Making a Bow out of PVC

[@BackyardBowyer]

I love this video! Its awesome to see your progression through 3 bows in one video, hit snags, and persevere. That is a beautiful bow. In future, I suggest using hot glue for putting PVC bows together, as PVC cement can cause brittleness. That said, it looks like it's solid and the extra stiffness in the handle is a plus. You've nailed it, and I appreciate all the details you included. Especially hammer test. I hope you don't mind if I share this video on my Channel page. This is a well done video and you even included your first broken bow! Your perseverance here is the true key to PVC bows.

[@SkillTree]

I am a HUGE fan. You are a big inspiration. My very first bow I tried (before the channel started) was following one of your tutorials! I messed it up terribly 🤣, but I keep trying! Thank you for all you have done!

[@CVRogers17]

I know this comment is 9 months after you made it but I have some tips for a LARP bow. To increase the durability of your PVC bow so it lasts a long time and keeps its poundage you should add fiberglass driveway markers inside of the bow. People have been doing this with very successful results. However this only works for straight longbow type bows, not recurve. It's for a bow that's functional and a daily driver. My second tip is on the paint job. To get the most realistic wood grain effect, take 60 grit sandpaper to your PVC bow. Sand the shaft in an up and down motion LOL. Until the surface is scarred and has scratches all along it going up and down the bow. This won't affect durability. Then apply a wood stain of your choice to the bow and it will come out looking super realistic. I've done this on a few of my pvc bows and people think they're actual wood at first until I let them know it's PVC. Most people are super surprised to learn its PVC and not real wood. It's so easy to do too!

[@ItsMeKatieC]

Today was the day I finally did it. A few months before the pandemic, my grandma had started taking my brother and me to an archery place. We only rented the bows. Later, when schools shut down, we started going there more. Finally it shut down too. I’ve wanted a bow from then on, and I couldn’t get one. About a month ago, I tried to make a bow, but I used a stick and it snapped. That made me determined. I looked for tutorials everywhere. I had see this channel pop up a couple times for other things and decided to choose this video for my tutorial. Today, we actually made the bow. It worked. I am sooooo grateful for this channel and can’t wait to try other things! Thank you!

[@chasechaney3055]

I’ve been watching backyard bowyer for a couple years now. I’ve been wondering when people would start making them as Larp bows. You are way better at explaining it and made a pretty dope bow

[@ryanbright3078]

Hungarian and mongol horse bows have that extreme sharp recurve "physics be damned"

[@Nenanin]

Nice little "How do you want to do this?" nod at 19:29, though I'm gonna guess that was purely unintentional. :)

[@erictripps125]

Pro tip. Anytime you are making a heavily handled prop out of plastic spray it with a base coat of vynle dye. Its sold at most automotive stores and comes in black, browns, tans, and grey. Its used for dying leather apholstery but works great on plastic. Paint might chip off but the dye will keep the plastic underneath from showing bright plastic. Its what nerf molders use on slidding plastic parts. I use ot for all my larp props.

[@BackyardBowyer]

I know this is an older comment, but just wanted to chime in. Many vinyl dyes can cause the outside layer that is dissolved and reset (many of these dyes actually penetrate into the plastic fairly deep) to set more brittle than the rest of the bow. Crazing or tiny cracks on the bow can happen in areas that are being flexed. This technique works well on parts that don't flex, like the rigid tips.

[@juliustarot]

I’ve done a lot with pvc and trying to make it look like wood. The best way is to take a metal file with big teeth and scrape the wood to make marks that look like wood grain. Then use a wood stain on the pvc. It looks just like wood!

[@SkillTree]

That's a GREAT tip! Do you mark it while it's still soft or does it matter?

[@juliustarot]

@@SkillTree I’ve always done it when it is hard. Works great! You don’t have to go crazy with it either, just a few swipes with the file.

[@dimitristripakis7364]

@@juliustarot No do not mark while soft. Also it looks better if you use a rasp (thick "grain" file) and then a file for smaller "wood waves". Then sand paper and a towel to clean the residue. Looks like wood. There are tutorials in KZbin about this.

