# A Bow Build-Along for Evan!**COMPLETED PICS**



## longbowdave1 (Jul 12, 2011)

Last week me and Mike were sitting around the campfire with friends at the Northwoods campground. During conversation, a friend asked if i had any of my bows along. Well before i new it, Mike was carrying a couple out to pass around the fire. Ms. Karen really liked the bows and asked if I would make one for her 5 year old grandson Evan, I grinned from ear to ear and said yes! Building the kids bows is a special privledge for me. This will be Evans first "real bow" and he will have his dad who is a bowhunter, to teach him. This could be the bow he will always remember from the faded picture, when he is grown and has kids of his own. Being a gift from his Grandma will make all the more special. Maybe his Dad will even come to the trad side?????
 I'm going to make a sweet little 48" R/D longbow for him. Going to be a classic looking bow with Sapele', Hard Maple and black glass.Thought i would even through some hard maple tip overlays to really contrast the black glass. A sweet soft leather hadle wrap and he will be in business! I guess the boy will need a quiver and some arrows too, sound like a complete package coming his way.


 Tonight i cut all the laminations and the riser pieces i will need. Got the lamination pairs glued and the riser block as well. The glass should be waiting for me tomorrow when i get home. I'll try and get it glued up tomorrow night.


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## whossbows (Jul 12, 2011)

hey dave ,i will be glad to make him a side quiver,right or left?


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## longbowdave1 (Jul 12, 2011)

That's very generous of you, but i promised Ms. Karen i would make him a Woodland weave back quiver too. I have some genuine BigJim kids arrows for the bow too.


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## whossbows (Jul 12, 2011)

good deal,,get them when they are little,make a fine archer someday,now you got me fired up again,i have enough of the flaming box elder to make another bow,guess i need to get started in a day or to,look for another build along,


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## longbowdave1 (Jul 12, 2011)

I'm sure it will be another good looking bow! Post some pictures1


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## jerry russell (Jul 12, 2011)

Looks like more seeds for the roots of archery...

Thanks guys for making a big difference.


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## Ellbow (Jul 12, 2011)

Dave you are so talented. You are such an asset to trad archery!  Thanks for all you do....by the way got the sticker! Thanks again!
El


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## longbowdave1 (Jul 13, 2011)

Thanks El but I'm just one small potato in the pot of traditional stew! 

 Day 2 and the bow is in the oven!

 A little shaping of the riser block, final prep on the lamimnations, and prepping the glass, and it' was ready for the glue-up and then the oven.


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## longbowdave1 (Jul 13, 2011)

Tomorrow I'll pull the sticky, curvey mess off the form and with any luck, I'll have a string on it for the first time!


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## longbowdave1 (Jul 14, 2011)

Tonight was a good night working on Evan's bow.  I  pulled it from the form, traced out the limb pattern, and cut them to shape. After some sanding, it was time to cut in the string grooves and string it up for the first time. I heard the heartbeat of a new longbow today!
 After tracing out the sight window, I cut it on the bandsaw, and finished up with the hacksaw. A little bit of work with the file, and we have a roughed out sight window. Finished up the day by gluing on the Hard Maple tip overlays.
 The next step is to sand, sand, and sand some more on the riser as well the rest of the bow. It's really taking shape now!


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## longbowdave1 (Jul 14, 2011)

Taking shape!


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## longbowdave1 (Jul 14, 2011)

I like to think of it as " a bow just like the grown ups use" rather than a kids bow because I use all the same materials and steps on the little guys!


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## johnweaver (Jul 15, 2011)

Thats has the look of a mighty fine bow.


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## longbowdave1 (Jul 15, 2011)

Thanks John.



Day 4 and the little bow is ready for the spray booth.  
It was an afternoon of sanding and shaping the riser, cleaning up the tip overlays and sanding the glass. Tomorrow I'll spray the finish on!


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## longbowdave1 (Jul 15, 2011)

I'm liking the simplicity of the color sceme and the maple tip overlays contrasting the black glass.


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## NavyDave (Jul 16, 2011)

Puuuurrrrttttyyyy!!


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## longbowdave1 (Jul 16, 2011)

Thanks Dave, i think your going to like the finished product.


 Day 5. I sprayed  four coats of finish on the bow this morning, we'll see how she looks in the morning. While I was waiting for the bow to dry, I picked up some more supplies for Evan's quiver and cut the pieces needed for the build. I down sized to 3/8" reed from the 1/2 " reed I use for the adult quivers. I just finished weaving the quiver tonight, 3" diameter and 18" long.


 P.S. The little ol' ladies at the basketry shop say hey to ya'all!


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## longbowdave1 (Jul 16, 2011)

The quiver will dry overnight and tomorrow I will manicure all the loose stuff and spray the  Walnut stain/sealer on the quiver. Then it will be back to the bow. Leather wrap on the riser, calf hair rest, and string silencers.


