Trad Gang

Since it's now bow building season in most parts of the country I think it would be interesting to see just how many bowyers we have out there in the Gang. I know there's a lot of talent on this site!  Glass bows, natural bows, flatbows, recurves, longbows, hybrids, flight bows and all others...anyone out there who builds them let's chime in!  Please include the type of bows you now enjoy building(pics wouldn't hurt either;)!  I'll start:

-Selfbows
-Bamboo backed r/d, hybrid, and straight limbed osage bellied bows


Look forward to hearing from you all!!  :thumbsup:  

Cheers, Matt

Self bows and Board bows don't have all the stuff or money to be building glass bows.  But the tree out back thats affordable.  :thumbsup:

Made a couple of selfbows.

Selfbows for me, though the Dryad Blanks are a little addictive!!  :bigsmyl: ...Terry

All I can make is the easy stuff. Glass laminated r/d one piece longbows.

I make a hybrid or two as time allows.......
This one is my bro's
(http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d34/kennym/101_1099LargeWebview.jpg)

(http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d34/kennym/101_1101LargeWebview.jpg)

This one was for a guy's retirement gift on my crew

(http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d34/kennym/101_1087LargeWebview.jpg)

(http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d34/kennym/101_1093LargeWebview.jpg)

(http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d34/kennym/101_1097LargeWebview.jpg)

Longbows D-shape Here's a couple
(http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h160/steadman_2006/IMG_1378.jpg)
(http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h160/steadman_2006/IMG_0618.jpg)
(http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h160/steadman_2006/IMG_0280.jpg)

I have made a few selfbows, BBO's, and have the materials on order for my first glass bow.

I've made selfbows, hickory backed osage bows, fiberglass laminated longbows and one kids static recurve.

Jason

Board bows, self bow.  Pretty new at it. Addicting though!
Wells

I have made a few myself.
 (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v75/crookedstic/Twobows.jpg)

Mainly selfbows but also have done some all natural material 'composite' bows. Tried the use of glass but can't get myself used to the dust of that stuff.

Instead of bows I show you some billets and staves from my Feb. 2007 harvest   ;)  
  (http://www.broadheads.de/Bilder/bowpics/bowmaking/wood/Staves_Billiets2007.jpg)

From the selection of the tree all the way through to the shooting of the bow, it's self bows for me.  Also, since osage is difficult to find exactly where I live, I have done only white wood bows. Three shagbark hickory bows, one hackberry, and one very fast honey locust, plus several failures (esp. white oak) along the way.  Just can't stop making those little shavings!  :jumper:

Self and boo backed for me too.

I made one...once...lol!!! With the help of KennyM, couldn't have done it without him, fo sho!! Pronounced takedown Bingham kit. I've also chased a couple of growth rings on some osage staves, but have yet to finish the bows...

(http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b147/fireman_3311/FH000010.jpg)

(http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b147/fireman_3311/FH000008-1.jpg)

I am making self bows. I don't have the eqpt. for the laminated, etc. bows. I hope to find some osage some day. Until then, I've made bows from mulberry, locust, hickory and ash. I have some persimmon, sassafrass and hackberry drying down. I want to try some out of honey locust also. Take care !
DR

Ive gotta few Hickory and Osage staves floating around, and a few more roughed out that need finishin'. On the "front-burner" is a couple of straight limbed lam-bows Im working on right now...

Selfbows out of:

Osage
Yew
Hickory
Elm
Ash
red oak
vine maple
black palm
sugar maple

A dozen bamboo backed osage bows have satiated that desire for life.

I think the Dean Torges/ATHA/Tom Leemans et al rattan kids bows crew is nearing a thousand produced also.  I've been in on a lot of those  :)

Never made a glass bow but I might someday.

I spent most of last weekend in the shop.  It was good to be making yellow dust again.

I have been rolling my own for a couple years now.  Just made this one for a buddy of mine:
(http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h58/mmbackpacker/IMG_0270-1.jpg)
(http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h58/mmbackpacker/IMG_0269-1.jpg)

Last years elk hunting bow (but not last year's elk killing bow)
(http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h58/mmbackpacker/IMG_3830-1.jpg)
(http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h58/mmbackpacker/IMG_3811.jpg)

Mike Miller
Solstice Longbows

I have built four recurves from Bingham`s kits They all shoot very good. (http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e85/BC1950/Easteregghunt033.jpg)

My name is Shaun and I can't quit making bows, not looking for a cure.

