Finishing a 40 Pound PVC Bow with Tape - Easy, Fast, Durable Finish for DIY Bows

[@Dante2099demon]

Nick I have to say a big thank u sir. You inspired me to star making bows almost 3 years ago Haven been a hell of a ride but now I'm making 40 , 50 and even 80 pounds PVC bow I can't talk u enough for Charing ur knowledge about it :)

[@cowboysam1957]

Love your stuff. You are the guy that inspired me to start bow hunting three years ago. Now I bow hunt all the time. I learned a lot from you…thank you!

[@hickspanicKS]

I wanted to say thank you for your channel. I've recently gotten into archery, and found your channel extremely educational and entertaining.

[@EthanPDobbins]

I'm a blacksmith away from my tools going crazy from nothing to do so, I got a heat gun and a piece of pipe. I was wondering what you feel is the most efficient/fastest/ easiest to make bow design is. I'm really leaning towards this bow design or something similar because it has the lighter tips. I'm looking to make a little close range deer/target shooting bow. Maybe multiple ones for friends, kids, and family.

[@oleksiypobyeda5737]

Always something to learn from you. Not making my own bows from PVC or Wood, but your tips just great. I used velcro as you recommended on my traditional recurve and it works just great.

[@keithquien8865]

BackyardBowyer is a Rock star!

[@Vydonis]

There's a video about silencing bows by adding puffy things up high, padding where the strings slap the bow at both ends and cotton in other areas if its a multi-part bow.

[@mathewanderson8985]

You should try to make a bowfishing bow and arrow. That would be awesome!

[@BackyardBowyer]

+Mathew Anderson Thanks for the awesome suggestion!

[@mathewanderson8985]

BackyardBowyer Thanks! I've been subscribed for a while and I have always wanted to see some bowfishing on the channel. I know if anyone can do it it's you. Good Luck!

[@brassassmonkey]

Mathew Anderson he already did

[@christianlyness2268]

BackyardBowyer hey I was wondering if there was a way to make a 55lb pvc bow 28" draw... Bigger thicker pipe? Shcedule 80 maybe?

[@christianlyness2268]

BackyardBowyer PVC arrows? Lol... Challenge!

[@davidcox256]

I never thought I would get the power out of pvc,,, but its there im impressed

[@Scorpiuszeroone]

That looks amazing and seems like it shoots great.

[@BackyardBowyer]

+Scorpiuszeroone Thank you! It does, especially now that the paint has cured and the lower limb doesn't make that funny noise anymore.

[@dfwisem]

Somethings I'd like to see: a cheap easy made target that's good even if you don't live with a whole lot of land to practice (urban area) and tips for first time shooters and ways to improve your shooting.

[@zumbazumba1]

Get a bunch of palets ,make a frame and glue in those square legs palets have in the frame.Or simply put few boards together-you dont need tutorial for that do you?

[@dfwisem]

zumbazumba1 No need to be condescending, I was thinking of easy set up and take down life-hackesque sort targets.

[@BatesAutomotive]

Strawbale with spray painted bull's-eye,

[@dfwisem]

Bull Ballz That's essentially what I have already, but just wanted input from Nick on other ideas that isn't a bale of hay just sitting around.

[@kchan5390]

What I've done in the past is stuff a cardboard box with a lot of scrap cloth/old towels. (You can try to asks a clothing manufacturing place if you don't have an old pile of clothes that you don't wanna donate) It should be to the point where you need a lot of pressure to close it. Wrap the whole thing in duct tape and tape a printed target on it with clear packing tape. When the front of the box gets too full of holes just put another layer of cardboard on it and duct tape over it again! It should be good enough for around 40 lbs.

[@thelonerider5644]

That's slick... nice look to the bow.

[@mohdzamhriabuhassan8640]

Thank you nick,nice and powerful bow...

[@stevebuckskinner5482]

Great stuff Nick! I would like to see you Forge a stag handle Bowie knife out of whatever steel you find fitting.

[@BackyardBowyer]

+Steve buckskinner 54 Thank you for the awesome suggestion!

