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How to make a good hazel bow. Step-by-step instructions for making a bow and arrow

Conifers in garden design

Every person has their own hobbies. Archery today is considered a rather original and interesting pastime. For some people it has become a gambling activity or game, while others practice archery at a professional level. You can purchase all the necessary equipment in the store, but it is worth remembering that the price of a ready-made set is quite high, but its quality is not always satisfactory. Why not make it yourself? This article will help you figure out how to make a bow from wood at home, because the manufacturing technology is very simple.

How to make your own wooden bow?

For the work you will need wood blanks, drawings, feathers, string thread, a hacksaw, a tip, a knife, an axe, a slipway and boiling water.

Important! There are many types of bows today; they are classified according to parameters such as shape, design, method of use and shooting location. The choice of base material depends on where you plan to use the weapon.

Materials for work

You can make real onions at home from:

  • Tree.
  • PVC pipes.
  • Papers.
  • Plywood.

You can use the following as a bowstring:

  • leg-split;
  • fishing line;
  • lavsan or nylon thread;
  • nylon;
  • polypropylene.

Arrows are carved from pine or birch.


Making blanks

You can find a blank for a future product right on the street:

  • You can use any deciduous tree - elm, birch, hazel, yew, oak, bamboo, lemon, black acacia or ash will do.
  • Choose a flexible, strong, straight branch, taking into account the length of the bow itself plus 30-40 cm for reserve.
  • Check that the wood is free of damage and knots.
  • You already have the main preparation, do not remove the bark.
  • Cover the ends with oil paint, then lay it vertically to dry thoroughly.

Important! Place the stick in such a way that it dries evenly; it is advisable to leave it for several months.

We give the product shape

Your workpiece has dried, it’s time to process it to make a wooden bow at home:

  • You need to get a rectangular board from a log - an ax or saw will help with this.
  • The thickness of the board should correspond to the width of the handle - approximately 3 cm. If there are defects, you can slightly increase the thickness.

Important! Use drawings when working.

  • Then make markings on the side profile, remove all excess with an axe, and finish the finishing work with a plane or sharp knife.
  • You can move on to the front profile. Here it is important to show special care and attention so that the shoulders come out elastic and strong.

Important! At this stage of bow making, it is forbidden to bend the workpiece, otherwise you will simply ruin it.

  • The width of the handle should be slightly larger than the width of the shoulder. It is better to make the cross-section lenticular or rectangular - it all depends on the initial thickness of the workpiece.

Steaming

Now it's time to form the bend. At enterprises, they use the method of soaking in special solutions for this, but since we do everything at home, we will turn to the proven old-fashioned method.

Important! Both shoulders should be steamed at the same time so that drying also occurs evenly.

This is how you need to do steaming in order to give the shoulders plasticity and the necessary bend:

  • Simply hold the onion over boiling water until it bends easily.
  • Then place it in a ready-made slipway for several weeks to dry.

Important! The number, location and shape of the clips directly depend on the shape of the bow you want to get.

  • After waiting the allotted time, take out the product and cut out notches at the ends for attaching the bowstring.

Bark processing

As you remember, the bark remained intact at all stages of work, but during the process of steaming and drying in the slipway it may partially peel off:

  1. If this happens, use a wooden knife to separate it, doing everything as carefully as possible so as not to damage the fibers of the back of the product.
  2. If in some places it was not possible to remove the bark, then simply sand it until it is perfectly smooth.


Making a bowstring:

  • Make a rectangular shape from the bars, then drive nails in along the edges.
  • Tie a lavsan thread to one of the nails and wind it in a circle.

Important! Make it as tight as possible to avoid any sagging.

  • Then tie the ends of the threads and divide the bowstring into two strands.
  • Wrap the middle parts of the strands with nylon thread.
  • Without removing the bars, also wrap the ends to form loops for fastening.
  • Now you need to make a special guide for installing the boom. Use a piece of foam or wood. It is attached in the middle to create a right angle between the arrow axis and the bowstring.

Final stage

It often happens that the wood dries out, or, on the contrary, gains moisture; naturally, this negatively affects the properties and durability of the finished weapon. That is why you should soak a wooden bow with melted wax or fat.

Important! If you can’t find them, you can use varnish, mastic or paint. The main thing here is not to overdo it, otherwise the product will lose its elasticity.