Great stuff guys!  Keep it coming!

Several straight longbows from Binghams and am working on a new deflex/reflex design right now. All my trad kills with my own bows. Bob

Wood longbow, Glass longbows, 2 recurves.
I am working on a T/D recurves now.
Cody

made selfbows, BBOs, BB-bulletwoods, and one glass TD longbow.  dont have any pics on photo bucket of anything but the td longbow:

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v504/hickstick/05setup.jpg)

heres a couple old web pages of stuff I've made:
  Meet Meg (http://oitsuki.50megs.com/meg/MEET_MEG.htm)

  red oak selfbow (http://oitsuki.50megs.com/redoak.html)

Heres a couple of bows I've built.Ones a bamboo backed osage and the other is a one piece hybrid glass longbow.I hunted with a 3 piece takedown longbow this year that I made but don't have any pictures of it right now.I'll post some later on,I really like the 3piece longbow.

(http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m285/delljohnson/DSCF0484.jpg)
(http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m285/delljohnson/DSCF0483.jpg)
(http://i107.photobucket

Title: Re: Bowyer role call!
Post by: V-Archer on January 23, 2008, 02:47:00 PM

Since two years I make R/D bows but I don't consider myself as a bowyer. (It is still a hobby).
Here are some of the R/D bows I made since Februari 2007.

V-Archer

(http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l118/V-Archer/variousR-Dbows.jpg)

Title: Re: Bowyer role call!
Post by: ks_stickbow on January 23, 2008, 03:12:00 PM

Short selfbows 60" or less around 50 to 65 lbs

Prefer:
Osage
hickory

have worked:
osage
hickory
vine maple
black locust
cascara
yew
ash

Title: Re: Bowyer role call!
Post by: Kingstaken on January 23, 2008, 03:55:00 PM

TO ALL
:clapper:
:clapper:
:clapper:
Great work!!

Title: Re: Bowyer role call!
Post by: Scott Carson on January 23, 2008, 04:39:00 PM

I haven't made a bow yet, but I'm hoping to pick up a stave at the Kalamazoo Expo this weekend to try my first one.   If I can find a bow in it, I'm sneaking down to Utah to find whatever made that rub line in the background of Steadman's last pic.

Title: Re: Bowyer role call!
Post by: gordonf on January 23, 2008, 04:51:00 PM

Self and boo backed.

Title: Re: Bowyer role call!
Post by: Blkbird on January 23, 2008, 05:04:00 PM

Not a bowyer but I've managed to put togather one or two.
(http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y85/Blkbird/Picture-3-7047.jpg)

Title: Re: Bowyer role call!
Post by: daddyhoney on January 23, 2008, 05:08:00 PM

New to trad and just finished my second red oak self bow.  Followed instructions from a build-along and they work great.  Bambi look out!
Can't wait to progress to something complex after i get the river cane arrows, flint knapping, turkey fletching, and leather work down.  I started too late in life and have to catch up on too many skills.  Daddyhoney

Title: Re: Bowyer role call!
Post by: Holm-Made on January 23, 2008, 05:09:00 PM

I just finished these last week.  Chad

(http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j107/Holm-Made/DSCN4887.jpg)

(http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j107/Holm-Made/DSCN4889.jpg)

(http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j107/Holm-Made/DSCN4890.jpg)

Title: Re: Bowyer role call!
Post by: Scott E on January 23, 2008, 05:56:00 PM

mostly hickory self bows for me but I am working on a bamboo backed hickory r/d bow and bbo is not far off here's some pics
 (http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg315/archery10x/Oneidabow4sale005adjusted.jpg)

(http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg315/archery10x/fulldrawg.jpg)

Title: Re: Bowyer role call!
Post by: The Gopher on January 23, 2008, 06:10:00 PM

a few board bows, working on an ELB, have a few osage and HHB staves waiting in the wings, and i'm gather in supplies for a heat box to start my adventures in laminated bows. And my first child is expected any day now! I need a few more hours in a day.

