# Building a Simple Selfbow



## kegan

Here's a quick run through on how to build a good, solid flatbow. Try to follow the directions as near as you can, as you will be able to isolate what goes wrong, if soemthing does, better that way. Don't get discouraged if you have one or two break on you, even after a hundred or more bows I still have them break every once in a while. It's nothing more than a learning experience.

Before we start, ther are some rules that will help you out:

_-This isn't a race. And if it was, the slow-and-steady would AWLAYS win. I've made lots of bows, and even still this bow took me almost a week. Your first one should take about twice that if you intend a good shooter your first try._

_-We don't all have the same tools to use. Use what you have to the best of your abillity. However, if I mention use of a specific type of tool, do try to use that tool._

_-Wood can always be taken off, but never put back._

_-It's jsut as easy to make a good bow as it is to make a poor one. Care being the only difference._

_-A selfbow is jsut a stressed stick, so we design it and build it carefully, to teach it how to deal with these stresses. Never overstress it!_

_-*A bow will only break if a part is overstrained*. Good tapering, good designing, and slow and careful tillering will yield a strong, durable weapon that will last years and be great for hunting/target shooting._

Let's get on with it!

*The Wood and the Design*

First you'll need a good hardwood board. Red oak, white oak, hickory, pecan, maple, and ash will all work very well. Buy whatever you have at your local Home Depot or Lowes. All will work, the only difference being that some woods will make stornger bows at given dimensins than others. Hickory, however, is darn near impossible to break, and so makes a great beginner bow. Make sure the board is at least 66" long, 3/4" thick, and at least 2" wide (a 1x2 is only 1 1/2" wide, so you'll need a 1x3 or more), with _STRAIGHT GRAIN_, no knots, and no rot.

For those of you with a 25"-29" draw, a 66"-68" long bow will be good. For those of you with a longer draw, make it at least 70". A longer bow is better than a short one, as it stores more energy and is smoother to draw. Here, my bow is 66" long, and I have a 27.5" long draw.

Next, you'll need to glue a handle block on. It should be about 9" long, and perfectly centered. If you can, make the block as wide as the board, so the glue joint is perfectly square. However, if, like me, you don't have such a piece, just keep it as perfectly centered as possible. Titebond II or III are great glues for this.

Before you start tapering the limbs, removing the bulk wood from the handle will give you an idea where the fades (the transition from handle to limbs) should be, and how they should be shaped. A heavy handle is also easier to shoot accurately. Here, the fades are each 1 1/2" long, and the handle is 4 1/2" long (that's 4" for your hand and 1/2" for the arrow). Don't make it any longer than this, as it will increase stress in your bow. I start off with a 1 1/4" wide handle, as it will get rounded off later.

A bandsaw can easily cut out the handle, but if you don't have one, cutting kerfs in with a handsaw and cutting them off with a chisel or hatchet will give you a well cut out handle. Follow up with a rasp or two for final shaping.


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## kegan

You should do the width of the handle first, as the thickness relies on that. The thickness should start thinning just after it begins to widen, and continue until just after it's reached full width. 

Now for the thickness. After the handle has thinned out, you should start thinning. Start at 5/8" thick beyond the handle, tapering straight to 3/8" thick tips. Draw it out on both sides, and then bring the woods down flat to the line. Keep the taper even, straight, and without low spots.


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## kegan

Now for width. If you're using red oak or ash, these will be the dimensions. For hickory, white oak, pecan, and maple, add about 5#.

Up to 60#... 2" wide limbs
Up to 50#... 1 3/4" wide limbs
Up to 40#... 1 1/2" wide limbs

As you can see, it's a pretty simple matter, and you can use it to get the rough weight you want (this method of making a bow won't give you a spefic weight, but a rough weight. Being your first bow, that shouldn't be a big deal). My limbs on this bow are 2" wide. 

It should be full width from the fades to 12" from the tips. So, the last 12" tapers to 1/2" wide tips. Once this is done, round the edges on the back and belly, so to prevent fracture if the grain runs off.

