Weekend PVC Bow Project

[Ad'lan]

PVC can be vulnerable to UV Damage, which makes it more frangible.

[sworbeyegib]

I would assume wrapping it in some sort of cloth or tape would both shield it from uv, and prevent any sort of "shards" from happening if snap did happen. Maybe some of that camo form stuff.

[northernxposure]

Also behaves differently in the cold. I'm not sure how cold FL gets, but I can tell you that an all wood bow shot up here in the fall can raise as much as 5-8# with the temps dropping. I have seen PVC shatter if stressed in the cold.

Like I said, while I'm not a huge fan of it I do appreciate the concept of it being a test bed to work on design, or make something to have fun with on the weekend. With relatively low poundage bows (35-40) I don't foresee any loss of life or limb, but if you're working with 70#+ pieces of bent PVC I think a helmet and some gloves would be a very good idea.

IMO.

NXP

[Geo]

has anyone made a crossbow with PVC? im going to make a regular bow using a fiberglass rod.I believe this will stiffen the bow and avoid breakage. Making a cross and a decent quality one will need some thinking. Probably use a rifle stock and the maybe a 2 inch ABS piping and flatten it. then form it. Like i said some thot into this.Ive watched the vids on bow making and i believe these guys are onto something great. I do like the breakdown bow .I just wonder how ;ong it will last if your splitting it and puuting to gether again -The problem im having is the wear down at the joints. But we all must learn-

[Dragonblight]

I'm not saying you guys were right, out of principle and ego, but the steel cable failed today. Completely non-spectaculary, too. The cable clamps acted as the weak point, and fatigue snapped it at the top clamps. Mind you, complely boring failure. Don't quote me, but I feel that because the steel is more maliable than springy, it didn't slap me silly.

Either way, I'm glad I did it. Learning experience and all that.

Now, what's all this about sewing thread strings I hear?

[Nalukai]

i made a PVC bow last year from a tutorial on youtube that cost about 20 bucks total, and that was 15 for the string itself. here are some pics.


before final project with just paint and some pipe foam for a grip.

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/83 ... w60lb.jpg/

i wrapped the shaft with camo gun/bow tape and used baseball bat grip tape for the grip in the final, and wheelchair stoppers for the ends to cover them up i hijacked from work.

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/82 ... 60lb2.jpg/

it shoots pretty nice from 10-20 yards; i hit the yellow 4/6 times with it. dont really use it much anymore since i got my browning coyote 70# compound now... but its a nice fallback, plus I have it notched to where its an easy takedown and doubles as a walking stick.

if you want to see how i did it the full video is on youtube here...

[res1cue]

Over the weekend, I decided to make another PVC bow only this time I took what I learned from making my last bows and improvised a few new ideas and made an even better bow. I tillered this one out and it pulled 59.4 lbs @ 28" draw!!! I can't believe I'm getting that much power from nothing more than a 3/4" peice of PVC. Not only that, but this bow will not break after a weekend of playing around with it. Oddly enough, I'll still be shooting this bow 2 years from now. I would have never believed this was possible.

To give credit where credit is due, I learned how to make this bow from watching BackyardBowyer's videos on youtube. He may not have invented PVC bows, but he damn sure refined it. He even wrote a book on it called 'The Impossible Bow'. I think since he's given enough free info on youtube that I've used, the least I can do is buy his book so that's on the Amazon wishlist now.

Anyhow, for anyone that wants to get into archery or just wants to learn how to make a quick and effective weapon, I really suggest you build one of these. It only takes a couple hours to complete and that's with the paintjob.

Here's some pics:


Bow is made from 3/4" schedule 40 PVC. I made a recurve design with 4" of reflex. I actually should have put more reflex into the bow to get the shape I was going for, but that'll be for my next project.


The handle is wrapped in 550 paracord and has an arrowrest made from PVC that I heated, sanded, and formed. I added felt to the side of the bow for a quieter and smoother arrowflight.


The string is made from polypropylene mason line and the string server is made from the nylon insides of 550 cord. I added felt to the knocks to extend the life of the string and a big peice of felt under the string at the end of the limb to quiet any string slap on the recurve.


All in all, I ended up with a very effective and fun bow for about $2 and a couple hours work. Can't beat that.

Very nice bow!

Quick question, I've made a few of these, and with schedule 40, 3/4" pipe, I can only hit ~40 lb draw weight. And that is with 6" recurve, 5" reflex and 0 deflex. How are you getting yours up to 60 lb? Did you decrease the length or something?