How to make arrows for a bow yourself?

You already know how to make a powerful bow at home, but for it to function fully you will need more arrows. Manufacturing takes place according to the following scheme.

Material selection:

  • Take carefully dried spruce, pine or birch boards.

Important! Their thickness should not exceed 3 cm. Their length should not exceed the length of the bend of the product.

  • Check that there are no knots on the wood and that all the fibers run parallel to the length of our workpiece.
  • Use straight, dry branches, peeled smooth and straightened over hot coals.

Marking:

  1. Use a saw to cut the board to the required length, then reduce its thickness to 1.5 cm.
  2. Mark the end into squares, then cut lengthwise along the marks.
  3. Give the workpieces a hexagon shape using a file and knife.
  4. Then make them round using sandpaper.
  5. As a result, you will receive a workpiece with a diameter of no more than 7-8 mm.

Plumage

This is not at all necessary, but it is worth noting that the plumage contributes to accuracy and stable flight.

Important! It is better to use strong feathers 3 cm wide and 10 cm long, for example, tail or flight feathers of wood grouse, goose or turkey.

Operating procedure:

  1. Cut each feather in half right down the center of the shaft.
  2. Shorten the shaft so that about 1 cm remains before the beginning of the pile; on the other hand, cut the feather at the point where the thickening is reduced to 1 mm.
  3. There should be three feathers on one arrow. Make sure they are the same length.
  4. Attach the feathers to the shaft, retreating 1 cm from the edge, on both sides, wrap them with thread to each other at an angle of 120 degrees.
  5. Sew each of them near the base, trying to maintain the integrity of the fibers.
  6. Carefully glue the entire structure and give the desired shape to the shaft.
  7. The feathering can be inserted into the split groove or glued directly.

Tip

To make it, you will need a metal triangular plate, the thickness corresponding to the thickness of the shaft. Then make a recess in it for the tail of the triangle and insert the plate directly there, securing it with thread.

Make your own onions

Well At the end I add one more instruction for making a bow with my own hands, which I was able to find.

Almost any tree growing in the central zone of our Mother Russia is suitable for making a simple onion. Recommended: maple, juniper, hazel, birch, ash, oak, elm, heather.

The proposed workpiece must be cut down in winter, in frosts of ~ 10–15 degrees.

The workpiece should not have large knots (growths, mechanical and thermal damage). The length of the workpiece should be 30 cm longer than the length of your future bow (15 cm on each side for cracks during drying, the occurrence of which is not excluded). DO NOT REMOVE the bark from the resulting “log”! Cover the ends of the workpiece with oil paint. The wood should dry evenly to avoid the appearance of internal defects in the material. If this is not done, the bow will not last long. Dry the processed workpiece in a vertical position at room temperature. The air should not be too dry, otherwise the tree will dry out and the work will be in vain. Drying time 2–5 months, depending on conditions.

Primary processing

The resulting workpiece is a log “Figure 1”. Our task is to get a board from this log. How to achieve this? There are several options, each of which is quite historical: processing, with an ax, with a saw, by splitting with wedges (made of harder wood). The thickness of the board is equal to the width of the bow being made in the handle (for a Slavic bow about 3 cm). After receiving the board we need, we need to mark it. Visually check it for cross-layers and other defects. In accordance with the inspection results, make adjustments to the thickness of the bow at the site of the material defect (increase it). Next, “Figure 2” shows the marking diagram. Please note that we did not remove the bark from the workpiece. Don't damage the outside of your future bow!

Picture 1

Figure 2

The excess part is separated from the bow using an ax, and then a knife and a plane. With this treatment you get the side profile of the bow. After separating the onion, begin forming its frontal profile “Figure 3”. The ratio of the width of the handle to the width of the end of the shoulder is approximately 3/2. Be extremely careful during these stages of work. It depends on the precision and accuracy of your work whether the arms of the bow will work equally evenly or one will be more elastic than the other. At these stages, the bow cannot be bent - this can lead to splitting of the workpiece and its damage. The cross section of your bow will depend on the thickness of the log you have prepared. It can vary from lentil-shaped to almost rectangular “Figure 4”.

Figure 3

Figure 4

Steaming onions

At this stage, the bend of the bow is formed. Some manufacturers resort to soaking the workpiece in various infusions and solutions. Wood treated with water vapor has all the properties we need. Why steam onions? There are several reasons to be aware of the manufacturing process:

If the wood dries out during the drying process (therefore, it is not recommended to bend the onion before steaming).

