First red oak board bow build-a-long

[Raf]

Hi all, after reading and asking some questions, I have taken the advice and started on my first build, which will be a red oak board bow.

I used the yard stick to sternum and middle finger method and my draw length is 22 inches (Does that seem about right? I'm 5'8)

I'm looking to build a 30-35# bow since it will be my first bow to learn archery on. I hear that if I out bow myself, I can get hurt or pick up bad habits on the way. I shot a 28# recurve relatively easily, so my thought was a 30#-35# would be a good place to start since I am not hunting yet.

The tools I have are all hand tools, a surform rasp, nicholson 4-way file, a small hand saw and an antique 10" draw knife. I also live in an apartment, so space is pretty limited    

Anyhow, after much hunting around in different home depots, I finally found a decent red oak board, it is a 0.75" x 2.50" x 7'  

 
     
     

I drafted the bow out to the specification in the following link:

 http://sticknstring.webs.com/ferretsboardbow.htm

some recommended 4est's build, that will be my next bow definitely.

Here is what I have done so far, I still need to get material to build my tillering tree and the tillering gizmo that you all recommended  

 

   

There is still plenty to do, hope I am doing it correctly!    :cool:

Raf

[macbow]

I'm always amazed at the guys that successfully build bows from their apartment . There have been guys here that worked on a balcony and clamped the bow to the railing for support.
The board is pretty good.
Looks like you have a good start.
Your draw length may be a little longer once you get good form in shooting.

[Roy from Pa]

Looking nice, keep us posted with pictures..

[LittleBen]

I'm up to about 2 dozen bows, and a couple refinished all on my balcony. Don't let the conditions stop you man. Just tell the neighbors to bugger off.

[KellyG]

Raf that is a good looking board and you can't go wrong with that build along for sure.

If you can get 45# out of it that is plenty light but heavy enough to use on deer. And if it ends up at 35 no loss either.

Good luck and have fun.

[LittleBen]

Raf, 22" of draw length seems incorrect. Draw length will vary a little bit from person to person, but not by much. It's usually very close to what is suggested by your height. (height/2.5 = draw length)

For example, I'm 5' 2", and I draw 25". The formula would suggest I should draw 24.75" ... very close to actual number.

The yardstick method is also typically very accurate, but I suspect you may have made an error. I find that the yardstick method actually underestimates draw length very slightly, like by 1" or less. But thats another story.

BAsed on your height, I'd expect your draw length to be roughly 27". It makes me wonder if you were using a 48" yardstick and measured from the wrong end? That would have read 22" from one end and 26" from the other, and like I said I think the yardstick underestimates ... actually it underestimates more, the wider ones shoulders are.

Give it another shot and see .... but I sincerely doubt you have a 22" draw length. That would be typical for a person of 4'6" in height.

[Raf]

Building a bow in the apartment definitely has its drawbacks. I don't have a work bench with a vice, so it is a hassle working with an old black and decker workmate workbox, but it is better than nothing!    Not to mention the lady screaming about wood shavings flying onto the carpet when using the drawknife hahaha

KellyG, I'm thinking closer to 35# would suit me better since I am not going to go hunting anytime soon (I have never hunted and am just a newbie getting into archery) It should be a good weight for me to learn how to shoot with proper form and execution

LittleBen, thank you for that, I actually have pretty wide shoulders and a peanut head, so I took a different measure and it came out to be 27.5 inch draw, thanks for the advice!

[Raf]

Here is a bit of an update. I have been super busy this past weekend and haven't gotten much done, slowly but surely:

Here are pics of the bow being roughed out with just a draw knife and a file, I rarely use the rasp, I prefer the drawknife (I got a sureform type rasp from Harbor Freights and I don't know if I am using it wrong or it is just a piece of junk, it takes very little wood off)

   

   

Here, I am getting my handle glued on (Next time, I'm definitely sawing in the fades before gluing, what a pain in the ass to fade it with a drawknife, file and hand saw)

   

   

After gluing on the handle, I made the mistake (As I mentioned above) to not cut the fade into the handle before gluing it on. I tell you, using a drawknife, file and handsaw to fade the handle was a    

Here I have the handle faded to 3/4". Then the limb fade went from 3/4" to 5/8" (half-way point on the limb) and then to 1/2". All with a drawknife and a file. I was thinking maybe a plainer would be helpful

   

   

     

I have yet to buy any of my tillering material, which I will need soon. I don't have any strings either, what would you guys recommend for a string for tillering?

