Getting ready to re-vamp an 12x16 shed, with ability to expand later to 12x24, and turn it into my new bow workshop where I'll begin my life long dream of making bows for me and my family.

Currently my tool list is short, with a 10" craftsmen table saw with a new blade that I bought together for $50, and an old Stanley block plane.

On my short list to get are... a small pot bellied stove or preferably a small cast-iron two burner cookstove...itty bitty for my shed

band saw (what size to you recommend)

draw knives

drum sander

various clamps

a jointer perhaps

Can any of you offer advice on good sources for new and used wood working equipment, which pieces are must haves and which are nice to have?

Offer advice on who here are knowledgeable and willing to offer advice to new bowyers about limb designs and cosmetics.

Can point me to not all, but the best books/dvd's on making recurves and hybrid style longbows.

To those who can help me out by sharing do's and don'ts...the pro's and con's of what works and what doesn't.

I'm not opposed to posts, pm's, letters, gifts, harsh advice, free advice, phone calls, or driving to meet bowyers. I'm only a few hours from Brandon Stahl at Rose Oak Creations. One never knows who's willing to share information and who isn't.

Those are just some ideas. Actually I'm open to anything a bowyer has to offer.

I'm in no hurry to gather information, but I'll be in my new house by the end of this month. I've got a young 9 year old son to share our grandfather's place and I've only got so much time to teach him what I can about archery. I'm hoping he'll take interest with me so we can learn to build bows together or be interested as he grows so I can at least give him a good start.

I didn't have anyone to teach me many things growing up with regard to working with my hands. I learned by watching others and by my own mistakes. My hope is to mentor him and not let his hands and mine get idle.

I have other plans for him too...raising chickens, bird dogs, and rabbit hounds, even raising rabbits. He can't wait and neither can I. All but the bird dogs will be a learning curve for me.

Thanks in advance.

My goals are to build forms for take-down recurves, as well as build one piece recurves and hybrid longbows.

However, somehow I feel that building my own bow horse (can't think of what it's called at the moment...lol...that thing you sit on and use a draw knife with...old timers before I'm 45) and self bows is a good place to learn from. Correct me if my assumption is wrong, but I'm thinking a self bow may be the easiest place to start and might just give me some basis of understanding bow building. Perhaps I could skip that and go right into building laminated bows...which is my goal.

Wow, you have a lot of questions :^)

Ultimately, you can make any and all kinds, but initially it may be a good idea to gather a few books and dvd's, maybe watch some Youtube videos of both selfbow construction and laminated bow construction, decide what kind of bows and methods interest you most, or seem the most attainable, then head in that direction.

The reason is, the tools needed differ, the construction methods differ, the materials needed differ, the skills required differ, the needed understanding differs, etc.

You said your goal is to make laminated bows(that's where I started). In that case, I'd recommend you go to Bingham Projects' website and order their dvd and instruction manual for the type of bow of your choice. I suggest you start with a one piece d/r, or hybrid longbow simply because there are fewer issues with limb alignment than with recurves and takedowns, and you don't have to mess with inserts, screws, alignment pins and such, but the choice is yours to make. Binghams sells all the instruction, material, and much of the hardware to make all the bow's mentioned.

To make a laminated longbow, 'essential' tools might include a bandsaw, drum sander, various rasps, files, a handful of clamps, different grades of sandpaper, a bench and vice. I can be more specific if you like. If you keep at it, you'll end up with a lot more than that, but early on I made a lot of bows in the absence of a jointer, planer, thickness sander, or edge sander.

Get a 14" bandsaw with a 1 h.p. motor. You can get a good used one on Craigslist reasonably priced if you watch the ads. There are two on my local Craigslist now at least as nice as mine, for about half of what I paid.

Either a benchtop oscillating spindle sander, or a sanding drum mounted in a drill press would be useful in press construction as well as shaping riser blocks prior to and after glue up. I burned up 3 benchtop spindle sanders before I got a cheap floor model drill press and it has worked well for years.

I think my best bit of advice related to laminated bow construction would be to be meticulous about keeping accurate notes, 'build sheets' if you will, that log specs such as wood used, thickness and taper of each lam, riser material and length, bow design, bow length, draw weight, etc. These will help you to reproduce them, and begin accurately hitting target weight in short order.

There are some very knowledgeable bowyers here who are willing to help beginners. The Bowyer's Bench on the Trad Gang website has a mix of knowledgeable glassbow makers and those who work only with wood.

Check out Jack Harrison's book, Traditional Bowyer, More Unnecessary Fun. It's geared toward glass/wood laminated bow making.

The more you get into it, the more specific you can be with your questions and concerns... which makes it easier for folks to offer advice... but generally, you'll find bowyers to be a selfless lot, who love to talk about it and help others, which perpetuates the craft we love, so feel free to ask anything.

