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Anyone else here build there own?

I used to build a few but dont any more. It is a fun and rewarding adventure. Esp so when you get to kill stuff with em. But massively time consuming.
 
I used to build a few but dont any more. It is a fun and rewarding adventure. Esp so when you get to kill stuff with em. But massively time consuming.
I am retired. I was building one now and again when I was working. Now my bow shop is a fun way of passing the winter. Time to practice hasn't hurt my shooting either.
 
I’ve made a few self bows and hope to make another this winter.

Your laminated long bows look great! Where are you buying the glass?
 
I’ve made a few self bows and hope to make another this winter.

Your laminated long bows look great! Where are you buying the glass?
You have one on me. I'm pretty much a failure with self bows. Thankfully, I understand epoxy a bit.

I've been buying the glass mostly from Kenny's. As good a price as you'll find and good people.
 
I've built quite a few, here's what's on hand now. I need to do some giveaways. Haven't made one for a year, been looking for some Black and white ebony, pretty scarce right now.
 

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I hope to get a few out of this pile once dried. I've made a few all wood bows but they end up developing a crack or blow up eventually. I think I tend to rush tillering. I'm going to try a bamboo backed osage billet bow again first before getting into these staves. I have an old seasoned piece of osage I should be able to splice too and back with bamboo. I'd really like to take a deer with a self bow and possibly on the same ground the wood was cut.
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No idea what you need as I know nothing about making a bow. These guys are not to far from me. Their catalog has lots of exotic woods.
My dad still ventures there couple times a year. Not sure if they ship? If you really wanted something and they don't I can try and help picking up and getting it shipped.
 
Any tips? Split this yesterday afternoon. First time ever starting the process. Been reading the traditional bowyers bible. While my buddy who is gonna be involved in the process has been consuming YouTube videos mostly Clay Hayes.

4 Osage orange, 4 bitternut hickory
 

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Any tips? Split this yesterday afternoon. First time ever starting the process. Been reading the traditional bowyers bible. While my buddy who is gonna be involved in the process has been consuming YouTube videos mostly Clay Hayes.

4 Osage orange, 4 bitternut hickory
If this is your first time, I’d suggest that you put the Osage and most of the hickory somewhere it can dry in a slow and steady fashion - somewhere that doesn’t have rapid temperature fluctuations.

With the hickory you could begin your first attempt at making a bow. It will work in a green state.

Otherwise - follow clay Hayes instructions. And remember that failure is part of success. There’s nothing wrong with braking some bows. Keep your expectations realistic and enjoy the process. And lastly, go harvest some more wood - you can’t have too much material to work with and not all of those staves will be suitable for learning on.
 
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If this is your first time, I’d suggest that you put the Osage and most of the hickory somewhere it can dry in a slow and steady fashion - somewhere that doesn’t have rapid temperature fluctuations.

With the hickory you could begin your first attempt at making a bow. It will work in a green state.

Otherwise - follow clay Hayes instructions. And remember that failure is part of success. There’s nothing wrong with braking some bows. Keep your expectations realistic and enjoy the process. And lastly, go harvest some more wood - you can’t have too much material to work with and not all of those staves will be suitable for learning on.
Thanks for the feedback would you be willing to share which staves in the photo you think are good prospects and which aren’t. My friend and I do have some young children, and we thought the staves that wouldn’t work for adult bows could be bows for them that way we don’t waste staves and get more practice.
 
Thanks for the feedback would you be willing to share which staves in the photo you think are good prospects and which aren’t. My friend and I do have some young children, and we thought the staves that wouldn’t work for adult bows could be bows for them that way we don’t waste staves and get more practice.
From what I can see in the photo, none of those staves are good. You should send them to me and go cut some more. Thanks
 
Thanks for the feedback would you be willing to share which staves in the photo you think are good prospects and which aren’t. My friend and I do have some young children, and we thought the staves that wouldn’t work for adult bows could be bows for them that way we don’t waste staves and get more practice.
Look into making billets and splice if you think theres areas of the staves that arent the best for a full size bow. There's videos out there showing how to splice or make a 2 piece take down. If you have a band saw it makes cutting the splice really easy or you can use a back cut saw or jigsaw.
 
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