How to Build a Bow

The bow has long been a mainstay of human civilization, providing advancements in hunting, which allowed for permanent settlements. Its not a stretch to indirectly attribute humanity's switch to stationary agricultural civilization to the advent of the bow, which allowed hunters to quickly gather more than they could eat. Jump forward to the modern day, and the bow is used for target shooting, helping modern people to relax and stay in touch with our ancestral roots, hunting, and has even rejoined the ranks of Olympic sport. The most common type of bow found throughout the world is the recurve bow, which also happens to be one of the best choices around for beginners.

Things You'll Need

  • Safety goggles
  • Dust mask
  • Cherry-wood beam
  • Band saw
  • Belt sander
  • Super-strength adhesive
  • Fiberglass cloth
  • Fiberglass solid strips
  • Stag horn strips
  • Bow-form jig w/ clamps
  • Bow-form template
  • Heated flexible metal strip
  • Rubber hose
  • Air compressor
  • Coarse toothed file
  • Sandpaper, varying grits
  • Pencil
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Instructions

    • 1

      Cut the cherry-wood beam into six slices 5.5 mm thick (or 0.216 inches) with the band saw, adjusting the guard to maintain uniform thickness. Take care to cut the beam so the arch of the wood grain is facing what will be the front of the bow. Using the belt sander, thin the strips at least twice on both side, applying more sanding to the ends, tapering them down to give the bow extra flex. Using the band saw, cut a handle for the bow, arched on the outside, and flat on the inside, where it will be attached to the bow later.

    • 2

      Glue the wood strips together with three strips of fiberglass cloth, evenly spaced within, adding an extra layer of fiberglass cloth to the 6 inches on either end of the bow, at the center of the layers. You'll need to work quickly to outpace the drying of the glue, so it helps to have all the pieces at hand.

    • 3

      Glue the handle in place on the top of the laminate sandwich, at the center of the unfinished bow. Cover the whole of the unfinished bow in low-tack masking tape to protect it from scratches and abrasion when it is inserted into the bow-form jig.

    • 4

      Insert the heated metal strip into the bow-form jig, then the bow itself, and then place the rubber hose over the bow, clamping the jig into place finger-tight. Turn on the air compressor, which will inflate the hose, bending the bow into its final form, leave the compressor on and let the glue set for an hour, or until manufacturer's specifications indicate.

    • 5

      Remove the unfinished bow from the jig and and mark the outline of a more natural, complete bow-form, using the bow-form template. Cut away the excess material with the band-saw, revealing the final shape of the bow. Cut the arrow shelf into the handle now, using the band saw, also cutting away slightly at the handle and leaving it thicker in the center for a better grip. Remove the tape.

    • 6

      Rasp the string nocks into each side of of the bow, on both ends as indicated by the template, using the coarse toothed file. Glue strips of fiberglass reinforcement and stag horn over the end 2 to 3 inches of the bow, covering the string nocks, clamping the ends in place with vice grips. Glue the final strip of wood (usually a dense, hardwood strip, or you can just use more cherry wood if you prefer) over the handle and clamp it into place.
      Allow the glue to dry for an hour or to manufacturers specifications.

    • 7

      Rasp the fiberglass and stag-horn reinforcements away over the parts that have hidden the string nocks, exposing them again, using the coarse file. Sand the entire bow smooth by hand, starting with a coarser grit paper and moving into a fine grit paper. Wrap leather around the handle, and sew it into place using the heavy leather sewing needle and artificial sinew (thick nylon thread). Polish the exposed wood areas of the bow with a soft cloth and wood polish.