[@piratenemo11]

Man I watch you every night till I fall asleep your so entertaining..Thanks for Leveling up for me!

[@brandonfullenkamp4723]

This was a fantastic tutorial as always, and seems stupidly accessible. Time to build a bow.

[@nephicus339]

8:21 - An FYI or BTW; paracord stretches, so you are losing poundage in your bow when you draw. For LARPs, not a big deal. But for anyone who was thinking of making a PVC survivalist bow, or just a cheap bow for small game hunting, keep that in mind. A proper bowstring isn't too terribly complicated to make for this sort of setting. Though I'm sure there is manufactured bow string for sale somewhere, probably even on Amazon or at Walmart, as 'Sporting Goods.'

[@jamesstruhar6664]

This is amazing and I’m now in the process of making an Atreus Bow all out of PVC. The 2x4 crimp tool was a huge help!!! Only thing I did notice is that it only gave me a for sure consistent taper with just the two PVC rings screwed in for equal height at the handle but I noticed that it didn’t keep the crimped section straight. Mine curved so I added several pairs of rings all the way down after carefully measuring and compressed each one to that exact level of crimp which now keeps that end not only crimped consistently but also keeps it straight all the way down because it notches right into it.

[@Nurk0m0rath]

So, the final build here looks basically like a Mongolian horse bow. Which is appropriate since that's likely the design the artists were working off of when they did the art for the show. As I understand it, the bow shape was defined by the materials available ... wood in Mongolia was in short supply, so bows had to be laminated from horn and sinew. Another fun upgrade I've seen for this is to use several layers of heavy duty duct tape across the back and melt it into one piece with a heat gun. Apparently this mimics the sinew backing on a composite bow and increases the poundage, but also makes it less likely to weaken or break since the tape takes more of the tension off the plastic.

[@M4st3r0fN0n3]

I 100% recommend a real bowstring for max effectiveness. Paracord stretches and will eventually cause the string to vibrate upon release

[@mythologymania4365]

Omg I have been meaning to make a PVC bow maybe this is a sign

[@SkillTree]

It is a SIGN! Let me know how it turns out!

[@joshuawayne9811]

A really effective way to heat/soften pvc evenly is to bury it in a little trough that's filled with hot sand. I think 165° was what you want to shoot for, but I can't remember. I know that ten minutes in a hot sand bath makes your pvc a nice floppy noodle that is much easier to form, and is less likely to break because everything was heated and cooled evenly

[@SkillTree]

What a great idea! Is there any worry about the sand texture getting imbedded in the plastic if it isn't cleaned off well enough. I know the wood grain of my table got in mine a bit, which honestly was OK as I wanyed a wood look, but would the sand make it look rough, do you think?

[@joshuawayne9811]

@@SkillTree not if you use a really fine sand. A couple other tricks for forming pvc recurve bows; you can form a nice rounded arch of a limb with a heat gun or hot sand, clamps and a large stainless pot... another really easy way is to fill your pipe two inches less than full with hot sand, cap off the ends and use a pegboard, weights gravity and time to achieve your desired shape, emptying the sand after it's cool and finishing your ends with the heat gun... you can also clamp your handle between the corner of two flat pieces of plywood with a spacer to achieve a much more ergonomic handle, while also allowing for those crazy angles you were talking about... if you want to make a pvc bow outrageously strong, you can take 1-3 fiberglass driveway marker pylons cut to different lengths and bound together and align them inside your pipe longest to shortest, with the short side facing you, before filling with the hot sand... Word of caution ⚠️ extremely and deceptively hot, welding gloves are recommended

[@joshuawayne9811]

@@SkillTree kzbin.info/www/bejne/mHeXmmydrqtqnJY

[@joshuawayne9811]

@@SkillTree kzbin.info/www/bejne/mYDdpp2dlt-db9k

[@joshuawayne9811]

@@SkillTree if you ever find yourself in Northern Arizona or Las Vegas, hit me up and I'll buy you a drink to talk crafty tricks and ninja-pirate jedi magicks.

