Bowyer/Primitive skills

Bow_breaker · May 18, 2010

Well on the Hello thread there was some people interested in my work. I am creating a website in the future but for now here are some of my bows that i have done in the past...i have tons of other pictures but this is what i have in PB right now. My work ranges to simple hickory board bows at 125$ or linen backed kids bows for 75$ and up to bamboo backed reflex/deflex bows for 350$

hickory and bamboo

IPE and bamboo

Hickory stave bow cut from a log....old school

fordnut · May 18, 2010

I have to admit that I don't know much about bows, but, I do know good work when I see it...You Sir do good work...

I like your bows, and the arrows are very cool...

Steve

Red Hat · May 19, 2010

Thanks for sharing! Fantastic work. How many hours does it take to make them?

Frost · May 19, 2010

That is some awesome work.
You have to admire an old school craftsman.

Bow_breaker · May 19, 2010

Thanks fellas. As to the time involved it can take like 4 hours for a simple pyramid board hickory flat bow and all the way up to 25 hours for a multi laminated reflex/deflex or stave bow.

Low Branch · May 19, 2010

Let me know if you need a website...

Bow_breaker · May 20, 2010

im also an IT student. I made a site but haven't payed the go-daddy fees yet. I made it with dreemweaver. But TY for offer.

The site will be www.palmettoprimitivearchery.com

Low Branch · May 20, 2010

IT student? Nice, that is the direction I should have taken in life. I like Dreamweaver, and I still sometimes use it to make templates for CMS...

thebrasilian · May 27, 2010

I use to shoot a re-curve all the time. It was my Grandfathers. Personally I like the re-curves over the compounds.

thebrasilian · May 27, 2010

Just tried your website. Doesn't seem to be up.

Midnight Raver · May 28, 2010

Recurve bows... a skilled art.

Making them is an even more talented skill, good work Sir! I know from personal experience even gluing the heads on those arrows can be a royal pain. I've done somewhat ok with my field points over the years, had to redo some over each time though. Broadheads are a totally different ball game, I haven't even attempted that yet. Got any tips(no pun intended) to successfully accomplish this task?

Bow_breaker · May 28, 2010

I haven't payed for the site as of yet. Since my dealership closed down and tossed me out the door i may start my hand at it full time.

As for gluing on broad heads i find that using good epoxy helps.

Take an oversize pencil sharpener and cut your shaft true.

Dry fit your broadhead to ensure that it will fit corectly when dry without any preasure on any side, sandpaper slightly to get it streight.

Then clamp it 90 degree to the ground point up in a small vise.

Take a thin piece of cardboard (i use cards from an old poker deck) and cut small hols in them slightly smaller than your shaft diameter, slide them over the shaft to the location of where the broad head, this stops the glue from running down the shaft.

Mix your epoxy and set the head in place,check alignment and wait till cured.

No "shaft" innuendos intended during this broadcast.

Midnight Raver · May 31, 2010

Check on the pencil sharpener routine, my uncle briefed me on that. He also had me using this glue stick so to speak. You would use a candle flame to melt the end of it and put it on the shaft tip, followed by the field point being attached before cooling. Maybe that is a real old school method now, the epoxy sounds easier! I still have a good sized piece of that glue stick though- I wonder if it is a wax/plastic compound?

Bow_breaker · May 31, 2010

iv tried the hot glue but could never get a long lasting arrow...i went on to epoxy and never looked back.

My points don't pop off now but if i sink an arrow into a tree i have to be careful not to break the shaft

Midnight Raver · May 31, 2010

Yup, I've had a few field points pop off before. Your epoxy method seems a whole lot easier, especially since epoxies like Devcon have roughly a 5 minute grace period before fully setting. I am definitely trying that out next time, unless I go to modern arrows if they turn out to be cheaper nowadays...

I still love to use the Louisiana cedar ones that I have though.

Bow_breaker · Jun 1, 2010

2 companies that i have used are http://www.hildebrandarrowshafts.com/products.htm
There sitka spruce shafts are nice.

I have recently bin using http://www.hildebrandarrowshafts.com/products.htm The arrows that you see in the pic are them...they are a little bit hard to straighten but once they are clear coated and set in shape they hold up nice...also spine is more consistent.

Or you can go with the free and primitive option of looking around creeks for river cane. I also have a shaft turning jig and make poplar shafts but they don't spine out to consistent.

If you go modern fiberglass you can gently cut off the plastic crap feathers and glue on real ones...its what i hunt with.

Bow_breaker · Jun 25, 2010

Most of the bows that I make are laminated reflex/deflex bows with a strip of either hickory or bamboo (natures fiberglass) to hold the shape and tension to the back. But every now and then I get in the mood to just pick up a stave split out of a log and whittle one up the old fashioned way.

This is a 60 inch long hickory stave bow. It pulls 45@28. The string is b-50 Dacron. Finish is true oil. The shredded stripes on the back are cambium bark left on for looks.

No modern tools touched this wood except for the chainsaw that my Ponca freind used to harvest the tree.

http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i144/ ... AG0021.jpg
http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i144/ ... 0019-1.jpg
The knot looks wild..it is on the upper limb
http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i144/ ... AG0024.jpg
http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i144/ ... AG0020.jpg
http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i144/ ... 0018-1.jpg
http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i144/ ... AG0017.jpg