# takedown longbow nightmare...



## fensty247 (Nov 4, 2013)

hello everyone... just wanted to share a few pics if i can get them to load here, and the story behind my first attampt to make a bow ever and its not even for me, its for my daughter! lol! (i had actually wrote a bunch about this whole thing earlier, but for some reason, it didnt post, and i lost all that i typed...) anyways, this project should have been scrapped from the start, but for reasons i dont even know, i just kept tinkering with it. and here it is, now at least 10 or more hours into it, and im actually starting to get excited and glad i didnt scrap it!


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## fensty247 (Nov 4, 2013)

*bow pics*



fensty247 said:


> hello everyone... just wanted to share a few pics if i can get them to load here, and the story behind my first attampt to make a bow ever and its not even for me, its for my daughter! lol! (i had actually wrote a bunch about this whole thing earlier, but for some reason, it didnt post, and i lost all that i typed...) anyways, this project should have been scrapped from the start, but for reasons i dont even know, i just kept tinkering with it. and here it is, now at least 10 or more hours into it, and im actually starting to get excited and glad i didnt scrap it!


here are a few of the pics from the start of the riser...


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## fensty247 (Nov 4, 2013)

*pics from bow*

here are some more pics...


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## fensty247 (Nov 4, 2013)

*bow pics...*

here are a few more...


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## Pop Pop (Jul 17, 2011)

Looks like you are off to a great start. I can't wait to see how you make the limbs and how you are going to attach them.


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## fensty247 (Nov 4, 2013)

*bow nightmare...*

ok, now that the pics are loaded and ive figured this all out... there were many issues right from the start when i decided to make this bow. First of all, i set out to make a traditional longbow. (didnt have any hardwood long enough...) then, i decided to make it a three piece takedown bow. (couldnt find any plans with any detailed drawings of the riser.) next, when i did finally get the riser blank all glued up and ready to go, i found out it was too short to use for a standard size. (no big deal, its for a 70lb little girl, how big does it gotta be, right?) finally, never could get any designs for it, so i tried my best to just wing it based on my recurve at home, but only scaled down.... (yeah right! scale? calculate? hahaha! lol!) then, realizing that a bandsaw might have been a good tool to have in my arsenal, i looked at my poor little scroll saw and said "well little buddy,... i guess we are gonna find out your limits today!" lol! ( not only managed, but miraculously didnt break a single blade! ) after rasping my arms off, and almost a finger, then sanding, i stepped back and was left with a half decent looking hunk of a handle. 
now all i have to do is work on getting the inserts for the limb bolts and all that set up on it and its done. meanwhile, i have a set of limbs that im not even sure will work, as they are nothing more than a piece of red oak about 3/16 thick laminated between two pieces of pine about 1/8 thick. (i know, i know... pine? seriously?! but its only supposed to be 20lbs max, and i didnt have enough oak or anything else suitable for limbs) after the glue cured, i tested them for integrity and was surprised, but im still skeptical, and plan on backing them with some resin soaked linnen or cotton from an old worn out pair of cammo pants... anything to just try and keep the pine from splintering when tillering and drawing... 
either way, im interested in pursuing this project till i get a sucessfull bow, because right from the start, ive learned a lot. (biggest one was to plan ahead and not to wing it all the time! lol!) 
if anyone has any comments, advise, ideas, or suggestions (so long as they arent suggestions to quit woodworking! lol!) id be happy to hear from someone out there that has some experience with making bows. thanks!


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## fensty247 (Nov 4, 2013)

as far as how i was planning on attatching the limbs, i used to have a three piece takedown recurve, and i was planning on using a simillar setup to attatch them. i just have to pick up the hardware for it all...


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*BWSmith is a bow maker here*

He'll have something to add, I'm sure. 
My thought is that Oak and Pine are not the best for limbs. Maple or some other fine grained wood like lemon wood? would be better. Look up and see what will be the best wood. If it's detachable then you are in luck regardless of which wood you chose. Thinner laminates are always better than thicker. Epoxy is best for gluing. JMO
I admire your sticking to it when the chips were down!:yes:
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080617171242AATVuBv
http://www.archerytalk.com/vb/showthread.php?t=32519


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## Brian T. (Dec 19, 2012)

My brother was part of a group that made stone-age hunting equipment. He sourced the wood and made arrows. Others were flint knappers who could make any style you like.

The bow maker said that the few bows that survive, they are nearly all made from wedges split radially from a straight-grained ash (Fraxinus sp.) log. His reasoning was that since Fraxinus is ring porous, the wood performed like a leaf spring. So that's what he was doing. Apparently easily good enough for deer hunting.


