I am starting to aquire a few bows and would like to display them on the wall so I can see them Is it best to hang them horizontally across pegs? I have seen some racks with bows hanging vertically by their strings Which is the best,or does it matter? Sure don't want to cause any damage.

Makes absolutely no difference.

personal preference and available wall space are the only factors. Storing them anyway except propped in a corner is what I was once told.

I hang mine horizontally.

Don't count me on it, but there have been simmilar questions like this. If I remember right, vertically. Something about letting gravity pull the wight of the bow with the limbs stiiting on two pegs isn't good for a bow.

Just what I've heard...

I made mine horizontal but have been rethinking a vertical setup- mine takes up a lot of space

I like the bucket of PVC tubes idea there littlelefty.

I like horizontal racks for recurves because it generally looks better. Also, it seems to me they are more likely to hang at different angles and smack into each other when hung vertically. Lacking a rack, I will lay recurves on their flattest side with nothing on top (usually under or on a couch or bed). I've never had a problem stacking longbows in a corner (in bow socks). - John

Zonic - thanks. I have since upgraded the bucket to a chinese water barrel, or some such named thing that the kids gave me for father's day. The pvc is still in there because I like to keep the arrows separated by spine weight.

I use a rack and lay mine horizontal. I put strips of foam window seal tape on the rack so the limbs don't get scuffed up.

I've got both horizontal and vertical. I don't think it matters. But I think the vertical bow rack will take less space and hold more bows.

Here's mine. Pegs are long enough to accommodate 3 bows each.

Hey Jazz, I like your dinosaur arrow for holding the pegs. I've run out of space for horizontal hanging, so if I acquire more bows I'm going to have to make a vertical display. I've never heard anything negative about horizontal on 2 supports. Only thing I've ever heard was not to stand/lean on end for extended time.

Thanks Arlone,

I can get 36 bows in 8 feet this way...and as you said...I'm prepared for dino's if the need arises :-)

Hey Jim, did you build the arrow rack that is on the floor to the right in the second photo of your horizontal arrow bow rack? That looks pretty slick.

You guys are too neat. Mine are hanging vertically in a closet on pegs. Lance.

I prefer the vertical rack. Mine started out as horizontal, sagging pegs and too many bows made me go to the vertical style. DJ

Thanks for all the suggestions. Guess now I will have to get to work building something so I can fill it with bows. Some impressive collections here!

I'm jealous....I currently do not own enough bows to necessitate a rack...hmmm...may have to do something about that.

That said, some mighty fine arrangements there gents. I never though about verticle, but those look pretty good.

Harleywriter,

Yes, I built it after seeing one at a friends house that he had bought years earlier.

Here is mine holds 10 bows. Guy on ebay makes them!

Old Antique Mirror with door stops....

DJ, your fen shui is strong! Swag, really like that mirror trick, doubles the bow count very economically. :)

Really nice to see all the variations though. I've been telling myself to make something for the purpose. I might have company some day and need to use the armchair for sitting, instead of a cushy 5-bow rack??

Nick

Love that mirror one all class. When I go to any yard sales I keep looking for one.

Thanks ANick. 2nd Whittler's comment.

Jaz5833, What a neat way to hang the bows, I love the arrow, If I wasn't going to sell all my bows I would build something similar. Ron

I have them horizontal where out on display. The key is to have pegs level and not have them spaced to far apart. Have the pegs touch the limbs at or near the fade outs. This helps keep them from having a chance to wrist at all. I also have a vertical rack in the closet that works well. Check out the basic wood racks 3 Rivers sells. Use one for vertical or two spaced 18" to 20" apart for horizontal rack. I painted mine the wall color so it just blends in and shows off the bows.

This is a rack I designed and built.....works really well. I need another one.

Have to hang mine vertically...does not hurt them a bit, even when they're three to peg. Here's rack 1...Root's, Howatt's and Shakespeare and a few miscellaneous like Groves and York Super Crest.

Here's Rack 2...short bows on the left...a lot of Brownings, Herter's, bunch of K Mags, then my Wings ( T- Birds' Chaparrals etc and a West Bow) and then a good collection of San Diego bows. Also a lot of unique hard to finds.

Every one is tuned and ready to shoot.

So go with a vertical rack...more efficient and bows are fine.

About 50 on this one !!!

I use 4 coat racks vertically,works for me:-)

I use 4 coat racks vertically,works for me:-)

Pdiddly, Hillbilly King et al; If you need help shooting all those bows let me know!

