Primitive Bows

[Tubecity]

Just in case someone don't know, Osage Orange is hedgeapple. You might have had one in your yard and didn't know it.
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Some in my area call the osage orange fruit 'monkey balls'. I grew up calling the sycamore or London Plane tree fruit 'monkey balls'.
Osage orange are green, orange sized while the others are brown, furry golf-ball sized. Osage orange was also used as fencerows to
keep cattle in before barb-wire was invented. I too would like to own or build a bow from osage orange. As far as bows, I still use a
short recurve called a 'brush magnum' with about 45# - 50# pull. Like old fashioned, no compounds or laser sights for me.
To each his own.

 

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[bigscoop]

As far as bows, I still use a
short recurve called a 'brush magnum' with about 45# - 50# pull. Like old fashioned, no compounds or laser sights for me.
To each his own.

I use to use a Browning Cobra, a short recurve,.....wish I still had that bow! It was short, smooth, and sweet shooting. Like you I shot around 45 - 50lbs.

 

[hammered]

I have always wanted to make an English Longbow, maybe we should both have a go and then compare results.

I think I'm going to start with a pyramid style bow. Maybe start with red oak?

Not knowing a lot, if anything about bow making, I did some research. If I were to buy the right Yew Stave it would cost £100 to £200, so I am going with cutting a branch from my neighbours tree. There is, after some research, an amount of rawhide work to be done. Deer rawhide, no less, so more research. This is a long term project .


hammered

I have a friend that makes his own long bows and when he started he did use Bois'd Arc or Osage Orange same thing I have two huge trees in the woods next to the house if you need some wood. If your interested I can put you in touch with him.
Freddy

Wow, this thread is getting interesting. Thanks for the offer guys, I'm going to go with the Yew option I think. I have picked out a branch, and when the weather warms up a bit I will cut the branch and start the project. I have also found a source of deer sinew , and a great "How To" pdf file. This doesn't mean success and I will post pictures of the project, whether I succeed or fail.


hammered

 

[bigscoop]

I finally got all my chores caught up around the house and had some "free time" today to tour the local lumber supply & tool shops, but silly me, I messed up and took a woman along! Ended up only getting to make one stop and came home with 25ft of wire and a new light fixture for the laundry room, wire nuts, and wire staples. Also looked at new dish washers and even deck railing. Never did get to tour the wood and tools.

(Next time I go alone!)

 

[hammered]

I finally got all my chores caught up around the house and had some "free time" today to tour the local lumber supply & tool shops, but silly me, I messed up and took a woman along! Ended up only getting to make one stop and came home with 25ft of wire and a new light fixture for the laundry room, wire nuts, and wire staples. Also looked at new dish washers and even deck railing. Never did get to tour the wood and tools.

(Next time I go alone!)

Dude, I'm staying out of this one , just going to concentrate on the project and not piss the women off

 

[truckinbutch]

Stacey always told me that the trick was to use what you had to the best of it's and your abilities .

 

[bigscoop]

Ok, it's on the drawing board.....here's what I'm thinking.

I'm shooting for a 62" red oak pyramid bow, going to laminate the handle about 16" front & back so I can shape in a small rest/riser area without losing too much strength in the handle area. The stock main limb material will be a 1/2" x 2" x 65" piece of red oak and the laminated riser materials will be (2) 1/2" x 2" x 14" red oak (one front and one back). I hope to tiller the bow to around 45lbs @ 28" draw.

I think I'm about to put a whole new meaning on, "snap, crackle, & pop!" Once I get the materials and get started I'll post pictures of the slow, uncertain work in progress.

 

[terryo]

In Portsmouth , England, there is a naval museum with the HMS Victory, and also the "Mary Rose", a 16th(?) century ship that was raised more or less intact.One of the displays had a bunch of Yew bows(unstrung, of course) .I couldn't help but marvel at the strength the archers must have had to pull these things !They were typical English longbows, if memory serves correctly, around 5-6 ft tall each, and several inches in diameter in the middle. massive pieces of wood, I'd bet Archer's bodies were asymetrical, one arm being huge !