[@yaboicheezewheeze]

For anyone that wants to make a stronger bow from pvc, throwing fiberglass rods or something of that sort into the piping is a good way of increasing poundage without sacrificing length. It also makes it a lot stronger!

[@RamDragon32]

I know it's been a bit since you made this, but having also followed Backyard Bowyer for a few years and trying a few of his ideas and designs I feel like I should point out that he shows a method of making a bow with wooden siyahs. Using a hardwood would let you make more accurate ends for such a bow, though I don't think a wooden handle with those 90-degree shapes would be any more feasible than doing it from PVC entirely. But that's just cosmetics, and saiyahs can be more decorative since they don't flex which is why I like more fantasy styles myself. Overall, the bow turned out great! I'm a new subscriber and am also a fan of making props that are also functional. (I had a health condition last year that required me to carry a cane so mine looks like a dwarf-sized Skyrim dragon staff.)

[@TheKiro5505]

So a good rule of thumb concerning handle lengths is the distance between your pinky and thumb when making the hand ten sign is about the room needed for one hand

[@GQ3MindSpeaks]

So, I gave up on making a pvc bow. I started about a year ago and stopped. Now, you have inspired me to finish the bow. Thank you for being you and inspirational.

[@typhoon37351]

If you wanna make something a bit stronger, you can use fiberglass rods to make a core. It also helps prevent the PVC from deforming because it's Springy

[@ratroddiesels1981]

nicholas tomihama of backyard bowyer is the ultimate guru for pvc bows .

[@jeffandthings77]

I thought that looked very Backyard Bowyer-esque.....but using the extra pipe for the spacer for the jig is ingenious!!

[@lextheap1638]

With the PVC strength. Schedule 40 is a good type to use for bows. If you dont know if yours is schedule 40, dont worry, its printed on the side

[@gregryeii403]

Tip: a wood saw is better at cutting PVC than a hacksaw. ( you have a pipe cutter why are you using a saw????)

[@gryphonprovenzano3156]

Love the princess bride shirt

[@patrickgagnon1019]

I'm kinda afraid that the pvc would bend or break after some LARP use, but at the same time pvc is cheap so you can have one or several backup I guess.

[@SkillTree]

These are surprisingly rugged! That said, I would be more cautious about using it in the winter. I would think the cold would make the plastic more brittle. I will need to test this.

[@andrewwolff2161]

Backyard bowyer’s channel proves that PVC bows are formidable and very durable.

[@tinoizquierdo5646]

when people make normal bows from pvc they reinforce it, i’ve seen people use firbreglass road pins a lot and they don’t make bad arrows either

[@monokheros5373]

i used pvc bows in 2020 do to cost & availability .... is a very good idea to " warm up " the bow ... 1/4 draw 20 reps 1/2 draw 20 reps 3/4 draw 20 reps full darw is good to go lets say a few cold full draws ... may end up with snapped bow(s) yes it hurts when they snap!

[@achborkah]

As far as the longevity of PVC bows goes, I have a 60 pound draw weight bow made from 1 inch PVC pipe that I use regularly. It is over 10 years old at this point, and still going strong!

[@sirkai007]

Wow, you could make a legitimate hunting bow with these techniques.

[@msamyweber]

Hey Cl3ver, Idea for your collapsing and bending of PVC. What if you took PVC glue and use the cleaner, then put the glue inside. So that when you collapse it, it glues itself making a stronger bond? Im sure there would be fumes so take precaution. Just a thought.

[@ghqebvful]

I want to say backyard bowyer was the channel I had seen that got me to make a pvc bow, though mine was way uglier and used fiber glass rods to up the weight. One day I hope to buy a heat gun and make another (prettier) one.

[@Sionovar]

So the only problem with sharp angles is when you put them into the limbs, so were you to take some thick plywood, shape it to the handle area shape, and finagle a way to attach the pvc to the handle, you could totally make that weird handle shape

[@kylebennett7518]

Well I'm Impressed, Who would've guessed you can get such high poundage from pvc pipe. Looks great too.

