Making a Bow Horse

Here are the drawings and a help sheet to make up a bow horse. There are
three for mine and one for Tim Baker’s quick bench. His really does not need
the explanation that the other does. The quick bench works real well for board
bows and for final tillering and scraping. It holds the bow by the handle and you
put the tip in your lap, works real nice. He has suggested that you center the
top instead of the way I have drawn it so you can hide it as a garden bench. Put
a hole in the end to hold a flower pot and then nobody will sit on the end
anyway. The other has been around for thousands of years and works real well
with logs and staves. I think both are needed but you need a lot of room. I
have made most of my benches out of treated lumber and hot dipped galvanized
hardware where I can, I leave my benches outside. I have started to make the
top clamp out of a treated landscape timber it has a big radius on two sides and
works real well. I have drawn up a tiller tree also that I have included.
Good luck.

If you have any questions or comments or need me to cut a piece for you (small
fee) just let me know.
Have fun

Tim Flood
PrimitiveArcher@aol.com
770.499.7369
What you will need to put a bow horse together:

Lumber:

1. 4 pcs. 2x4x8’ (treated?)

2. 1 pc 2x6x4’

Hardware:

1. 3 pcs, ½” x 7” carriage bolts 6 flats 3 nuts, watch length wet

lumber is thicker, Main body
2. 1 pc ½” x 7 ½” carriage bolt 2 flats and 1 nut, Axle
3. 4 pcs. 5/16” x 2 ½ carriage bolts 4 flats and 4 nuts, back legs
4. 2 pcs. 5/16” x 3 ½” carr. bolts 2 flats and 2 nuts clamp foot to
clamp upright
5. 4 pcs ¼” x3” lag screws clamp and axle holder
6. 2 pcs #10 x 3 ½” countersunk head screws, table to table leg
7. big hinge with screws 2 ,2 ½” long and 3, 1 ¼” long (under table)
8. 12” piece of ½” all thread rod with 2 flats and 2 nuts, foot brace

Instructions:

1. Cut all lumber to length

2. Cut angles on back legs (all cuts are at 15 degrees)
3. Clamp main body together and drill the 3, ½” holes where
indicated +/-
4. Insert seat piece and drill, insert one of the 7” carriage bolts
5. Insert front leg and drill, and bolt with a 7” carriage bolt
6. Fit up one of the back legs and drill for attachment hardware, the
do other leg.
7. Cut the notch in the 2x6 with the best side up. Fir the notch to
clamp upright. The clamp upright should be able to move when
the axle holder is clamped on!
8. Drill a ½” hole in the 2x6 or use alternate (2x4 with ½” square
dado, screwed to bottom) For the straight hole challenged. Drill
the axle holder and check fit You can drill holes in the clamp
upright later on to use different thicknesses of wood for now just
drill one to fit rest of holes. I find it best to have holes near front
of upright play with this till you find right place to drill all the holes!
9. Drill and countersink hole for the table leg and assemble with long
screws
10. Assemble table with clamp upright and table leg between main
body pieces insert last ½” bolt in main body. Tighten when back is
flush and height seems right for you.
11. Clamp axle holder and fasten with screws. Make sure the 2x4 is
flush with the 2x6 and the axle is removable.
12. When you know where the 2x6 goes, attach the hinge in the back
of the 2x6 and the 2x4. You might have to disassemble depending
what type of hinge you can find.
13. Drill hole in foot for allthread rod and clamp the upright where it
seems right and drill and attachment hardware and assemble
14. Clamp 2x4 clamp the upright and drill for attachment hardware and
assemble, I’ve been using a 6” piece of landscape timber lately
with the rounded edge it will not damage wood Put it where you
like it
15. Screw upright rub in place (keeps upright tight) All done!!
Neat huh?

Tim Flood
Tflood3762@aol.com

If you run into trouble or need me to cut a piece for you (for a small fee) I
would be more then glad to help you.
 QTY DESCRIPTION LENGTH MATERIAL

A. 2 MAIN FRAME 72" 2 X 4

B. 2 BACK LEGS 20" 2 X 4
C. 1 CLAMP UPRIGHT 32" 2 X 4
D. 1 FRONT LEG 20" 2 X 4
E. 1 CLAMP FOOT 12" 2 X 4
F. 1 TABLE LEG 12" 2 X 4
ALTERNATE TO G. 1 CLAMP UPRIGHT RUB 20" X 1-7/8" 2 X 4
DRILLING THROUGH H. 1 SEAT PIECE 12" 2 X 4
I. 1 AXEL HOLDER 16" 2 X 4
2X6 J. 1 CLAMP 8" 2 X 4
SCREW UNDER 2 X 6 K. 1 TABLE 47" 2 X 6

