New kids bow with pics (sucess pics).

[Russell S.]

so here is the bow i have bee working on with my 5yr old son,  it draws 8# at 16" and is all maple,  will get some walnut accents prior to craving the handle.   this is the all wood test, i plan to make it with fiberglass.  it has taken 2" of set or so, after shooting the first time.  hope that stops!!

glueing up his form
 

drilling holes for the pins.
 

him with the bow at brace
 

him drawing
 

me drawing (too far i am sure)
 

[jess stuart]

That is so cool.  I made bows for both of my sons when they were about the same age, both are now grown.  Just made one for my grandson.  Great job.  Kids don't care about handshock, how fast it shoots and all that other stuff.  They only care that it actually shoots arrows.

[kennym]

Great job Russ!! With no glass,I'm thinkin you are probably testing its limits with your draw!! LOL

[Russell S.]

I carved a bulbous handle,  cut an arrow rest on the wrong side (woops!) made a 34" Flemish 10 strand and decided to go play, me and the boy decided to go shoot.  its a bit heavy for him, he can only get it to about 14" and we where shooting full size arrows handing the bow back and forth...  so i decided i would try it at 20 yrds, drew hard, and got kissed in the noise by a piece of the upper limb...  my son was upset until i explained to him that was just to get the shape right for his fiberglass bow... so tonight i am going to layup the riser and grind some 0.030 lams.

jess I made it very similar to yours (thanks for the info). although i used a 10in riser 3/4" deflex and 1.5" reflex.  i was amazed (and concerned) that it would stick an 350 grain arrow in my t-1 11 shed.  

it drew 8# at 16"  and 11# @ 20 inchs (yes i did..)

stack was 3 parallels 0.050

i tried it with 2 @ 0.080 but couldn't get them to bend all the way in to the recurves.
 just for the record i can make 2 of these and have 12" left over from one 1X2X 6ft piece of maple. (5$ at the local home improvement store)

[Pat B]

Cool little bow. Them little ones can be more difficult than a full size bow.

[Russell S.]

got a real one done of this form.  

stack is 0.040 glass
0.033 maple parallel
10" riser
0.033 maple parallel
0.040 glass

came in super heavy at 24#@16"  it is scary how fast it will launch an arrow.  luckily my son can only draw it a few inches.  here is a few pics of it handing and getting finished.  sealed with superglue, then a few coast of shelac now its getting spar urethane.  

 

 

will add pics of it at brace and maybe a vid of it shooting once it is dry.

I made a 20" shaft from a dowel and a big rubber head.  i ran around the law shooting toys for almost an hour,  it sure is fun!!

[Apex Predator]

He will grow into that one real quick buddy!  Great job!

I do believe we have created a monster!  

[kennym]

Glass adds a lot of wt.!  Your boy will love it!  

[Russell S.]

i am really enjoying this marty! plus i have got to get a lot done now.  i am on sea duty, so here eventually i am going to have to stop all together, i need a few good rigs for next year's hunting season.

I hope he grows a bit of sense as he grows in to the bow, its got enough juice to be dangerous!  I guess learning responsibility is one of the reasons to take kids to the gun range or shoot the bow with them.

[Apex Predator]

I sure don't miss those deployments Russ.

[Russell S.]

yup.  just a few more years then i can go so shore duty and retire!!  i am at 5 at sea in May and am going to stay another 2 so i can retire from the beach!  <6yrs left!

[Russell S.]

final bow at brace with some arrows i made for him.