Without any doubt, the bow is a great weapon. Among all other weapons, which have been working through the centuries, the bow is one of the few ancient weapons that are still using today. Some armies take the bow as their arms even today because they can work more accurately than rifles. You need to maintain silence during hunting, so it’s better to use the bow to hunt properly. However, the bow is the best way to go. But if you want to shoot accurately with the bow, it will take enough practice than shooting with the gun.
If you want to get historical authenticity on your weapon but cannot get the bow you wish to? Do you want such a kind of bow that can repeatedly swing against the tree and suffer without any consequences? In that case, you don’t need to look forward; I will show you all the steps to make a stylish recurve bow with less cost.
Traditionally bows are made of wood nowadays. But in case of some survival situation, you can make your bow out of wood. In some recent days, there is a modern material that you can use for your recurve bow, and that will be PVC pipe. You can tell as less attractive materials compared with the wood but can perform nicely. However, it is easy to use, available and inexpensive as well. You can use it as an excellent bow material due to its potential energy during bending. You can mold it with your hands after heating it. During forming it, if you make any mistake, don’t tense; you can reheat it and again start to make the bow. After cooling down, it will take a new shape.
Tools and Materials Needed for Use:
- 5th section of I inch PVC pipe
- Leather gloves
- Hack saw
- Black Marker
- Heat gun, stovetop, propane torch, or bed of coals you can use as a heat source
- Drill Mausiring tape
- At least 2.5 ft board
There are some optional materials you can use. They are:
- Electrical tape
- Aluminum foil,
- File
- Spray paint
There are mainly two different categories of PVC bow, and they are:
- Longbow category
- Recurve Category
- Compound bow category
The PVC recurve bow is ultimately the best combination. Here the reverse curved tips and the curved arms can significantly increase the energy stored in the bow; you can easily use this bow, which is compact in design as well. For making a PVC bow, you cannot take any PVC pipe size due to some limitations. Because the pipe always provides a nice balance between flexibility and rigidity.
Steps of Making the PVC Recurve Bow:
1. Mark the Pipe
First of all, you need to take a 5ft section of pipe and make it from 1 ft and 2 ft on each of the ends. You need to mark the center point at 2.5 ft and 3 inches on both sides of the pipe.No no need to mark around the pipe, and later on, this portion will be the handle.
2. Heat on the Pipe
Placing the aluminum foil against your board and setting your pipe in the corner between the board and the ground makes a simple heating jig. This process is not mandatory at all, but it will make the healing process faster. Place the pipe properly and start heating nearest the tip. Rotate the pipe properly so that the pipe can get even heat. When the pipe loses its rigidity like a large plastic noodle, fold the part of the aluminum foil to store the heat and do the same process for the next 1st section. Do the process till you reach the center mark, and also reheat any area if needed. It would be best if you were very careful when you heat. While heating, discoloring occurs. A little bit of discoloring is ok. But when it turns in blackish or bubbling, it will affect the strength of the pipe.
3. Tape on Your Pipe
From the cross-section, a PVC pipe can get strength. After banding the PVC pipe for making the bow, you need to modify the cross-section by making it stronger toward the center and weaker towards the tips. Here I will suggest you use the tape to accomplish this. Make the pipe as straight as you can while you heat the pipe to the center and place it on the surface. Now keep your board over the top of that pipe’s heated section and keep one in spacer on either side of the midline. This is the proper time to stand on the board to make the pipe flat underneath and let the pipe cool. You can now get a pipe whose tip is completely flat and neat, and near the center, the shape is almost round. On the other side do the same process again.
4. Re flat the Tips
Mark the center point of the tip of your newly taped bowstave. From the beginning, you need to mark on 1 ft. During re-flatten the tips, these marks will guide you. Take the heat source that I have already suggested to you. Choose which one you like most and which one will give you more comfort. The PVC pipe’s shape is round, but it will puff up and get its original shape after providing the heat. When the pipe is like this, smash it in a flat shape with the board perpendicular to the taper and then let it cool again. During this process must mark on to understand that you can be flattering the pipe properly. You have to do the same process for the other side also.
