PVC Bow (for archery)

[hornet driver]

I posted something on your recovery thread that might be of interest.

 

[mbauer]

What I use is a 3/8" nylon rope and a 18" long 2' x 2" board. Tie the rope by wrapping it around the center of the 2x2 and tying real tight. Now throw the 2x2 over the branch and pull tight carefully until the board catched the branch. Now pull back and forth until said branch releases your rocket.

Now pull real hard watching out when the 2x2 comes flying towards the ground.

Mike

 

[kcobbva]

I wouldn't recommend using a bow to aid in the recovery of a tree'd rocket. There are just too many safety concerns.

Actually, if you have a recurve setup for bowfishing; and a clear area, it works rather well. And as long as it's clear the arrow only travels so far with the line attached. You can then pull down on both sides. Have used this technique many times in past to get things stuck in trees down. Now, without the line, I agree with your statement.

 

[McKailas Dad]

Actually, if you have a recurve setup for bowfishing; and a clear area, it works rather well. And as long as it's clear the arrow only travels so far with the line attached. You can then pull down on both sides. Have used this technique many times in past to get things stuck in trees down. Now, without the line, I agree with your statement.

So, short of trying to lay out the string in an orderly fashion on the ground, I would like to figure out a mount for it. How did you do it?

That has been my biggest hassle, is the string getting all tangled up.

I'll maybe have to see how they do it on crossbows and/or harpoons.

I'd image just a pair of pegs, maybe at a slight inward angle? So far, what I've tried of it on a spool, it won't unwind fast enough. I have much more room in the clearing, but it's further away.

Going back to the scene again tomorrow. I gotta pick up the girls from school anyway.

 

[Rex R]

with a spin cast fishing reel loaded with 8 - 15 lb test fishing line. or at least that is what I used when playing with arrows and attached lines.
Rex
for my testing I attached the reel to a sawhorse.

 

[kcobbva]

So, short of trying to lay out the string in an orderly fashion on the ground, I would like to figure out a mount for it. How did you do it?

That has been my biggest hassle, is the string getting all tangled up.

I'll maybe have to see how they do it on crossbows and/or harpoons.

I'd image just a pair of pegs, maybe at a slight inward angle? So far, what I've tried of it on a spool, it won't unwind fast enough. I have much more room in the clearing, but it's further away.

Going back to the scene again tomorrow. I gotta pick up the girls from school anyway.

Ok so I'm very slighted here in opinion. I personally will only use the AMS Retriever Reel. (https://www.amsbowfishing.com/bows-reels/ams-retriever-reels.html) A quick glance and they have gone UP in price. I think I spent $69.00 on mine and haven't bought one in over 8 years. Anyway, this device allows the line to deploy WITHOUT coming in contact with something to stop it. The zebco's are good; but if the button stops, the line becomes taught, and the arrow comes back at you! this doesn't happen with the retriever reel. Taught Archery, bowfishing, and bow - bird hunting for many years, a long time ago. Also suggest a recurve over a compound for bowfishing. even a cheap ebay recurve is a great choice as long as the limbs aren't twisted.
Ok so the line attaches to a slider on the bowfishing arrow (https://www.bing.com/images/search?...d86a0014aea5bc0428b34607f6dc2ebbH0&ajaxhist=0) the line connects from there into the bottle. You simply draw back, ensuring the line stays in front of the riser and release; it'll go up - hopefully over your intended limb and down on the other side. The line is pretty hefty, so you can pull both sides and bend, shake the limb. Then disconnect the arrow and pull the line back over. The line shouldn't snap. I fought a 90lb Stingray with my rig and the limb was nothing compared to that thing.

I do not suggest a crossbow. The idea is to only launch the arrow as far as required. With a recurve you can easily do this. A little practice in the back yard, and you are good to go. Then after you get your rocket....GO FISHING with it (only for Non-game fish..otherwise your warden will visit you)

 

[McKailas Dad]

I got lazy....

I found a five foot chunk of 1/2" sch40 in the garage. I drilled and notched a couple holes, and strung it up with some Kevlar.

What was that old bumper sticker?

Don't laugh, it's paid for



Will it take down a hippo? No.

A mouse? If I could hit it, yes.

A rocket?