[@RFRD777]

Great work Nick! I love that bow, and it looks great. Do you feel like the tape-wrap effects the performance at all?

[@BackyardBowyer]

+Erik Foss Thanks! Any coating will slow the bow down. Most paint and single-layer light tape won't usually show a change on the chronograph. Double layered tape like this may cause a drop of 1-2 FPS (and make the bow quieter like a limb dampener). I feel it's worth it, especially if the base design is a good performer. Putting too much tape, especially near the tips, can drop the speed quite a bit. Expect a bow fully spiral wrapped in several layers of heavy duct tape to drop by as much as 5-10 FPS. Hope this helps!

[@andygossard4293]

@@BackyardBowyer Build a catapult lol. I actually was tasked to make one in high school for something we called Latin day. I had a physics scholar helping or more less designing.

[@vaneater2734]

Or, Nick, you could make a like pvc arrow quiver for on your belt or make one to put on the side of the bow like for a “survival dealio”.

[@BackyardBowyer]

+Vaneater That would be cool as well! A PVC quiver for crossbows might not be a bad idea either!

[@noorhishambinahmadjafri5989]

Thanks a lot man. You give me hope BIG TIME.

[@Daylon91]

Thank you for getting me up and doing things man you're quite awesome I gotta admit

[@goldendreamer2122]

Awesome Nick, love it...Frankie Rapp here buddy...

[@BackyardBowyer]

+Frankie Rapp Thank you for watching!

[@manisadebnath2977]

Really creative idea

[@michaelpena6790]

Paint your bows with plastidip. Its rubberized and can stand the bending and moving parts.

[@TheMongo1357]

Nick, cool bow man. I'm curious, doesn't the tape strengthen the bow and cause it to have a higher draw weight?

[@TheBigern22]

I dont know if u still do this but have you ever thought of plastidiping the bows? It comes in a myramid of colors and its quite flexible.

[@EddieOakes]

Man Nick, you're brilliant! :) Your videos are always fun and inspiring. How I wish I had someone with your knowledge and skill set close by! Keep up the awesome work and best regards!

[@arisspilios7091]

Nice work!!!very simple bow!!

[@norwegiannightmare8843]

Very cool. I may try to make the same thing

[@abgz999]

I do admired n Loved your workmanship - thanx for sharing !

[@HerosMuse]

do you ever finish your bows of by wrapping string or paracord around them? a friend of my finished a bow he'd made that way and it came out looking really good and I'd imagine that has a bit more longevity than electrical tape.

[@endurodz]

Nice Work Master

[@chrismackay8314]

Thanks for sharing! One wicked idea would be to use hide with hair from the legs of deer - slip on and have them shrink a bit when they dry so they are tight on the limbs

[@BackyardBowyer]

That sounds really interesting. Reminds me of bows I've seen from parts of Asia where they skin monkey tails and then slip a tail onto each limb as limb covers. Thank you for watching!

[@TrikeRoadPoet]

Great finish technique, well thought out. Is there a paint that will stay on a pvc bow? Have you ever considered building a bow of pvc with additional faces glued on (with pvc glue) to increase pull strength to the front or back of the bow? Just a thought.

[@BackyardBowyer]

+TrikeRoadPoet Thanks! As far as I know, there is no paint that adheres to PVC well that doesn't also damage it. Some paints have solvents that allow them to fuse with PVC but those tend to cause crazing, which are small spiderweb-like cracks, after several months to a couple of years after painting. That's also why you should avoid using solvent-based PVC cleaner and glue as they can cause the pipe to crack. The problem is that it can take a long time to become a problem and I've noticed to doesn't happen all the time, but more than half of the time in the tests I've done. The same thing goes for glue. If you want to put PVC or fiberglass facings on a bow, the best thing to do would be to lash it in place with a strong, light cord. You can also put the reinforcing material in the inside. I think I may do some videos on those. Thanks for the suggestions!

[@SouthernCoin]

Is it possible on a pvc bow to cut an arrow rest like on a wooden bow?