In the case where your initial blank was not straight (which is not uncommon, and nothing to be afraid of. The front profile of your weapon does not need to be straight at all. This will not affect the shooting efficiency in any way, except that it will be inconvenient for another person to use your weapon.)

If you are making a relatively short weapon (Slavic version 1 - 1.3 m).

If you intend to make a bow with a reverse arch.

In the case when you are making a “light” (for example, gaming) bow.

In order to give an aesthetic appearance.

At the beginning of the stage, your workpiece represents the following: “Figure 5”. For example, you need to get a bend like this: “Figure 6.” To do this, you need to steam the onion limbs (the steamed element becomes plastic and easily accepts the bend that you set. Steam the onion limb until you can easily bend it for captivity). The following parts are steamed, shown in white “Figure 7”.

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

It is best to steam at the same time, so that the onion shoulders dry simultaneously and evenly. After steaming the shoulders, the bow is placed in a special slipway, prepared in advance specifically for this bow, “Figure 8”. Shown in black are the wooden blocks between which the “hot” bow is held. The number, shape and location of the clamping bars depends on the bow shape you want. In such a slipway, the onions dry for up to 1 week. After this, it is removed from the stock, the ends of the bow are shaped for subsequent putting on of the bowstring (a place is prepared for the horn/bone tips or a “step” is simply cut out for the loop of the bowstring).

Figure 8

Please note that we did not remove the bark from the “back” of the onion! When steaming and capping in a slipway, part of the bark will peel off from the back of the onion. Separate it with your fingernail or a wooden knife. ATTENTION! Don't damage the fibers on the back of the bow! If some of the bark remains, don’t be upset; carefully sand it with sandpaper until it’s smooth and your bow will look decent.

The onion is almost ready. For the longevity of the onion, it must be protected from drying out or moisture. If you adhere to the historical-reconstructive direction in your work, then it is recommended to soak the onion with hot wax or melted fat (do not overdo it! The impregnation should be no more than 3 mm in depth, otherwise the onion will lose its elasticity). Otherwise, you can use varnish, modern paints or mastics.

Making a bowstring

For a bowstring, threads made of strong artificial fibers such as Kevlar (very strong, but also expensive), nylon, lavsan, and silk are also suitable. A good bowstring is made from thin fishing cord in reels (not fishing line, but cord). The main thing is that the thread does not stretch and is very strong and resistant to chafing. The thickness of the threads does not matter much, the number of turns will simply change depending on this. The bowstring is made as follows:

Step 1. First you need to make a “winding machine”, that is, a simple device with two or four pins, where the bowstring will be wound. L3 (string length) = L1 + L2, with L1 = 15?20 cm. “Figure 9”. But there is a simpler way - to wind the thread around the legs of the stool. Almost any length can be achieved with various winding options, although it may be slightly inaccurate. The ends of the thread are tied with an Achilles knot.

Figure 9

Step 2. On the ears of the bowstring, that is, in the place where it is put on the bow, you need to make a protective winding. This will prevent abrasion. A four-pin option is convenient for this. Well, in other cases you can use a spacer. You need to wind it tightly, laying the turns as tightly as possible in arcs to each other.

“Figure 10” The winding is done from both ends of the bowstring, approximately 15 cm each. Moreover, on one side the turns begin so as to hide the knot obtained after step 1.

Figure 10

Step 3. Now we make an eye loop, tightly winding its base “Figure 11”.

Figure 11

Step 4. Next, approximately in the middle of the bowstring, you should also make a winding 10?15 cm long. This is the place where the fingers will rest. It is also useful to make a “saddle” - a thickening under the shank of the arrow so that it does not move out “Figure 12”.

Figure 12

Making arrows

Let's start with making the shaft. The arrow shaft can be made from wood, this is the easiest way. You can go into the forest and cut down a tree, cut boards, etc. You can buy a board and cut an arrow. You can use ready-made wooden slats with a square cross-section or even a regular glazing bead, processing them to a round cross-section with a diameter of 8–9 mm. The main thing is to choose the slats as straight as possible and without knots (and snags J). Now we need to make the sticks round, I did it with a plane. Next, the workpiece needs to be sanded, first with coarse and then with fine sandpaper. To do this, you can use a drill at low speeds, clamping the workpiece into its chuck.

