First self bow build
Contributors to this thread:Massachusetts
From: Tekoa
12-Apr-24
Red oak board bow courtesy of home depot. This was my attempt at building a bow and am I pretty stoked at how it came out. It was a multi year project, I’d work on it a bit, put it away, work on it, put it away and so on. I finally decided to wrap it up and spent all day yesterday tillering and trying to finish it. Except for staining and sealing it is done. I backed it with goat rawhide and it ended up at 52# my draw.
From: Tekoa
12-Apr-24
Red oak board bow courtesy of home depot. This was my attempt at building a bow and am I pretty stoked at how it came out. It was a multi year project, I’d work on it a bit, put it away, work on it, put it away and so on. I finally decided to wrap it up and spent all day yesterday tillering and trying to finish it. Except for staining and sealing it is done. I backed it with goat rawhide and it ended up at 52# my draw.
From: Tekoa
12-Apr-24
Red oak board bow courtesy of home depot. This was my attempt at building a bow and am I pretty stoked at how it came out. It was a multi year project, I’d work on it a bit, put it away, work on it, put it away and so on. I finally decided to wrap it up and spent all day yesterday tillering and trying to finish it. Except for staining and sealing it is done. I backed it with goat rawhide and it ended up at 52# my draw.
From: Tekoa
12-Apr-24
From: Tekoa
12-Apr-24
From: Tekoa
12-Apr-24
I guess I was stoked. Not sure why the multiple repeat pics
From: hickstick
12-Apr-24
too much Coffey, John! :) Nice tiller. I assume top limb to the right in the pic?
very nice! did you put a shelf on it or shooting off hand?
also....semantically....its technically not a 'selfbow'....its a backed bow. whether it has sinew, hide, silk, bamboo, its backed.
From: Tekoa
12-Apr-24
Hick, The perspective in the pic is deceiving. It is an equal even tiller top and bottom limb. The string does favor one side a bit so that will determine which I use for top and bottom. The handle is straight and not a locator so either way will work. Haven't decided if I want to shoot off the hand or a shelf yet. It isn't a true primitive bow so I will probably put a very small shelf on there. This bow was intended to be practice so I didn't mess up a nice hickory stave that I have.
From: Ungie01201
12-Apr-24
Looks awesome! I like it!
From: MA-PAdeerslayer
12-Apr-24
That’s awesome John!
From: Will
12-Apr-24
Awesome!
From: Dthfrmabove1
12-Apr-24
Pretty impressive !!
From: Huntskifishcook
12-Apr-24
Looks great!
From: fisherick
12-Apr-24
Great looking bow Tekoa.
From: fisherick
12-Apr-24
Here is my first attempt at a self bow (2017). It is a hickory self long bow with leather grips and antler string tips.
About ten of us built these bows at TSC with instruction of Ken Towle from WSC. It was a fun project. My bow came out as 36# at 28". I was looking for 40-43# but was a little impatient while tillering. I used several coats of Tru-oil with some dark stain for finish. Also made a two color B50 Flemish bow string. She is a shooter and a fun project.
From: Shanation
12-Apr-24
She's a beaut!!!
From: arch2112
13-Apr-24
Nice bows! Always wanted to give it a try.
From: Deerdawg
15-Apr-24
Came out real nice. Labor of love. now you will need to break it in with a nice deer!