5. Shape the Siyahs
Toward each of the tip of the recurve bow, there has a stiff non-bending section. This bending section is known as bow-ears or siyahs. While the bow is released and drawn, this siyahs works like a lever and snap forward to add more extra speed to the arrow. Now mark on the center point of the bow’s tip. Now draw a line based on the flat section to the edge of the pipe. To make it aesthetic, you can add a curve to the tip. Take a hacksaw and cut along with the line. It’s time to shape the cut edge with the knife or file. By this process, they can slant along toward the center. In this step, you can cover the tip directly without shaping the edge. And obviously do the same process for the other side.
6. Close the Siyahs
Heat the cut edges of the siyahs after taking it near to the heat source. If you do the process correctly with this round-shaped PVC pipe, then everything should close up all by itself. Do all the functions correctly and in your own way. Now bend the pipe and curve forward while it is closing up the edges. And keep the cut edges backward. Before you finish doing the process, keep the tips in line and with the bow’s midline. During this process, if you see a lot of, you reheat and reheat it again, and if you see a little off, you can fix it for the next step if it’s. You have to clean up the tips for better results.
7. Complete the Siyahs
When you apply any pressure to the bow, you can see the pinch point. Take it near the heat source and apply the gentle heat around the pinch point. Remember not to heat more than two inches to either side of the tips. By this process, the pipe should be smooth out the transition between the rest of the arm and the siyahs. Now you need to adjust the angle of the siyahs because it may be too far forward or too back. Please take a look at it and now need to side down the bow. It would be best if you twisted it around to point to the dead center. Like other steps, do the same process for the other side.
8. Add a Little Curve
You can get slightly two sections of pipe with the two forward curving tips—heat both of the pipe between the handle section and the siyah. It’s better to heat on the front and back of the bow instead of the thinner edges. You already put too much taper in the earlier step, so this process allows it to bend into shape without losing too much taper. Nicely blend throughout the pipe and keep it on a flat surface. Now bend it by grabbing the handle and the tip as well. After that, give it some more time to cool down. Now you can see the chunk of the PVC pipe is look like a bow. You have repeated the same process for the other side.
9. Shape the Handle and Add Recurve
Remember that don’t bend the bow handle. If you bend the bow handle, it will transfer a great shock into the user’s hand. First, heat the handle section of the bow, then it becomes flexible. After then press it over your knee and then compress it, and become oval. Keep the pointer parts oval facing forward and also backward. To keep the tip of the bow rising, you need to push down on the handle. When the bow cools down, it will get its actual shape, and the tip still line up perfectly.
10. Cut the Knock
Now take the siyah and then mark ¾ inches down from the tip and also ¼ inches from the font. After that, take a drill bit, which is ¾ inches, and drill on that mark. Now use a hacksaw and then cut to the hole that you already drilled. Take a file or a knife and clean up the edges properly. Now your nocks are ready. Your bow is also done. Find out a string, and now your bow is entirely prepared to start throwing an arrow.
Most of the time, the PVC bow degrades in UV light. To maintain it, you have to learn about the following things: To protect the bow from UV light, you need to cover it adequately. For this, you can use spray paint to give a good coating over the bow. When there are no marks or letters visible over the bow, then it will be ready. Now, take an electric tape and then wrap it properly. In this way, you can also cover the cut edges of the siyah. Start it from the base and work on your way; when you get there, then you have to leave a little extra and cover over the end. When you cover over the string nocks, don’t worry; just cut the slit in the electrical tape over the nock and again tap against the back. If you feel any problem covering it, use a string to push the tape from that way. Also, with the electrical tape, wrap the handle of the bow.
In these ways, you can get a complete bow at the cheapest rate. By following my ways, you can get the most durable and inexpensive bow. You can make such an effective weapon which materials you can get very quickly from beside you. The primary material you can get soon from your home. So follow the steps and get an excellent bow.