Please note that the straighter the arrow shaft, the more accurate its flight will be. And it’s even better if you can find ready-made round slats. For example, used for chopiks (wooden nails) in carpentry.

Determination of boom length: (See “Table” and “Figure 13”)

Table

Figure 13

Now you need a tip. It can be done simply: hammer a nail and wrap the place with copper wire. But this design is not very good. It’s better to make a tip like this: “Figure 14.” It can be cut from steel with a thickness of 1.5 - 2 mm. You can cut it out of a knife. You need to make a slot in the end of the bow, attach the tip there with glue, then wrap it with thread.

The next thing you need to do is make the shank. For example, like this: “Figure 15.” You need to insert a bowstring into the slot, recesses - so that your hands do not slip.

Figure 14

Figure 15

Now you need to make the plumage. It can be made from bird feathers. You can cut two or three feathers from one bird feather (depending on its length). The length of the plumage ranges from 5.0 to 9.0 cm. The best feathers for arrows are from the wings of a turkey, swan, eagle and goose. The feather is cut along the shaft with scissors, and then pieces of a given size are cut from it.

For feathering, the best part of the feather, closer to the base of the trunk, should be used. Feathers can be painted in the desired colors before gluing. The feather trimmed with scissors has a barrel that is uneven in structure, which must be processed so that it can be glued to the arrow. The empennage barrel is processed either on an emery wheel (while rotating it), grinding the core of the barrel, or by grinding with sandpaper. The last method is simpler and more error-free.

Grinding is done like this: the tail is compressed between two metal plates about 0.5–0.7 mm thick. The remaining outside part of the pen barrel is sanded using sandpaper, which is placed on a flat board. Since the plates are held perpendicular to the board, after grinding the end of the empennage will be pressed evenly against the arrow. The side faces of the tail rod are also polished. The feathers made in this way are glued to the arrow.

The selection and labeling of plumage for one set of arrows must be done from the feathers of the wing of the same name. Incorrectly applied fletchings (eg from different wings) can cause the arrow to fly differently than other arrows. The feathers glued to the arrows are fired with hot wire to give them a certain shape, for which a special machine is used. Currently, archery shooters use feathers purchased from various companies, which are made with high quality for any arrows and various types of shooting. You can tie the feathers with strong threads (silk, nylon, etc.) “Figure 16”

Figure 16

Put the string on shortly before shooting and remove immediately after.

Sew a case for the bow to prevent damage to it during transportation and storage.

Store onions in an upright position at room temperature and moderate humidity.

Shoot your bow at least once a month to keep it from getting out of the habit of shooting.

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You will need:

Materials

There are many types of bows and they are classified according to various parameters, including design, shape, location of the arrow and method of use. The choice of materials, in particular, depends on the latter. You can make real onions at home from:

  • wood (the simplest method, which we will introduce you to below);
  • PVC pipes;
  • plywood;
  • paper.

For the bowstring, fishing line, twine, nylon and lavsan thread, polypropylene, nylon, and Kevlar are suitable. Arrows are cut from birch and pine.

Design

A straight sports bow consists of a handle with a guide groove and arms located on either side of it. The size of the bow and arrows should be determined by the shooter's arm span in centimeters.

Blank

Take a look at the preparation for the future onion on a fine day. Almost any deciduous tree is suitable for us: hazel, birch, elm, oak, yew, lemon, bamboo, but the best are ash and white acacia.

Choose a strong, straight and flexible branch, the length of which is taken from the length of the future bow plus 30-40 cm of reserve. Make sure that the wood does not have knots or damage.

It is advisable to cut down a stick on a frosty day at a temperature of minus 10-15 degrees.

So, you already have a blank at your disposal. By the way, there is no need to remove the bark.

Coat the ends with oil paint and lay it upright to dry. The air in the room should not be too dry, the optimal temperature is between 20-28 degrees. Lay the stick so that the drying process occurs evenly and leave for 2-3 months.

Shaping

The workpiece has dried and is ready for further processing. We need to get a rectangular board from a log. This can be done with an ax, saw, or splitting with wedges (in the case of hard rocks).
The thickness of the board corresponds to the width of the handle - approximately 3 cm. But if there are defects, the thickness in this place needs to be increased.

