How to Make a Fiberglass Traditional Bow

Making the Bow Form

• 1

  Cut two pieces of plywood that are 6 feet long and 2 inches wide. These pieces will become your bow form.

• 2

  Sand the edges of your pieces so you do not get slivers.

• 3

  Use the file to shape the bow forms. The ends of the bow should taper down to approximately 1 inch wide. The taper should be gradual. When you're finished, you should have two identical pieces of plywood. Adjust them to make sure they're the same.

Building the Bow

• 4

  Using one of the piece of plywood as a guide, buy a piece of maple for the core of your bow.

• 5

  Cut two pieces of fiberglass to cover either side of your bow. These pieces should be mirror images of each other, so cut one piece of fiberglass for each plywood bow form you have. You should end up with two pieces of fiberglass lined up on either side of the maple piece so that everything matches up exactly. Use the file to trim maple, plywood and fiberglass until all five pieces can be lined up perfectly in this order on a firm surface in front of you: plywood, fiberglass with shiny side down, maple, fiberglass with shiny side up and plywood.

• 6

  Disassemble the pieces. Lay the first piece of plywood on a firm surface. Place the first piece of fiberglass on top, shiny side down. Coat the dull side of the fiberglass with glue and place the maple strip on top. Line these up perfectly before proceeding.

• 7

  Coat the maple core with glue on the side facing up. Place the second piece of fiberglass on top, shiny side up. Line it up perfectly with the pieces below.

• 8

  Place the final piece of plywood on top and clamp all five pieces together once you have them lined up perfectly. If you made your cuts and shaped everything correctly, the pieces should line up with very little effort. Allow the glue to set for at least three days, longer, if the manufacturer's directions on the glue you're using suggest it.

• 9

  Remove the clamps and set aside the plywood. You won't need the plywood again, so you may discard it if you like. carefully cut enough strips of fiberglass to cover the exposed maple. Glue these in place and clamp. You may need to cut several strips to cover all exposed maple. Set the bow aside and allow to dry for at least three days.

Shaping the Bow

• 10

  Take the clamps off your bow and ensure that everything is securely glued in place. If anything is peeling or at all loose, add more glue and clamp for a few more days. When you have everything neatly glued, you may proceed to the next step.

• 11

  Take the bow and place it in a curing box for a few hours. The bow will usually be ready for shaping in six to eight hours, but you may leave the bow in the curing box for up to 12 hours.

• 12

  Take the bow out of the curing box and use the vice to hold it securely in place. Be careful not to damage the fiberglass shell.

• 13

  Using sandpaper and a file, smooth any edges that are either harsh or rough and round the edges of the bow for a more comfortable grip. When finished, you may remove the bow from the vice.

Finishing the Bow

• 14

  Remove any debris or excess glue from the fiberglass shell using sandpaper. Make sure the bow is nice and smooth.

• 15

  Create nocks for your bow to hold the bow string in place. Cut two thin pieces of maple 2 inches by 1 inch and use the knife to make a 1-inch notch in each of these. Glue them in place, one at each end of the bow, ensuring that the notches are accessible to allow you to secure the bow string to them later. Allow the glue to dry for three days.

• 16

  Use a soft cloth to wipe the bow clean.

• 17

  Following the manufacturer's directions, apply the spray-on finish to the entire bow. This finish must be completely dry before you continue.

• 18

  Add a grip to your bow. Apply glue to the area where you want your grip. This spot is mostly determined by personal comfort. If you like to hold your bow in a certain location, that's where you add the grip. A liberal amount of glue will be needed. Wrap the leather strap around the grip area and allow the glue to dry according to the manufacturer's directions.

• 19

  String the bow by threading one end of the bow string through a notch on one end of the bow and tie securely. Thread the other end of the bow string through the second notch and tighten the bow string until the bow bends slightly. There should be enough tension to keep the bow taut and slightly bent but still allow for a full draw. Experiment to get the tension correct and tie off the bow string.