I'm still studying this bow building thing from my previous thread,getting tools and stuff together etc. I was gonna start with a board bow of poplar or oak from lowes but was reading Saxton Pope's instructions on making a Cedar/Hickory bow, He said it was second to a yew bow.

Now, I'm being completely honest here, no exaggeration, I would bet that within a 20 mile circle of where I type this there is enough cedar and hickory to build 100,000 bows,maybe many twice that number. Every third tree around here is a cedar and the woods are full of hickories so it makes sense to use what's at hand.

The plan is this, I'm going to use my Tembo as the pattern,transfering every dimension as far as bow length(62"),limb width and thickness, riser dimensions, shelf cutout etc. Also, on the tiller board I'm gonna draw a template of bow bend for every 2 inches of draw from zero out to 27" so I can match the cedar/hickory to match it to get the tiller right(some adjustment will be needed I'm sure but it should get me close?)

Question; I have read these all wood bow will take a set to the string when unstrung, If I put an inch of backset in it when gluing it together will that compensate for the tendency to take a set and will that make the bow pretty much stay straight when unstrung?

The backing will be 3/16 hickory and the belly red clear cedar. The riser will be hickory and limb tip overlays will be bodock. I'm gonna make those tips/nocks shaped a little different from the Tembo. The riser will be a straight grip with black leather laced cover.

Can y'all look at this and tell me what won't work before I get started? I'm not gonna shoot for any particular poundage, I'm just gonna see what it comes out to and adjust for the next one.

I really don't like the self bow deal with chasing growth rings and being all twisty and irregular. I want something standardized and repeatable so if I break it or it goes bad/gets weak I can look at my notes I'm gonna write down as I make it and just make another one if I need to.

One last thing,tools. I'm assembling stuff I'll need like tiller stick,files,cabinet scraper, sandpapers,a little bandsaw,wax paper,glue (titebond 3, I don't want to fool with a hotbox) ,spar varnish....what else should I get?

I know this has been a little wordy and long but thanks for y'all's help and input on this project. Looking forward to the replies.

I wouldn't use ERC for anything except a hope chest or glass bow lams. If you are set on gluing a lam bow up and hickory abounds, use it for the back and belly. You cant use your glass bow dimensions on a wood bow, 62" Is too short and the width of your bow is too narrow, go 65-67" by 1.375"+ wide if you want to bump up your odds of success. You don't need a hot box to cure EA-40, It will air cure above 70 degrees just fine. I have glued many bows together with both TB3 and EA40. Both will hold a bow together fine, but you better FLY if you use TB3 as it starts tacking up in a few minutes. EA-40 gives you all the time you need to properly align and clamp. If you glue in 1" of reflex in the limbs and tiller it perfectly with perfect technique you will probably follow the string a 1/2" to 1". If you want the bow to stand straight you will want at least 1.5-2" of reflex glued in, again executing the tiller work to perfection.

Do yourself a big favor and totally forget about replicating your glass bow. Make building "a" bow your goal. Evolve from there.

Pearl Drums, Yea, I kinda thought the replicating thing would be a stretch being different materials and all, but maybe just a starting point. Would the riser dimensions work though? That's something I really would like to get in this bow.

I would start with a minimum 12" riser section glued in place. By the time you get the fades blended nicely it will end up around 11.5". You can make the handle itself any shape you want. 4" long handles are very common, I use 4.5" for my own bows because I have XL hands.

Use hickory.

Back it with silk, linen or burlap. Hickory doesn't need it but beginners do for their own safety.

Keep it simple.

There is a lot of info on my site including building alongs.

Jawge

http://traditionalarchery101.com

Actually, straight grained red oak would be a great place to start. No glued on handle. Let the handle bend. Handle would be the widest point. Rip the board to 1 3/8" and follow the build along on my site for red oak. Jawge

If you have clear cedar I would try it with a very thin hickory backing. But make it longer than your plan. It will naturally end up much thicker too.

I love working with cedar when it comes to furniture and such but I would be scared to death to put a string on it and pull it back! I've seen it done here but it was belly wood. as for acquiring a "clear" piece , good luck. I've milled many board feet of it and have never seen a clear piece . Post pics of what ya come up with, Id like to see some erc work out!

Popular not good for bow making.. You will need a draw knife. Good advice from George, and Pearly. Follow their lead, and you will not go wrong. Pester Them if you have any questions as you go along. Make sure your Hickory ,or Oak is dry, and tiller to the best of your ability. You can use a gizmo, or straight edge that will help a bunch when tillering.

Bob, my buddy made a poplar board bow, only because the rest of us said it was silly to try. We each got one shot from it before the belly totally gave out and wrinkled up badly, I was surprised the back had the tension strength it did. Id like to say we ate crow, but it was probably closer to eating a crow feather :)

Here's a red cedar/ hickory backed bow I made about 20 years ago. Still shoots great. 54", one and a half inches wide to half inch tips. I wouldn't let anyone draw over 26"! in fact nobodies ever shot it but me. The edge ring hickory backing is very thin. This bow has 1 inch of set. 50#@26".

Ken, That looks great! can you post some more picks? I need all the help I can get!

Here you go, the only 2 knots on the bow are pictured. 1 piece, small diameter, mountain grown red cedar. Good luck with your bow making.

Here you go, the only 2 knots on the bow are pictured. 1 piece, small diameter, mountain grown red cedar. Good luck with your bow making.

Thanks! By small diameter are you saying a small tree? Like what diameter?

Yes,small tree. I remember the stave being around 5 inches in diameter and around 6 feet long and very clean and tight ringed. With your 27" draw you should be able to push the edge of the envelope a bit but don't try to match the spec's of my bow.When I made this bow I was young and foolish!LOL and had made a lot of bows. Have fun!

Well, The verdict appears to be hickory with hickory backing. Everybody that knows more about this than me which means everybody gives the thumbs down to cedar.

I got some more information last night as to limb dimensions and reflex and will put that in the plan. I'm kinda concerned about moisture in the wood as it is very humid here in the South with high dew points as a rule but it is what it is. I don't want to fool with the trouble of a hot box to dry it out,if I have to build one I'd just go ahead and do a glass bow. I want to keep this simple while I learning.

Their are ways to get around hickory concerning moisture. Check out Doug Shannon on utube fire hardening method. Don't let that stop you from building them. As you go along in your bow building ,and start making good successful solid bows then you can take a shot at a cedar belly hickory backed bow. Plains ,and California natives used sinew backed Juniper to make some beautiful bows. ERC is in the Juniper family, so that would be another option for you down the road.

When I answer questions, like yours, I answer with the mind set of creating a bow that is durable, reliable and safe. The poplar board bow I mentioned above is a great example. Had we not shot that bow it would still be a bow hanging on a peg and my buddy could say poplar makes a decent bow, instead we actually shot it and it gave up the ghost. Shooting a wood bow regularly is the truest of tests. Sling a few thousand arrows through it and you know what you have. The more you build the more you lean on the best wood to start with. No sense in putting hours and hours of hands on work into a pig with lipstick.

It gets upwards of 110 degrees in my attic in the heat of the day, like 3:00 to 5:00. I could store some boards up there to dry them unless they would pick up moisture overnight? It will remain hot(90+) till for about another month.

That's too hot. The green lumber will twist and check and be useless to you. A slow cure is always the best.

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