Bow Making

Every archer has a unique relationship with their bow. Why not start yours with its creation? Professional bowyer Eric Clem will guide you through the process of making your very own all-wooden longbow. Using mostly hand tools, you’ll come away from the class, not only with your very own longbow, but with the knowledge of how to continue the craft on your own.

Starting with discussions on what goes into making a quality bow, you’ll learn what materials and techniques are best utilized for a strong and lasting product. You’ll be shown how to laminate the pieces of a bow, after which you’ll start the slow and methodical process known as tillering (striving for a desired bend shape, at a desired length and weight). Once you reach your goal, you’ll be instructed on how to sculpt the handle to match the contours of your own hand.

The class will culminate in a practice session where you’ll get to try out your new creation and learn a little about archery technique.

It’s hard work! While most woodworking isn’t very physically demanding, bow making will make your blood pump and your arms sore. Utilizing mostly rasps and scrapers for hours on end, be prepared to work and sweat for your creation.

Part of making bows is breaking bows. We’ll do our absolute best to make sure you leave with a bow, but just know it’s not guaranteed. It’s very common when making bows to break them — oftentimes due to a hidden defect in the wood and sometimes at the very end of your process. We have backups for everyone to work on, but this class is about the education, not the product.

Cancellation: You can cancel your ticket for a full refund at any point up to 7 days prior to your scheduled class date. Cancellation for any reason within 7 days of your scheduled class will be non-refundable. No-shows are considered non-refundable cancellations.

Rescheduling: You can reschedule your ticket to another date (subject to availability) at no cost at any point up to 7 days prior to your scheduled class date. Rescheduling requests within 4-7 days of your class date will incur a $300 rescheduling fee. No rescheduling will be permitted for any reason within 4 days of your scheduled class start date/time. So for example, the cutoff would be 9am Tuesday for a class starting Saturday 9am. If no other class dates are available at the time of your request, we can move you to a placeholder event until new dates open up.