Making the Solid Wooden Archery Release

Fresh off the saw and ready to test!

When I started teaching my boys about archery I soon discovered one very simple and painful fact.  My fingertips didn't like that kind of treatment anymore.  Since I otherwise enjoyed both the sport and the bonding time, I needed to come up with a solution I could afford.  Which means I needed to make something from scrap materials in the yard …
One thing I seem to have a great supply of is lumber so at least I knew what I would be making it from.  Now the tricky bit of what the heck was I going to make?  I started searching around on YouTube, as I tend to do, and found that Backyard Bowyer had made almost exactly what I needed, except using heated PVC.  While I did have some extra PVC pipe sitting unused I didn't have a heat gun to warm it or shape it properly.
Okay, now I had a general idea of what I was going to make and what I was going to make it from.  Two out of three is a solid start and all I needed now was some sort of pattern.  Easy enough since I almost always have some paper within arms reach of my desk chair.  Before long I had whipped up a sketch that I felt would do the trick!  So I glued it to some plywood and fired up the old scroll saw.  I do mean old too, I had to shove down on the arm to get it running but it still did the job!
A quick test with the plywood prototype showed me that I was pleased with the design and I then copied it onto a piece of ¾ inch plank board I had in the scrap wood pile.  After cutting the thicker release and rounding the edges, the new version shot quite well and I am still impressed with how well it has performed.  It does feel a little odd at first though, I’ll be honest.
I've seen similar devices cut from assorted metals that look pretty amazing but the prices have been a little crazy if you ask me.  Some have even been well over $100!  Since so many folks have asked for it over the years I have finally posted a downloadable PDF with a quick pattern to make a wooden archery release at home!  It only costs a buck and helps support us in our effort to fund Clean Valley Farms.  You can check that out on GumRoad.com by clicking here.
This little project is quite simple and can easily be done in a single afternoon.  Why not give it a try?  Want to watch the video where I did all of this?  You can check that out on YouTube by clicking here!
-JT Bear

How do PVC Bows Compare to Proper Archery Equipment

Last winter I started messing around with the idea of making archery equipment from some of the assorted piece of PVC pipe that I have scattered around my yard from all my aquaponic plumbing jobs over the years.  Well, it didn't take me long to realize that PVC bows work a whole lot better if you make them from new pipe at least schedule 40 or thicker in wall diameter.  Those first few bows just bent right back in my hands.  Once I figured that out, things came along quite nicely.  I tried a few different methods for making them, if you want to check on YouTube there are loads of awesome videos & I recommend Backyard Bowyer as a great place to start, and that all seemed to work out alright too!  So far, so good … right?
I made a quick little video comparing 4 different PVC bows that I had made, or was working on, and thought things were progressing quite nicely.  For the most part the bows were solid and great for starting out or practice in a tiny yard like the one here.  I had a lot of fun with them, but it takes more to make for an ethical hunt in my opinion.  I soon came to the opinion that a proper recurve bow would be required before I would feel comfortable to hunt, or even fish, with it.
This took me on a wonderful adventure to Back Country Sports, a local archery enthusiast turned store owner, to find a quality piece of equipment.  I learned more about how a bow functions in that one afternoon than in the almost 4 decades that came before it.  We ended up setting up a beautiful 45# takedown recurve bow for just over $200.  Not too bad, I've bought cars for less but I wouldn't take them out hunting …
Once I got home with my new bow I just had to try it out.  Off to the backyard with all my assorted accessories that I had put together for the PVC bows to have some fun!
First I tested that wooden archers release that I had made and I can honestly say that I was impressed with how well it did but I can see how some little changes might just make it a whole lot better.  After that came the 3 finger glove that I had cut from some old work gloves and again I was pretty pleased with the results.  In fact, the glove soon won the position of preferred release aid for the new bow!  Great, sort of.  Within the first 50 or so shots the top fingertip had almost come off of the glove completely.  Since this leaves my finger exposed to that string pressure a new way to release was once again required.  That’s how I ended up with the rubber sandal cut into a finger tab that I am currently using.  Not bad, for now, but I will be picking up some proper archers gloves on one of my next paydays.
So really the question is how does home made PVC style archery equipment compare to the proper ‘sport shop’ type stuff.  Well, it’s like this … if you're broke & just getting started then go out and make yourself some gear.  It will be educational and making things yourself can be very satisfying.  A decent PVC bow will work just fine for practice in the backyard or teaching your kids about basic archery.  However, if your interest in archery is a little more advanced and you're thinking about stocking the freezer to feed the family then I would strongly recommend visiting a pro shop and getting someone there to set you up with the right equipment for you.  It’s not exactly one size fits all out there & it pays to get the right fit for you!
Basically both can be great, in the correct time & place.  I hope this has been helpful, comical or both!
Now, go play outside!