How to Make a Bow out of Fiberglass or Plastic

Making your own bow from fiberglass is much faster than carving one from wood, and it will last much longer, be stronger and shoot arrows further. With a couple of commonly found materials and tools you can easily build your own fiberglass bow. Fiberglass bows are made by laminating many layers of fiberglass cloth, giving it strength and supplying the necessary tension across the string to fire arrows. One laminated, the fiberglass bow can be shaped into a variety of forms, depending on your preference.

Things You'll Need

  • 2-by-6 wood plank (six feet long)
  • Clamps
  • Fiberglass cloth
  • Paint brush
  • Epoxy resin and hardener
  • Band saw
  • Sand paper
  • Bowstring
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Instructions

    • 1

      Draw the outline you wish your bow to be onto the side of the 2-by-6 plank. This should be a side view of the bow, unstrung. This should also include any and all details along the front and back sides, including any re-curve you wish it to have, and any detail around the handle.

    • 2

      Cut out the outline from Step 1 using your band saw. You should now have a top and bottom/front and back mold for your bow.

    • 3

      Lay the front mold down on a table and clamp it into place. Begin mixing your epoxy resin and hardener according to the manufacturers instructions. Once the epoxy has been mixed, you will need to work quickly, so make sure you have plenty fiberglass cloth strips ready to be applied.

    • 4

      Lay down a strip of fiberglass cloth onto the clamped bow mold, and then paint on an even layer of epoxy before applying another layer of fiberglass cloth on top of it. Repeat this step until the desired thickness across the limbs and the riser of the bow has been attained.

    • 5

      Place the other side (back) of the bow mold on top of the front mold, and sandwich the fiberglass cloth and resin between them and clamp the two molds together. Allow for a day for the fiberglass and epoxy to cure before removing the clamps.

    • 6

      Remove the bow from the clamps and mold then shape the sides as you like by feeding the bow into your band saw. Be sure to cut away string notches in the end of the bow's limbs, as well as an arrow rest shelf and any other detailing you wish around the handle and riser.

    • 7

      Sand the bow smooth with some sand paper and test by stringing the bow and taking a few test shots in a safe direction.