Check out my new blog for more pictures and step by step instructions dansantanabows.com/how-to-make-a-board-bow/

I have to say of the hundreds of instructional videos I've watched this is the most well thought out and presented, very much appreciated !

How do you not have over 100k subs? No one is making this kind of content with the amount of information, great formatting and overall elegance that you are.

Amazing video! Thanks so much to have my music in your video Daniel! Cheers!

As a fence builder and surfboard shaped I find it fantastic that you use no electric tools. Even the music has no electric. Very calming. Thank you for this video. I may one day make a bow.

I just recently got into bow making being inspired by you, so I wanted to start off with something different. I started with an 80in ash sapling roughly 2.5in in diameter. I cut it down to 60in because the top was way too thin. I wanted to treat it like I was working on a real board bow, so I took time and effort in shaving each part carefully and removing the stuff areas. It was a pretty straight sapling, but I knew not properly drying it would make it have flaws, but I wanted to just use this as a practice opportunity before I commit to a board bow. I didn't have a draw knife, but I managed to find a spoke shaver, a paint scraper and a jack knife. For the last 3 days I've been whittling away at it. Today I started long string tillering, when I had the bow going nice and even, I attempted a short string tiller. I struggled to find the right draw length and strength for the tiller, either being too tight or too loose. At the time, I believed it to be the rope I found laying around was stretching quite a bit. When I got a decent tiller setup, I noticed a stuff spot near the center of the bow, so I undid the string and shaved away. Unfortunately, I think I shaved away too much. When I set up for the short tiller again, my bow snapped in that spot towards the front. It didn't completely break, but the break goes through the center of the bow and removing it would make the bow less than an inch thick around the grip. I learned a lot from the experience though and am excited to try again. I learned how to finally get down a decent timber hitch knot, that I took too much wood off of the stuff area, that I need to study more on short string tillering and bracing my bow properly. Although slightly discouraged by the outcome, I was expecting it to fail, since I didn't dry it properly and it being my first. I also should look at better ways to design my bow. I found I struggled to find ways to get my one end of the bow to be straight with the other. Lots of learning to do. Overall, I wanted to say thanks for your inspiration! Once I'm done practicing with saplings, I really want to attempt and commit to a board bow. So again, thank you!!

This is a great video. I wish I found this 10 years ago it would have saved me a lot of wasted money

The best traditional bow tutorial. Thank you!

Two words: audio books You got a good voice.

Dan Santana, God of Bows and Drawknives!

Finally a video from you! Great to see you back man!!

Good to see You back. Thank You for sharing.

Yes sir~ Welcome back sir~

This is a perfect video, packed with information, for a person aspiring to make the first bow. Excellent! What a pleasure to watch it.

Like the tune choices ya add to your vids.

I've been making my own bows for 4 years now. I learned by watching KZfaq videos and none if them had this much info. I watched tons of videos to learn everything that's in this one video. Great job making this video. I dont use any backing on my bows, well if I run across a snake on my property I use the snake skin to back my bows.

This is a SUPERB video and an EXCELLENT channel.

Compliments to your cousin. And to you.

This video is insanely good! I was going to make a recurve for my first bow but I think I'll start with a long bow design to begin. I was playing around with some left over ash I had and realized how flexible it is and thought wow this would be great for my first bow! Thanks for all the tips.

That is one of the best bow building videos I've seen

I watch ur videos to relax before bed

Best in detail, and in depth (not limited to)Bowyer channel on KZfaq. Not limited because it contains magic. So much information. Invaluable to a beginner..I refer back to this all the time. Thanks

Amazing ressource! So much important info packed into this video. This will help so many people

This is the greatest instructional video I have seen in all my years of watching KZfaq. It is superb, and the bow is an elegant work of art.

I will probably never make a bow, but I am a woodworker so anything is possible. Great content. Well written and produced.

I have been watching how to make a self bow videos on youtube for years, dreaming of attempting one myself. This is by far the best and most comprehensive video that I have watched. You cover things that other bowyers take for granted. e.g. how to put a burr on a scraper, or sectional wood removal and you even covered proper wood grain. I'm now making my own tiller stand and scraper tool from an old plane blade. Looks like I will be raiding every Bunnings in my town for straight grain boards this weekend. Thanks for your hard work.

