PVC bows

[Aaron Evans]

Wondering if anyone has tried making a flattened PVC bow. And if so what was your success OR failure.

[Xenomorph]

Wondering if anyone has tried making a flattened PVC bow. And if so what was your success OR failure.

I'm wondering why would you bother. You can easily pick up a ready to go full setup for hunting/target for under 500$, used but in good condition. If it's just for fun I'm sure it would be a nice project, but anything serious I wouldn't bother. Again, that's my opinion, never bothered doing an in depth research on it. I watched a couple videos of people making and shooting them, have no idea how they would hold up or compare to a regular compound.

[Sofa King]

would one be legal for hunting?

[Sofa King]

what is a "flattened" pvc one?
I've seen the ones where they just use a piece of pvc, but not a flattened one.

[Xenomorph]

would one be legal for hunting?

Theoretically I think they would as long as they'd meet the legal weight for what you're hunting for. I'm wondering though how safe would it be to have one over 40# though.

[Aaron Evans]

5 kids is what makes it practical. I'll let ya know how it works out. Thought it would be a cheap way to get the kids into bow and arrow manufacturing.
They heat the pvc and flatten it to recurve and increase draw weight. Ive seen sale advertisement for up to 80# by doubling up the pvc.

[Foxtail]

There are a few threads on archertalk.com about them and the actually look and perform pretty sweet. They stain them to look like wood.

[TheProvider]

As long as they met the bow requirements stated in the regs they would be legal. Many people use self bows for hunting. Never seen flattened pvc bows till now. Could definately tweak the performance many ways. Much better than a pvc bow wilth dowels and fibreglass rod.

[Xenomorph]

5 kids is what makes it practical. I'll let ya know how it works out. Thought it would be a cheap way to get the kids into bow and arrow manufacturing.
They heat the pvc and flatten it to recurve and increase draw weight. Ive seen sale advertisement for up to 80# by doubling up the pvc.

Touche! Well, in that case, it would make for an amazing family project and good quality time spent together.

Let me know how it goes and once they're done I'll send you some arrows for the kids.

[Aaron Evans]

Still haven't figured how to upload photos on here but if I do I'll post some. We start Saturday

[Jager]

The backyardbowyer has tons of YouTube vids of various builds. I recently talked with an archer and he had made a pvc horse bow and said it was comparible to his $1000 bow.
Definately on my to do list.

[Xenomorph]

I have to say I am beyond intrigued

60lb
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zyV8tZGJtE

80lb
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YrKqV9reA1M part 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4nYHUbzApc4 part 2

[Xenomorph]

I have to say I am beyond intrigued

60lb
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zyV8tZGJtE

80lb
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YrKqV9reA1M part 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4nYHUbzApc4 part 2


and this most likely I will try to make as soon as my 4yo can fling some arrows :)

http://youtu.be/KLPLh7PM2TU

[TheProvider]

The last youtube bow is very easy to do. Might be fun to play around and make it into a recurve

[Aaron Evans]

Tried one with the teens. Not as easy as they make it look. More attempt tomorrow. Cheap fun.

[Jerry Potts]

I have made some solid fibreglass bows. Make a wooden mold, wax it well, lay the strands picked out of fibreglass roving unidirectionally, and wet them out with resin with hardner in , to the thickness you need, get all the bubbles out . After it hardens , shape it with a flex pad on an angle grinder.
Then have a vasectomy, so you wont have to make too many of them.

[Sofa King]

how'd they get the pvc pipe flattened?
does some come that way?
i like how he just goes down to the local park in the middle of town.:-D
i always take my deer target and go out to the woods.
kinda harder in a big city i guess.

[Aaron Evans]

JP took care of the last part already. Lol.
duallie if ya check out the vids it's pretty straight forward but it takes practice. We've done 4 now and the last one worked out to a 40 pound. So far they shoot about like a Canadian tire fiberglass.

[albravo2]

Then have a vasectomy, so you wont have to make too many of them.

That made me laugh out loud. Well played.

[Ian F.]

Built one for my daughter, scaled at 50lbs, reduced it to 30's still too heavy...was going to make one with smaller pipe and never got to it.