PVC snapshot bow

[Dannytsg]

After Biker posted a video this morning of someone making a homemade bow out of PVC I thought I'd give it a try.

I went and got a piece of 3/4" PVC and watches the video on how tosh ape the limbs and string the bow then set to work.

My first attempt was really pitiful and was discarded shortly after. My second attempt lead me to this.

It's a total of 32 inches tip to tip. It has 4 inch roll tips with a 4 inch grip.

I did this over the stove by heating and then flattening as best I could the limbs and continued to shape it until I was relatively happy.

I have then added the string and tested it in the garden. It works surprisingly well but it's nothing more than a fun target bow in my opinion as this only has a 12-18 inch draw on it.

Here's basic pictures.

Now a word of warning for those wanting to try this. The PVC is a lot more temperamental with the heat than I anticipated. It's either not warm enough or to hot and becomes deformed too easily.

For a first attempt I'm happy as it fires my carbon arrows to 25 yards nicely even if it takes a lot of compensation in aim.

For those wishing to give it a try good luck.

Posted from my iPhone via Tapatalk.

 

[Robbi]

is that not strung the wrong way ?

 

[Dannytsg]

Believe it or not the guy in the video states at the end it can be strung the way shown or the conventional way. I will string it the other way but I need a longer string which I didn't have to hand

 

[Robbi]

interesting looks good, and should be good fun in the garden, i wonder if there's something flat you could shove inside it to strengthen it up a bit ?

 

[Dannytsg]

It's could definitely do with some re-enforcement in places but I was thinking of cord wrapping with a resin hhardener possibly.

 

[Biker]

Fantastic job buddy! Really pleased you hit the ground running so soon too! Well done!

 

[Dannytsg]

It definately needs some refining and work but for a first try I'm happy with it.

I definately need a jig like he has though to enable me to flatten the limbs in a more uniform manner. Doing it by heating and hand flattening made it more susceptable to failure from creasing.

 

[Biker]

It definately needs some refining and work but for a first try I'm happy with it.

I definately need a jig like he has though to enable me to flatten the limbs in a more uniform manner. Doing it by heating and hand flattening made it more susceptable to failure from creasing.

Looks rediculously simple enough to make.

[video=youtube;XaLi5_-XXek]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XaLi5_-XXek[/video]

 

[Dannytsg]

Yeah it seems simple enough to do but didnt have any bits to hand yesterday. I will be trying again in future for sure.

 

[dwardo]

You should get a much better draw if you can string it the other way.
Its all to do with the angle of the string and the tips of the bow. If this angle exceeds 45deg then you start too loose mechanical advantage with the outcome being a greater force needed to pull the bow but with very little energy transfered to the arrow. So lots more draw weight with no advantage. This is known as "stacking"

Infact, believe it or not that shape you have there has been used historically. The reason they used the backwards reflexed tips was to reduce the ammount of strain on the bow whilst braced. This meant the bow was always ready for action without damaging the bow.

 

[Dannytsg]

Thanks for the Dwardo! I will try and string it the other way but it will need some reshaping towards the tips to get it to where it flexes nicely. I also need a new string material but I think I can sort it.

 

[Dannytsg]

Just a further refinement to the bow.

I reheated and shaped the limbs to allow me to restring the bow in the conventional fashion as pictured. It had more tension now and fires well for a small bow.

I also took the liberty of putting some decoration on the front of the limbs. I've put my daughters name as this is now her first bow! She's only 7 months but she will be using it in no time


Pictures

 

[Robbi]

brill !

 

[dwardo]

Great stuff
Carefull of the bowyers bug it is catching.

 

[Wayne]

Nice work. Looks like a fun project.

 

[Colin.W]

I guess you've not been tempted to make the lorry leaf spring crossbow yet then

 

[Dannytsg]

No not yet but it am be something I can look into.