Do some searches here on board bows. That is what you are making. You have to first figure out what you want to end up with in terms of draw length, bow weight, etc. As SneakyPete said, you will want to back the bow. I have used fiberglass drywall tape on oak, but I think you would have a better bow if you used hickory or bamboo backing. Oak has a tendency to crack. The tape backin will keep it from a catastrophic break, but the wood or boo backing might prevent the crack (haven't tried it yet myself.
With a 68 inch board, you will end up with a 66 inch bow, nock to nock. If you don't plan to get carried away with bow weight, an oak longbow will be 1.5 to 1.75 inches wide. At 66 inches, I would want to be under 50 pounds I think. Less would probably be better. I made one 50 pounds and it cracked on me. I think the board was probably too dry, but that can happen with boards from Menards, Home Depot, etc. since they aren't really intended for bows.
If you are just learning, go ahead and use the oak. Even if it breaks, it will be a great learning experience. Oak is fairly easy to work, looks nice, and is pretty cheap. I tends to have a lot of string follow and as noted can crack, but you can afford to keep making more and getting better at tillering, making the string nocks and so forth. It gets pretty addictive. You will find yourself planning your next bow before you are finished with this one.
As I said, there is a lot of great information on this site on building board bows. Just do a search.
Russ
Topic: longbow help (Read 1222 times)