I am also planning on backing the bow, George T recommend using linen, silk or burlap, I think burlap sounds pretty cool!

If you guys have any tips or advice, I am all ears, thank you so much!

[LittleBen]

One tool I've found really useful for cutting fades by hand is a coping saw .... it's not the fastest but it can make a nice curve.

Your board looks pretty good. I think backing is probably not necessary assuming you have ZERO pin knots on the back. But george is the man when it comes to boards so I'd take his advice over mine.

Regarding the tillering string ... I'd go ahead and buy a spool of string material. B50 is cheaper/lb than fast flight but as one astute Tradganger pointed out to me recently, the fast flight material makes so many more strings/lb that the cost may actually be less. I like 8125, but any of the FF materials are excellent. If you like B50 dacron ... use that. Never heard of anyone havng problems with FF on a wood bow, just add a thin overlay so you're not cutting into the back.

Then learn to make flemish strings, it's easy. You can make a tillering string with a loop on one and and a bowyer's knot on the other so you can adjust the length, and also you can make your own strings.

I started buying my bowstrings pre-made when I started making bows, and I think I spent more on the first 3 strings that I bought than the 20+ I've made since combined.

[takefive]

That is really a nice job of cutting your fade in with hand tools.  I went from a Sureform to a Shinto saw rasp and I like the Shinto much better.  It has rows of little saw teeth, coarse on one side and fine on the other, and rasps way more evenly than my Sureform did. Got it from a Woodcraft store for about $20.  Looking good so far; keep us posted.

[Eric Krewson]

You need one of these;

 http://tradgang.com/noncgi/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=125;t=001047#000000

[Raf]

Eric, I am thinking of ways to making the gizmo. I don't have a drill press or any machines to work with. Another member mentioned that the gizmo will make the tillering process much easier  

[LittleBen]

you can make a tillering gizmo by hand, as longa s you have a hand drill you should be ok. I don't think it will matter very much if the pencil is not PERFECTLY square to the block of wood.

[LittleBen]

Also my only problem with the tillering gizmo, is that it's really best for making a perfect arc of a circle tiller ....

So for a pyramid bow where you want the limbs bending totally evenly, it's perfect.

Since your bow is full width past mid limb, the perfect tiller woudl actually be bending slightly more midlimb.

This is one reason I would generally recommend a pyramid shape for the first bow.

I don;t knwo if you have done this yet, btu if your budget allows, order volumes 1-4 of the traditional bowyers bible. Theres alot of information in there. If you can't afford them all ... get vol. 1, and start there ...

[Eric Krewson]

The poor gizmo is often misunderstood. It's purpose is to get you to the short string quickly, way over target poundage and without any poundage robbing hinge corrections.

Once you get to the short string you can change the tillering configuration to anything you want because you have a lot of extra poundage to play with.

A gizmo is not the end all be all for bow tillering but does let a beginner make a serviceable bow on their first try if they follow the instructions to the letter.

[Raf]

Ben, I have been looking at making my own fast flight flemish string and you have mentioned that Tip overlays, that would be a good idea. I'll search the forum to see if anyone have instructions for doing overlays. Any recommendation on material? Has anyone ever used deer toes?

I have one small pin knot actually. It is on the belly and didn't surface until I started to fade the limbs down. I didn't know tillering a pyramid bow would be easier, I would definitely go that route on the next bow to gain more experience with tillering.

I have yet to order strings or get any of my tillering tree material (Had bills to pay haha). As soon as I get paid, I am ordering my string material and getting all of my tillering tree stuff.

I actually went and got burlap to back the bow, but searched the forum and saw that burlap isn't the best material to use, as that it takes a lot of glue and it slows the bow down. I am thinking maybe I can use brown paper, silk or linen. I have been looking to see if any pure silk ribbons are on sale at the craft stores.

Thanks again everyone for all of your help!

[Grandpa Bill]

Check out the Thrift stores near you for woman's silk or linen dresses or pants.  Either one makes a good backing for a board bow

Grandpa Bill

[Eric Krewson]

I bought 1/2 yard of very tight weave linen at Jo Ann's fabric for $5. It was enough to back 5 or 6 bows. You could get 1/4 yard and have plenty for several bow projects. Be sure to look at the material content on each bolt if you buy linen. Some is 100%, some is a mixture of other materials. Wash it to get the sizing out before you back a bow with it.

I was buying my linen for M/L patches because it is really tough stuff and won't blow apart like cotton.

I have seen some bows backed with a silk tie from a thrift store, some patterns look pretty neat on bows and you will have only 50 cents or so in the tie.