Now that the limbs are roughed out, you can begin to round off the handle and make it cofortable. At 1 1/2" deep and 1 1/4" wide, you should have plenty of room to make any sort or adjustments you deem necessary. I leave mine straight for now, simply rounding all the edges off steeply.


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## kegan

I now sand the bow with 60 grit sandpaper, then 100, then 220. I do it now, as it helps prevent a great deal of weight loss at the end. Remove the tool marks, blemishes, etc. 

Start by floor tillering the bow. This is just bending the tips against the floor and watching for weak spots (if it's tapered perfectly and follows the given dimensions, there shouldn't be any), and feeling the balance of the limbs, seeing if one is stronger than the other. If one is, scrape it down. If there are any stiff spots, again, scrape them down. Continue until they are perfectly balanced, and a little further, to well exercise the limbs, getting the ready to bend and be braced.

Now brace the bow to about 1" or so. This should point out all the really bad spots. If there are any stiff spots, or a stiffer limb, unbrace the bow and scrape them down now. Once it's bending well, leave it for 30 minutes to become accustomed to the task of bending. _This is very important!_

You'll note the type of nocks I use. Simple pin nocks, made by cutting shoulders into the side of the tips, about 1/8" in and cutting them out. Simple, efficient, and simply elegant.

Now raise the brace to about 3" or so. As you can see, the limbs are unbalanced- the right limb being stiffer than the left. The left limb was shaved down to balance the limbs. The bow was then left to sit for another hour or so. 

The brace height is then raised to final brace of about 5" from the inside of the handle. Again, the limbs are unbalanced. So, again I take the raps and take about 20 sweeps from the whole length, then about 20 passes with a cabinet scraper, finishing up with sandpaper to keep it smooth.


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## kegan

Now that the limbs are balanced, and final brace height has been reached, we let the bow sit for final breaking in, _letting it sit braced for a full 24 hours_! This will help bring down all "unbroken weight", that is, the extra strenght a bow has before it has become fully accustomed to the string. 

While the bow is breaking in, I put the final touch on my handle- making it a dished grip. I like how it centers the hand in the same spot. Some people like a rounded grip, a straight grip, or a locator grip. Do whatever you like.

After the bow has been fully broken in, tiller it to full draw, slowly workin up a small 1x2 with notches in the side, until you reah full draw. This lets you stand back and see the flaws. Go slowly, watch for all stiff/weak spots.

Once you have reached full draw, and shot it in to shee it shoots well, apply a finish. Furniture wax, polyurethane, spar urethane, or even lard will work. Anythig that sits on the surface and protects the wood from water and resists bending. I use spar urethane as it is a nice finish and my fahter has it on hand.

Once the bow is all finished up, check your brace. In the field, we use fistmele, to check the brace height. I like about 5", as it doesn't overstress the bow and gives good speed. For longer bows, you can raise the brace to 6". For a short 66" bow, leave it at 5". You will need a bracer to shoot one of these bows.


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## iamnoluck

*question*

no arrow rest or does arrow just sit on you hand. my last bow did not have a rest and when I pulled it back the arrow tried to jump off to the left. this would cause me to have to lean the top limb to the right to keep the arrow on the bow or is that the proper way to shoot a slefbow. its easier to aim whe limbs are straight up and down.


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## kegan

And here's the finished bow. A real beaut, and a steady, accurate shooter. I was so suprised with this bow's performance, that it will be one of my hunting bows this fall.

The width of this bow keeps the limbs strong, resilient, and under less stress. The length keeps it stable, adds power, and helps ensure that the bow is fast and durable. The heavy handle adds to aid in shooting, and the low brace height lowers stress and gives good speed of cast. Varying from this design too much might cause failure.

The string is Dacron, and should be purchased 2" shorter than the length of the bow (the string for this bow would be about 64"). If you have to order it by AMO, order the size larger, as you can always twist it to make it shorter.

If anyone needs help shooting, making strings, tuning arrows, or making their bow, feel free to ask me on the Selfbow thread.

iamnoluck- an arrow shelf would endanger this bow's life, If you need one, glue a small block onto the side. Yes, that is the proper way to shoot a selfbow, with it canted to the right. I am with it this way, and it helps, not hinders, my aiming, as it moves the top limb out of the way, and helps with spine of the arrows. Shooting straight up and down makes it difficult to shoot under hunting conditions and makes spining arrows difficult. Shooting a compound and a selfbow are very different.


