The Bow Project - 2011

Started by guest2859, February 21, 2011, 09:43:54 PM

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guest2859

Okay, why not put this year into a perspective? As in, actually try to get into the spirit of the tribe? Well, I have an idea of what I'm doing and what we should all do and eventually will do, build a bow. Not saying you have to go shooting yerìk with it, just saying build one and see if it works. So, this isn't mandatory but encouraged, but this is all we need to do.

(Go as fancy as wanted)

Requirements:
1 - Bow
1 - Arrow

Rules:
1) Bow must be made of natural materials, don't go welding anything
2) String can be made naturally, or have yarn in place. No elastic, please...
3) Must shoot more than 10 feet in 3 seconds (Remember, a place in the people means honesty, whether by typing or video)
4) By Hand, you may BUILD the tools, but you can't use anything metal, except a pocket knife.

Due Date: (Again, not mandatory)
August 1, 2011

Now remember, I never said you can't get help from everyone else. I would just like to see if we could learn not by schooling but by experience.

Neyn'ite Te Tsahìk Txeptsyìp'ite

#1
this is a really cool idea! I'd definitely try it out if I could figure out (and obtain) the materials necessary to make a bow, as well as the arrows.

EDIT: is it okay if I post this, ma Eana? ;)

http://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Natural-Bow-and-Arrow

unfortunately, I'm not sure I could make one; the trees we have locally (I'm in southern Florida) are not very reliable for wood. :[
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oel ayngati kameie, ma aysmukan sì aysmuke, Eywa ayngahu.
oeyä tsmukan, ma Nick, oeru ngaytxoa livu. nìmwey tsurokx. nga yawne lu oer.

Key'ìl Nekxetse

Interesting idea, but I don't have time or resources for anything like this right now.
Here's an interesting article on the Native American type bows:
http://www.wildwoodsurvival.com/survival/hunting/bowandarrow/men87/index.html
A couple of things I noted:
"The best bow woods are Osage orange (bois d'arc), yew, and ash."
"I season my staves by storing them in the shed until spring, then bring them indoors until the wood has aged for a full year."
"Native American bowyers finished their weapons with rendered bear or deer fat, applied warm."
Key'ìl Nekxetse on "The Revolutionists"
~$ life --help
The program life received signal SIGSEV. Core dumped.

Neyn'ite Te Tsahìk Txeptsyìp'ite

I wouldn't have the resources here, however, I'll be visiting Elkhart, Indiana (my hometown is Edwardsburg, Michigan, about 20 minutes north) and my dad has tools he could probably help me make a bow. :D
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oel ayngati kameie, ma aysmukan sì aysmuke, Eywa ayngahu.
oeyä tsmukan, ma Nick, oeru ngaytxoa livu. nìmwey tsurokx. nga yawne lu oer.

Tonbogiri

SOunds like a challenge!

I'm up for this.


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Na'viru san LearnNaviyä sìk oel olo'txepit nerekx siveiyi talun
    lì'fyari leNa'vi 'Rrtamì, vay set 'almong a fra'u zera'u ta ngrrpong...

Nantxe'lan

#5
i was actually going tu build some bows and try out different combinations of building styles (combining techniques form all over the world and pick out the best ones, so to speak) and usage of "nonconform" woods. so i'm up for this anyway ;D

a hint: you can reduce the time to "age" the staves to about 2 or 3 weeks, by storing them hot and dry. some bow crafters build special containers (so called heat boxes) to dry the wood. but it is rather difficult to get the right temperature. too hot and the wood will dry too fast and therefore will most likely splinter quite easy. if the temperature is low, it will take a whole lot longer, but it is the most save way to dry the wood.

one advise to everyone who doesn't have experience with building bows:
building a bow doesn't require much of crafting skills. it's more about patience, eye messure and "feeling the wood", especially when it comes to tillering the bow. (IIRC this is even mentioned in Key'ìl Nekxetse's link).
don't fall into despair if your bows keep breaking while tillering or even on the bow's maiden draw. everyone who has experience in building bows can confirm that it might even take years to develop necessary feeling for the wood.
it took more than two years of practice until i was able to build bows good enough to sell.

therefore you can learn the basics of bow crafting just by trying to build one. but i'd say noone can teach you the experience. just keep trying.
but if anny questions occur, feel free to ask. ;)
"All I ever wanted in my sorry-ass life was a single thing worth fighting for."
"Sometimes your whole life boils down to one insane move."
Atxkxe - I somehow love this word.