A lot of aspiring bowyers begin with a kit and instructions from Bingham Projects, but self bows probably require the least amount of tools and are a good starting point.

Bill...the band saw in all honesty can wait. In spite of what folks tell you, you can cut laminations just fine with a table saw. It's simple to make a taper jig. The joinder can wait as well.

Personally, instead of a drum sander I'd get a drill press so that I had a tool that would serve multiple purposes. The table saw can also be used to taper laminations by changing the blade in it. You can build dandy bows with a whole lot fewer tools then most folks think you need. I love the Sureform rasps and planes for doing the initial work on risers. I cut out out site windows with a good coping saw and blade. I don't sand or grind my limb profiles down to rough shape I use a rasp instead.

As for clamps. depends on what type of bow you're building to some extent, but my favorite clamps are made from cut up bicycle innertubes. They work as well as or better than lots of things.

To be honest...a selfbow may or may not be the easiest place to start. A glass laminated bow can be glued up based on controlled measurements and be a good one with the first build. A selfbow...not so much. Selfbows WILL teach you a BUNCH about bows and how they work and the lessons are just as applicable to glass bows.

I would respectfully disagree with fdp's last statement as it stands simply because there are many lessons in selfbows and laminated bows that are entirely exclusive.

And I respectfully contend that Jeff is right. But Jeff, wouldn't you agree that there are also things that cross in to both worlds? I mean, I learned a whole lot about how and where limbs should work from selfbows. And just as much about tillering a bow to draw correctly for an individual archer, based on your selfbow tillering method.

Always fun starting out LOL. IMHO the three basic tools you will need is a bandsaw, 6x48" belt sander and a full height drill press. You can build anything you want with these 3 tools. You can buy tapers and stuff like that so you don't need to worry about the expense of that equipment for a few bows.

Other than maybe some drill guides that would be better built buy a machine shop, you can pretty much make everything you need with these tools

Best wishes on your journey, Old

Yes you can do it with very few tools but, it makes it much harder. My first glass bow (1983) used a jig saw and files and a ton of elbow grease. It came out just fine, just took a bunch more time. I probably use my bandsaw or edgesander the most. Craigslist is a really great place to keep and eye out for tools. I found my first bandsaw at a garage sale. Good luck and keep us posted on your progress.

Wow I wish you were closer.I have bow ovens,forms,firehoses,riserwood,etc gathering dust nowadays.

When I first joined here one of the projects that flipped my switch was the many posts on how to build a hot box. That started it all with me. Don't know why, but it did.

I think laminated bows would suit me well because I love precision and I'm very picky. Probably to a fault, lol.

I guess the main difference in the tool selection is the fact that I'm not in a hurry when I build a bow. I can take it out of the form in the morning, and still have it ready for finish in a day.

fdp, yep, I agree much carries over.

Just remember.... if you're not breaking bows..You're not making bows.

Dont forget ventilation its very important! Sorry if it was already mentioned.

More like, if you're breaking em, you ain't makin' em.

I started building probably 15 yrs ago now. Best advice? If your not a perfectionist....then become one.

....building self bows takes less tools, but is the hardest to master. If your just starting out, figure on breaking many.

As far as laminated bows?

Of course hand tools.

A good table saw, that has a blade that is perfectly square to the table.

A good router, there is no better or more accurate way to cut a form than a template and pattern bit in my opinion.

A good bandsaw.

A good belt sander.

A drill press.

You will make the whole process easier if you learn how to make jigs, and use featherboards to your advantage.

I had a bit of an advantage starting out because i was in the building trade all my life since age 14 with my dad, so working with tools was second nature. I'm Still building bows....still building everything from bridges to houses.

2nd bit of advice...keep your shop neat, clean and things put away in their proper place, or it will get cluttered quickly.

I spent some time cleaning over the weekend. It quickly gets to where I can't even work in there. I got half of my shop cleaned over the weekend... this is the clean half :^)

The messy side is where my bench is and there's not room to lay a bow on there :^(

Cleaning that is tonight's project.

A 14 inch bandsaw is essential. You can cut a straight line with a bandsaw, but you can't cut a curved line with a table or radial arm saw.

Today I made a fancy grip from my metal riser. i used a router, a drill press, a bandsaw and a horizontal sander that takes discs and drums.

Your not alone Jeff.

Things can get a little cluttered pretty quick. Seems like its the worst when i'm really busy, especially when i work late, there is a truck full of tools and equip to unload, i haven't eaten yet and its time for bed.

Very easy to just unload and figure i'll clean up later. It's one of those things I have to FORCE myself not to do.

Building bows is one of those things that requires a bit of slowing down and being fussy about detail.

I might be laying block on a basement foundation all day, which can be a pretty fast paced affair. Then come home and work on a bow...lol..it's like doing a complete turn around.

So One other bit of advice. When you feel like your getting in a hurry walk away for a bit.

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