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## iamnoluck

so the very bottom right pic of you squatting down shooting is the angle at which you shoot. aiming left and right is nothing its the up and down thats getting me. bow looks good and I'll start tomorrow.


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## hardwoodhitman

do you buys strings or make them?


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## kegan

The finished bow draws about 65#, and will probably loose a little after final breaking in (I was forced to continue work after 18 hours of breaking in). It shoots quite accurately out to 50 yards with good, properly spined arrows and proper tecnique, and would take down the biggest buck you see, any turkey, black bears, and small game, and larger game with well made arrows under 20 yards. 

*Some Notes*

The limbs should be thinner than the wood under the handle (5/8" to 3/4"), to prevent the handle from popping off.

Narrower tips will help increase speed. If you leave your tips wide, and the bow is slow and has alot of handshock, try narrowing the tips.

These bows shoot best with arrows that weight 9 or 10 grains for ever pound in bow weight.

If you've never made a bow before, making it exactly like this one, only 4" longer. If the weapon comes out under weight, you could then just cut the bow down and redo the nocks. This will strengthen the bow. If it is strong enough, it will help reduce stress and make sure your first bow doesn't break.

If for some reason the bow does break, try to figure out why, and make another. Trust me, it's worth it. All you'd be out is the pocket change for the board- $10 on average. 

If you've neevr shot a traditional bow before, start off lighter than you think you need. These bows are cheap to make, you can make several, gradually increasing weight until you reach the weight you want to shoot at. You'd also have several bows accumaulated over the time, so you can help others get started.

If you absolutely have to have an arrow shelf, don't cut in more than 1/8", gluing on a piece of wood or leather for the rest. Cutting in too much will definatley endanger the weapon. Well made arrows are also alot easier on the hand than poorly made, or pastic vaned arrows. Your skin is also more quiet than wood. And NO BOW, COMPOUND OR OTHERWISE, CAN SHOOT FASTER THAN SOUND TRAVELS!!!

The bow has very little to do with accuracy. It's the arrows. If you can't hit the boradside of the barn, look at your arrows, then at yourself. It takes a little work to shoot these bows, unlike sighted compounds and rifles.

Never, ever get discouraged. Just ask questions and try again. We've all been there, we'll try to help.


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## kegan

hardwoodhitman said:


> do you buys strings or make them?


I make mine. I buy a spool of Dacron for about $10, so there's enough to make at least 10 strings.


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## kegan

iamnoluck said:


> so the very bottom right pic of you squatting down shooting is the angle at which you shoot. aiming left and right is nothing its the up and down thats getting me. bow looks good and I'll start tomorrow.


Up and down is learned. It depends on arrow weight, bow speed, etc. If your arrows are perfectly matched, simply aim lower or higher on the next shot, depending on the first one.


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## therazor302

*Applause* This is an amazingly detailed guide Kegan. I never thought of making my own because I was worried something would go wrong but I just might try it now.

Not tthat my review counts but I give this 2 thumbs up


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## kegan

Thanks Razor, any praise is appreciated.

I forgot to metnion though- this is a simple build along, that can be followed to make a good, simple bow of this design. However, it doesn't go in-depth enough to teach you the little nuances. Anyone interested in really learning how to do this, after making a bow of this type or two, would be encouraged to read _The Bent Stick_ by Paul Comstock and _The Traditional Bowyer's Bibles vol. 1-4_ by Jim Hamm. These books teach you evreything about maing your own equipment, from bows and strings to arrows and quivers.

I just hope this helps gets some of you off on the right path.


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## therazor302

How thick would the limbs of a 30# bow be. It seems to go down in 1/4 increments but I just wanted to make sure. I might have to look into that book, it sounds like a fun read. It also helps the father of someone in our club makes and shoots longbows =P.

You might also want to repost this in DIY in the General section. The Youth section is popular but not many people look here.


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## kegan

The thickness remains the same, the width reduces. A 30# bow would only be about 1 1/4" wide.


