West Texas newbie

[Matthew Williams]

Ok guys, I need a little guidance. I know I know I can just do a search. But when I do a search whether on here or on google I get so many results I don't know where to start or who's advice to take.

I like the traditional way of making bows, it worked for hundreds of years just fine and I don't see any reason not to at least try my own hand at it. so, where to start? I live in west Texas, the only type of wood I can get locally is from the hardware store. The only trees we have are mesquite or the trees in our yards.

So I went to the store any found a piece of red oak with the straightest grain I could find and I have started a pyramid style bow. I've read the first 2 volumes of the Bowyers Bible and I think I'm on the right track. I've also read a lot on traditional composite bows, and would like to try to make one as well, but where do I get the supplies? What is the most basic composite easy on the wallet to practice try first bow to make? Can anyone point me in the direction of a simple newbie step by step.

What I have to work with is a bench,  traditional hand tools, band saw, table saw, drill press, and other misc tools, and of course a bunch of clamps.

Lastly, are there any members in the west Texas area?

[Mark R]

Check with omcbowyersupply.com, also binghamsprojects.com, they should have materials and some advice.Sounds like you have the tools to get by with for now and maybe add a few as you go as needed, always ask questions here on tradgang,you will get good answers from people who make all kinds of bows.

[KenH]

Probably the   best wood-horn-sinew composite to start with is a Magyar style bow with not a lot of reflex in the limbs nad not overly long siyahs.

The   easiest wood-horn-sinew composite to start would be a flat bow similar to your pyramid bow, with a wood core, thin horn belly, and sinewed back.  When the sinew is applied and dried it will induce a certain amount of reflex.

The best place for Asian Traditional Archery information is a .net called just that.  There is both a website and a Facebook page.

[Matthew Williams]

I've been reading up on a sinew-horn-wood composite. Haven't been sure where to start, I think I'm making it out to be more difficult than it is. Can I use a modern glue and not have to work about humidity or when it rains? Its pretty dry here but it still gets plenty humid and wet from time to time and I don't want my bow to fall apart. All I find when I look up a composite bow is that it will fall apart, but I figured if they fell apart so bad they wouldn't have ever really worked to start with right?

[KenH]

Generally a composite is something like this:  a wood core of one or more pieces, which is soemthing on the order of 1/2" or 3/8" thick, which is shaped (tillered) down to size.  If made from several pieces -- handle, two limbs, two siyahs, etc.  those pieces are usually joined with a long shallow V joint.  Once the core is tillered down, the horn is prepared -- grooved to match grooves in the belly of the core, lots of thin layers of glue applied to the surfaces before actually gluing the bits up.  Again the bow is "tillered" as the horn is thinned down appropriately.  Lastly the layers of sinew are applied (again with copious glue) to the back of the bow.  Once that is dried (can take months) a third sort of tillering/smoothing takes place.  Then the bow is "finished" with a more or less water resistant layer of silk in lacquer, or birchbark or som other options.  In between the above steps, there may be "shaping" activities to force the unstrung bow into the desired shape.

You want to only use hide glue or fish-bladder glue.  Modern glues like epoxy and Titebond are not as "forgiving" as the ancient ones -- too stiff when they need to flex, too flexible when they need to be stiff in relation to the other materials...  

Hide glue is easy to come by and easy to work with.  You can buy it at the grocery store where they sell Jell-o.  Hide glue is just "unflavored gelatin".  It gets mixed with warm water adn kept warm as it's worked with.  Done properly, hide glue in your envirnment is the perfect adhesive.  Most of the nomad horsemen lived in the Eurasian equivilent of sagebrush desert.  

It's when traditional composite bows are used without care in humid environments -- like Florida where I live -- that the glue is not as good.  That's where fish bladder glue comes in.

[rmorris]

What part of West Texas you in?

[mikkekeswick]

If you want to make a composite you pretty much need Adam Karpowzi's book - Ottoman Turkish Bows.
However I'd say you need at least 10 sinew backed wooden bows to get familiar enough with sinew.
Don't worry about collogen glues not being waterproof. You would be sealing the bow anyway.
Also be wary of what you read about composites - there is so much misinformation out there....

[Matthew Williams]

I live in Odessa.

[rmorris]

Well if ya want to get together and shoot some afternoon, let me know. If you want me to share everything I know about bow making that will only take about 5 minutes but I may be able to help you out some.

[Matthew Williams]

That would be great. I'll have to get back to you as to when though lol. Everyone I know who does use bows all use compound so I'm a little lost I'll need all the help I can get.

I've started my red oak pyramid, following a couple how to posts. I'll post a couple pics when I get home to show my progress and see if any of you guys think I'm on the right track.

[Matthew Williams]

Tell me what you guys think, am I on the right track? I've had it leaning in the corner only partially started for a while and I noticed it's kinda bowed.

[KenH]

Picture!  Wortth more than 1000 words.  Lesson #1 of bowery -- don't lean sticks in the corner.  Bows-in-progress should be laid flat.