Bow making kit

[johnboe522]

Does anyone know the best place to get a bow making kit for a beginner.

 

[ateallthepies]

It would depend on the bow type you would like to make. I have seen kits on Ebay for longbows and other places like Bickerstaffe Bows or Richard Head Longbows and I'm sure other places sell kits?
My own opinion would be to acquire a piece of tree trunk say in Ash which is quite easy to use and learn on that before spending your hard earned on a kit. If you can find a tree trunk about 5 inched in diameter you could split it in half and get two bow staves. When you get the hang of tillering you could then try a kit?

Steve.

 

[dwardo]

It would depend on the bow type you would like to make. I have seen kits on Ebay for longbows and other places like Bickerstaffe Bows or Richard Head Longbows and I'm sure other places sell kits?
My own opinion would be to acquire a piece of tree trunk say in Ash which is quite easy to use and learn on that before spending your hard earned on a kit. If you can find a tree trunk about 5 inched in diameter you could split it in half and get two bow staves. When you get the hang of tillering you could then try a kit?

Steve.

Always wondered about this, is it easier to go from tree to bow or easier with a pre-cut lam stave? I would say the latter is much more forgiving as a good chunk of the work is done for you. I would guess you could follow a pre-determined set of dimensions for tillering if the rough character of the wood is already known.

What you would definately need is a vice and a basic set of tools. Saying that with a pre-cut lam stave a scraper and spoke shave would probably be all you need if taken slow.

Rambling...


No idea to be honest.

 

[Corso]

flybowshop.com is a good place to start....

 

[Niels]

A good book would be advisable too

 

[johnboe522]

Thank you guys, very helpfull as normal, I think I will practice on tree wood before I spend money, ash seems good to me

 

[ateallthepies]

Always wondered about this, is it easier to go from tree to bow or easier with a pre-cut lam stave? I would say the latter is much more forgiving as a good chunk of the work is done for you. I would guess you could follow a pre-determined set of dimensions for tillering if the rough character of the wood is already known.

Yes I suppose a kit would save a whole load of time over prepping a log?

Good results could be had for a beginner with both ways because the kit should have the wood orientated correctly fibre wise for bowmaking just as the under bark surface of the tree naturally has so a newbie would not have to worry about the wood?

I started making bows from sawn lumber planks of Ash and Oak. I had several epic failures before I realised the importance of the wood fibre orientation and it was making a bow out of a small tree that made the penny drop!

It's just the tillering for a first timer I worry about as I know how easy it is to ruin a stave and some of these kits are well over £100!

Steve.

 

[grey-array]

If you are starting from a tree, or log-shaped objects.
I would suggest a splitting tool/chopping tool like an axe, and one tool that always served me well was a well sharpened drawknife, and in the uk they shouldnt be hard to come by
Yours sincerely Ruud

 

[palmnut]

Working from a tree I'd have a hatchet, a draw knife, a half-round ******* (deletd by the post entry window, despite the fact that bar-starred is a perfectly ok English word when used in the correct context!!) rasp and some cabinet scrapers. All of these can be had from many places - Axminster Tool Centre being one option and you'll probably be able to get most of this from your local DIY store.

A vice or workmate will hold the stave.

For tillering you'll need to make a tillering stick or put up a hook and use a pully and some paracord to make a tiller tree - google both of these to see what I'm on about.

Then go to either (both actually) primitivearcher.com and paleoplanet.net and read the bow manking bits until you've got the idea.

Then go for it! If in any doubt, ask on here or on one of the other sites.

Peter (sitting here with a roughed out hazel neolithic bow on my lap, having roughed it out using a bill-hook and a rasp)

 

[Niels]

Basically, all you should really need is a knife
Watch this video from 9:36 you'll see what I mean.

[video=youtube;Bym7w1_j4t4]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bym7w1_j4t4[/video]

 

[palmnut]

Try reading this and see if it makes sense (when translated from the American) ;-)

http://paleoplanet69529.yuku.com/topic/47638/Tim-Bakers-Wooden-Bow-Reposted-Tims-Permission

Peter