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## black bow

thx alot kegan this should help ill start construction tomorrow


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## kegan

Glad to help black bow. Don't forget pictures if you can get them.


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## kegan

I forgot to mention caring for your self bow. The main thing being to make sure, once the bow is fully finished and borken in, that it isn't left strung when not in use. It can go a day braced while hunting, but when your not shooting, make sure it's unstrung and left on to horizontal pegs or somehting. It will make sure the weapon lasts long and doesn't become overstressed.


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## -puff-

Wow! Thank you very much!! I've been wanting to make my own bow for a while now, and I've tried to once before but it never turned out. These instructions are sweet! Thanks man! Cheers!!:darkbeer:


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## kegan

Glad they help! I'll be doing a string build along this weekend too, so you can fit your new hand made bow with your own hand made string.


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## elk country rp

*day 1- hickory w/oak handle bow #1*

I decided to try this almost all by hand (palm sander is the only power tool so far) as I think I'll make smaller mistakes w/o power tools. 
I cut my 3/4" x 73" hickory at 1 3/4" wide and gorilla glued a red oak handle onto it. I shrink wrapped the heck out of it since gorilla glue tends to want to expand. 
I jumped ahead to cutting the limb tapers since I could do this while the glue cured on the handle. I also did some sanding to try to keep things looking symmetrical at the tapers. The tapers are symmetrical to within 1/16" so far. 
I'll cut the thickness into the limbs and do a rough shaping of the handle tomorrow.
So far I'm loving the project- and it kinda looks like a bow already! (LOL)


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## kegan

Looks really good! When you start woeking on the thickness, the real bow making starts. Make sure you keep them dead even between the two limbs, or one could wind up stiffer than the other, slowing you down during tiller and causing alot of troubles further on. I can't wait to see what comes next!


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## kegan

*Making a bowstring*

Let me start off by saying I make much better bows than I do strings. That being said, here's how I make strings. I was also going to just show how to make a simple two-ply Flemish style string, but I have a little trouble with the type of nocks on this particular bow (I have now stopped using this style of nocks, and have gone back to pin nocks- the type on the above red oak bow) and I really needed a string for this bow.

With those things in mind, let's get started.

You'll need a roll of B-50 Dacron, a board with two nails 12" farther apart than the length of your bow, some serving (I just use the cheap nylon stuff from 3 Rivers), and some wax. Fast Flight will cut through your nocks and destroy your bow. If you really want to use it, make sure you put overlays onto the tips that can hold up to it.

Start by winding the dacron around the two nails so you have about 14-16 strands. Once you have enough strands, cut one end free from the nail, and even up all the strands in the two bundles (leaving the other end on the nail). Some might be loose, and will wind up as a detriment in the finished string. Make sure they're all pulled taut and even.

Now for the loop. This is really just cording, as you would do if you wanted to make string from wild, natural products. Only difference being, no splicing. What you'll do is twist two bundles of threads in one direction (clockwise) and then twist them together in the opposite direction (counter-clockwise). The simultaneous unravelling forces or wahteevr will keep it all together. So, tighter you get everything wound up, the tighter the final winding will remain unaided.

Start about 6"-8" from the cut end, and twist both bundles clockwise for about an inch or so. Hold them tight so they don't unravel.


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## kegan

Now, twist the two bundles around each other counter-clockwise. Continue this until you've corded about 2 1/2". Now, fold this over. It's your loop. NOw you can cut the other end loose, or you may have had to cut it loose earlier, so you can twist the two bundles seperately.

You should have four bundles now- two short on one end of the loop, and two long bundles (the rest of the string) on the opposite. What you do now is split them up, so you have one short with one long, making two bundles. 

Cord them up the same way you did the loop. Twist them both tightly clockwise, then tightly together counter-clockwise. Continue down the string until about 2" beyond the end of the short bundles. This is your Flemish loop. 

Isn't it pretty?


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## kegan

NOw that you have one loop finished, you need to slightly twist the rest of the string in the same method a you did the loop, so it all stays together when the bow is unstrung. Now it needn't be tight, just enough to keep the whole thing together.