[@TheGrantAlexander]

I feel like I will be making my kids bows like this in the future!

[@MakerCuisine]

Wow that is a sick bow, and its made out of pvc. I feel like i could go make this right now. So awesome 👌

[@AzraelThanatos]

For painting, you really should start with a primer layer because it'll help protect the paint job in the long run

[@Arkie80]

Oh and save the scraps because you can work them into all kinds of little doodads like ornaments and buttons and belt hooks and clasps and anything you can think of.

[@Infamousbadge]

absolutely fantastic. it be cool to see another crossbow build after seeing this

[@SkillTree]

I should try building another crossbow soon!

[@Infamousbadge]

@@SkillTree a trick i saw was routing out a cavity from two pieces of wood for the trigger system and wood glue or use brass brackets to put them together. this allows you to use things like 1\8 aluminum for the trigger system.

[@Jynnifer]

I recently started getting into archery. I need to make an arm guard because I ended up with some knarly bruises on my forearm but I feel like I already know what I'm going to make

[@BeInspiredwithDominic]

I tried making a PVC bow ages ago, but I think the pipes I used were too thin - and I did not spend the appropriate amount of time to source something better. I really want to now. Thanks for sharing!

[@brymanxl]

I just picked up a medieval board game in a bag at the ren fair over the weekend. Its called "Nine Mens Morris". He had a bunch of different games, but basically its a dice bag made from a circle, and when you open the bag all the way it has the gameboard inside and you store the pieces in it. Id love to see what you could come up with for something like that.

[@DrewD748]

Nice bow. To get that Vox Machina bow you would probably have to use several pieces and several different materials to make that bow. Such as wood or metal handle and then pvc limbs or something like that.

[@larryblevins8078]

Awesome Bow build

[@davidwooden3878]

You should make more wizard gear! Like a staff, with a "magic" light and a bang effect in the butt for dramatic emphasis

[@richardruiz3654]

Always maxing out your cool level!! Outstanding work.

[@SperlingArtwork]

Great Video, Great tutorial, in germany everything over 30lbs is Forbidden. And i found it to hard to reach the exact power i want with PVC. I Prefer Rattan Manau for Larp Bows. But As i said, Nice Video. If i can help with inspiration, let me know :)

[@ashadizanur4907]

What?! 30lbs above are forbidden? How did Joerg get away with his 😲

[@SkillTree]

Really? Good to know should I ever get that way!

[@nickdavis5420]

@@ashadizanur4907 I think that’s for larp not for just using as a bow .

[@ashadizanur4907]

@@nickdavis5420 good to know. Thx. 😁

[@robthorn4213]

Another great one. Wish you would make a bowstring . That would also be useful knowledge too

[@sovereignundead]

Wonderful work! I'm sharing this to see if fellow Critters can help make it more on-model with the show, for a future update. Me? I'll wait patiently until we finally get to see... "Bad News."

[@SkillTree]

Oh MAN! Making Bad News would be SICK. THANK YOU for sharing my content! That means everything!

[@angreed7429]

Oh yes PLEASE do Bad News though I would live to see your take on any of Percys guns

[@Papercut337]

I have to give props to the shirt lol

[@baseballjustin5]

Next on Skill Tree Taelisan Jafe !? Making Percy's coat!? That would be dope. But never happen maybe eventually

[@bretlemieux2489]

Clever remember if you make a gun it can be kept for a home defense gun but you have to keep it permanently no one else can use it

[@stoner4]

wow,, man you got my attention!! I like that bow~! really a survival bow!! gives me an idea,, what do you think about making a compound bow with that pvc pipe??

[@geekscene7187]

That bow is SO PRETTY!

[@Arkie80]

I don't know if you were aware but it is dangerous to overheat PVC. I've worked with it for about 6 years now and I've learned first hand that fumes it can give off are highly noxious. And I'm given to understand that the white mist it offgasses when scorched is acid vapor and that squares with the effect it has on the respiratory system. I alwsys wear a respirator and sure never to overheat it.