I'll tell you in about 13 hours

Unless I can find arrows on super duper cheap clearance at Walmart, I'm thinking some wood dowels, with maybe a nut epoxied on the end for extra weight and stability? I don't think the lack of 'fins' are going to make much difference. I'm going for a short distance, plus or minus 5 feet accuracy ain't gonna matter much as long as it's over the branch!

Eh, it might at least be worth a try. On a side note, it was 52 degrees here two days ago. Now...it's snowing :/

 

[kcobbva]

I got lazy....

I found a five foot chunk of 1/2" sch40 in the garage. I drilled and notched a couple holes, and strung it up with some Kevlar.

What was that old bumper sticker?

Don't laugh, it's paid for

View attachment 283753

Will it take down a hippo? No.

A mouse? If I could hit it, yes.

A rocket?

I'll tell you in about 13 hours

Unless I can find arrows on super duper cheap clearance at Walmart, I'm thinking some wood dowels, with maybe a nut epoxied on the end for extra weight and stability? I don't think the lack of 'fins' are going to make much difference. I'm going for a short distance, plus or minus 5 feet accuracy ain't gonna matter much as long as it's over the branch!

Eh, it might at least be worth a try. On a side note, it was 52 degrees here two days ago. Now...it's snowing :/

While I love redneck ingenuity, please be careful; especially if it's cold. If the PVC becomes brittle at all, or reaches its stress point; you'll have quite an experience during your draw. :y:

 

[djs]

I'll tell you in about 13 hours

You do realize that after all this work, the wind will have blown down the rocket overnight. Either that or you'll get it down and find out it's someone else's drago

 

[TopRamen]

I wasn't sure, I'm not a hunter. I just checked, and apparently they were recently okayed for use during bow hunting season.

I'm not sure how the local cops would feel about a guy sneaking through the woods, across the street from school with one though. I'm thinking I would get a cap busted in my @$&, and they'd ask questions later. :/

Ahh, yeah, when schools are involved it's a whole different story.

We can't hunt with crossbows here without a special permit, which you can only get with a doctors note that says you have a medical condition that prevents you from using a regular bow.
That said, you can still go into any shop and buy a crossbow for target shooting or "Other".'
I thought you were implying that for some reason they were possibly banned entirely. That would just be silly.
I'd like to get a crossbow someday, and though I have a medical condition that I could use to get that doctors note, I don't hunt, and would just like to have one for the heck of it.

 

[McKailas Dad]

You do realize that after all this work, the wind will have blown down the rocket overnight. Either that or you'll get it down and find out it's someone else's drago

I've been hoping the wind would blow it down. Nope, it's up there pretty good, we've been having some pretty fierce wind lately, 20-30mph.

It's actually kinda funny, you can see that fluorescent orange chute from a like a 1/4 mile. My daughter can see it out the window of her science class :/

At least the Jolly Roger. 'Pirate Flag' will ward off any wrong-doers! Yaaarrr !!!


Now, go figure, we got 3-4 inches of snow...overnight That does not motivate me...

Maybe the BT will fill with snow and that will make it heavy enough to drop?! Wishful thinking

 

[djs]

My daughter can see it out the window of her science class :/

Clearly "get the rocket down" would make for a great extra credit project for the class- have you asked the teacher to make it an assignment? Is it a physics class?

 

[Wingarcher]

I have some experience with getting rockets out of trees. The primary weapon I use is one of these:

https://www.sherrilltree.com/climbing-gear/bigshot-launchers/sherrilltree-big-shot-standard-kit

I have three lead shot bags (sherrill sells these as well) in 8,10,12oz weights. I don't use the dyneema line, I have some 100lb braided kite line instead. This is unrolled from the spool in a long length (like 250-300ft) and as much of the twist in it taken out as possible. Then it's flaked into a small plastic bucket so it's just laying in there, no particular order, except that it stacks up from bottom to top. Flaked rope is the way to go for this sort of thing, you could do it on a tarp, too. I find the terrain is challenging around trees, so the line comes out of the bucket. I have a second bucket that nests in the first on top of the flake, keeping it orderly. After a few shots, you'll have to be careful to untwist the rope as you flake it back into the bucket for a follow up shot. Twist is your enemy.