I am using an electronic scale, and I am wondering if it just isn't reading right

[Rebel Pariah]

tagged for further study and lurking, I didn't see a link to the "how to make it" portion

[Lycosa]

Over the weekend, I decided to make another PVC bow only this time I took what I learned from making my last bows and improvised a few new ideas and made an even better bow. I tillered this one out and it pulled 59.4 lbs @ 28" draw!!! I can't believe I'm getting that much power from nothing more than a 3/4" peice of PVC. Not only that, but this bow will not break after a weekend of playing around with it. Oddly enough, I'll still be shooting this bow 2 years from now. I would have never believed this was possible.

To give credit where credit is due, I learned how to make this bow from watching BackyardBowyer's videos on youtube. He may not have invented PVC bows, but he damn sure refined it. He even wrote a book on it called 'The Impossible Bow'. I think since he's given enough free info on youtube that I've used, the least I can do is buy his book so that's on the Amazon wishlist now.

Anyhow, for anyone that wants to get into archery or just wants to learn how to make a quick and effective weapon, I really suggest you build one of these. It only takes a couple hours to complete and that's with the paintjob.

Here's some pics:


Bow is made from 3/4" schedule 40 PVC. I made a recurve design with 4" of reflex. I actually should have put more reflex into the bow to get the shape I was going for, but that'll be for my next project.


The handle is wrapped in 550 paracord and has an arrowrest made from PVC that I heated, sanded, and formed. I added felt to the side of the bow for a quieter and smoother arrowflight.


The string is made from polypropylene mason line and the string server is made from the nylon insides of 550 cord. I added felt to the knocks to extend the life of the string and a big peice of felt under the string at the end of the limb to quiet any string slap on the recurve.


All in all, I ended up with a very effective and fun bow for about $2 and a couple hours work. Can't beat that.

Very nice bow!

Quick question, I've made a few of these, and with schedule 40, 3/4" pipe, I can only hit ~40 lb draw weight. And that is with 6" recurve, 5" reflex and 0 deflex. How are you getting yours up to 60 lb? Did you decrease the length or something?

I am using an electronic scale, and I am wondering if it just isn't reading right

My bow started as a 48" piece of 3/4" schedule 40 PVC. I was surprised at how much it tillered out at, but I just used a standard digital scale that I zeroed out when I had the tillering stand (a 2x4 with a nail at 28") setting on it with the bow. I'm not guaranteeing accuracy from that scale since it's just a standard weight scale, but I'm sure I hit the ballpark with it.

[Dragonblight]

tagged for further study and lurking, I didn't see a link to the "how to make it" portion

http://backyardbowyer.com/

I half-assed it, and then went to the webside, and said 'oooooooohhhhhhhhhhh' and all was right in the world.

[res1cue]

Over the weekend, I decided to make another PVC bow only this time I took what I learned from making my last bows and improvised a few new ideas and made an even better bow. I tillered this one out and it pulled 59.4 lbs @ 28" draw!!! I can't believe I'm getting that much power from nothing more than a 3/4" peice of PVC. Not only that, but this bow will not break after a weekend of playing around with it. Oddly enough, I'll still be shooting this bow 2 years from now. I would have never believed this was possible.

To give credit where credit is due, I learned how to make this bow from watching BackyardBowyer's videos on youtube. He may not have invented PVC bows, but he damn sure refined it. He even wrote a book on it called 'The Impossible Bow'. I think since he's given enough free info on youtube that I've used, the least I can do is buy his book so that's on the Amazon wishlist now.

Anyhow, for anyone that wants to get into archery or just wants to learn how to make a quick and effective weapon, I really suggest you build one of these. It only takes a couple hours to complete and that's with the paintjob.

Here's some pics:


Bow is made from 3/4" schedule 40 PVC. I made a recurve design with 4" of reflex. I actually should have put more reflex into the bow to get the shape I was going for, but that'll be for my next project.


The handle is wrapped in 550 paracord and has an arrowrest made from PVC that I heated, sanded, and formed. I added felt to the side of the bow for a quieter and smoother arrowflight.


The string is made from polypropylene mason line and the string server is made from the nylon insides of 550 cord. I added felt to the knocks to extend the life of the string and a big peice of felt under the string at the end of the limb to quiet any string slap on the recurve.


All in all, I ended up with a very effective and fun bow for about $2 and a couple hours work. Can't beat that.

Very nice bow!

Quick question, I've made a few of these, and with schedule 40, 3/4" pipe, I can only hit ~40 lb draw weight. And that is with 6" recurve, 5" reflex and 0 deflex. How are you getting yours up to 60 lb? Did you decrease the length or something?