Focus on the drawings of the bow and you will succeed.

Mark the side profile, separate the excess part with an ax, finishing the finishing work with a sharp knife and plane.
Then move on to the front profile. In this case, you will have to show special care and accuracy so that the shoulders turn out equally elastic. It is forbidden to bend the workpiece at this stage, since it is very easy to damage it.

The width of the handle should be 3/2 the width of the shoulder. The cross-section of the onion can be almost rectangular or lenticular - it depends on the initial thickness of the branch.

We proceed to the stage during which the bend is formed. As a rule, in enterprises, to obtain the result, wood is soaked in various solutions. We will not do this, but will turn to the old ancient method of processing wood using steam.

Steaming

The need for this process, first of all, is for the shoulders to become plastic and take the bend we need.

Both shoulders need to be steamed at the same time so that further drying occurs evenly.

Hold the onion over boiling water until it bends easily. Then place it in a pre-prepared slipway, in which the product will dry for 1-2 weeks. The location, number and shape of the clips depend on the desired bow shape.


After waiting the allotted time, the bow is taken out and notches are cut out at its ends, onto which the string will be attached in the future.

Bark

As you noticed, we did not touch the bark at all stages of the work. During steaming and captivity (in the slipway), it will begin to peel off, but some may remain.

Separate it with a wooden knife, being careful not to damage the fibers of the onion back. If in some place this cannot be done, simply sand it smooth.

Final stage

Wood, as you know, can dry out or gain moisture, which will negatively affect the properties and durability of the product. Therefore, we will impregnate our archery bow with melted fat or wax. You can also use mastic, varnish or paint.

It is important not to overdo it - the depth of impregnation should not exceed 3 mm, otherwise the elasticity will suffer.

Bowstring

Let us give an example of making a bowstring from lavsan thread No. 32 and twisted linen.

Make a rectangular shape from the bars, drive a nail along the edges. Tie a thread to one of them and wind it in a circle. With a tension force of 10 kg, 50 turns are enough for lavsan thread and 5 for linen thread. Wind it tightly enough so that there is no sagging.

Tie the loose ends and divide the string into two strands. Wrap the middle parts of each of them tightly with nylon thread for 8-10 cm in length.

Without removing from the block, wrap the ends in the same way to get loops for fastening.

Now we need to make a guide for the arrow. To do this, use a piece of foam or wood measuring 10x20 mm. They fasten it in the middle so that the angle between the string and the arrow axis is 90 degrees.


Load the string just before shooting and remove it immediately after.

Making arrows

Material

Take well-dried pine, spruce or birch boards 2-3 cm thick. Determine the length using the table below. It should not exceed the length of the bend of the bow.

There should be no knots in the wood, and the fibers should run parallel to the length of the workpiece.

You can also use more or less straight dry branches, which are peeled until smooth and straightened by heating over coals.

Marking

Saw the board to the required length and use a plane to reduce the thickness to 1.5 cm. Mark the end into squares and saw it lengthwise along the marks.

Then shape the workpieces into a 6-corner shape using a knife and file. After that, make them round using sandpaper. Ultimately, the diameter of the shaft should be no more than 7-8 mm.

plumage

This is an optional detail, but it contributes to stable flight and accuracy.

It is best to take strong feathers about 10 cm long and 3 cm wide; the flight or tail feathers of a goose, turkey, wood grouse and other birds are suitable for this.

Important: one arrow must have feathers from the same wing - right or left.

We cut each feather in half in the center of the shaft, then use the wide part. We shorten the shaft so that 1 cm remains before the beginning of the pile, then we cut off the feather on the other side, where the thickening is reduced to 1-0.5 mm. For one arrow we use three such feathers, so we make sure that their length is the same. From the same end we cut off 0.5 cm of pile, leaving the rod intact.

We attach the feathers to the shaft, stepping back 1 cm from the edge, and wrap them with thread on both sides at an angle of 120 degrees to each other. After this, you need to “sew” each one, making stitches every 1 cm with a needle and thread near the base, trying not to break the fibers. Now carefully glue this entire structure to the shaft and give the pile the desired shape.

Tip

You will need a triangular metal plate, the thickness of which will be equal to the thickness of the shaft. Make a recess in it for the tail of the triangle and insert the plate there, securing it with nylon thread.