Mine only holds 11 at present but since the wife took up archery again the stable is getting bigger.There is three more on the way.I got to cut more limb slots in my rack.because I needed more rack space my current rack was made from. 2x4 s with slots cut in it The beauty of 2x4 s is I can put pegs in it as well and start a new row of bows at the front of the first lot . OSR

If it's true that leaving a bow strung causes no harm, then what could possibly be wrong with storing horizontal? MP

Here is one of mine.

And my Grandpas that he made in the 60's out of walnut that I have.

True work of art Perun, like your idea Bluntarrow, also like yours Drewstter.

Here is a arrow bow rack that I made for a friend, you could hang it as jaz but the shaker pegs would only take two bows.

Has got me thinking.

Wood slab with antler hangers

Osage board with antler hangers.

A view pieces of bamboo with a notch cut out.

Few pieces-I meant

Jurgen

When hanging the bows vertically the weight of the bow is held by the string and the bottom tip. To me that's the same as standing them on the bottom limb. For that reason I hang mine horizontal and supported at the fade out.

Heres mine. Finished yesterday.

There's a big difference between longbows and recurves when it comes to hanging them by the string and standing them on a limb tip. Recurve limbs are more problematic because their limbs are thin and unstable, AND they have up to 4-5 times the weight bearing down on the lower limb. Aside from that, I have my doubts hanging them by the string will harm them so long as the string is kept centered in the bottom limb's string groove.

I like to hang them horizontal!

try again!

Hillbilly King ,love your collection you must have a very understanding wife!??

Interesting. Everyone who stores their bows horizontal, has the back of the bow facing down. I have always hung mine with the back facing upward (no actual reason, just how I've done it). Is there a reason for having the back facing down? Should I not face it up?

Custom Kodiak wrote:

"When hanging the bows vertically the weight of the bow is held by the string and the bottom tip. To me that's the same as standing them on the bottom limb. For that reason I hang mine horizontal and supported at the fade out."

I looked at the pictures and did not see any hung upside down by the bottom tip.

Mine, like others, are hung with the peg between the string and the upper limb about six inches down from the upper tip. I have hung my collection like that for years with no ill effect.

Here's a closeup of how they hang. The peg comes up against the base of the upper string loop.

Horizontal storage is ok if you have a bunch of room but you can get more bows on the wall vertically. I can get two to a peg and sometimes three if they're narrow.

Here is a couple I made for myself out of reclaimed Parana Pine.

All of my ELB's are stored horizontal just on 3" screws which protrude from the wall by 2", the screw shank has soft leather raped around and glued in place. It dose'nt justify a picture ! I really should make another rack. Brian

I took a look at my bows which are all hanging vertically from wooden pegs. The strings are almost slack as the weight is mostly taken up by the top string and peg, there is no torque or twist on the bottom limb tip whatsoever. I like to think that I am not too old and stubborn a goat to learn a new and possibly a better way of doing things, but I don't see it here. Sandy

Sometimes I just stick a couple screws in the wall with short pieces of rubber hose on them to protect the bow limbs. They don't have to be perfectly vertical or horizontal.

I am in the process of making a fancier(than cheap pine, my current rack) bow rack out of cherry and oak in my woodworking class.

If hung vertical with a peg, the weight of the bow is being supported by the lower limb tip because the string is on that tip. Don't know if this is harmful though.MP

I now understand the point being made but the string is actually around the nock and laying in the string groove. The tip is beyond the load and is not supporting anything. It's not the same as setting the bow on it's lower tip in the corner.

More importantly, tip and lower limb groove that's designed to handle the bow's draw weight is only supporting the grand total of the weight of the bow.

That is no appreciable weight whatsoever, especially when one consider some bows are left strung for months with greater load on the limb and groove. (I don't leave bows strung as it invites an eejit to dry-fire it and it's capable of being shot.)

With the greatest of respect, sometimes people tend to worry far too much about far too little.

This is one of my racks.... still always wanting the old Bear Archery rack.

Bowhunter 40, that is a nice rack. Did you make it? Nice work.

Another Mirror.

Pdiddly, those are my thoughts on hanging unstrung recurves vertically as well. I've done it for a long time with no issues.

I used old antlers to make my rack.

I cut old antlers for the end caps.

Harold Groves told me NOT TO stand my (then several) Spitfires and NOT TO hang them from their limbs and NOT TO leave them strung. Makes sense with thin-limbed recurves like that (like Bears). However D-limb longbows are another story: I just stand mine in a cluttered corner, in bow-sox :-)

Here's one I made a long time ago.

Carl

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