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## fensty247 (Nov 4, 2013)

interesting... ill have to do some of the research on the subject. i grew up where there are several hundred ash trees. odds are there are bound to be at least one that would be good for a bow... im pretty sure it would have to be a fairly straight, young tree though... might be a challenge as most of the trees on the property are easily over 60 ft high by now... what about birch, cherry, or walnut? (have plenty of those as well...) and as far as preparing the wood, does it need to be dried first, or work it green?


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## fensty247 (Nov 4, 2013)

hello again, just an update... I havent done anything more just yet, but found some epoxy resin made by DAP called Woodweld yesterday, and was wondering if anyone has ever used this stuff at all? The label says its good for laminations of hardwood as well as high density plastics, fabrics, leather and paper type products to wood. (I figured this has to be way better than titebond II for the limbs.) I plan on trying it out this weekend by applying a layer of cotton from an old pair of cammo pants on the pine and red oak limbs i already have started, as well as making another set entirely. (Hopefully ill find some better wood by the weekend, some good maple or hickory pieces would be nice...) Ill have to give an update on things as i get to them, but for now, my eyes are open for anything i can come across for free or relatively nothing that i can use for this project... so far, the glue and the hardware i need to pick up for attatching the limbs are all i plan to spend on it till its done, the rest is all stuff I just happened to have laying around or got for free! 
Well, as always, i appreciate the encouragements and advice from everyone. Thanks again!


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## FishFactory (Nov 8, 2013)

I second the Ash....Strong wood. My father made me a simple bow when I was a kid out of ash, worked well. I know a lot of bows are made from ash. It used a lot for boat ribs and such too, bends easily and takes a good form.


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## TexasSawduster (Nov 10, 2013)

*Bois de Arc*

I had an acquaintance years ago that used Bois de Arc for his long bow limbs.
It's strong and resilient. If you can find it straight and long enough.


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## Dave Paine (May 30, 2012)

fensty247 said:


> hello again, just an update... I havent done anything more just yet, but found some epoxy resin made by DAP called Woodweld yesterday, and was wondering if anyone has ever used this stuff at all? The label says its good for laminations of hardwood as well as high density plastics, fabrics, leather and paper type products to wood. (I figured this has to be way better than titebond II for the limbs.)


Some months ago a magazine did a strength test of various glues, I think it was Fine Woodworking.

Yellow PVA glues had the highest strength. Much higher than epoxy. Big surprise to me.

Epoxy is better if you need to fill a gap.

If the pieces have good tight dry fit, as in no gaps without clamping, I think Titebond III may be the best choice. Titebond rate III as stronger than II.


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## Chaincarver Steve (Jul 30, 2011)

I know nothing about making bows. But it looks like you've done a fine job shaping the riser. Good luck to you on the rest of the project.


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## calcnerd (Dec 7, 2012)

Any update on this? I was very interested in how it turned out.


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## wood shavings (Mar 20, 2009)

Use Tite Bond II It flexes and bends at the same rate as the wood. System three for when you put a layer of glass on the front of the limbs. Do you have a bow scale to test the weight of the limbs at X draw length.

Jerry


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## fensty247 (Nov 4, 2013)

*update*

Hello everyone, and thanks to everyone who has been giving me tips and encouragement! 
Sorry for the huge gap in posting here, but my family recently got the break we have been looking for, and have finally been approved for a home. We have been living in such cramped up spaces and paying way too much rent for it all for too long. At present, we have already bought a new home in the same area and have begun the process of moving in, hence the delay... but ive managed to set up a sweet work area for all my woodworking needs in the new basement. The space in the new home is incredible compared to what we had before, and the potential is phenominal. Exquisite woodworking already adorns the house in the form of trim, moulding, and even built in cabinets and a set of book cases built right into the columns seperating the living room from the dining room! So you can immagine how thrilled i was when we first looked at the place! Anyways, i will have to post a few pics when i can, but the bow project has taken a back seat to the need for furniture, and ive been building bookshelves, end tables, and dressers lately. Currently working on a massive beefy one to support our dinosaur tv thats going in our bedroom, dimensions are something like 48" high, 24" deep, by 38" wide... massive, but well needed... I currently have no pics of this yet, but its nothing special as far as beauty goes... considdering its being constructed entirely of 1/2" cdx plywood, and my only intent for finishing is to polyurethane it for durabllity... but its more of a peice for function than for style anyways! lol! some pics of all the new stuff to follow soon... 
Take care everyone, and stay tuned, eventually there will be a bow to show off!


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## bschiltz (Dec 30, 2013)

Another resource you might want to check out if you haven't already is www.tradgang.com they have a section on building bows with everything from self bows (one piece, very simple bows) to laminated take down recurve bows. Lots of experience there.

Edit: Here's a link directly to the bow building section http://tradgang.com/noncgi/ultimatebb.php?ubb=forum;f=125


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## Chaincarver Steve (Jul 30, 2011)

It's good to hear that things are going so well for you! Sounds like you got the perfect home. And bigger, better workspace? Oh yeah... Congratulations. Take your time; we'll be right here when you get a chance to update. Don't feel bad. I'm seriously lagging in my own posting of updates around here.


