My 8 year old sons first try at making a bow.

[wyatts daddy]

My name is Wyatt. I have been shooting a bow for 5 years. My dad and I have decided we are going to shoot traditional only. I have a recurve that was given to me by a gentleman here on tradgang. My dad made his own bow and I liked it a lot. I asked him to make me one he said only if I help. So together we came up with this riser. It is made of zebrawood and walnut accents. My dad is helping me to write this he said to type, it is 12" from fade out to fade out (what ever that means)ha! ha! My next job is to sand the fade outs very thin like paper. I will take pictures as I go along to show you how I made it. Tell me what you think please.
This is Wyatts dad Bill, I have made my own bow and was wondering if the process is the same just smaller. I was going to help him make it 50" it needs to be around 40# so he can hunt with it, the minimum required here in Arizona. We are using two sets of .060 bocote on the face and the belly and one set of osage .100 both sets are parallel. Does anybody know what size glass I should get to keep the pull around 40#?
Thx Wyatt and Bill
 
 
 
 

[robslifts]

looks like it will be a nice little bow

[wyatts daddy]

Thx Robslifts, It has to be since we will be doing it together. There isn't anything else in the world more important than my kids and doing this with one of them is the best thing that I could ever ask for. You should have seen his face as we glued up the riser. When I showed him the wood we are going to use as the lams he was very happy.
Bill

[**DONOTDELETE**]

nice handle...can't wait to see the rest of it and the work as you go....GREAT JOB..

[Ray Hammond]

thats some pretty bocote. I'm afraid I can't help you with the glass, but someone will be here directly to assist I am sure, Bill.

Good looking young one too...I'm sure he is one to be proud of!

[Randy Morin]

I think .030 glass would be right but you wont know what you are going to get on the first one until you get her strung.  Leave the limbs wide so you can reduce weight on the sides as well as sanding glass.  You can also trap the limbs to make weight.  You might look at the back of Binghams catalog to get an idea of core thickness and glass used for "kids" bows.  Also a R/D longbow would be easier to reduce weight if need be on the first bow.  Dont know what you have for forms.  Maybe plan on 2 bows, one to figure your formula and then make the pretty one.  Good luck and lookin forward to seeing it finished.

[wyatts daddy]

Randy those are some very good suggestions thx. My form is a rd and I will check binghams.
Bill

[wyatts daddy]

Here is a picture of riser after Wyatt did some sanding. He did good didn't he.
 

[Bodork]

What a blast for both of you! It will be a memory maker forever. This might be how the Robertson father/son got started.  Keep it up Bill and Wyatt. If you thin those fades as good as your first one, they'll be awesome. Good luck, Mike

[wyatts daddy]

More to come this week.
Bill & Wyatt