Now, if you already finished your flatbow (or have a fiberglas bow you need a string for) and it's all broken in and ready for a permanent string, you can just make a second Flemish loop on the other end, leaving the string about 3" shorter than your bow. If you cared to, you could stop there. 

remember to trim off the excess at the top loop, where the short bundles ended. There's no reason that they could hurt, but they sure look ugly.

If, however, you aren't sure of how long your bow is, or need a string for building the bow, you'll want an adjustable knot on the other end. In this carse, lightly braide the final 12" and singe the end so it doesn't come apart. Tie a bowyer's knot (shown) or timber hitch. The bowyer's knot is easily taken out, hence being adjustable. This is the sort of string I needed here.


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## kegan

Now, no matter what loops or knots are on the string, it needs to be stretched. Dacron, and Flemish strings, both have a fair bit of stretch in it. You'll need to string up your bow with the new string and pull slightly, going for straight. 

Once you've stretched it a bit, it should be at a much lower brace height. If this is a Flemosh string, just twist the string to shorten it and you get the brace height you want. If this is a knot, then adjust the knot to shorten the stirng and continue stretching until it doesn't want to give anymore. This takes some time, and is a real pain in the arse. But, it's better now than dropping an inch of brace after each shot later on.

Once stretched, wax the whole string. Wax is your friend. Use it often.

Now, if you care to, you can use it as is. However, serving it will make it alot more durable. Serve the middle 6"-8", making sure there is enopugh above where the arrow will sit not only for your finger, but for any further stretching that may occur. Leaving it down past the handle a little bit will prevent where from striking your bracer as well. Wrap it tightly and compactly. I've yet to learn how to do this as well as modern store bought strings, as mine usually wear loose after a few months.

I finish off my serving by sticking a bit of folded paperclip through the center, wrapping the serving around a cfew more times, and then pull the end (laced through that "eye") back through the string, and under the last three wraps. I've yet for a serving come loose on me here using this method.

ONce served, waxed, and stretched, the finished string is done. It may need a bit more twisting or adjusting after shooting it a few times, but it's done. Once it's all settled in, put a nocking point on and hit the range.


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## elk country rp

*day 2- hickory w/ oak handle bow #1*

Wow- today it looks like a bow!
I cut the rough shape of the handle by cutting kerfs and chiseling out the rest. The rasp doesn't exactly sing in my hands, so I did alot of shaping with the palm sander. The handle's nowhere near done, but feels decent so far. 
Next came the hardest part so far- cutting the thickness into the limbs. I did this with my trusty little pull saw. I spent a couple hours on this part, going slow and checking my lines often. It looks decent, but it's miles away from a string. I have alot of wood to remove on both limbs- it's wicked stiff still. I'm trying to resist the urge to break out the angle grinder to get it a little closer to manageable. I ended up with a couple thick spots on each limb that are 2-4" long and a good 1/16" too thick, which showed up pretty obviously when I started to floor tiller it. 
I'm thinking I should back this bow. The grain is great across the back (left to right), but looking at the sides of the limbs, I see a couple waves (the grain isn't perfect front to back). I'd welcome any advice on backing (and whether or no I really need to), so don't be shy.
On to the pics!


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## kegan

You're going about this the right way! Watching the taper before you start tillering will definately yield easier tillering. Marking them with a pencil and working them down to a nice, straight taper will help insure it turns out well. Another way is to use a long straight edge, mark the lines, and bring the thickness down to it using a hatchet or a drawknife, then fine-tuning with a sander or rasp.

You won't need to back it. The grain that matters exists only on the back, the grain on the side not effecting the final weapon (if the grain really ran off, wouldn't it make a pointed "V" in the grain on the back?). And hickory is VERY strong in tension, so it wouldn't ,mind grain violation anyhow.

However, I would do two things. First, I would make the thickness of the fades much more concave than straight, as straight, or worse obtuse, will concentrate the bend right at the end, causing the grip to pop off. 

Second, I would narrow the limbs some. Starting just past midlimb, take a hand plane or your palm sander and narrow them down to just under 1/2" tips. Narrow tips will yield a much sweeter, faster bow, and the narrower limbs will lower the weight while fixing the tiller, especially if it's 5/8" thick outside the fades tapering to 3/8" thick tips.