My son wanted a bow. My first thought was, ok, I can make him one. After all, it can't be that hard, a stick with a string attached to both ends. So I started researching and got really interested. Looks simple enough in the videos. Well, I'm almost done after starting in the middle of December. 1st one, grain was running crossed, I snapped it on first draw. Second one...wormhole found when final sanding. It is an awesome hobby/skill. I am really enjoying it. This video helped soooo much. Thank you and all the bow makers out there

Wonderful tutorial. My partner and I will be apart for eight months starting next week, and we've recently built several bows to your design. She's far better at it than I am. We're glad to have spent some of our time towards such a rewarding, challenging, and ultimately cathartic craft. Your passion for the art and its sustainment is truly touching. Thanks for it all, mate.

This was so enjoyable to watch. Just the right information density, calmly and clearly explained. Even more than that, a beautifully shot video and I liked the music, too! It's amazing when aesthetics and utility go hand-in-hand.

Great video w/ wonderful teachings and fantastic music!!!!

I've watched this three full times now. It gets better each time. Your cousin is an incredible player, giving me some Francisco Tárrega vibes, that I really enjoy.

I honestly think I probably have watched all the board-Bo videos out there, and you have made the best! Thank you I'll probably end up watching this many many times.

One of the most beautiful crafting videos I have seen. I initially planned to watch it later, but after the first couple of minutes I couldn't stop and ended up watching it right then and there.

Best board-bow video I have seen. Like the music too. Just subbed to your channel.

Your videos are works of art, and they are the final kick up the arse that's getting me to finally take up this hobby. I have always been deeply interested, but have always been too lost to get going. Thank you for the inspiration and the effort you have put in to sharing your knowledge.

Found this from your post on Reddit... always wanted to make a bow... thanks much for this tutorial!

Excellent video! Also my wife bought the album. She wants to hear the song 'Anaclara' as our morning alarm. High praise!

Very informative.. I'm a long time archer, just starting to build my own. Much appreciated, subbed. Thx

Awesome! Great, organized step-by-step instructions. And entertaining! Beautiful result too. Thanks!

I made one exactly like this for a friend of mine and it turned out fantastic!

Production value: 100% Subscribed.

Wow! The artistry is incredible! Thank you!

When I was a kid back in the 70's, we had big, I think oak, tree in the backyard. As kids do, we ended up making a couple of bows from "hand chosen"😆🤣 branches and bank line. We made "arrows" with no fletching or arrowheads and those things flew! Not straight but the had some velocity! It was all good fun and games until someone (not me, i swear) launched one through the neighbors window shattering the whole window. Yeah, well, our bow and arrow days were over, but point being, those things worked!!🏹🏹

Best tutorial I’ve seen!! Ty so much!

I’m loving all your videos. Not only for the information but for the artistic production. Well done, sir.

I'm just here for the videography! These are some high quality videos

With the pandemic, I have watched most of the videos on KZfaq on bow making. This is one of the best. Thanks a lot for sharing your knowledge.

That music, and the outdoor scenes were PERFECT for this video. Great info!

Beautiful bow, beautiful music, beautifully filmed video.

I was getting into diy archery joined r/Bowyer A few weeks ago then found your channel a few days ago, thought you quit because covid then you make your magnum opus right when I need it best wood around here I could find was red oak and I'm going to start shaping it Sunday. I honestly think seeing your hour long video of technique helped more than reading saxon popes book over the last 2 months

Amazing detail in the process. Thank you!

Best instruction and presentation Ive see so far.. Excellent video.

Awesome video mate...learnt a few new skills thanks to you!

Thanks Dan. It's clear that you put allot of work and time into making this video! It was very educational and enjoyable.

Beautiful video. Inspiring and incredibly well recorded.

I live in Wisconsin but I’m in Dallas Texas now and I can’t wait to go home and make a bow.

I'm so glad I found this video! This is so incredibly helpful and exactly what a total beginner like me needs, thank you so much for this. I've been watching so many videos to try and get started but none of them come anywhere close to being as helpful and information packed as this video. Again, thank you so much!

Amazing, beautiful, brilliant, soothing, informative, creative content. I love it. Thanks for showing us this.

It was a pleasure to watch. Great production video. Thank you for sharing.

Huges from Brazil. Great tutorial.

The structure, clarity of information, and transition shots in this video made me feel like I attended a 5 day workshop. I am filled with inspiration and cannot wait to begin this journey. Thank you Dan!