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## fensty247 (Nov 4, 2013)

*update and pics...*

hello everyone, thanks again for all the encouragement and tips. i have managed to complete a bookshelf and a massive drresser so far, but sont see the bow going anywhere for a while... in the meantime, the furniture ive been building, has been made completely out of 1/2" cdx that i just happened to be in the right place at the right time to get a trailer load of it for free... with that in mind, ive had to re-think the standard way of making shelves and furniture. but once i figured out how to work with it, it became clear that i was only limmited by my immagination. The bookshelf was an experiment as to wether or not i could get straight shelves that didnt sag or bow while still holding a decent amount of weight, and i found that two peices placed together, stapled and glued made a good solid and straight piece. i then placed a piece across the front to mask the edges of the plywood and it was decent looking. (then my wife decided she wanted it painted instead of stained, and i cringed...lol!)


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## fensty247 (Nov 4, 2013)

*dresser pics*

here are some detailed pics of the dresser... once again, 100% 1/2" cdx plywood, (with the exception of the trim under the top and the wear pads for the drawers) and im rather pleased with the results!
I opted for keeping it as simple as possible to conserve cost, and went with drawers using no handles, but instead, a recessed and beveled hole in the fronts for grips, and used a plastic cutting board simply cut to size on the table saw and stapled in place for the wear pads. for the drawer bottoms, once again, 1/2" plywood... (didnt have anything thinner, so what the heck...lol!) the drawer boxes themselves were constructed using the tablesaw and a jig i made for box joint corners, with a 1/2" dado at the bottom edge for the drawer bottom. (what a hassle getting the bottoms in and the box glued and stapled together... discovery #1 : no such thing as perfectly flat plywood! lol!) 
once the drawers were made, i went on to the construction of the dresser itself, simply laying the drawers on thier sides with the necessary rails and a peice of the cutting board to figure my spacing, made all the markings i needed, and started gluing and stapling away! (while i would have loved to use hardwood here, once again, all i had on hand was the plywood, so i simply made I beams of two strips glued and stapled together, then capped by two more strips at 90s to the others. ) 
faces, fillers, supports, and foot plating, (discovery # 2 : plywood edges dont like to be slid on concrete floors!) then on to making the drawer fronts... once again, no straight and flat pieces, so i had to take my rips and press them straight for over a week before i could use them. some belt sanding, orbital sanding, and routering for the handle holes, and i was ready for polyurethane... im hooked on minwax's high build, low voc stuff, and love how it turns out with only two coats... (plus, it doesnt leave me with a wife nagging about the stench seeping up from the basement while it cures! lol!) 
these pics are after its first coat, which was done yesterday, after a few days, ill apply the second coat and let her cure for a week before putting her into service! (cant wait, as we have needed this for so long now...) it was built beefy to handle the weight of our dinosaur tv, but thats another story! lol!


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## fensty247 (Nov 4, 2013)

*more pics...*

you can notice simmilar type I beams as i used for the drawer rails on the top of the dresser for support, maybe overkill, maybe not, but i can rest assured it will hold an elephant when its done and still not sag over time! also, on the drawers, you can see shims glued to the sides, and these were for the drawer to self align before reaching the fully closed position, as the design i chose used recessed fronts that, when closed, are flush with the sides. there are also shims at the very back of each rail to align the drawer so the front is vertical. (another issue i came across when using the wear pads i chose was that they were either too big to allow my drawers to be removed, or made the face lean back in the closed position. ) if i would have forseen this problem, i would have offset the rails to compensate when assembling the sides.


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## fensty247 (Nov 4, 2013)

*work bench pics...*

there are no current pics of the mess ive managed to create since putting the tops on this workbench, but i can send some once the dresser is properly cured and out of the way. in the meantime, here are a few i took back when i was constructing it... 
once again, i had to resort to what i had on hand, so the amish style lap joints and mortise and tennons were a neccessity due to not having lag bolts or even screws long enough to penetrate fully through the hefty wood i used... (by the way, old garage beams make excellent furniture legs and many other reclaimed uses! lol!) 
ive also put plywood gussets on the corners to shore it up, but even without them, it was rock solid. plywood tops have since been added and little by little, my workshop came together. still a basement workshop, but with much more space than my last one. 
the lowered center on the workbench was created with my tablesaw in mind, and allowed it to be flush with the tops. all in all, im now ready to take on whatever project i can fit out the basement steps! lol! (sooner or later, i will come across the right blanks for the bow limbs, and hopefully ill be back to that project in time for next archery season!)


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## Chaincarver Steve (Jul 30, 2011)

Looking good, Fensty.


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## Priusjames (Jan 13, 2014)

Nice bench for your woodworking joint. Nice joints in your woodworking bench, too!


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