[@extremebikers1173]

So nice excellent

[@patrickwilliams3108]

I've just discovered your channel, so please forgive this late question: what are the functional limits of draw weight with pvc bows?

[@shawncordeiro5870]

Wow no response in 2 years

[@ThePirhi]

great idea with arrow pass..I was looking for something simple for a while...when i wear of paracord wrap, I'll try this one :)

[@risusrules]

Huge fan. Glad to see you back doing some bows. How does the tape effect the poundage, if at all? Also, would tape finishing a bow help any with catastrophic bow failures?

[@BackyardBowyer]

+John Risus Thanks for watching! The tape doesn't change the poundage of the bow, but you can expect the bow to slow down a little, just like paint or any other finish. Depending on the tape used and where you apply it, it can be so small a chronograph won't pick it up, or by as much as 5-10 FPS (we're talking layers of duct tape in the wrong places). The closer you get to the tips, the more extra weight will affect the bow, which is why I usually don't like tape on my nocks among other reasons. As for catastrophic failure, a lightweight tape like this won't do much aside from containing small pieces. A heavy fiberglass reinforced tape will, but is often overkill for a couple reasons. If your pipe is impact resistant, (it passes the hammer test) you don't have to worry about pipe shattering. Even light tape like this will help keep the pipe from getting scratched (PVC doesn't compress like wood, so a hard scratch can remove material) and can keep it from getting weak spots and collapsing or breaking. A strong fiberglass reinforced tape can pretty much make the bow indestructible (good for camp or teen beater bows) at the cost of speed. I like light tape because it tends to quiet the bow down more than paint and doesn't just scrape off easily. You can also replace tape easier than paint. Hope this helps!

[@risusrules]

Yes it does help, and thanks for the response!

[@Alperen_Erdogan]

Looking good Nick!

[@alper_5779]

Alperen Türk görmek güzel bu kanalda

[@BackyardBowyer]

+Alperen Thank you!

[@steventanner1428]

I wonder if after you flatten the limbs. If you heat it again and form the belly over a dowel three eighths or a half inch. Having that slight crease might give the bow more poundage. Not a lot but some like from 40#s to 45#s. What are your thoughts.

[@smartkidschannel176]

What do you use as a string for the bow?

[@MiggyBenz]

Smart Kids Channel para cord

[@zulutonic]

I'd also love to see some bowfishing content .. but also maybe some self built spearfishing gear! that would be awesome :-)

[@hollybooth989]

Can it be made longer and still have the same pull poundage or maybe a little less?

[@marosvodzak6650]

Some kind of forged sword should be very nice. Shamshir is very good combination to your recurved bows.

[@mahmoudbenamar1837]

You’re only the best 🇩🇿 Mahmoud from oran Algeria 🇩🇿

[@ericgillespie2812]

That's the intro I know and love!

[@MonkeyMikeOutdoors]

Very nice dude!

[@willybee3056]

Hey,, Nick,,, Here's one,,, Do you think that the tape wrap will trap the energy from a break in the pvc.? Thanks again, and keep up the good work. ..

[@BackyardBowyer]

+Willy Bee No, but it will keep the smaller pieces from flying around. When any bow breaks, any big pieces of limb that hit you will hurt. PVC shards are dangerous if they get in your eyes, but are IMHO much safer than wood or fiberglass splinters. Though keep in mind that good PVC does not break when it fails, it folds. It's a good idea to avoid using brittle PVC when making a bow. Thanks for watching!

[@Traderjoe]

Hey Nick, have you ever considered shrink wrap tubing that’s usually applied to wires instead of tape? Would it add anything to the draw weight?

[@BackyardBowyer]

+traderjoes Shrink tubing works well and looks really good. It's just really expensive and hard to find in the right size. I've been trying to get my hands on the woodgrain shrink tubing that's used for metal and plastic curtain rods and metal broom handles. There are some manufacturers in China, but nothing domestically made or available in small quantities.