We use some heavier cheapo rope as a secondary line (pulled up with the kite line) and if necessary, I have 200' of 3 strand New England rigging line that will go through a Maasdam rope puller. Add some loppers, determination, cleverness, and a chainsaw every once in a while.......

I think our HPR with electronics recovery count is over 24 in the past 6-8 years.

N

 

[McKailas Dad]

Clearly "get the rocket down" would make for a great extra credit project for the class- have you asked the teacher to make it an assignment? Is it a physics class?

Ha! That's a good idea

That may be an interesting class project! I'll run it past the teacher and see if he's interested.

It's just a 'Science' class, and their last studies were in chemistry. McKaila and I did her project on adhesives, specifically balsa fins to cardboard tubes.

She got an A++ on her project if you hadn't heard yet. The rocket launch had nothing to do with the grade, but may or may not have influenced it

I've emailed the teacher prior asking if he had any ideas. Some of the 'projects' lately had included someone that had built a spud gun. I had mentioned using that, but it was an air powered one that didn't work that well.

I would be very curious to see what the kids would come up with for ideas! It would likely be so simple, it would likely work on the first try.

 

[McKailas Dad]

I have some experience with getting rockets out of trees. The primary weapon I use is one of these:

https://www.sherrilltree.com/climbing-gear/bigshot-launchers/sherrilltree-big-shot-standard-kit

I have three lead shot bags (sherrill sells these as well) in 8,10,12oz weights.

So, essentially, it's a giant slingshot that launches lead weighted bags?

I'm figuring that needs at least 3 people, two to hold the sling shot, one to launch it?

Most of my recovery attempts have been solo, hence I have had to be a little more creative.

 

[Igotnothing]

I think I found it

A 66" x 1 1/4", sch40 pipe longbow.

The vid shows how he made it, and actually proves it has 80# of pull.

Shot at the chrono at almost 180fps, even -he- said "Holy sh$&!"

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=YrKqV9reA1M

Heck, even IF I can't get the rocket with it, this looks like it would be fun project anyway

180? Cough. 310. Cough, cough.

Oh. But that is a real compound. Slingshot and a fishing weight is still your best bet. Course you need a fishing reel. Fishing pole and golf ball if you really want to avoid any accusations of using a weapon in a dangerous manner.

 

[Wingarcher]

So, essentially, it's a giant slingshot that launches lead weighted bags?

I'm figuring that needs at least 3 people, two to hold the sling shot, one to launch it?

Yes, it's on the end of a 4' pole that joins with another to make an 8' length. It's a one man operation to use, since the thing is always being used to shoot "up", the Earth holds the other end. To get a clean release, it's a three finger one hand draw but it does take quite a bit of strength if you need to get a shot really high. It helps to have a second person to manage lines and have a second set of eyes on where the shot went, which branch you went over that you didn't want.... etc.

Our goal is usually to get a line over a portion of the rocket, and as little tree as possible. Yank the rocket out, over, down, etc.

N

 

[McKailas Dad]

Yes, it's on the end of a 4' pole that joins with another to make an 8' length. It's a one man operation to use, since the thing is always being used to shoot "up", the Earth holds the other end. To get a clean release, it's a three finger one hand draw but it does take quite a bit of strength if you need to get a shot really high. It helps to have a second person to manage lines and have a second set of eyes on where the shot went, which branch you went over that you didn't want.... etc.

Our goal is usually to get a line over a portion of the rocket, and as little tree as possible. Yank the rocket out, over, down, etc.

N

Aahhh! Now I get it, I had to watch a YouTube video of it in action...

Man, if, for some crazy reason my bow and arrow thing doesn't work (which I think it will) I'll have to copy that design. I have the FG poles I borrowed from the neighbor, I could make something that could 'click' onto that.

I made a couple 'arrows' tonight out of 5/16" dowel, a couple nuts threaded on one end, and notched the other end.

I suppose I'll humor you all with a pic...

 

[McKailas Dad]

Oops forgot pic...



I made 2, fwiw one weighs 28 grams, the other is 33. I cut them down from 48" to one at 36", the other 38".

I whittled a little of the end to get the nuts to thread on. They weren't exactly 'threaded', so I drizzled some wood glue on before I put them on to make them more permanent.

