Just a little topic of general interest, inspired by Skyrim I saw http://img97.imageshack.us/img97/1368/skyrim20.jpg Skyrim and I got an urge to build a bow. Here's the pictures in chronological order.

Not exactly a "traditional" longbow, it combined new and old methods of bowmaking and general woodworking. It's made of laminated White Oak, Black walnut, Tagua ivory, and Laced Deer-skin. Stands 5 feet tall. It's also my first bow so it's far from perfect :sadvaultboy:

http://img222.imageshack.us/img222/2897/1002342y.jpg

http://img222.imageshack.us/img222/1443/imag0028ur.jpg

http://img219.imageshack.us/img219/3130/imag0029nx.jpg

http://img193.imageshack.us/img193/4792/imag0040a.jpg

http://img687.imageshack.us/img687/2122/imag0050o.jpg

http://img43.imageshack.us/img43/3573/imag0049p.jpg

http://img716.imageshack.us/img716/856/bow1g.jpg

http://img815.imageshack.us/img815/1598/1002351t.jpg

http://img705.imageshack.us/img705/3209/1002384q.jpg

http://img268.imageshack.us/img268/8411/1002385e.jpg

http://img8.imageshack.us/img8/4050/1002436s.jpg

http://img52.imageshack.us/img52/8315/bow1m.jpg

http://img831.imageshack.us/img831/2781/bow2.jpg

http://img155.imageshack.us/img155/9127/bow3.jpg

Now take a picture of you scaring the neighbourhood kids with it.

dude that is freaking cool! I wish I could make something like that. Don't beat yourself up about it. That is pretty sweet!

Groovy! I'm genuinely impressed. It makes me think I should really augment my sword collection with some bows, but making your own is something else.

Very nice, its a good looking bow. Does it work?

That's really cool! Was it hard to create?

Nice!

I've tried firing an authentic one... takes a lot of strength.

http://i485.photobucket.com/albums/rr212/Qeros/SAM_0409.jpg

:P



Looks more like a modern Recurve than a longbow, but it is very cool anyway. I used to be an archer, but my bows were modern fibreglass and wood types.



Next time do an arbalest.

That's one of the reasons crossbows supplanted them; it takes a long to to build up the strength and skill to use a full longbow, but a crossbow requires much less strength and training.

Wow, that's amazing! And you say it's your first bow? Very impressive. :goodjob:

This looks fantastic to my untrained eye. Seriously, good work.

Skyrim my disappoint, but you, sir, have not. ALL GLORY TO THE HYPNO TOAD!

What's the draw strength on the bow?

Awesome bow dude. I wish I could make something like that, looks like...ALL GLORY TO THE HYPNOTOAD.

LAWL

That looks really cool. I would be so ecstatic to use it. Only criticism I have is--ALL GLORY TO THE HYPNOTOAD!

I was honestly expecting something incredibly [censored]. How surprised was I when I see a very well made and nice looking bow? Very.

Wouldn't that be considered a recurve bow? Anywho, very nice.

Yeah, the bow does work. Though, I don't have any arrows on hand to shoot it

I can get a pretty good and stable draw from it, but Im reluctant to really heave it back, will try that in the days to come when I do actually have arrows to shoot. The bound leather was added to counteract the compression on the limbs, I think the epoxy and wood may loosen up as I use it more intensly, so I'll be able to do the full draw.


Im not really sure of the poundage. The last bow I fired was 75 pounds.. but that was many years ago and I've gotten a lot bigger and stronger since then, so I don't really hyave anything to reference it to. If I had to take a guess, I'd say about 90-100 pounds in full draw. I was hoping for more, but I'll give it a shot if I make another



Possibly. The definition is a bit fuzzy as the design is more of a hybrid. In length it more closely resembles a longbow, but it is recurved. I guess you could call it a "recurved longbow"

But... does it work?

get some arrows!!!!

Fixed.

>Very awesome

Really cool! Amazingly good for your first bow.

Why don't you make the arrows yourself. Bow and arrows, any less is useless. But of course keep them away from children just like any other firearms, they are lethal weapons afterall. Is there an archery range around your area?