[@KomalSharma-mo9hs]

Can someone suggest me what material strings must be used? There are lot of videos about moulding PVC but very less details available about strings.

[@tylercarlson1634]

Hi I'm a big fan backyard bower

[@tylercarlson1634]

Bowyer ☺

[@BackyardBowyer]

+Krafteetyler 101 Hi! Thank you for watching!

[@zekeconn8802]

Man I'm such a fan, I want a bow made by you one day!! Lol

[@TheMongo1357]

Nick, what size PVC bow would you recommend for us LARGER folks? I'm 6-03 and have a 33 1/3" draw length. Wanting something stronger than 50lb draw weight....

[@tannerh48]

Could you put a long thin piece of sheat metal inside the pvc to up the poundage of the bow?

[@caswallonandflur692]

I am going to do this a little longer with 1inch pipe . A big brother if you will. I'll let you know how it turns out 🙂. Thanks

[@johnsneen1047]

Thank you so much for the info!! What do you mean by hammer test? Do you have a video on hammer test? I'll probably be using the 1" pipe at the suggested 55" that you recommended. Again thank you for everything you do for such a fun hobby. Can't wait 2 get started !!!

[@BackyardBowyer]

+Johnathan Sneen Here's a link to the hammer test: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qICycqp3rJKKf7c Hope this helps!

[@vaneater2734]

Hey man you should make a like pretty small pvc crossbow like maybe a foot long body of the crossbow I bet that would be pretty challenging. Awesome video man.

[@BackyardBowyer]

+Vaneater Thanks for the suggestion! That would be a cool crossbow!

[@vaneater2734]

Yeah man, kinda like an upgraded desk to for messing around. Aahhhahh

[@molnik905]

Hey backyardbower big fan of your channel. I have made few bows out of pvc and I've got question what if you make a bow out of the pvc that breaks when you hit it with hammer? Will the bow break?

[@BackyardBowyer]

+MolNik Awesome! Brittle PVC can and does make a good bow and while the chance of it breaking is higher, it's still not that bad. The main problem is that if it does fail, it will shatter or snap instead of folding. It is also less forgiving of drops, bumps, scratches, and overdrawing. So if you did make a bow out of brittle pipe, it will mostly be fine. Just keep in mind that if it does fail, it is not as gentle as a tough pipe. A bow that folds can also be repaired, unlike one that snaps. Hope this answers your question!

[@molnik905]

Yes it does, big thanks!

[@SAH_Productions]

What do you use for string for your bow

[@Lucaslfm1]

Hey nick, could you, please, teach us how to build a nice, durable arrow target, with cheap materials, that won't make a mess with time? I tried using eva, cardboard, even plastic bags. They work nice, but they deteriorate, and make a mess around where they stand, which is really hard to clean, especially as it goes on dirt. Great video, as always. Keep up the great work!

[@BackyardBowyer]

+Lucas Montenegro Thanks for the suggestion! That's definitely on my list of videos to do.

[@Lucaslfm1]

A Fidgety Fugu but won't it wear out, and need to be replaced after a few shoots? And since it's a bag, the plastic inside won't start to fall off, and make a mess? I will take a look into it, but my problem is I'm from Brazil. It's complicated to get stuff from ebay, and even if it can get here, it will be very, very expansive. Thanks for the suggestion anyway, it gave me some ideas to build my own.

[@shmuckling]

The paint around the string nocks on my bows always gets scraped off by the string. That's 2 coats of paint and 2 coats of clear coat. I thought I wasn't letting it dry well enough, but even after a couple days, it still happens. Solution? Thank you in advance. I'm at the point where I just use grey pipe, so I don't have to use paint - sure, I'm stuck with one color, but it saves me the aggravation.

[@robertmiller2629]

I like the way that this was done and am wondering 2 things. First can it also be done using duct tape , and 2 does it change the poundage of the draw of the bow?

[@BackyardBowyer]

It can be done with duct tape. Electrical tape tends to come apart over time. Duct tape ends up getting sticky but once it ages it gets very stuck on. Duct tape makes a protective skin, neither increase the weight. They may drop speed by a few FPS.