I drilled a small hole, then carved and filed out the tail end, I even sanded in a bit of a boat tail : p I sealed up the grain with some CA.

I gave it a tiny test....

Put it this way, I probably should have tried it...outside?!

I haven't been there since it snowed, maybe I'll get lucky and it fell out, but I doubt it.

 

[K'Tesh]

Odd, I thought that the nut would be holding the bow.

I gave it a tiny test....

Put it this way, I probably should have tried it...outside?!

I rest my case.

 

[McKailas Dad]

Odd, I thought that the nut would be holding the bow.

Yar! Ya got me on that one!

With the 14 hour time difference, you're -always- one step ahead of me!

So you tell me, since it's already tomorrow there... Was I able to get it down?!

 

[K'Tesh]

Yar! Ya got me on that one!

With the 14 hour time difference, you're -always- one step ahead of me!

So you tell me, since it's already tomorrow there... Was I able to get it down?!

Yes... However the HOA is pretty pissed that a chainsaw was being used at 3am

 

[fyrwrxz]

Yar! Ya got me on that one!

With the 14 hour time difference, you're -always- one step ahead of me!

So you tell me, since it's already tomorrow there... Was I able to get it down?!

I think you may have inadvertently stumbled upon your own solution! What you really need is a Delorean...

 

[McKailas Dad]

I think you may have inadvertently stumbled upon your own solution! What you really need is a Delorean...

A DeLorean?!

This is about as close as I'm going to get...



I can get my Volvo to 88mph (maybe) but it's the 1.21 gigawatts I'm really concerned with.

Next?!

 

[McKailas Dad]

Made a few attempts today. I don't there's quite enough 'pull' on the bow to get it high enough, but it was very close.

I'm going to try to get more pull by either shortening the bow string, adding an interior fiberglass rod, or using my 'few inches longer' arrow.

My only 'cost' on this thing so far has been the dowels, which I will likely recycle into another project anyway.

The layer of snow actually helped to lay the string out a little better, but it still got tangled up a few times.

My fingers and toes were getting numb, and I heard sirens in the distance, so I decided to pack it up for today.

 

[Micromeister]

I don't know if you know Mike T from the Woosh launches, but he uses a golf ball attached to the end of a fishing line, and a fishing pole. That might be a easy/cheap solution?

YES YES YES! A much better choice. I am an archer but I use an open face spinning reel and medium action 7foor rod with 40lb mono with an 18" bungie cord to retrieve some rockets from trees 30 to 50feet.

It takes a little practice but it or a sling shot with the same line and bungie cord also works.

Best for "Normal" Tree recovery is a 3 section Painters Roller extension handle. With a 3ft x 1/4" rod hook extension this tool gets models from trees up to 35ft.

Hope this helps some

 

[RocketT.Coyote]

A vendor was offering them at a recent local gun-knife show.

I made a few PVC pipe blow guns though.

 

[K'Tesh]

I just thought of something. My dad, a number of decades ago had a training dummy for our dog. It was attached to a gun (a 22, or a shotgun, I can't remember), and would be launched by a blank. It got some serious distance... Maybe attaching a line to something like that would work.

[video=youtube;xH_-uq1dX8Y]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xH_-uq1dX8Y[/video]

 

[McKailas Dad]

I just thought of something. My dad, a number of decades ago had a training dummy for our dog. It was attached to a gun (a 22, or a shotgun, I can't remember), and would be launched by a blank. It got some serious distance... Maybe attaching a line to something like that would work.

[video=youtube;xH_-uq1dX8Y]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xH_-uq1dX8Y[/video]

Out in the country, awesome idea!

Across the street from School, (or anywhere near town!) not so much.

Goin for silent but deadly stealth ninja style

If I were goin loud and destructive I could of maybe had it out the same day lol

+4 on chainsaw

(or TNT, C4, oversized rabid beavers?!)

I just -can't- .....they know it's mine

 

[K'Tesh]

Can you find one of those pistol crossbows? I seem to remember that I was able to find those for about $20USD. Below is an image of one that I found that was a 50lb draw for ~$7.00 (currently out of stock though).


Remove the target point from one of the bolts, then attach a rubber bumper and a fishing line to it, and that *should* be able to fire the required height/distance.