult bows.Anybody want to help a guy out?

[battman]

Forgot to add the ones that will be shooting are between 4 and 8.

[gringol]

The difference between a kid's bow and an adult's bow is excessive sanding.  I've made lot's of kid's bows by accident.  Usually I go for an adult's bow and by the end of the tillering process I have a pretty functional kid's bow.  :D

[PEARL DRUMS]

Cut a few slats that are 3/8" x 1" x 42". Taper the width mid limb to the tips. That should get you what you want. I would leave the risers and overlays for adult bows.

[battman]

Thanks fellers.

[PEARL DRUMS]

Even kids bows need the straightest grain you can cut from your chunk. Keep that in mind.

[Roy from Pa]

Listen to Pearly Boy. He makes kids bows all the time:)

[PEARL DRUMS]

Least they aint got no "backer" on em'!

[Roy from Pa]

Maybe ya otta try a backer to get them 20 pounders up a bit in weight boy:)

[Black Mockingbird]

I wood make the 8 year olds at least 48" long minimum,a lil longer wood be better IMO for that age. My sons 8 and the one i made him a couple years ago is 47" and hes about to outgrow it. You must keep in mind kids grow,so you must make it a lil longer and tiller it out around 4" past there current draw so they can grow with the bow for a few years,instead of it only lasting a year.

[battman]

Oh I'm listening to all the advice.Thanks I will make them so they have room to grow.The way these kids are having babies there will be another one waiting on the handmedowns.

[macbow]

My grand kids at age 6 to 8 did well with 15# @ about 22 inches. They only drew about 15 inches.
Their first bows were red oak 1/4 inch thick.
So starting with 3/8 as PD says will give you room to work the wood down some.
With the red oak I did a pyramid shape starting just past the fades to the tips . 1 1/2 inches down to 1/2 inch at tips. So the tillering was built in.

[macbow]

Forgot to give the length they were 48 inches . I now make theirs 59 to 60 inches BBI.

[Scrilla761]

??? i am new to this site and new to traditional archery. I am currently in the process of making my own self made bow. i have sent a message to the guy who has the blog "so you want to make a bow" My ? is does anyone happen to have the templates that guy uses or know the measurements. in his blog he says to send him a note and he will send the templates on pdf file. then i looked at those blogs again and they are very old.

thanks,

scrilla

[battman]

Thanks again for all the help.If I ever get caught up on all my other projects I'll get started on some bows.