Title: Re: Bowyer role call!
Post by: Flatstick on January 23, 2008, 06:39:00 PM

I have made laminated bows in years past but love making and hunting with selfbows.
 (http://inlinethumb28.webshots.com/31259/1439729256045195823S600x600Q85.jpg) (http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/photo/1439729256045195823UstUfd)

Title: Re: Bowyer role call!
Post by: ks_stickbow on January 23, 2008, 07:43:00 PM

QuoteOriginally posted by Flatstick:
I have made laminated bows in years past but love making and hunting with selfbows.
  (http://inlinethumb28.webshots.com/31259/1439729256045195823S600x600Q85.jpg) (http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/photo/1439729256045195823UstUfd)  

WOW those are beautiful....got any close ups?

Title: Re: Bowyer role call!
Post by: T.J. on January 23, 2008, 07:46:00 PM

Holm-made, that middle bow looks amazing. Really great work!

Title: Re: Bowyer role call!
Post by: Ralph Renfro on January 23, 2008, 07:49:00 PM

I started making bows in 1990. My first couple were glass backed longbows. Then I went to selfbows followed by BBO's. I enjoy making all of em, but of the 143 bows I've completed and hundreds I've "helped" other with, selfbows comprise about 90-95%. I enjoy trying different styles, woods, etc., but my favorite is still a good shooting Osage selfbow.

Title: Re: Bowyer role call!
Post by: George Tsoukalas on January 23, 2008, 07:57:00 PM

I make selfbows and  bows backed with natchel materials like silk, rawhide, burlap, etc.

Title: Re: Bowyer role call!
Post by: Marshrat on January 23, 2008, 08:13:00 PM

Made 1 Hickory and 1 Pecan backed with Hickory the Hickory broke years ago Still hunt with the other from time to time I've got a Bamboo backed Osage I love someone else made. As soon as i can find a Osage stave I think will be easy I want to make a Bamboo Back Osage 60 inch 50# @28 for Turkey hunting.

Title: Re: Bowyer role call!
Post by: Flatstick on January 23, 2008, 08:31:00 PM

Thanks ks,,,here's a link to my Webshots page if you would like to see some more pictures, there are some close ups of some of the bows. But there are many,, more talented bowyers on here that haven't posted pics of their work.

http://community.webshots.com/user/flatstick

Title: Re: Bowyer role call!
Post by: draco on January 23, 2008, 09:07:00 PM

26 glass laminated longbows. They are not as pretty as Holm-Made`s or Kenny`s though.

Title: Re: Bowyer role call!
Post by: Holm-Made on January 23, 2008, 10:00:00 PM

The real talent is in making a bow out of natural materials that holds up over time and shoots well. These guys know how to read wood.  IMHO

Title: Re: Bowyer role call!
Post by: lostshot on January 23, 2008, 11:24:00 PM

I've made a few glass and wood take down recurves ,and some  glass laminated longbows but I think the selfbow bug is right on my a**. I think I'm going to fall in love . Is there any help?

Title: Re: Bowyer role call!
Post by: brettlandon on January 23, 2008, 11:47:00 PM

No, lostshot there isn't.  In fact the sickness is progressive.  Soon, you'll be seeing bow trees you want to harvest as you're hunting, then as you're driving, then as you're sleeping!
Welcome to the looney bin, brother.  :jumper:  

Brett

Title: Re: Bowyer role call!
Post by: Chisler on January 24, 2008, 01:24:00 AM

Started w/ Dryad blank, bamboo backed yew, couple self bows, elm and hickory, that didn't last - I was a little too anxious and got too persuasive in teaching that wood to bend.  I cut some osage a month ago and am working, patiently, on couple now. Just got done making a big pile of shavings.  Oh, can't forget the Bingham's kit I built with Brian's help last summer - pronounced TD longbow - it turned out beautiful, and a shooter - it's my huntin' bow.

Title: Re: Bowyer role call!
Post by: mmgrode on January 24, 2008, 03:09:00 PM

Keep them coming!  I know there's more out there.  Don't be shy!!

Title: Re: Bowyer role call!
Post by: soaring eagle on January 24, 2008, 03:32:00 PM

Ihave built a few donated to st judes auction last year will do the same this year