I lied to you all...

[makenzie71]

These have actually been the newest projects.  The Aermacchi has been around a few weeks, just haven't done any work to it.

















I built both from red oak.  The green one is backed with kevlar and is 70" nock to nock.  It's a "traditional" english-style longbow.  It pulls 72lbs at 30"...I had to shave the hell out of it to get it that low.  When I started she wanted to pull over 140lbs...waaayyyy too stout for me.  The next one I build will be closer to 100lbs but it'll take me a while before I can even draw that.  70lbs is about my cut-off for accuracy and repeat firing.  It's stained in green dye I rendered up from alfalfa hay and grain alcohol haha.  I love the green.  The draw on it is almost perfect, too.  The lower limb does pull a little more than the upper, but it's easy to compensate for when shooting.

The brown one is backed in fiberglass and is 64" nock to nock.  It's an american longbow/flatbow cross.  It pulls about 50~55lbs at 30" and is the first successful bow I've build.  One of my favorites ever, though.  I call it a rushbow because I built it in less than 4 hours all together.  I think it's a great project for an idle sunday or if you want to do something all craft-like with your kid.  I thas a lot of flaws, though...mostly that it hinges real bad on the upper limb.  The lower limb pulls real nice.  I won't touch it again with the drawknife, though...it works fine as is so I'll shoot it till it breaks.

I've also started fletching my own arrows but I'll only make field shafts at the moment.  Store-bought arrows are made for centerfiring bows so they don't work well with mine, but they do well enough if I'm actually wanting to hunt.

...anyway...

[scottpA_GS]

Your next project should be patching your coat  Hehe..

Cool bows 

[Stephen072774]

osage orange is native to your area, much better wood for bows than oak...

[makenzie71]

dude there isn't an osage tree within 200 miles of me.  Only natural good woods we got here are bodark, hickory, and elm.

[Stephen072774]

osage orange is a bodark, horse apple...

[makenzie71]

really?  didn't know that.  I am working bodark...I've got 6 72" posts in the shop to be split up.  Stuff does not cut well, though.

[Stephen072774]

yeah, the indians used it for bows... cool project, I've made a few myself.  Wish I had one worthy of bow fishing.

[Jughead]

Your next project should be patching your coat  Hehe..

Cool bows 

Looks like the Same Size Hole I burnt in Mine.Hey mak you Haven't Caught yourself on Fire Cutting Rebar with a Grinder have you?

[makenzie71]

haha the coat works for work...all the holes are results of battery acid.  a good carthart can't just be thrown away.

[dgyver]

At least your coat matches your project bike. 

My neighbor bow hunts deer. Much more respectable than using a rifle.

[Alphamazing]

My neighbor bow hunts deer. Much more respectable than using a rifle.

Psh, real men use their bare hands to kill dear. Wrestle them down to the ground and snap their necks.

Hurrrrrrr

[makenzie71]

Anyone want a warbow?  Someone wants me to make them a 100+ pound english longbow...I have to buy material enough to make two or three of them, though haha.

[annguyen1981]

YES!!!

[makenzie71]

I don't really get the impression that you can draw a 100lb bow, an.

[annguyen1981]

I don't really get the impression that you can draw a 100lb bow, an.

SHUT IT MAK.

Here's proof...






Honestly, I've never even tried a bow, so I'm not sure of the proper stance, arm position, etc...

[makenzie71]

what the f%$k is that?  A bow-tie?

[jake42]

Cool bows Mak. My father-in-law and I have the plans to build some longbows. Since he just retired On Friday, maybe we'll actually have the time to build them now, after we finish his house of course.  Someday I'll post pics of that damn house.  The basement is high enough for a basketball hoop or a climbing wall.

Jake

[makenzie71]

Hey...basements have four walls!  You can do one of each!

[jake42]

We laid 20 courses of 12 inch block when we were doing the foundation, but after the floor joists above and the concrete was poured, we were down to about 18. Although he did put in the cool under floor radiant heating system. 

[skoebl]

what the f%$k is that?  A bow-tie?

He drew a 100lb bow......tie. 

For once he was quite witty