The tip can also be made of stone, glass, a nail, or not at all, simply sharpening the end with a knife.

Buy or sew a special case in which you will store and transport the onions. You also need to make a quiver for the arrows.

Keep the instrument at room temperature in an upright position. Avoid places with high humidity and dryness.

Use it at least once a month to prolong its performance. But do not give it to other people, since this is a customized product made exactly to your specifications.

Do not forget that a homemade bow is a dangerous weapon that requires compliance with safety precautions. Do not shoot it in crowded places, keep it away from children and do not point it at someone, even as a joke.

We will tell you how to make a bow and arrows at home, from scrap materials. The article not only tells you how to choose the right rod for a bow or arrow, but also shows it in pictures. We will give you a lot of useful tips, if you follow which you will get a real bow and arrow. If you find yourself in the forest and urgently need to make some kind of fishing device, then again we advise you to read our material, it will be extremely useful.

Making a bow

A long time ago, the bow was the main weapon of people. For hunting and fighting, modern bows are undoubtedly superior to their predecessors, but if you have to hunt for food, then a bow can be very useful.

1. It is necessary to choose a large rod for our bow. Don't forget to take into account when choosing:

  • The stick must be strong and dry, there should be no cracks on it. It is worth choosing from hardwoods such as yew, oak, acacia, and lemon tree. The optimal length is 1.8 meters.
  • The rod we chose should be very flexible, for example juniper. You can even use young bamboo (it is flexible and durable), the main thing is not very thick.
  • You should choose already dry twigs; they will give much more strength than green ones.

2. We make grooves to install the bowstring. Using a knife, we make notches on each side of our rod. The distance at which they need to be done is approximately 3-5 cm from the end of the bow. They should look like a crescent and be located on the outside of the bow. Make the notches in such a way that they are not very deep (so as not to make the bow very thin in these places) but also not very small so that the string does not fly off.

3. Being in nature, you will have to try very hard to find a suitable material for the bowstring, you can use:

  • Fishing line.
  • Leg-split.
  • Skin flaps.
  • Laces.

4.Install the bowstring. Make secure knots on the bow string on both sides. Don't forget that the string is shorter than the bow, so that both the bow and the string are taut.

5.Check that the bow bends evenly. Be sure to check the bow's flex evenly as you adjust it properly.

Making arrows

1.For arrows we need to find suitable branches. You need dry, straight and even branches. Remember, the arrow size (length) should not exceed half the length of the bow. Let's look at the types of wood that can be used for arrows:

  • If you only find green branches (this is not the worst thing), they need to be given time to dry a little. Otherwise, the juice contained in them may catch fire while drying over a fire.
  • The best option for arrows is goldenrod, which can be found in the field. It has even, straight and strong branches.

2. Shape the arrows. We clean the branches until they are completely smooth. To straighten a branch, you can dry it over coals, then hold it straight until it dries. At one end of the arrow we make a cutout for the bowstring.

3.Make a sharp tip. In the forest it is difficult to find material for making a full-fledged arrowhead, so the most affordable option is to simply sharpen the end of the arrow with a knife, and then, to give it hardness, burn it on coals (the main thing is not to burn the arrow).

4. If possible, make full-fledged arrowheads. With some effort, you can make tips from, for example, stone, or glass, or from a tin can. We split the tip of the arrow a little and insert our tip there (for example, made of glass), you can secure it with a rope.

5.If possible. Feathering is necessary to give stability to the flight of the arrow, but you can do without it.

  • You can fish with a bow, make allowances for the refraction of the rays, so shoot a little lower than the fish.
  • When fishing with a bow, tie a rope to the arrow to avoid losing it.
  • The fletching of an arrow in a difficult situation (you are in the forest) is not at all necessary.
  • You should only check the tension of the bowstring with an arrow, otherwise the bow will very quickly become unusable.
  • Wrap the bow handle in wet leather and let it dry, this will give the bow more speed.
  • Test your bow for strength, bend it with your own hands, if it cracks and is about to break, it means it is not strong enough.
  • Make a cutout on the bow to make it easier to place the arrow.
  • To increase the power of the bow, you can make 2 completely identical bows and tie them to each other, the string should only be on the 1st.
  • The size of the bowstring should preferably be about 1.5 m.
  • Holes can be made in the arrows to make them lighter.
  • This bow will not last forever, but you can easily make a replacement for it.