[@ArcheryGuy2]

beautiful bow

[@SkillTree]

Thanks!

[@fightingcorsair7297]

Those bows look great!

[@winterknightwarden8543]

I'll be attempting to make a cuirass, but only enough leather coverage for the ribcage (front and back). Later attaching chainmail to finish the length. I'm asking for advice on the leather. Would it be better to do the pattern as one piece and drape it over me and attach on the sides, or 2 halves and attach on both shoulders and sides?

[@MarcRitzMD]

Paracord stretches a lot. It is supposed to. If you can find something else, try and go for it. Doesn't have to be what bowyers use for an introduction into the hobby. Polypropylene-based rope would work better, so would natural fiber strings.

[@ElliottRodgers]

Epic bow! Love it.

[@wolfwoodworkingcreations4321]

Still awesome as always. Love the cup and the story behind it. FYI to me it seems your audio might be a little low or low in treble. Still great my man.

[@ocoulos]

Hey man! Have you thought about upgrading this bow to her new from Season 2? ^^

[@donovanoakes9566]

Just spent a few hours trying to make this, but couldnt get the pvc pipe to tapar the way that its supposed to. Would clamp down the board with little pvc feet for a slow decline, but could never get the grips to clamp down far enough for the pvc to compress all the way. Any advice to doing that portion? I used 1in pvc btw

[@mmcgartland2095]

I am so jealous of your tshirt

[@SkillTree]

Alas, it is mine by rite of glorious combat! You would have to best me in gladiatorial battle to claim it for yourself!

[@velazquezarmouries]

Remember that PVC haves an expiration date Though i think it resets if you heat it up

[@alexandermoran7783]

Yay you made a pvc bow I don't know if I was the only one but I did say you should during the live stream 😄

[@stephenrenwick8781]

Awesome work 😍

[@googanmcboogie9307]

Alternatively you can dye PvC with gasoline dye since the pipe is petroleum based.

[@Ozarkwonderer]

awsome job. but i like the simplicity of the first bow you made starting out. just my personal style. but i make wood bows that way

[@rockinrswoodshop]

For the guns, you should be able to make a nerf style one that wouldn’t be a lethal weapon…

[@fitzchivalry728]

Cl3ver, i have some bad news, the title has a typo

[@SkillTree]

Thank you!

[@leviyouler3362]

New sub here, Love your stuff bro, keep it up I feel like I can build ANYTHING now👍🏼👍🏼😁💯🤣

[@Voltzxz]

DAMN, I can make this and it will go so well with the cloak I made from you!

[@mostlyghostey]

I feel like this video has granted me forbidden knowledge….

[@BackyardBowyer]

This video is a good condensation of what took me about a decade of progression to figure out. I wouldn't call it secret knowledge per se, but definitely powerful knowledge. In our plastic world, it's a neat skill to know.

[@danjudex2475]

What a nice bow, I sure hope he doesn’t use to make the largest continuous land empire in history.

[@BackyardBowyer]

If he can keep up this same attitude and energy, I would be fine with the rise of such an empire. 😂

[@dimitristripakis7364]

Check out the video of BackyardBowyer = "Making a 40 Pound Freehand Formed PVC Bow With Tape Finish - Full Build" In the beginning he tests the pipes for brittle. You can clearly see what went wrong with yours, it was not your fault.

[@Terry-Tuna]

form nice video, well done.

[@bretlemieux2489]

I have made a few bows out of pvc they work well but I have my hunting bow it is 112lbs draw for hunting bear and deer

[@SkillTree]

Hot damn! You must be STRONG to pull that and be accurate. I would be all over the place.

[@bretlemieux2489]

@@SkillTree I grew up with that bow from 12 till now so yeah because it is a compound bow at the full draw it is 0 lbs but I’m happy with it.

[@SkillTree]

@@bretlemieux2489 ah, a compound, that makes way more sense. They are such a great display of engineering a simple thing we have had forever to be so incredibly powerful. Very cool.

