Bhutanese Bow

[longbow steve]

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[longbow steve]

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[longbow steve]

I have wanted to try making one of these bows for a while and was pleasantly surprised at how easy and quick it was.
The bow is made using a half split of large diameter bamboo a bit over a meter long. By splitting the bamboo again you are left with what are known as sister billets that will share the same strength and natural taper.
These billets are overlapped by 10" and dowelled and bound with strong tape for tillering. The profile of the bow is marked out and cut then the proud nodes removed. Nocks are then cut for an inspection of the braced shape. In my case the natural taper coupled with the pyramid shape I cut the limbs to was enough taper for a nice bend.
The way the limbs overlap gave me a naturally weaker top limb for correct tiller.
I used dry heat to treat the belly for 30 minutes and induce 2" of reflex which it has held onto .
I then glued the handle pieces together with Araldite and clamped the bow over night. I dont think this is how they are made traditionally and from research some appear to use them as a take down bow.
I then quickly sanded the bow and bound the handle.
A few coats of finishing oil and it will be done.
Bow specs are 32# @ 26" --- 58" ntn I did start at 66" but the bow was about 15#
The bow is quick for its weight, shooting a 500gr arrow with good speed. I would recommend this style of bow for a beginner to try or as a bow to make for a child. I would like to find some thicker walled bamboo to try a hunting weight version.
Thanks for looking, Steve

[longbow steve]

Another thing to note if you can't see it in the pics is that the outer rind of the bamboo is used as the belly of the bow and the inner section forms the back.

[longbow steve]

Here is another link to a bow made in this style.
http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/inde ... #msg145099

[Keith Lee]

They look alright i watched a programe on tv the other night about them, now i know how they locked them together i've got two bits of boo i will have to try it.

[bigbob]

Definitely one method to keep in mind if wishing to make a lighter poundage bow with minimalist trappings. I will be keeping this info for later when I make a 30lb'er for my [adult] daughter.

[Stickbow Hunter]

That looks excellent Steve and the limbs look to have a very nice bend in them. Thanks for sharin' it with us.

Jeff

[Gringa Bows]

Looks good Steve

[hazard]

Another thing to note if you can't see it in the pics is that the outer rind of the bamboo is used as the belly of the bow and the inner section forms the back.

That is funny as I would have thought it better to do the reverse But if it works it works

Very good post mate I have had many thoughts about having a crack at exactly that but with the "Rind" on the back not the belly.

Top effort mate:biggrin:

What kind of Bamboo did you use Steve?

Hazard

[longbow steve]

Another thing to note if you can't see it in the pics is that the outer rind of the bamboo is used as the belly of the bow and the inner section forms the back.

That is funny as I would have thought it better to do the reverse But if it works it works

Very good post mate I have had many thoughts about having a crack at exactly that but with the "Rind" on the back not the belly.

Top effort mate:biggrin:

Hazard

Hi Hazard, I thought the same as you until I started my night before research , Most timbers are allot better in tension than compression so why not put the best side there to take it. Another thing is the bamboo would be marginally stiffer this way around when you consider the concave of a measuring tape and the way it is stiffer one way and folds easily the other.

That looks excellent Steve and the limbs look to have very nice bend in them. Thanks for sharin' it with us.

Jeff

Yeah Jeff, probably my best tillering to date Wish I had more to do with the fact rather than it coming out correct from the start.
Steve

[hazard]

I reckon this style of bow is a ripper, especially as a take down

It would be quite quick and easy to put 2 or 3 limb bolts in there so you can take it down and some kind of detachable handle if you know what I mean.

By the way what Bamboo did you use Steve?

Hazard

[longbow steve]

Moso bamboo. Yeah, I have had a few thoughts about a take down version. Steve

[DanMcDonald]

surely you could glass the inside of the limbs to add weight as well no?

could be onto a quick,easy and cheap way of making a self bow.


dan

[longbow steve]

Dan!!!! Glass, Really? Sacrilege.

[longbow steve]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lu7viu9nf6g
I think Grahame has posted this clip before.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FiFXpOdgRmo

[DanMcDonald]

Dan!!!! Glass, Really? Sacrilege.

if you really wanted to add some weight, id turn a blind eye if the bow costs little more then two pieces of moso and some glue haha

(maybe we can use a boo laminate then)

dan.

[longbow steve]

Dan!!!! Glass, Really? Sacrilege.

if you really wanted to add some weight, id turn a blind eye if the bow costs little more then two pieces of moso and some glue haha

(maybe we can use a boo laminate then)

dan.

Hey Dan, I would accept another bamboo laminate . In the second video above the bamboo the Bhutanese archers are using is quite thick, I estimate that the bows are 50-60#. I think I have some thicker bits to try. Steve

[Jeffro]

Nice work Steve I think even I could make one of those

[Nephew]

That looks great, Steve! The Bhutanese just love archery, it's like the national sport. I have seen some photos and it looked kinda weird, they were all dressed in traditional costume, but shooting the most modern FITA style bows you could imagine. Some even had the latest Hoyt compounds!

[longbow steve]

Nice work Steve I think even I could make one of those

I reckon you could too

That looks great, Steve! The Bhutanese just love archery, it's like the national sport. I have seen some photos and it looked kinda weird, they were all dressed in traditional costume, but shooting the most modern FITA style bows you could imagine. Some even had the latest Hoyt compounds!

Yeah Craig, the second Youtube vid I posted goes into the modern bows, mainly adopted by the city slickers. Women aren't allowed to touch the traditional bows but are allowed to shoot modern ones so they have jumped at the chance. Steve

[Guy Layton]

Nice work Steve..... I too would like to see one at hunting weight...

Cheers Guy

[longbow steve]

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Heavy one under way. The amount of nodes should make this bamboo stiffer, it is noticeably heavier. Steve

[Stickbow Hunter]

Have fun!

Jeff

[DanMcDonald]

i may give this a go tomorrow if i get some time around the house, what thickness was the boo for the 30# bow?

[longbow steve]

Hi Dan, have a go . The bamboo is around 6-7mm wall thickness. Steve

[GrahameA]

Morning Craig/Steve.

Nice work Steve I think even I could make one of those

I reckon you could too

That looks great, Steve! The Bhutanese just love archery, it's like the national sport. I have seen some photos and it looked kinda weird, they were all dressed in traditional costume, but shooting the most modern FITA style bows you could imagine. Some even had the latest Hoyt compounds!

Yeah Craig, the second Youtube vid I posted goes into the modern bows, mainly adopted by the city slickers. Women aren't allowed to touch the traditional bows but are allowed to shoot modern ones so they have jumped at the chance. Steve

Archery is the National Sport and it it is held in very high status.

I understand women are not permitted to shoot in the traditional competition. The issue is not the bow rather the culture. However, I understand that Bhutan has introduced FITA Target Archery and women are welcome to compete in that form. http://www.archery.org/mobile/ContentDe ... 0%28BHU%29

Watch this video which shows both the Traditional Form and the FITA form in Bhutan:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FiFXpOdg ... re=related

Modern bows have been used for some time - the downside is that they arrive quite fast at the target end whic has caused problems with some being a little slow to get out of the way.

The other thing to note here is a culture that has extremely deep embedding of shooting a "Traditional Bow" yet has no issues accepting a modern bow bow into its culture. p.s They also measure things by "Gross National Happiness" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gross_national_happiness a concept that some others may find a better way to measure things.