J
AXEL H
OLDE
I
R

K
F
A
HINGE

H G
C

B
D
E

piece "J" Title:

Dwg No.
Bow Horse
C:\...Bow-Vse
Date: Drawn By:
6/99 Tim Flood
 QTY DESCRIPTION LENGTH MATERIAL

A. 2 MAIN FRAME 72" 2 X 4

B 2 BACK LEGS 20" 2 X 4
C. 1 CLAMP UPRIGHT 32" 2 X 4
D. 1 FRONT LEG 20" 2 X 4
E. 1 CLAMP FOOT 12" 2 X 4
F. 1 TABLE LEG 12" 2 X 4
G. 1 CLAMP UPRIGHT RUB 20" X 1-7/8" 2 X 4
H. 1 SEAT PIECE 12" 2 X 4
15 DEG CUTS I. 1 AXEL HOLDER 16" 2 X 4
J. 1 CLAMP 8" 2 X 4
BACK LEGS 2 REQ-D K. 1 TABLE 47" 2 X 6
20.000

47.0
8.75 6.0
1.5

2 x 6
PIECE A PIECE B

PIECE A PIECE B

PIECE C PIECE D PIECE E PIECE F 1.88

PIECE G

PIECE H PIECE I PIECE J

2 X 4 X 8'
4 Pcs Req-d Title:
BOW HORSE CUT LIST
Dwg No.
C:\...Bow-Leg
BE CAREFUL OF WET WOOD THICKNESS AND WIDTH Date: Drawn By:
6/99 Tim Flood
 ALL CUTS ARE +/-
CUTS

2 X 12
LEG LEG STRETCHER TOP

SCREW THE TWO 14" PIECES TO THE 38" PIECE

3" VICE
LEG ASSY. CLAMPED &
PADDED
KEEP THIS SIDE FLUSH

TURN OVER AND SCREW TOP TO LEG ASSY.

LEG ASSY.

TIM BAKERS QUICK BENCH

DRAWN BY TIM FLOOD
 YOU SHOULD ALWAYS PULL YOUR BOW 40 OR 50 TIMES
AFTER REMOVING WOOD TO MAKE THE NEW THICKNESS SET IN
8' 2X4 CUT TWO 12" PIECES AND ATTACH

MAKE THIS OUT OF A 4X4 AND ATTACH

AT EYE LEVEL, 2" FLAT TO PUT BOW HANDLE ON
HOOK STRING OR BOW SCALE HERE
"S" HOOK
YOU CAN HOOK A YARD STICK TO THE SIDE
WITH A RUBBER BAND AND MOVE IT TO
COMPENSATE FOR DIFFERENT HANDLES

CLOSE S HOOK ON TOP PULLEY TIE 1/4" ROPE TO 3/8" EYE LAG SCREW
THEN UP THROUGH PULLEY CONNECTED TO "S" HOOK,
THEN DOWN THROUGH PULLEY ON BOTTOM EYE
TOP PULLEY TOP PULLEY THEN OUT TO YOUR HAND

PEG OR SCREW TO HOLD PULLEY SO YOU DON'T

HAVE TO PICK IP UP ALL TIME

SWIVEL PULLEYS WILL MAKE THINGS

EASIER DEPENDING ON THE PULLEYS YOU CAN FIND

OPEN EYE SCREW AND PUT PULLEY IN EYE

1/4" ROPE THEN CLOSE UP EYE,
BOTTOM
PULLEY

I LEAN MINE UP UNDER THE SIDING AND HAVE PUT TWO PIECES OF REBAR IN THE

KNOT HERE GROUND INFRONT OF THE BOTTOM CROSS PIESE TO PULL AGAINST

BOTTOM PULLEY TILLER TREE

ATTACH TO TREE OR SIDE OF BUILDING 8/99 TIM FLOOD
 drill small holes so nail can be adjusted for different string length

Bow Weight Stands of B-50

20-45# 12
45-55# 14
55-70# 16
9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0

48 50 52 54 56 58 60 62 64 66 68 70 72 74

3" 8"
Put 2 nails at this end Put 20 nails at this end

Made from 2 x 4 30" long

Put marks at 3" for length of braid for loop

Flemish String Jig
and 8" for where to start the twisting
from the end
Drawn By: Tim Flood