# Pvc bows



## a father (Sep 16, 2014)

I was wondering if anybody has made one.I know they won't be as efficient as a compound bow however I follow this guy on YouTube called backyardbowyer and he makes some nice looking bows with 40 to 50 pound draw strength. Would be a nice bow on a pinch and good for small game in a take down form so you don't wear out your primary. If you have pics post em. Thanks.


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## HuntingHawk (Dec 16, 2012)

Big drawback is pvc is flexible in the summer heat & brittle in the winter cold. So its restrictive use.


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## James m (Mar 11, 2014)

I have made primitive looking bows with mason line and branches in the past. The bicycle one looked good, cut the rim in half, then the inner tube is the string. 

The youth bows come on sale after it gets cold. I have seen the ones with the wheels and the other types. Dual use, or put the kids to work.


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## survival (Sep 26, 2011)

I made one years ago and I've seen some youtube videos on them as well. The one I made broke in half when going to put the string on, but it was pvc that had been left out in the weather for quite some time. I wouldn't mind trying again though.


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## Kauboy (May 12, 2014)

Is there a particular reason you're looking at PVC for making a bow, and not just a wooden one?
Making a 40-50lb draw weight longbow from a 1x2 of Oak or Pecan(Hickory) isn't very hard, and can be done with hand tools.
I know, I've made 5 or 6 by hand with stock I bought from Lowes.
Taken care of, they will outlast dozens of PVC bows.


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## James m (Mar 11, 2014)

Kauboy said:


> Is there a particular reason you're looking at PVC for making a bow, and not just a wooden one?
> Making a 40-50lb draw weight longbow from a 1x2 of Oak or Pecan(Hickory) isn't very hard, and can be done with hand tools.
> I know, I've made 5 or 6 by hand with stock I bought from Lowes.
> Taken care of, they will outlast dozens of PVC bows.


Can we hear more about the 1x2 wooden bow please? I'd be interested.


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## Kauboy (May 12, 2014)

James m said:


> Can we hear more about the 1x2 wooden bow please? I'd be interested.


It's quite simple, and I take no credit whatsoever.
I got interested in making bows after seeing some handmade ones at a Renn Fair.
It had never occurred to me that a real working longbow could be made by hand... even though all of my native american history classes told me it was more than possible.
One of those mental blocks that you never knew existed until it gets lifted out of the way and the world opens up, ya know?

Anyways, I started looking around online for a beginner instruction on how to make one.
I found a site called Poor Folk Bows. It was a personal site of a guy who lived in an apartment and had a passion for making bows in the confined space he found himself in.
He had a full, step by step with pictures, instructional on how to select the right 1x2 of Red Oak, how to prepare it, cut it, align it, shave it, string it, and flex it.
By the end, I had a functioning "Red Oak board bow", from not much more than local hardware store lumber and a few hand tools, with a 28" draw length and ~35-38lbs of draw weight.
I was amazed!

I've since had great success making bows using the same method, but not applying the backing material, leaving beautiful full grained wood showing through.
I am in no way affiliated with this guy, but I recommend his site to anyone interested in bowyery. He was literally my "jumping off point" and I owe it all to him, and he'll likely never know.

Check it out: How to make a red oak board bow

The site has many other instructional pages for other bow types, as well as other hobbies he has.

Edit:
Here are a few unfinished bows I've started using the above instructions as reference:








left to right:
72" unbacked Red Oak with multi-layer Poplar riser(now finished)
72" unbacked Red Oak with Cedar heartwood transition riser (now finished)
60" unbacked Red Oak with (I forget) riser(broke :frown
72" unbacked Pecan with Paduk riser (this one actually has a full taper to the riser)
80" unbacked African Mahogany with Lemonwood and Paduk riser (much larger because I'm not sure how well this wood will work)


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## Ralph Rotten (Jun 25, 2014)

Way cool.

Technically, that pic gives me wood.


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## Carp614 (Jan 21, 2013)

They did it on Alaska the last frontier Christmas episode.


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## SARGE7402 (Nov 18, 2012)

a father said:


> I was wondering if anybody has made one.I know they won't be as efficient as a compound bow however I follow this guy on YouTube called backyardbowyer and he makes some nice looking bows with 40 to 50 pound draw strength. Would be a nice bow on a pinch and good for small game in a take down form so you don't wear out your primary. If you have pics post em. Thanks.


I tried what he was showing and mine didn't turn out real well. However these folks - http://stores.ebay.com/kparchery?_trksid=p2047675.l2563 - sole me an unfinished bow for right at 20 dollars including shipping (pull at 25#).


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## survival (Sep 26, 2011)

Kauboy said:


> Is there a particular reason you're looking at PVC for making a bow, and not just a wooden one?


I think the OP is saying in a HTF situation where pvc can be found quickly and converted.

btw, nice hand made bows!


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## a father (Sep 16, 2014)

Kauboy said:


> Is there a particular reason you're looking at PVC for making a bow, and not just a wooden one?
> Making a 40-50lb draw weight longbow from a 1x2 of Oak or Pecan(Hickory) isn't very hard, and can be done with hand tools.
> I know, I've made 5 or 6 by hand with stock I bought from Lowes.
> Taken care of, they will outlast dozens of PVC bows.


Trying my hand in these first to determine what I can make. Another thing is the PVC bows will be just for fun and shooting around. Also, don't know how I could take doing all the work only for it to break while stringing it lol. However, after I make a few PVC bows I was planning on moving onto wood ones. I like the ones you did thanks for sharing.


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## Draq wraith (Oct 25, 2015)

Dirty rotten survival had interesting PVC bows reinforced with plastic rebar looking things that were taped together. One boyer out of three hog hunting hit anything. Two didn't get to shoot a darn thing. The one who hit the hog never found his prey.
Now think about that only one guy hit something and never round it.
Effectual? Not in the least with out practise.


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## [email protected] (May 23, 2018)

I like that guy! He always has a good attitude and has come a long way since I first saw him. I even see he published a short book on making them and sells them on Amazon. Cool guy!

As for PVC they may not last long but PVC is always easy to find at least in most places except the deep woods.


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