Our warnings

  1. You need to know how to use a bow, and doing it quickly for hunting is very difficult.
  2. It is better to plan the onion only from the inside, otherwise it may lose its properties.
  3. It is better to take a bowstring with you on hikes; it is very difficult to make or find it in nature.
  4. The more often you use an onion, the faster it will deteriorate, and it can do this at the most inopportune moment.
  5. Handle the bow with care, it is a weapon after all.
  6. Keep bow and arrows away from children.

For making a bow and arrow with your own hands we will need:

  1. An elastic rod is about 1.8 m long and 12 cm in diameter, the most suitable tree is oak or yew.
  2. Bowstring: sinew, rope or fishing line.
  3. Woodworking tools: knife, file, axe, sandpaper if possible.
  4. Straight branches for arrows. About 80cm long, they can be straightened over coals.
  5. Feathering if possible. Feathers can be taken from a bird.
  6. Tip. You can use plastic arrowheads, or make your own.
  7. Steel wool sponge. It can be used to treat green branches.

The hunting bow is one of the oldest human weapons, used by our ancestors. These devices reached the apogee of their development in the Middle Ages - and the most powerful and accurate were not English ones (as was presented in literature for a long time), but oriental bows: Arabic, Korean and Japanese. The target range of their shot, taking into account the simplicity of the design in comparison with modern high-tech products, reached 200–220 meters, the maximum flight range of the arrow was 870–880 meters, and the tension force was up to 80 kg! Hunting bows are still used today, but some models are quite expensive. Therefore, we suggest you make such a tool with your own hands.

What is a hunting bow and its varieties

Initially, hunting bows were made exclusively from wood and had a simple arched shape. Somewhat later, simple models were replaced by composite ones, which first used ends made of bone, and then more complex designs from separately assembled parts: a central handle, a pair of shoulders and ends. Nowadays, block compound (or Olympic) options have been added to them. However, they are not used in hunting.

Collapsible bow design

In general, the current classification of hunting bows is the following division:

  1. According to the material of manufacture:
    • traditional (made of wood);
    • composite (from several materials).
  2. According to the structure of the main part:
    • classic (D-shaped in a bent form, that is, with one bend);
    • recursive (M-shaped, with several bends).
  3. By number of components:
    • simple bows - made from a single piece of material;
    • collapsible models - from several components.

Photo gallery: Modern hunting with industrial bows

Mathews Bow Compound Bow VilingStore Compound Bow Mathews CREED

Principle of operation

The principle of operation of classical bows (both traditional simple and recurve) is based on the creation of a pushing force that is imparted to the bowstring when the shoulders are straightened and provides the arrow with an initial speed that depends on the tension force. Moreover, the initial speed of the boom in a simple design also depends on these factors, while in block models, eccentrics located at the ends, synchronized with each other by a system of separate cables, are responsible for accuracy and speed.

A professional compound bow is made mainly from expensive and high-strength materials (carbon and fiberglass, magnesium and aluminum alloys, etc.) and contains a separate optical sighting system. In this regard, it is extremely difficult to make such a device yourself, and most importantly, very expensive. Therefore, further we will consider the assembly of hunting bows only of the classical type - both simple and complex recurve ones.

Photo gallery: Various designs of simple models


Materials and tools for manufacturing

To make a bow you will need the following tools and materials:

  • hacksaw;
  • plane;
  • strong rope (for the bowstring);
  • insulating tape;
  • plastic tube (for PVC bows) or wood (for traditional options).

As for wood, yew is considered the best - it was from this wood that the famous English bows were made in the old days. In the absence of this rare species, you can use larch, rowan, ash, hazel, willow, cedar, juniper or elm. In other words, the material must be homogeneous, flexible and beautiful.

Believe it or not, this is a homemade compound bow!

Manufacturing instructions

Simple model

To make a simple PVC hunting bow, you will need a piece of SCH 40 pipe about 2.5 cm thick and a length equal to the distance between the middle of your thigh and the fingertips of an outstretched hand. Measuring 1.5 cm on both sides, make cuts. Insert and fasten the string into them so that the maximum tension is approximately equal to the length of the bow.

The length of a simple bow is longer than a compound bow.