Oeru syaw Nantxe'lan taluna oeri txe'lan 'efu na txe'lan nantangä.
[img]http://i1214.photobucket.com/albums/

nawma skxawng

I built my bow out of maple, a common tree in connecticut, the arrow, at least for now is a dowel

[url=http://j.mp/USEastLN][img]http://j.mp/e2FA8X[/img][/url]

'Awvea ultxari ohengeyä, nawma sa'nok lrrtok siveiyi

Neyn'ite Te Tsahìk Txeptsyìp'ite

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oel ayngati kameie, ma aysmukan sì aysmuke, Eywa ayngahu.
oeyä tsmukan, ma Nick, oeru ngaytxoa livu. nìmwey tsurokx. nga yawne lu oer.

nawma skxawng

Yeah, still having trouble finding feathers for fleching, and I accidentally cut one area too thin, so I really reduced the draw weight, but it is a good prop piece

[url=http://j.mp/USEastLN][img]http://j.mp/e2FA8X[/img][/url]

'Awvea ultxari ohengeyä, nawma sa'nok lrrtok siveiyi

Neyn'ite Te Tsahìk Txeptsyìp'ite

very cool :D wish I had the resources to make a bow :[

a little OT but I watched a movie today called The Breed and a character (ironically, played by Michelle Rodriguez) got an arrow shot through her leg; WOW that looked painful; just watching it was painful! HRH ;D :o
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oel ayngati kameie, ma aysmukan sì aysmuke, Eywa ayngahu.
oeyä tsmukan, ma Nick, oeru ngaytxoa livu. nìmwey tsurokx. nga yawne lu oer.

'Itan Atxur

I think this idea is awesome. I thought about doing something like this a while ago but never got around to it. I seem to remember another member (Letxuma Swìzaw?) building a bow and posting pics a while ago. I got a bit more time now so maybe I'll give it another go.


-Itan Atxur

;D ;D


P.S. Do we really need this topic to be stickied?

Check out more from my DeviantArt page HERE

Pino

Here is additional information about primitive technology.

Website link: http://www.primitiveways.com/

For the Bow Project, Look at a section called: PRIMITIVE TOOLS & PROJECTILES and then Archery.

Tonbogiri

I think the reason it is a sticky is because it's like a contest-thingy. Ideally, we would all start making bows and recording their statistics to determine the best design (or builder).

Still trying to find the right wood for mine! Plus arrows.


old gallery link?id=2051[/img]

Na'viru san LearnNaviyä sìk oel olo'txepit nerekx siveiyi talun
    lì'fyari leNa'vi 'Rrtamì, vay set 'almong a fra'u zera'u ta ngrrpong...

Tskoswizaw

I have made many bows in my experience, and I have only made one without widdeling at all and it was only around 6 ft/sec. best i made is a lot better then that, but requires the wood to be soaked and stuff. But if there is a maple tree that fell over naturally and splintered, you can use that as a staff, although i need to experement in a natural string, probably spinning is our best bet.
GENERATION 17: The first time you see this, copy it into your sig on any forum and add 1 to the generation. Social experiment.

eejmensenikbenhet

Some info you may have missed or you didn't notice:
The Na'vi use their bows as if they're all leftys. The bow is held in the right hand and the string is drawn with the left hand. Te back of the hand is faced to the shooter's face so the hand is twisted.

Navi

yeah but you can't choose your hand you would use to shoot, it's a matter of your eye, one of your eyes is stronger than the other one, and this eye decide which hand you'll use to shoot. ( i'm happy to shoot with my left hand like the na'vi :D )

Yayo

During my first use of a bow (I shoot left handed), I actually found this technique easier than the correct way.


Yayo on facebook
Skxaypxe: callofdoty95

'Itan Atxur

Unless there is serious objection, I'm going to unsticky this topic. It's a good topic, but not a topic vital to the tribe.

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Tirea Atstunwi

#18
I like that idea. I have a carpenter's workshop near my house and i think i will go there and buy a piece of walnut tree. I guess this kind of wood is very rough and it will be suitable for bow building. It is also very hard to bend so (i think) it will provide me with a lot of lbs force. I have also a lot of space and a lot of tools to start working (except from furnace). Your posts ma Neyn'ite Te Tsahìk Txeptsyìp'ite, Key'ìl Nekxetse sì Pino was very helpful  ;). Hmmm, i must find ballistic gel. Does anybody know if there is a problem because i'm left-hander? I guess there is no problem with that.
P.S. This topic may not be vital to the tribe but it has fun and it provides the creativity of the tribe.

Ta Tirea atstunwi.

'Itan Atxur

I just moved it to a more relevant board instead.


;D ;D

-Itan Atxur

Check out more from my DeviantArt page HERE