Building a selfbow
 

I don't know if any of you are traditional bowhunters out there, but in the spirit of the great cart builds that are here I have some pictures of an osage self bow build that's in progress at my place. I like to help people build self bows and this is the second person I've helped this year. We had to do his build over a long weekend so I got the rare opportunity to take a bunch of pictures of the bow in progress. The young man I'm helping is named Kyle. He drove up from Austin and arrived about 2pm yesterday at my place in the Dallas burbs. So, we'll begin with the raw material, osage orange staves:

http://72.64.80.21/gks-pictures/kbow1.jpg

Kyle began by removing the bark:

http://72.64.80.21/gks-pictures/kbow3.jpg

From there we layed out the bow and cut it to shape on the band saw:

http://72.64.80.21/gks-pictures/kbow4.jpg

Then, Kyle began removing the sap wood and creating the back of the bow from a single growth ring on the bow:

http://72.64.80.21/gks-pictures/kbow5.jpg

At supper time we quit for the day, having finished about a third of the bow's back. Notice the knots, which slowed things considerably:

http://72.64.80.21/gks-pictures/kbow6.jpg

This morning, we got a break from the rain of the previous day so we could work outside, where the light is much better:

http://72.64.80.21/gks-pictures/kbow7.jpg

At 2:30 pm, Kyle finished the bow's back. It's looking good:

http://72.64.80.21/gks-pictures/kbow8.jpg

Next we began working on the belly of the bow, first with the draw knife:

http://72.64.80.21/gks-pictures/kbow9.jpg

then with the sanding drum:

http://72.64.80.21/gks-pictures/kbow10.jpg

Finally, when the limbs got thin enough we could start floor tillering:

http://72.64.80.21/gks-pictures/kbow11.jpg

Then Kyle cut string grooves:

http://72.64.80.21/gks-pictures/kbow12.jpg

Finally we got a string on the bow. Here's the first draw:

http://72.64.80.21/gks-pictures/kbow13.jpg

Notice the lower limb is too stiff. Tomorrow we hope to shoot it. I can post more pictures then.

George

Re: Building a selfbow
 

thats pretty cool right there, nice work

Re: Building a selfbow
 

What kind of draw poundage does that type bow have, and what range would you have with it for deer hunting.

Re: Building a selfbow
 

Extremely nice work. :thumbup:

Boo

Re: Building a selfbow
 

Thanks all.

Kyle finished his bow this morning. The final stats are, 68" nock to nock, 65lbs@28". Here he is shooting it (excellent form):

http://72.64.80.21/gks-pictures/kbow14.jpg

and here he is with me (squinting into the sun):

http://72.64.80.21/gks-pictures/kbow15.jpg

I think he's happy with his bow. I need a nap.

George

Re: Building a selfbow
 

what was used for the string ?

Re: Building a selfbow
 

I have made several bow strings for old fiberglass bows using dacron string, on my compound I use spiderwire, works great.

Re: Building a selfbow
 

Yea, that's an 18 strand B50 dacron string. George