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## elk country rp

I'm going to narrow the limbs tonight like Kegan suggested, and fix the fades tomorrow. I'll get some new pics up after. I'll also need to build a tillering board tomorrow. This bow is coming together way faster than I expected- I hope I don't blow it up!


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## kegan

You're tapering and tillering carefully, which should help ensure it sticks together- and hickory is a really tough wood. If it does break, I'd be completely suprised.

A simple board bow is easy to make. No seasoning, not large removals of wood, and no undulations that could cause trouble tapering it. They're pretty simple, fast to make, and turn itno really nice hutning or recreational bows.


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## shooterdom

oh man...ive tried this a couple of times but the bow always snaps when i draw it 4 the first time...i think i am using the wrong wood or going against the grain maybe...i really want to give it a try...but its really annoying

(woohoo 400 posts)


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## iamnoluck

Mine is looking good:cocktail: and is now on the tiller board. I have pulled the string down to get the tips of the limbs to go down to about 1 inch and the left limb is a 1/16 further than the right. cant really tell where its bending more as they look really even. do you just sand some of the right limb off to get it to bend more or what and then once I have them equal the next thing would be to get it to draw length(slowly). the question will then be if once I get it to draw length , if its too hard to draw do you narrow the limbs or sand the belly and of course then it will need retillering.also how do yall put the pics on here.


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## iamnoluck




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## iamnoluck

I figured the pics out and when looking at them, the pic with the level on top shows the problem. the wood leaves the level in a different place. how would you fix. which limb would need work. The right limb needs a little took off but I have read that sometimes you need to work on the opposite limb. how do you know when to do this.


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## elk country rp

It looks like it's stiff at the riser on the right, but I'd dish out the fades first before anything else (concave instead of convex). I'm in the process of doing that right now, I'll post pics in a 1/2 hour or so.


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## iamnoluck

what do you mean? hollow out the last 12 inches?


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## elk country rp

Man it's hard to put this thing down. My 1/2 hour handle shping turned into a limb reshaping too. The pics should give you an idea of what Kegan was talking about for the fades. The first two are the concave fades, the third is the new limb shape.


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## kegan

If it breaking on you when you reach full draw, then you are a)using bad wood (probabaly not this, as it can be worked aorung) b) designing it wrong (not unlikely) and, most likely c) NOT PRESTRESSING THE LIMBS.

The biggest flaw I see with people's first bows is, once they get it roughed out, the string it up and try to draw it. YOu can't do that. You have to let is sit, once you reach full brace, for about 24 hours. Once that's done, you further tiller it slowly to full draw. This braking in period sweats about 10#, and makes the bow more durable than otherwise. If you know what wood you are using, then just follow the guidelines I set for width above, adjusting thickness later for tillreing and weight adjustments, and get close. I'm not showing how to make custom bows, just good hunting or recreational bows. 

As for your tiller, try floor tillering it. It's begins to stress the limbs before you string it up at 2" for the first time. You're not bending it enough to see which is really stiffer.

As was said, dish out those fades. That handle is going to come off with a bang if you don't.


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## elk country rp

*now I gotta build a string....*

I can't seem to quit sanding and fine tuning the tiller. the handle now feels like it grew outta my hand, so I REALLY don't wanna break the bow! After spending a little time over two days floor tillering it I finally made a tillering board. I also picked up some parachute cord and proceeded to check the tiller. I marked the belly at 6" intervals, and marked the string at 6" intervals, and also at center. I was amazed to find it within 1/4" at the 6" & 12" points (from the tips) when I first put it on the board. A little shaving here, and a little sanding there, and we're symmetrical. I am noticing a little twist in the overall bow, but I suspect I won't notice when I draw it back. I think the bench vise exagerates the twist a little. On to the pics, then on to the string.....


