Building a longbow or crossbow

[Rileyesi]

I am interested in building a longbow or a crossbow. I did a google search and got alot of information on buying them, but little on how to make them.

Can anyone recommend some books or sites?

Thanks.

[Joe Gorman]

fun Joe

[Guess who]

Google.... Make long bow ...

[Jim Polaski]

Years ago there was a set of books called "The Boy Mechanic" that was put out by Popular Mechanics. I remember they had a full description of making a long bow in one of the four volumes. The set is in reprints, I think at Lee Valley.

[cerskine]

Here's a site for bowmaking the old (really old) way:

[J T]

Tue, Jan 4, 2005, 5:39pm (EST+5) [e-mail] (Rileyesi) claims: I am interested in building a longbow or a crossbow.

First thing you need to do is, make up your mind which you want to make - they're radically different.

And, yes, you can find instructions for makiing both with google. Or, check the archives.

Then there's the fact you didn't say what you wanted it for.

JOAT EVERY THING THAT HAPPENS STAYS HAPPENED.

- Death

[Glenna Rose]

a thank-you for the years of work (*and* encouraging them to get their own computer and bookkeeping system). Among the plants they included were two small yew trees, planted either side of my sign (very appropriate for the name on the sign). I moved those plants twice, the second time to the office I purchased. When I sold it in 2002, the trees were fair sized. Because my eldest son told me killing a yew tree was bad luck, I didn't attempt to move them (though we moved nearly all the other plants/trees). When the buyers cut them to the ground, I was wishing I had the wood. Oh, well.

The sad thing is they took them to the dump even though one their friends wanted to try to move them.

It would be a cool thing to make your own bow. Good luck with yours, Rileyesi, and have fun. :-)

Glenna

[Andy Dingley]

_Really_ get a copy of Ralph Payne-Gallwey's "The Book of the Crossbow "

's a historical survey of crossbows and an excellent read. I've also used it as source material for a few reproductions (a crossbow, two mangonels and a few trebuchets)

Bowmaking is hard. I know I can't do it 8-) (two attempts and counting)

[J T]

Wed, Jan 5, 2005, 11:30pm (EST+5) [e-mail] (Andy=A0Dingley) advises: _Really_ get a copy of Ralph Payne-Gallwey's "The Book of the Crossbow "

No need. There is, or was, a copy on-line, complete I believe. Or at least all the pertinent parts. I'm fairly sure I posted a link to it, so it would be in the archives. The only possible glitch might be that it's in Russian. LMAO

On the other hand, there's on-line translators that will work to translate.

I've owned my copy (in English) for well over 20 years. Heh heh.

JOAT EVERY THING THAT HAPPENS STAYS HAPPENED.

- Death

[Andy Dingley]

Hmmm - this is one book where I'd want the paper copy, not the on-line. The illustrations are more valuable than the text and even well-done on-line content still doesn't have the sheer usability of a book.

Besides which, an old copy might be expensive (very expensive for an original one), but the modern reprint is yet another of those excellent ones from Dover where they've reprinted a useful old book at a very reasonable price. I share a lot of books with my friends - most of "this sort of thing" that we buy will get read by 3 or 4 of us. But we've all got our own copies of Payne-Gallwey.

One of the mangonels:

[J T]

Wed, Jan 5, 2005, 11:30pm (EST+5) [e-mail] (Andy=A0Dingley) posted: Bowmaking is hard. I know I can't do it =A0 8-) (two attempts and counting)

Ha, a couple minutes with google turned this up. I haven't bothered checking for more, maybe later. THING THAT HAPPENS STAYS HAPPENED.

- Death

[J T]

Here you guys go.

JOAT EVERY THING THAT HAPPENS STAYS HAPPENED.

- Death