Suggestions for a take-down recurve bow required.

[mundaire]

I think the craft of bow making is indeed called bowyery.

At the cost of being pedantic, a bow maker is a bowyer - he/ she makes bows but does not practice "bowyery". Unlike archer/ archery...

[Yaj]

I think the craft of bow making is indeed called bowyery.

At the cost of being pedantic, a bow maker is a bowyer - he/ she makes bows but does not practice "bowyery". Unlike archer/ archery...

I said I think, because I have seen it used in that context but I maybe wrong. In fact I have seen the place of business (bow making) being referred to as a "bowyery" as in baker and bakery.
But I'm no expert and I bow to your superior knowledge of the english language .
Regards,
Yaj.

[TenX]

Archer.. much needed tips there
Lets hope we are all as lucky as you are. I am planning to get into the State Archery Association before importing one. Will that help?

[Mack The Knife]

Parag, thanks for typing out your import experience. I plan on using a courier if I decide to import and will most most probably join the archery association along with Anand.

Yaj and Abhijeet, I typed in bowyery into Google and it seems to be an oft used word in the world of bow making. Cannot find it in the dictionary though.

[TenX]

I could not find anything related to 'Bowyery' but got 'Bowyer'

http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=bowyer

bow·yer [boh-yer] Pronunciation Key -noun
a maker or seller of archers' bows.

[Mack The Knife]

Sharief,

I've been thinking and I may just make a simple stickbow to start with.

Mack The Knife

[R-Dhillon]

I made a stickbow last week, used a 5ft tall bamboo staff about an inch in diameter and used the scooter clutch wire as the string...bought bolts for it from G.Smith...it's powerful and accurate...dont have a chronoghraph to measure its speed...but its great fun...if you want to purchase a good powerful andaccurate bow...Go for a Mattew...I'll be goin to UK in the first week...my cousin there has one...does anyone know some place tto get a chronograph??...need to measure my crossbow and IHP modified rifle...
Regards,
R.Dhillon...

[HSharief]

Sharief,

I've been thinking and I may just make a simple stickbow to start with.

Mack The Knife

Now you're talking, and I'm all ears (eyes). Please keep us posted. When I was a kid and visited my grandparents, my grand father used to make me a bow from a quarter of a bamboo. Nothing fancy, soak the strip of bamboo in water for a few days, then string it up with some nylon string. The arrows would be made from the rest of the bamboo, small strips. Had a lot of fun monkeying around with that. I'm sure what you make will be almost professional grade. My best wishes.

[Olly]

Can we have a few pictures please...

[Mack The Knife]

Sharief,

It's going to be based on the second of your three links. What I intend making is the flat bow rather than the long bow. Looks doable for bloke with almost no wood working skills.

Let me see if I can source some hickory, failing which it will have to be some other hardwood.

Will do a photo feature as I go along or after it's over.

Mack The Knife

[TenX]

I have a simple nice Archery game to share ... but since I cannot upload it along with this message, request suggestions to post the same

[penpusher]

Mack The Knife,

How about a copy of the Mughal steel bow?

[Mack The Knife]

penpusher,

Have pity on me. I know zilch on the subject. Let me make that flat bow first then I will consider making something else. However, if you have any drawings, manufacturing procedure, etc., let me know.

BTW, I am thinking of backing the flat bow with bamboo as an insurance policy as I am already having visions of the bow going 'CRACK' after putting in the effort of making one.

Arrows are another thing that I have to consider.

Damn Sharief and my big mouth!

[penpusher]

Mack The Knife,

Have only seen a couple of these and have no idea about the exact measurements.However, it seemed pretty simple to make.All that you need is tempered steel/spring steel.You can ask some of the makers of such stuff in Rajasthan about the dimensions of the bows that they sell.If memory serves me right,Curious House also make's steel bows.

With a laminated bow,one possibility that would have to consider is that of de-lamination.It is not without reason that the mughals moved from the compound bow of wood and sinews to that of steel.Making a laminated bow does seem to require a dedicated set up.Wood and steel jigs to form and cure the bow and ovens for curing.Knowing you,you would want to follow the instructions to the T.At the end of it,you may find that buying one would have been cheaper and less frustrating.

All this information on the net does not tell you many things and you find at a later stage that the entire exercise is a lot more complicated and expensive than the source would have you believe.You would be learning as you make mistakes and at your own expense.Good if you want to make 'bowery' your profession but not if it is going to be just one bow

Steel would be much easier to source and machine.You seem to have access to the services of a machinist.He can help you to source the steel and to cut it to the required shape.Also, it will not go 'crack' and at the end of it,if you are not happy with the result it will still sell as scrap

[Yaj]

Let me see if I can source some hickory, failing which it will have to be some other hardwood.

The last time I had thought of making a bow I had thought jackfruit wood might be a good choice. Its from the same family as mulberry and osage both being considered as great woods for bows. It should be easily available down south and has a nice yellow colour which darkens with age .Seen plenty of furniture made of the stuff in South Kanara and liked the look of it.
Regards,
Yaj.