Please point me in the right direction.....

[LookMomNoSights]

 Ive been looking over here in the "bench" lately....and I am very inspired.  I have always been told that I am handy, crafty,  mechanically inclinded,  whatever.....  But I do like to build things....and would love to build my own bow....but where to start?  Kinda overwhelmed and thus far,  it seems as though info is scattered.  So where do I start?  What are the "MUST READS" or MUST SEE DVD's,  anything instructional..... I know I need materials,  I know I need a form to glue bows together...but have no clue about the other 99% of it  

[John Scifres]

What kind of bow?

[LookMomNoSights]

Long bows.....reflex deflex, one piece for now.  Glass on back and belly.....
Just for reference purposes and nothing more:  the bows I like,  widow PL, Big Jims Buff, Liberty Edge, Thunderstick MOAB, Dwyer Dauntless and many many more!!!!!  So,  that sort of bow/profile.....

[Roy from Pa]

Kenny M is a sponsor on tradgang, he could point you in the right direction for building glass bows. He is leaving for an Elk hunt in a few days though.

 http://www.kennyscustomarchery.com/index.html

[LittleBen]

Kenny M sells forms and stuff for a r/d longbow that many here seem to like. Might wanna hit him up with a PM ...

[BMN]

Start with Kenny M and also check out Binghams Supply.

[John Scifres]

Have you checked out the many buildalongs here on the Bench?

[Horn Chaser]

One thing I done on here was that I read through as many of the build a longs on here as I could. I then made some notes as to the tips and tricks that everyone liked to do and I also took note of what others on here have done when they had problems and how they fixed them. If you are building a reflex deflex longbow Kennym or Bingham both have good plans that will get you started. Just take your time and have fun with it. It is an addicting hobby to get into now.

[Roy from Pa]

You got many replies for Kenny. I suggest Kenny again. Kenny is a fantastic old fart:) His material is top notch, his service is second to none. You can call and talk to Kenny and he will guide you through all you need to know. But in 3 days he is heading out for an elk trip. If he don't get lost, call him when he gets back:) LOL..

[LookMomNoSights]

John....I have checked out a few.   I can make heads or tails out of lots of it....but there are still many missing pieces to the puzzle,  naturally.  I see that for many of the processes,  people have different ways of doing things...sometimes with the same desired results.  So I get the idea there is most definitely more than one way to skin this cat.  I was not sure if there was some time of comprehensive work (book, dvd or whatever) that builders keep as sort of a bible or staple guide to the basics.  If not,  thats fine....and Ill just linger here as often as possible and try to learn.   Probably be asking a TON of questions though....for example,  these "hot boxes" or ovens used to cook or cure your glue-ups....I know nothing about them.   I know nothing about the adhesives used.  Any formulas for recipes to achieve desired draw weights?  Tillering?  Another would be...if Im in a position to invest in some power tools that I dont have already (band saw),  what tools are must haves? Belt sander?  drum sander?  Anyway......
I appreciate so much all that every one has said thus far....and seems as though Kenny is the man!  Hopefully when he returns from his trip,  he will be able to shed some more light for me...Im excited about that!  At the end of the day,  what could be cooler than building bows exactly the way I want them, for my family and friends and I?!  Something Ive always wanted to do....not sure why I didnt start digging for info until now!  

[bigbob2]

Hot boxs are usually a long [ for a long bow] plywood box about 7ft long and deep enough to place both sections of the form in, say a bit over 2ft high. they have an amount of incandescent light bulbs usually in the lid for a heat source. some use only 3 or so of higher wattage like 150 watts, I use 10 evenly spaced ones at 100 watts. most have a thermostat to control heat input. mine I just regulate by lifting the lid a little if the temp gets a little high. For mine one can't go past smooth on epoxy. The biggest thing is its long pot life, meaning new guys don't have to rush things and screw up due to haste.Keep reading, asking questions , most of us took the same route.

[cbatzi01]

Hi,

I started down this road in late spring using the Bingham kit for a 1 piece recurve and now I am moving to take downs.  The Bingham kit is a great place to start, as it includes plans, a video and you can get most of the hardware for the molds from them (clamping hardware, fire hose/plugs, thermostat).  There is a lot of setup involved, but it's fun.  

As far as tools, a bandsaw is good, and I found the spindle sander indispensable.  A drum sander is nice if you want to make your own lams, but Kenny can provide what you need cheap and fast.  You'll also need a good rasp for shaping the riser.  I use Auriou rasps.  They are expensive, but amazing.  

Feel free to PM me with any questions, or if you want pics (a pic is worth a thousand words!).  Good luck!
-Chris

[LookMomNoSights]

Thanks everyone for the info.....gathering bits and pieces as best I can.  
The Traditional Archers Bible, vol. 1 - 4....any good?  Im going to purchase these tonight......

[Pat B]

Traditional Bowyers Bible is a great series of books if you are wanting to build a selfbow.
Binghams Projects has all the info and supplies you'll need to build a glass bow.

[LookMomNoSights]

Ah...I see!   Thanks for that info!

[Bowjunkie]

It's nice to see new guys getting in to bow crafting. Reminds me of when I was getting started... all the questions, wonder, and exciting new discoveries.... hey wait.... I STILL have that stuff  

Enjoy. It's a lot of fun.

[Robyn Hode]

I also started building bows this last spring. I also still have tons of questions. Like can I build a one piece hickory or red oak with backing (Flat bow) with reflex/deflex using a form like a tri-lam.

I also was wondering what books or DVD's wood be good reading and watching.

[Robyn Hode]

I also started building bows this last spring. I also still have tons of questions. Like can I build a one piece hickory or red oak with backing (Flat bow) with reflex/deflex using a form like a tri-lam.

I also was wondering what books or DVD's wood be good reading and watching.

[LookMomNoSights]

How is the quality of the Bingham stuff in regards to riser blocks,  lams and parallels?
And how about that hardware kit for their bow form?

....ordered some instructional material from Binghams last night.  Looking forward to checking out the DVD!

[takefive]

I'm a new bowyer, too, and have bought all of one Bubinga riser block from Bingham's and it was a nice piece of wood.  I bought the lams and glass from Kenny M and he is a super guy to deal with.  If he had Bubinga I would have gotten that from him, too.  His website shows that he carries Bocote, Cocobolo, Walnut, and others.  My form is a C clamp type, so I have no idea on the quality of Bingham's hardware.  Maybe the experienced guys will weigh in.