Get started making bows with a cheap and quick to make PVC bow. Here’s what you need:
A heat source. I’ll be using a 1500W heat gun, but you can make do with a kitchen stovetop, or an open fire if you’re very careful.
Some scrap boards at least 30” long, and a few wood screws, to make a flattening jig.
Thick gloves
A saw
A chainsaw file or needle file,
Optional but handy: A rasp and a scraper.
Schedule 40 PVC pipe in 3/4” diameter. I used a 48” piece for a 43 pound bow. If you want a lower draw weight, make the bow longer. For higher draw weights, use thicker PVC.
Also optional are spray-paint and any other finishes you’ll be putting on the bow. Before you finish your bow decide whether function and practicality are more important than how the bow looks. If you need to adjust your bow in the future, the finish may get in the way.
To learn more about making PVC bows check out the awesome KZfaq channel Backyard Bowyer where I picked up many of these methods / backyardbowyer
Let’s get started.
1. Cut the bow to length. I started with a 48” piece. Try different lengths to decide what’s best for you.
2. Mark the center, and 2” on either side, for a 4” handle area. Then mark 6” from the tips to indicate the length of the stiff siyahs.
3. Make a flattening jig. There are better ways, but an easy one is to drive screws into the end of a board until they’re at the desired height. This setup isn’t as durable but its much easier than making a proper flattening jig.
4. Optional. Make a heating trough with aluminum foil and cardboard. I used a half-pipe of cardboard and wrapped it in foil. This isn’t necessary but really reduces heating times.
5. Heat the first limb, from one handle-mark to the tips. Make sure to keep the heat gun moving at all times. After a few minutes the limb will start deforming.
6. Press the pipe in the flattening jig once it’s soft. I like to remove the pipe before it’s fully cool to make adjustments. Make sure both tips line up through the handle at all stages of the build. I like to clip the bow down before pressing in the clamp to prevent it from rolling around.
7. Repeat the flattening process for the other limb and again ensure that the tips are aligned.
8. Heat the tip beyond the 6” mark until the pipe reverts to its round shape and is fully plasticized. Then press it flat perpendicular to the limbs. Repeat with the other limb. I used a vise to flatten the tips but you can do this by hand.
9. Draw a taper into the tips, from full-thickness down to .5” then follow the line with a saw. I used a coping saw but you don’t need one.
10. I used a rasp and scraper to clean up the saw marks. This isn’t strictly necessary but makes it easier to finish the bow.
11. Heat up the tips carefully then mold the gap created by sawing until it closes. At this point you can reflex the tips by about 3-4”.
12. Next heat the handle, and flatten it, either with a vise or by hand. Flatten the handle in the same orientation as the tips-perpendicular to the limbs.
13. I opted to heat and slightly deflex the limbs for stability and longevity, at the cost of a little arrow speed.
14. Once everything is cool you can cut your nocks and string the bow. I used paracord for this one because that’s what many of you will have. Since paracord will stretch as you shoot, I prefer to use an adjustable timber hitch/bowyers knot. For the upper loop I tied a simple overhand knot. If you don’t know how to set up a bowstring, here’s a guide on tying a bowyers knot • How to tie a `Bowyers ... .
15. If everything is aligned well at brace and when you draw the bow, you can go ahead and shoot it. Chances are you’ll have to make some corrections. When you do this, just heat the pipe enough to make your correction, never enough that it goes back to its original round shape.
16. Repeat until everything aligns well and you’re happy with how the bow bends. If you’d like to finish your bow you can do that at this point. I showed you a quick spray paint and electrical tape finish at the beginning of the video. The truth is that I don’t advise finishing your bow, that way you can make corrections if you need to.
17. Do you have a favorite historical, video game, movie, or superhero bow you’d like to see me make? Let me know in the comments and don’t forget to subscribe if you found this helpful or want to see more regular bow making and archery content.
Go make a bow!
-Dan
ROCKY TOP by Jason Shaw is licensed under a Attribution 3.0 United States License.
freemusicarchive.org/music/Ja...
CHASIN' IT by Jason Shaw is licensed under a Attribution 3.0 United States License.
freemusicarchive.org/music/Ja...