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## pine nut (Jul 17, 2011)

What a great thing you are doing!   You are touching and molding a child's life.  Great work as well.  Bless you!


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## longbowdave1 (Jul 17, 2011)

Thank you Mr. pine nut! I always love to get the chance to get a bow in the kids hands, When Ms. Karen surprises Evan and his dad with this little bow, then Dad shows him how to noc an arrow, draw the bow, and let the that arrow fly, PRICELESS!



Day 6. Now we get a sneak peak at the finished bow! I thinned down the catalzed varnish to get a nice gloss finish. After a cup of coffeee and some breakfast I will complete the details on the bow, and spray the quiver.

.........


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## longbowdave1 (Jul 17, 2011)

Now as you have watched the bow come to life it, it looks rather big for a 5 year old in the close up pictures. This picture will give you an idea of the detail in a very small bow!


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## longbowdave1 (Jul 17, 2011)

Evan's bow is now complete! Quiver is done and holdin' three of Big Jim's youth arrows. Just on my way to have his bow sock sewed up. I'm glad the sanding is done, 95 in the shade today, this polar bear doesn't do too good in that stuff!!!!

 Me and Mike are heading back to the campground Friday and we'll hand deliver the bow to Ms. Karen,It will be the first time she has seen her grandsons new bow. She gave me the freedom of making any color combo I wanted,I hope she likes it.

 Here she is all done and ready to go! I hope you enjoy it Evan!


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## kennym (Jul 17, 2011)

You just made Evan a lifetime memory! 

Good job Dave!


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## longbowdave1 (Jul 17, 2011)

Thanks Kenny, it was a fun project. I'll have to get some pics of Evan in action with his bow.


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## jerry russell (Jul 17, 2011)

That is just awesome. Dang I wish I could do that.


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## Knee Deep (Jul 17, 2011)

sweet, that looks good man. I know he'll be proud.


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## johnweaver (Jul 17, 2011)

You folks that are talented amaze me!  Well done brother!  I got my first bow  when I was nine, a hickory self bow hand made by a little old man who lived down in the woods near Danville Alabama.  I'd give anything to have that bow back.


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## whossbows (Jul 17, 2011)

looks like another job well done,


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## longbowdave1 (Jul 17, 2011)

Thanks for the kind words gentlemen. Way better than that white fiberglass bow i started out with from the 5 and 10 store. Can't wait to see him pics of him shooting it.


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## NavyDave (Jul 18, 2011)

Awsome job as usual Dave!!


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## longbowdave1 (Jul 18, 2011)

Thanks again Dave!


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## longbowdave1 (Jul 21, 2011)

I have the bow sock for evan's bow completed and i found an old shooting glove from when Mike was starting out. Also made an armgaurd for Evan. Now we have a complete "Archery Set" for him, just add 1 kid!

 I can't wait! Tomorrow we head up to the campground to deliver the bow. I'll let you know how it goes!


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## NavyDave (Jul 23, 2011)

Oh, too be 5 again!!


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## gurn (Jul 23, 2011)

Dave flat out you are the man!! That was very good of ya.!!
If we dont pass it on then what did we do???


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## Rare Breed (Jul 23, 2011)

He's a lucky young man!


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## coaster500 (Jul 23, 2011)

Great job !!!!!!


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## longbowdave1 (Jul 25, 2011)

I just returned from the Northwoods camping weekend! We saw a lot of deer in the fields as we drove up friday evening. As we we were unloading the truck a nice mature 3 or 4 year old doe walked right past us only 10 feet away! A great way tp start the weekend.

 Saturday afternoon we were preparing to meet a large group of people out on the lake, when Ms. Karen pulled up. She said Hi, and asked how the bow was going, i had talked to her last monday and told I was going to start the bow. When i told her it was done, and asked if she wanted to see it, her eyes lit right up. She didn't expect to get it this weekend. Now I didn't tell karen what the bow would look like prior, and I think she just expected an all wood kiddy bow. When I brought the bow out and strung it up, she was so happy she started to cry. Then she tells me that Evan and his parents are over at her house and asked if i would like to give it to him in person, HECK YA!

 So after our boat outing I drove over to her place. Just so happens they were having an annual Turkey Fry hosted By Evans  parents. I was greeted  as i got out of the truck by Evan, he was anxiously waiting to see his new bow! He was was just the most polite little guy and loved his bow and the rest of the gear.

 Then, I'm surrounded by Evan, his parents, about 15 adult bowhunting nuts, and a swarm of kids. I did my best to answer all the questions about the bow, how it's made, and many traditional archery questions from the guys. Being all wheeled bow shooters, they were all over the little bow, trad archery, and the fact that "yes i do hunt with them!". Maybe I converted a few more saturday!

 Evan was Born in Guatamala, and adpted into this great family, he'll spend his days hunting,  fishing, boating and shooting his Longbow that grandma bought for him!


 Here's a picture of me with Evan and his Dad, on the day his traditional archery journey started!


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