I've been trying to make homemade bows for some years now, and have had very little luck up until just a short time ago. Recently I've discovered a method which should allow you to build a simple but functional bow. However, you will need a "secret ingredient", which I will reveal later.

There are three main ways to make sounds with string instruments:

Plucking / strumming - using fingers or a pick (like a guitar)
Striking - hitting the strings with a stick or hammer (like a piano)
Bowing - this is the most common way to play the string instruments in the orchestra (like a violin)


1. Ask an adult to help you with this step! Put on the safety goggles, and using the sharp knife or the coping saw, cut a series of small slits at each end of the strip of wood. The more slits you can cut, the better your bow will work, but don't weaken the wood by making too many slits (for my inch-wide bow I was able to make five slits). Make sure the slits on each side line up with each other - if you cut five on one side make sure that there are five on the other.
2. Cut a piece of fishing line slightly longer than the wood.

3. Tie a single knot at one end of the string and slide the string into one of the slits with the knot flat against the wood. This should anchor the string in place.
4. Stretch the string along the wood and tie a knot at a length slightly shorter that the piece of wood.

5. Ask an adult to help you gently bend the wood until you can slip the knot behind the wood and slide it into the slit. If you feel that the wood is going to break you may need to re-tie the knot a bit further up the string.
6. Repeat steps 2-5 until you have filled all the slits with the strings - make sure that the strings don't criss-cross - they have to go straight to the other side of the wood.



7. You want to gather all the bow-strings as close as possible, so use the twist-ties to bunch the strings together.


8. Slide the block of wood between the wood and strings near the end of the bow. This lifts the strings a bit and adds tightness to the strings.




1. Ask an adult to help you with this step! Wearing the safety goggles, hammer the nails or thumbtacks into opposite ends of the broomstick. Make sure that you can trace a straight line along the stick from one nail to the next - it should not curve around the stick.

2. Tie a length of fishing line to one nail, and then the other end of the line to the second nail. Try to make the fishing line as tight as possible when tying it.

3. Insert the plastic bottle between the line and the broomstick.

4. Slide the bottle all the way over to one side until the string gets tight.





Placing the bottom of the instrument (the side where the bottle is) on the floor, hold the bow in one hand and the top of the instrument with the other. Drag the bow back and forth across the string above the bottle at a medium speed. If you don't get much sound try putting a little more rosin on the strings. As you rub the bow against the string you should hear (and see) the string vibrate.

Try placing your fingers on the top part of the string and pushing down until it touches the stick - the pitch should change again. You can also change the pitch by bowing with one hand and pushing a pencil down against the string with the other - you don't need to have the string touch the wood with this method.