I am using an electronic scale, and I am wondering if it just isn't reading right

My bow started as a 48" piece of 3/4" schedule 40 PVC. I was surprised at how much it tillered out at, but I just used a standard digital scale that I zeroed out when I had the tillering stand (a 2x4 with a nail at 28") setting on it with the bow. I'm not guaranteeing accuracy from that scale since it's just a standard weight scale, but I'm sure I hit the ballpark with it.

I see, I have been using 60" pipe, so maybe the stacking effect is upping your poundage

[Lycosa]

I see, I have been using 60" pipe, so maybe the stacking effect is upping your poundage

I'm guessing that is probably it. It makes sense that if you have 2 different lengths of the same material & thickness, the shorter one will require more force to flex.

[res1cue]

Some of my recent work, all of these bows are takedown, and the longbow actually has an arrow rest, but I can't decide if I like it or not

reflexed bow for my boss (he is really tall, and I should have used 1 1/4" pipe), but it is 45 lb @ 32"



horse bow for my friend (55lb @ 28")



Longbow (70lb @ 28")



recurve bow (60 lb @ 28")

[Lycosa]

Some of my recent work, all of these bows are takedown, and the longbow actually has an arrow rest, but I can't decide if I like it or not

reflexed bow for my boss (he is really tall, and I should have used 1 1/4" pipe), but it is 45 lb @ 32"



horse bow for my friend (55lb @ 28")



Longbow (70lb @ 28")



recurve bow (60 lb @ 28")

Really nice work!

I love that horse bow. That's pretty much what I was hoping mine would look like after I had finished it, but I didn't have quite enough reflex/deflex to pull it off. I guess it's time to pull out my heat gun...

[res1cue]

Thanks! Be careful though, because getting the reflexes in symmetrically was hard for me, it took a lot of retrys and sometimes I burned the pipe and had to throw it away.

[res1cue]

Update:

All of my bows have held up just fine. As for the theory that bows may get brittle in the cold, it was 7 degrees this morning and I shot it without any problems. I think as long as you properly taper the limbs, the weight distribution prevents too much force being applied in one area.

Went to a field the other day, and shot my new 50lb shortbow, and the following pic is a 200 yard shot, with my home made dowel arrow

[KJ4VOV]

Update:

All of my bows have held up just fine. As for the theory that bows may get brittle in the cold, it was 7 degrees this morning and I shot it without any problems. I think as long as you properly taper the limbs, the weight distribution prevents too much force being applied in one area.

Went to a field the other day, and shot my new 50lb shortbow, and the following pic is a 200 yard shot, with my home made dowel arrow

Please tell me that's not a public road you're shooting towards?

[Leckie]

I don't know if this is appropriate, but here goes:

I'm wondering if someone would be interested in making a bow for me and shipping it to Norway? I would like to have something to compare to when I try making my own.

For a fee of course ! Expenses and shipping will be covered by me.
Send me a message!

[Slugg]

Would you guys hunt with one of these PVC bows? I'd be interested to hear from a Park Ranger what he would do if he came across someone using one of these on state land to hunt.

[IceMyst]

Wow I love bows and I guess never thought of PVC as a viable material. I have an old shitty compound bow that's a 65# draw and been looking for something else. one of these might be pretty cool to make.


And also.... Damn you now I'm going to have to start making bows and my apartment cant hold much more of my projects!

[Silent Kube]

Hopefully this isn't a dupe but I just ran across these videos on making a PVC survival bow that breaks down into several small pieces. Looks like it performs pretty well.

http://youtu.be/em5TrdiN1E0

Part 2

http://youtu.be/twNH5Ew_nV0

He also made some takedown arrows

http://youtu.be/hg7VkJELpi8

I think I found a weekend project for if I ever have a weekend when I don't already have a project.

[Ad'lan]

Dupe Thread Merged in, sorry Silent Kube.

[Silent Kube]

I'll accept your judgement but I want to note these videos are for a different model although made by the same guy. This one breaks into several pieces for easy carrying in a pack or even a pocket.

[IceMyst]

Hopefully this isn't a dupe but I just ran across these videos on making a PVC survival bow that breaks down into several small pieces. Looks like it performs pretty well.

http://youtu.be/em5TrdiN1E0

Part 2

http://youtu.be/twNH5Ew_nV0

He also made some takedown arrows

http://youtu.be/hg7VkJELpi8

I think I found a weekend project for if I ever have a weekend when I don't already have a project.

Thats pretty cool! I might have to make one of these first... that's awesome! now I can EDC a bow and be a ghetto mall ninja!!