I did a weeklong bowyer camp when I was 11 and the bow is still in my closet. I've been looking into bow making for a while because I want to get into archery (there's a range near my house) and this video so far has been super helpful. It's nice when the process is explained in a way that allows amateurs like me to understand what I need and don't need to do. A lot of other videos, while helpful, involve a lot of tools and time (6 months - 2 years to allow the wood to season if you harvest yourself) that I think may scare people away from bow making.

Such a pretty bow.

Beautiful work, plus your cousin’s music and your voice go along very well. I learned a lot !

This was awesome to watch. Thank you!

It was a pleasure to watch great production video. Thank you for sharing

Great job, wonderful video work and commentary. Thank you

Ještě jednou veliké díky za toto video.kazdej kluk si jako malej vyráběl alespoň jednou luk.tohle už je vysoká lukařská.💓👌👏

You’re voice is so calming and I’m happy I found a channel that answers all my questions

Very good excellent one of the very best I've seen on bow making for a beginner thank you!

What an awesome video. Thank you Dan.

What am I doing here I got an exam tomorrow

THIS VIDEO IS A MASTERPIECE!!! QUEDÓ HERMOSO BROH!!! 👏👏👏

Bro youre litterally the best on this platform. Your videos always gives me goosebumps. Ive been trying to get into making a bow and you have been the most helpful thanks!

Absolutely the best video I've seen on bow making. Excellent camera work and excellent descriptions. Thanks.

Nice Bow San! Shared!

Thank you for producing this content. Well-paced, understandable, clear and concise. Nice videography and music, too!

Accurate, informative instructions presented aesthetically. Sweet. Love your work, and art.

Super, super footage and advice. Thankyou.

Best instructions I’ve seen.

I stumbled on this video about 2 weeks ago and it totally inspired me to try and make one. I'm a woodworker and a bow hunter and have been wanting a longbow just to shoot for fun. So, this was perfect. Gave me a great excuse to buy a couple new tools, and learn some new skills. Now, Im totally hooked on the whole bowyer thing, and you're to blame.. thank you! Lol. A can't wait to start my next one...

Fantastic

This was wonderfully put together, beautifully shot and so clear! Thank you! 😁

Thank you for the Video. I was not expecting to watch a bow making video today. But boy I did watch the whole thing. The music you added from your cousin matched perfectly and was very relaxing. Keep up your good work. Feels like art to me. I guess I have to make a bow now..... Greetings from Germany

Best bow build video I have seen.... Great job!! You are an outstanding teacher my friend!!

Amazing one guys

Hello Dan , this was an awesome video for anyone starting in bow making. I picked up several tips that I can use. Thanks very much.

Perfect video

Your content is well beyond excellent. For the very first time in many years, I feel inspired. Thankyou.

Beautifully made video. Loved the music and your craft skills. It was so relaxing watching this project!

Love this

Wow, this is gorgeous. Bow, presentation, music, videography.... all of it.

I've been building bows board bows for about two years now and your video is one of the most informative, thank you. Last week I've stepped up from Red Oak that I had been using from Lowes to a stave of Yew for my first attempt using the optimal wood for a bow. After 8 bows This is my second or third time watching your video and I always learn something I'd missed from previous views, so thanks again!

excellent description on picking out a board and what to look for, this is very helpful. thank you

I'VE SEARCHED FOR DECADES FOR "THE PERFECT BOW-MAKING VIDEO", AND NEVER YET FOUND IT... ... UNTIL TODAY. UNTIL THIS VIDEO. NICELY DONE - PLUS you made it look FUN and EASY ! Cheers, -Mark Vogt | VOGTLAND OUTDOORS

Your video has helped me create my first bow, I’m in the process of tillering as we speak and should be done by Monday and ready to test. I appreciate this video so much, I blew out my knee and am in able to do athletics and this hobby/art has become my saving grace. So thankful I came across this

I LOVE everything about this video! I've been studying the art of the Bowyer before I get started in earnest. THIS video is just excellent. Thank you Dan. I'm even more excited to get started on my journey.

Excellent video and guitar music Dan!

Une vidéo absolument magnifique ! Un savoir faire extraordinaire, des explications d'une précision parfaite, des images à couper le souffle, une musique envoûtante et discrète, joyeuse et originale... Franchement, un véritable documentaire, passionnant, et d'une qualité professionnelle irréprochable, qui mériterait largement d'être projeté sur grand écran. J'ai passé un moment délicieux et instructif. Merci infiniment.

Fantastic video!!