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## elk country rp

*she's a gorgeous brute!*

Got her done! I'm stunned at how beautiful she is. I'm also amazed by how hard she hits. The only arrows I have ready to shoot are 540gr, but they fly well. I can't wait to build up some 600+ grain arrows. 
So, to finish it out, after an amazingly quick tillering process, I worked 2 coats of danish oil into my bow and left her sitting in the garage for a day and a half. After shooting about 20 arrows with a 5" brace height and getting bit on the wrist alot, I twisted the brace height up to 6" to see if there was a difference. I LOVE the 6" brace height! Shooting bare armed, I get only minor contact just above the wrist, not the big purple welts of the 5" brace. I also noticed a little increase in the draw weight, which is just fine with me. I'll have to wait to get an actual draw weight until I get to the shop again, but it feels like 60ish to me. The string was pretty easy to build, too. I picked up a spool of b50, sunk a couple screws 7' apart on my deck rail and followed Kegan's string build directions. It came together much easier than I expected. On to the pics-


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## kegan

I'm glad you got such wonderful results! I'm also glad you made a shooter- they only get better and better. 

You pointed out two things that are soem of the real reasons to build your own bow: 1. the handle can become one of the most comfortable you've felt, and 2. these things hit HARD!

Best of luck. Can't wait to see any that come later. Becuase, you can never stop at just one:wink:.


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## BigBuckStinger

That looks hard.good job:archery:


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## kegan

BigBuckStinger said:


> That looks hard.good job:archery:


Far from it!


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## dbgt

I am going to make this style bow for my second try.

My question is that i am starting with a bow that is 1"1/8" thick would it be easier to tiller if i just used that as my handle thickness and tried to have it bend through the handle.

Also is a bow that bends through the handle weaker than one with a stiffer non bending handle?


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## kegan

dbgt said:


> I am going to make this style bow for my second try.
> 
> My question is that i am starting with a bow that is 1"1/8" thick would it be easier to tiller if i just used that as my handle thickness and tried to have it bend through the handle.
> 
> Also is a bow that bends through the handle weaker than one with a stiffer non bending handle?


Not at all- that's the type of bow I'm HUNTING with this year. Here are some basic dimensions that have served me well:

For really strong bows, 1 1/4" square at the handle. It remains 1 1/4" wide in the middle 24", tapering to 3/4" wide tips (once you rough everything else out, you narrow the last 10" of the tips to about 3/8"). It is 1 1/4" thick at the handle, tapering STRAIGHT to slightly under 5/8" thick tips. This bow is tillered just like the other, but takes less time to make, it should jsut be longer (the height of the archer shooting it). I prefer it.

Such a weapon would yield a bow, if made from hardwood, over 80-90#. So, you can make it thus (the length remaining the same):

1 1/8" square at the handle. It remains this wide out to midlimb, tapering to 5/8" nocks (again, narrow these to 3/8" or so afterwards). It should taper from 1 1/8" thick to about 1/2" thick tips.

Such a bow can still easily reach 75-80#, especially in a strong, dense wood. So you may have to judiciously take down the thickness slightly. Either way, you'll find glueing leather or cork to the handle will help your grip, and filing the arrow pass so the arrow can lay flat against the wood while the bow isn't drawn will help the flight.

Light, fast, narrow tips and a full circular tiller with a slightly stiff grip will make this bow just as good as a flatbow, it just can't be as short and maintane the same distance accuracy.


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## iamnoluck

mine broke but I did learn a few things.
1)no knots thats where it broke
2)this design is fast and does hit hard. I did get to shoot it about 10 shots and man it was noticeably faster than the last one I built.
I have the next one tillering now cause I went and got another board and spent the whole week working on it. was alot more picky with the board this time. This one is even looking better as I got a little better with the handle so the first one breaking only fired me up to get it right.


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## kegan

iamnoluck said:


> mine broke but I did learn a few things.
> 1)no knots thats where it broke
> 2)this design is fast and does hit hard. I did get to shoot it about 10 shots and man it was noticeably faster than the last one I built.
> I have the next one tillering now cause I went and got another board and spent the whole week working on it. was alot more picky with the board this time. This one is even looking better as I got a little better with the handle so the first one breaking only fired me up to get it right.


You're on the right track! Getting discouraged is the one thing that really messes you up- trust me. And these bow do hit hard. They're excellent weapons.


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