Lever Action Bow

in this instructable, i will show you how to make a awesome simplified lever action bow. a lever action bow is a type of bow that uses levers and pulleys to get a lot of flex out of the limbs. its not the most powerful bow, but it can really impress your friends. it is a great present for a younger sibling, and can be made with pvc tube, so its really cheap. also, this is in the simple machines challenge because it includes pulleys and levers so please vote for me! here is a link to show you real lever action bows.

\https://oneidaeaglebows.com/

MATEREALS:

1.5ft long 2x4.

18in 3/4 in pvc .

1 in pvc.

2 small hinges.

2 small pulleys.

lots of string.

3/4in wood screws.

TOOLS:

heat gun.

scroll saw, coping saw or jig saw.

drill with multiple bits.

belt sander, file or sandpaper

benchtop clamp

in case you didn't know, the riser of a bow is the piece of wood, plastic or metal that the limbs attach to. to start making yours's, draw a picture of what you want it to look like on your 2x4. if you are unsure of what design to choose, you can google "takedown bow risers" or use the picture above. just make sure it has somewhere where you can attach the pulleys. before you cut it out, find the center of the 2x4. measure a 1/4 inch above it for the arrow rest. once it is cut out, cut halfway through the 2x4 at the arrow rest mark. cut up from that 1 inch and cut diagonally to 2 inches above the arrow rest. once all this is done, do a whole lot of sanding, especially around the handle section so you have a good place to grip. congratulations! your riser is complete.

this is a hard job, but doing it right is very rewarding. first, cut each piece of pvc in half 2. heat it up until it is soft but not so hot there are scorch marks on it. one it is hot enough, put it in the clamp and make it flat. do this until all of the piece is flat. repeat this with all of the pieces. i forgot to take pictures for this step, so i will show the pictures with a smaller piece.

for the recurves, heat up just 3 inches of the 3/4 inch pvc, place it in the clamp, and bend it 90 degrees. if you want, you can bend it twice at 50 degrees which is what i am doing here. you are also gonna want to use a file to make the nocks 1/2 inch from the top of the 3/4 inch piece. for the slots, take the 1 inch pvc, measure 1/4 inch from each side, 3 inches up on the bottom, and 2 inches down on the top so it looks like the picture. to cut it out, drill a hole at the bottom of the inside of the rectangle shape you just drew. i used a scroll saw, but a jig saw with a small blade would work almost as well. with a scroll saw, take off the blade, put it through the hole you just drilled, and put the blade back in the scroll saw with it through the pvc. from this position, cut out the center of it like in the picture.

you may have to improvise a little on this step. what you do can differ based on what kind of pulleys you have and what riser design you chose, so i will tell you the basics so you can figure it out. use wood screws to attach the pulleys to the back of the riser, near the top. the screws will come loose without anything holding them down, so tie some string to the bolts on either side of the pulley. depending in what is easier for you, tie them down to another screw a little further down the riser, but not so far down that you have nowhere to put your hands comfortably.

first, attach one side of the hinge on the top of the 1 inch pvc with small bolts. then, measure 6 inches up the 3/4 inch pvc. this is were you will put the other side of the hinge. once you bolt it on, it should look like the picture. to attach the limbs, i used wood screws, but you can use long bolts if you want. pre drill the holes so the wood doesn't splinter. once it looks like it does in the picture, you are good to go.

this is probably the hardest step, so you are gonna need a extra set of hands. first, wrap one end of the rope around the hinge like in the picture. then, drill a small hole at the bottom of the 3/4 inch piece. wrap the string around the pulley and thread it through the hole you just drilled. this is where you need extra help. someone else needs to flex the 1 inch piece while you tie the rope tightly through the hole you just drilled. make sure both limbs are equally tight or it won't shoot straight. this takes a couple tries to do correctly, so don't get frustrated. for the string, i think buying a bowstring for this low-power bow is unnecessary. just cut a piece of string the right length and slip it onto the nocks. congratulations! you built a lever action bow!

this bow is relatively low-power, so with soft arrows, it can be used to shoot your annoying siblings. it is good for short-range target practice outside, but don't expect to go hunting with it. it has a very low draw weight. here is a instructable on how to make arrows.

https://www.instructables.com/traditional-arrows/