Pony Bow

**Aurelius95** · 06-28-2009, 08:39 PM

Frank, I just got caught up on this thread. Great pics! I certainly admire your skill, not to mention your "can-do" attitude. Very resourceful.

**COWBOYSURVIVAL** · 06-28-2009, 08:55 PM

FVR, This looks like something I will "have to try". Keep the info coming! Looks great! Makes me want to sale the ole Bear Whitetail Master that sits in the closet way too much!

**jeff_c** · 06-28-2009, 10:17 PM

Originally Posted by crashdive123

Nice work Frank. Very nice work.

Jeff - you used to work with a guy that shot arrows at you?

LOL, its not him,... but yeah, I worked with a guy that used to hunt a lot and looked a lot like FVR. He was never aiming at ME... or at least I never turned my back on him long enough for him to! LOL

**FVR** · 06-28-2009, 10:38 PM

Cowboy,

That's good, I inspire ya to make a bow and you have already inspired me to make a leafspring knife.

Your knife is awsome.

Jeff, if you want to go to the woods this year to chase deer or hogs, let me know. I live right across the street from Pine Log. I really don't hunt much anymore, I need a good excuse to get back up on Spooky Mountain.

**panch0** · 06-28-2009, 11:04 PM

FVR this thread is awesome. I have been wanting to try and make on for the longest time. I might try it later this year along with an indian war club project I want to do.

-frank

**FVR** · 06-28-2009, 11:14 PM

If I can be of any help, just yell.

Here is a great starting point.

Jawge is an awsome bowyer and his tutorial is one of the best on the net.

http://georgeandjoni.home.comcast.ne...ni/archer.html

**canid** · 07-01-2009, 04:28 PM

Trad Gang.com is also a great resource.

that looks like a fair tiller. beautiful shortie frank.

**FVR** · 07-03-2009, 08:46 AM

Then you can visit Paleoplanet (google it), Primitive Archer, and TradRag.com.

All have great info on building bows.

**FVR** · 07-03-2009, 11:19 PM

Full draw plus...........

Guests can not see images in the messages. Please register in the forum.

**crashdive123** · 07-04-2009, 06:29 AM

Yet but another work of art.

**Rick** · 07-04-2009, 08:06 AM

Man oh man. You sure do nice work.

**FVR** · 07-04-2009, 02:25 PM

Thanks....

**pocomoonskyeyes** · 09-07-2009, 10:22 AM

Frank I truly admire your work. Is there any advice you could give someone like me who is planning on making a bow, that I won't find on the sites you and Canid have posted?
I will have to be buying my wood from Lowes or one of the local lumber yards,what would you suggest as to wood for a beginner? Hickory, Maple, Oak? I will be using only the very limited tools that I have, or would have in a real survival situation, I.E. 12" machete, Tomahawk, knives. To get a better idea you can see what I have available in my album "My knives". ANY help you or Canid could provide will be GREATLY appreciated.

**FVR** · 09-07-2009, 01:09 PM

Poco,

Thanks.

If you can find a hardwood lumber yard.......get hickory. Your main goal is to get a piece that has the rings at the end of the board going across. Some like thick, some like thin rings, I just like rings that are going across the wood.

Try to find a piece where the grain is not running off the board on face or back, (the part of the bow that faces away from you when you hold it). With hickory, these violations are not as hazardous as with any other board woods.

Stay away from maple, it's an easy wood to make a bow from, but I have found that it's performance is not up to par. Hickory, now that's a wood.

If you can only get red oak, read on Jawge's site about board bows.

My first bows were made with a Stanley scraper, a saw, and a set of el cheapo cabinet scrapers from Home Depot.

Today my tools consist of; hawk, cab. scrapers, round file, rasp, an old drawknife that I just abuse. No power tools here.

Depending on how much you want to spend, you can always pick up a roughed out stave for a hundred bucks or less. Or a trade. I've noticed that board lumber has gone up in price. A red oak board, depending on how long you're going to make the bow will run you about 25 bucks.

Sites like primitive archer, tradgang, and paleoplanet have members who are always willing to sell or trade a roughed out stave.

If I can be of any help, just email or call.

I've been working on a beautiful hickory bow and it has failed. There was a nice knot on the back, right above the handle area. When I was working down the belly and handle area, I noticed some rot. As I scraped the rot grew. Finally I had to give it up as the handle area, even if I chose to make a D bow, would have been way to weak.

This stave had no signs of rot, worm holes or damage when I started. Looks like something got in the wood through the knot and just lived there and made an apartment complex.

It happens to all of us.

Good Luck,

Frank

I will have to be buying my wood from Lowes or one of the local lumber yards,what would you suggest as to wood for a beginner? Hickory, Maple, Oak? I will be using only the very limited tools that I have, or would have in a real survival situation, I.E. 12" machete, Tomahawk, knives. To get a better idea you can see what I have available in my album "My knives". ANY help you or Canid could provide will be GREATLY appreciated.

**pocomoonskyeyes** · 09-07-2009, 06:38 PM

Thanks Frank - somehow I feel your words will help me more than the book I've got and the websites, If for no other reason than boosting my confidence.

**hoosierarcher** · 09-07-2009, 07:19 PM

Well I have been involved with archery since the age of 3, so all my life. I am qualified to offer criticism, but have none to offer. Your work is stellar. You see your gliches and correct them and your sinew backing is the smoothest I've ever seen. Good work, art indeed.