[@Lunatic108]

Just discovered your channel, really nice stuff and awesome work. I dont know if you did something like this already, but would you consider making a "post-apocalyptic surival bow tutorial" or something like that? If you were in a post-apocalyptic scenario how would you create a bow and working arrows with limited ressources and tools that would enable you basic hunting and possible defense against other humans? So it would have to be easily made, out of available material and limited tools with enough range and bower to hunt game and possibly defend against humans at range,something like this. It would be really awesome :)

[@RobustEnigma]

The bow looks awesome! :D

[@wiellin270]

Hello, I am new to your channel and I've watched a decent amount of your videos. I've been shooting for about 4 months now, not long at all. I was using a PVC recurve 25# for almost a month.. Then I was given a traditional Mongolian Horse bow. Its a 28" draw at 60#. I have two questions for you, sir. I recently learned that your string needs to be twisted so that there is a correct amount of space between the string and the bow. How do I find mine out? Also, can I make my own thumb ring? I usually shoot split with two under.

[@ibrahimal-leila6318]

This is great bow.

[@thenikko8292]

does the tape add reasistance to ur pulls? like since its statik and try to keep in same place is it giving the bow extra lbs on pulls?

[@BackyardBowyer]

+Hero Legion No, the tape doesn't add to the draw weight of the bow. Tape, paint, and any coating adds mass and physical weight to the bow, which can slow it down. Thanks for watching!

[@Priestbokmei1]

Man, you’re a talented guy! Really creative paint and tape job! Great video! You should sell your bows on eBay. I would buy this one for sure!

[@ajazahmad816]

Which pvc you have used Company and quality

[@diswazzi1683]

At this point what would you say is the best pvc bow you've made, and is there a video link for it

[@jmontman]

Would that bow be for just fun, target shooting or could you hunt small game with it?

[@tobediv]

Carolina Traveling With James Montgomery With enough practice im sure you could hunt small game with it. Just personal hunting experience, im pretty new to archery though.

[@BackyardBowyer]

+Carolina Traveling With James Montgomery I'm going to be using this bow once bowfishing season tools around again. It's a fun bow for shooting targets and general plinking. Since it handles more like an Asiatic style traditional bow, it won't do as well as modern cut to/past center for competitive target archery. That said, it will be comparable to other bows of a similar handle configuration. If you feel confident you can make a clean hit on vitals, the bow will perform. Thanks for watching!

[@seawinds12]

Very cool

[@bumstudios8817]

Just saying Hi and thanks for the Awesome content!

[@BrahmaDBA]

Is the draw weight of the bow comes with the hardness of the PVC? Or did he put a draw weight some way inside the bow?

[@BackyardBowyer]

The bow is hollow and empty inside, the draw weight comes from the thickness of the pipe, the distance between the walls of the pipe, and the pipe's length.

[@BrahmaDBA]

@@BackyardBowyer thank you for your response. I know this is late but I didn't get the notification for your answer. I am buying some materials and I want to make my own PVC bow. Thank you so much for your work and very instructive video. Bless you and I hope you all the best.

[@Na_Picta_Irskr]

I would like to ask the aprx temp you get the pvc to without over/under heating it.

[@jamiethompson6376]

Any suggestions on making a "toy" bow and arrow set for my son's would love to get them building!!

[@saksak8772]

What pvc type is good to make bow?... Please tell me 😬

[@god_chung]

pvc water pipe, the poppular

[@sriharivishnubhatla]

May I know where do you get your arrows? I'd love to make one of your Bows and put it to real practice. it's just that I've never had an experience with bows. Please give any suggestions if you could. and please tell me where can i get some arrows or make some myself here in india. Thanks.

[@cavemanjoe7972]

Are you using just enough tension that you feel the tape stretch slightly?

[@BackyardBowyer]

+CavemanJoe Yes, I'm just pulling enough so that there aren't any air bubbles. If I were using cheaper tape, I wouldn't pull as tight because those tend to shift and warp with age. This stuff hasn't given me problems like that yet, keeping my fingers crossed that it never does!