[@bretlemieux2489]

@@SkillTree if I use the other set of cams I can increase the draw weight to 145 lbs it is a rugged bow

[@DH-xw6jp]

@@bretlemieux2489 im looking for a stronger bow, can i ask what brand/model you have?

[@jamesgilvary683]

So, the shorter the bow is, the more force it takes to draw?

[@SkillTree]

Correct! Think of it in terms of leverage. The longer it is the more leverage you have to move yhe limbs with.

[@jamesgilvary683]

@@SkillTree ok that makes a lot more sense. Thanks!!! And great job on the build! It's so cool to see a practical bow with that impossible fantasy aesthetic

[@ronancarey296]

Please make vax’s daggers for LARP use.

[@stephenbrazina7737]

I've seen someone would score the pvc with a saw blade then stain it with wood stain

[@alexandersmall7380]

Can you make a replica of the Nuclear Football? I'd love to have a replica in my collection but I'm not too sure how to go about making it.

[@DonaldMcDaniel-c4l]

👍👍👍👍👍👍

[@todorminchev2123]

its a great video, but im having trouble following inches XD would be great if next time can include some measurements in metric please?

[@ikatekeda6267]

an inch is basically 2.5cm. 54 inches is 137mm

[@housegoth]

Learn the imperial system, it is superior to that silly French metric system.

[@baseballjustin5]

Critical Role's Legend of Vox Machina was so good. Can't wait for S2; Jan 20, 2023

[@omecronrodneydheel349]

Now you can pvp with pvc

[@davidlargen6945]

Check out Persian bows. Basically that is what your making

[@ilkero1067]

Beware that the PVC might get brittle at cold weather.

[@Ninjin01]

i love your content

[@franklajoie2507]

I just tried (and failed) the Vex bow

[@barrettready1713]

If u like the cartoon it is much more violent and harsh but check out Goblin Slayer or at least the art I think you will like his armor. The show is great if you like the crazy violence.

[@bretlemieux2489]

I’d love to see you make mokume gane

[@KaquolMeliReno]

I’m subscribed.

[@mr.saf_ford4464]

*PLEASE FOR THE NEXT VIDEO PLEASEEEE DO THR TYREALS COSTUME PLEASEEEEEEE! I'M BEGGING DO IT PLEASEE FOR GOD SEEK!*

[@rshaart4810]

You'd be better off watching "The Backyard Bowyer" with his series on making PVC bows, there's a lot of right angles there that would cause stress and collapse limbs on that "Vex bow"

[@SkillTree]

100%. Backyardbowyer is the master. I am just a dude trying to lear new and fun skills and show what I did. The Backyardbowyer learned by doing so I will too! Thanks for watching!

[@theodorhentze2142]

cool

[@SkillTree]

Thanks!

[@seangere9698]

If you plan to draw this bow a lot you should place the stitching on the other side of the bow or it will become uncomfortable quickly.

[@ricardorodriguez8469]

It looks to be a three piece how

[@nickdavis5420]

Next time use furniture grade pvc

[@tdws5754]

What your making is a Turkish bow

[@SkillTree]

Oh? Is that the general design I used?

[@tdws5754]

@@SkillTree the handle is different but pretty much

[@williamstewart1883]

Do not treat your pvc like this if you plan on using it for plumbing.

[@elijahoconnell]

if yall wanna make these you need to be aware that pvc bows, especially ones you make, especially with no prior experience of being a bowyer, please know this can be really dangerous. you can have too many variables and too much “personal flair” and thus extra risk. “ive made x of these and theyre fine” does not negate the inherent risk

[@SkillTree]

For sure! Same is true with wooden bows or any kind of thing that has to take on this much stress. A wood grain in the wrong spot, for instance, can cause a catastrophic failure and send a sharp and splintered stick at your face. As with everything, use caution.

[@MarcRitzMD]

As a very long time bowyer, the danger is absolutely minimal.

[@elijahoconnell]

@@MarcRitzMD no