Attach to the string so that the maximum tension is approximately equal to the length of the bow

Unfortunately, a simple plastic bow can hardly be called a full-fledged hunting weapon - this will require a much more complex composite structure, in which 2 short pieces of a thin tube (to strengthen the shoulders) about 10 cm long will be inserted into the main pipe. For the handle, you will need 1 piece of slightly larger diameter.

Homemade bow made from PVC pipe and wood. Bowstring - silk thread

When making a structure from wood, it will be necessary to cut (plane) the main part of the bow, about 5 cm wide in the central part and 1.5 cm in the sides.

Photo gallery: Making onions in the forest from improvised materials


Simple homemade bow design

Video: Homemade bow using PVC pipes

Composite

A real hunting bow should be composite, and in shape as close as possible to modern high-class sports products. As a base, it is better to use flexible and non-layered wood from the lower and dense layers of trees growing in dark areas of the forest. For example, bird cherry, growing in open, dry clearings far from water, is good for “horns.”

The length of all three parts that form the bow (the base plus both horns) should not exceed 1.5 m - otherwise the bow may have greater range, but much less accuracy.

The step-by-step manufacturing technology will be as follows:

  1. The cleaned blanks are dried (not in the sun!), all 3 parts are planed and dried again. Then the base and horns are given their final appearance and dried in the bright sun.
  2. The kibiti elements are glued together with special store-bought glue or homemade fish glue (from digested bones or swim bladders of large fish).
  3. The finished kibit is dipped in melted animal fat (or cedar resin) for impregnation.
  4. The joints are additionally tightened with tendons or a dense flexible cord and soaked again, after which the finished bow is processed until smooth with a knife and, if desired, polished.

It is also possible to cover the base with strips of birch bark, and the horns and ends with overlays made of natural horn (or metal). However, such strengthening and creation of multi-layering is only relevant for weapons with a very high (more than 20 kg) tension force, which is hardly meaningful when hunting birds and small animals with a bow - except perhaps in terms of decoration.

Photo gallery: DIY compound bows

Compound bows drying after sizing
Homemade compound bows

Video: How to make a compound bow at home

Accessories

Making all the components of a bow at home is even easier than the main structure.

Bowstring

It can be twisted from nylon cord, although real hunters prefer natural material. Which is usually blood-soaked and dried rawhide rolled into a tube, 3-4 mm wide. Although it is inferior to modern, even inexpensive synthetic materials in terms of performance characteristics. The skin can be replaced with tendons from the vertebral part of large animals - elk, cows, etc. Or a bunch of natural silk threads can be used.

The bowstring is simply put on - first with a loop on one horn, and then, bending the end of the bow resting on the ground, on the second. For a recurve bow, the distance between the string and the handle should be about 15 cm, and the string must be removed when storing the bow.

Video: How to make a bow string

Arrows

The length of the arrows should be proportional to the length of the bow and the maximum tension of the bowstring. In practice, this means that when the bow is drawn, the arrow tip should protrude at least a few centimeters beyond the bow.

The diameter is approximately 6 mm, and the entire axis of the arrow must be perfectly flat. For small game and poultry, light wood is used - spruce, pine, birch. For larger animals - heavy and dense species (ash, hornbeam, oak). Arrows, like a splinter, are split from logs, after which they are shaped into long and thin round cylinders.

A slot is made in the end part for the bowstring, about 0.5 cm deep and slightly smaller in diameter than the bowstring. This is easy to check - an arrow mounted on a bowstring should not fall out of it, even if it is held vertically down. To do this, the feather is split in half, a 6-8 cm long section is cut out from the middle, the ends of the feathers are trimmed, and at a distance of about 1.5 cm from the edge they are completely cleaned (for tying the feather blanks to the arrow axis). For one arrow, 3 blanks are taken, evenly spaced around the perimeter.

Plastic can also be used as a material for plumage.

In principle, instead of feathers it is allowed to use plastic, thick paper and even hard leaves.

Arrowheads

At first, you can hunt small birds with arrows without tips. The main thing is that they are sharpened and hardened over fire.

The tip can be any hard material that can be sharpened to the shape of a narrow rhombus or triangle. Previously, these were pieces of flint or bone, now you can use tin shells from cans and even ordinary nails. Spoon arrowhead

Making your own hunting bows of good quality is a completely feasible task. Of course, they will be inferior to professional combat models, but they are quite suitable for hunting birds or small animals. Good luck!

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