[@dondean2132]

Nice tutorial young man, how do I get one of your Bows?

[@henrisomer2074]

Will this bow last 1000 shots?!! Wow

[@rioangel8397]

Very nice.

[@ronduff4325]

I love this ! You do a great job , thank you .

[@Hypnotical86]

Hey Nick what is the need length of arrows for this type of bow? Thanks!

[@nxel2]

Tape is for protection right?

[@thomasferris3750]

Dose the tape do anything to protect the bow from uv?

[@especiallyleavish]

Hiya, is there any easy conversion for draw length -> length of pipe?

[@sulestiyo]

di iNdonesia sedang ramai panahan, video ini menginspirasi, salam dari Indonesia

[@Amjinrok]

If you want to sell any of the items you make, I would love to buy one of the bows you have made.

[@jonathanlatief9245]

You know, PVC bows aren't that expensive and hard make

[@jeffreyarnold2626]

Nick, ya ever try sch 80? twice the wall thickness, could make a very strong bow. just finished my vine maple. 53"x2" 51" ntn, 2"w to last 8" then tapered to 1/2" draws #60@ 28" sooo damn fast.

[@BackyardBowyer]

+Jeffrey Arnold Yes I have! It works well, the only problem is all the pipe I've been able to get right now is too brittle. It snaps rather than folds, so I've been avoiding it. I used to be able to get a more reliable brand, but everyone seems to have switched to JM Eagle. That sounds like an awesome brush bow! Gotta love the speeds of a short vine maple bow!

[@jeffreyarnold2626]

you're on the mainland now or still in HI ?

[@selmocohadarevic6812]

Can you put fiberglass rods inside this?

[@bighurk30able]

Where do you live and do you ever hunt anything with your bows your a great Craftsman

[@omerthe3rd1]

about this spray paint... Doesn't it chip off after a while and looks really ugly ??

[@weapon8964]

can you make a heavy draw weight PVC bow shoot steel ball ?

[@arapongaspescacomestilingueccb]

Parabéns mandou bem

[@th3r352]

Hey, I wanna try this, but how do you determine the draw weight? If I wanted to a 15-20lb bow, or a 40lb bow, what would I adjust or focus on?

[@antagonist8629]

ÆTH3R well I’m no expert but I’m guessing size and strength of the bow and tightness of string all have something to do with it

[@RedmanOutdoors366]

Very nice 🙂👍

[@technicalguruji3512]

Sir please tell me which fiber is best ski or pvc pipe

[@davesimpson85]

Remember guys, just the tip

[@chrisjones6002]

We all know that's a lie, lol.

[@darthkek1953]

I got the reference, because I watch Archer. Then it struck me... ARCHER !!

[@lukeethanboswell6338]

*spray paints entire bow and arrows*

[@rabiyakiyani2250]

Can I tell me how many length of pvc pipe is used

[@johnsneen1047]

Hi Nick, just started and subscribed to your channel, really like your videos! ! Quick ? For you, I want 2 make a Mongolian style horsebow, with a draw weight of 55# , any suggestions on what pvc pipe and length and where I should make my marks for bending? Also I and my son are going 2 make one for him. Keep up the awesome work and videos! !!

[@BackyardBowyer]

+Johnathan Sneen Hi! Thanks for watching! If it's your first bow, I would suggest 3/4" pipe at 44" long (make sure it passes the hammer test). This will yield a 50-55# bow that will be very fast and easy to make at the expense of being really short. For a longer, more stable shooting bow, 1" pipe at 55" long will yield a similar weight. 1" pipe can be tricky to work with for a first timer, but the bow will be easier to shoot and more forgiving of errors. If you're planning on making a lighter weight bow for your son, you may want to attempt that first so you have some experience before tackling the 1" pipe. Hope this helps!

[@TheNLgameboys1999]

love the vids dude, keep up the good work!

[@BackyardBowyer]

+RobMeisterGaming Thank you, I will!