How to Make a Musical Bow

When it comes to musical instruments made with strings, the way you play them depends on the type of instrument you have. To play a guitar, all you need are your fingers. But if you want to play a fiddle or violin, you will need a musical bow to create beautiful melodies. Here is a simple way to make your own musical bow right at home.

Things You'll Need

• Long, thin piece of flexible wood (like a paint stirrer) or tree branch
• Nylon fishing line (8 to 12 lb. test line)
• Little block of wood
• Hacksaw or sharp knife
• 2 twist ties
• Scissors
• Resin

Instructions

1. Put on your safety goggles and cut up to 5 grooves on each end of your piece of wood or stick with a sharp knife or hacksaw. Make sure each side of the wood has the same amount of grooves.

2. Take your scissors and cut a piece of fishing line that is a little bit longer than your piece of wood. Take the string and tie a knot at one end of it. Slip the fishing line into one of the grooves you made in Step 1 making sure that the knot you tied is level with the wood. This will keep the string from coming out of the wood.

3. Pull the fishing line across the length of the wood and tie another knot in the line. This time the knot should be made at a point that is almost at the end of the piece of wood but not all the way to the end.

4. Bend the wood gently so that you can slide the new knot you just made into a groove at the other end of the wood. Make a new knot in the line that is even closer to end of the wood if the wood is too tight when you bend it and feels as if it is going to break.

5. Repeat Steps 3 through 5 until all of the grooves on the piece of wood have fishing line in them. Make sure the fishing lines stay horizontal and do not cross over each other.

6. Take your twist ties and wrap one around the fishing line on each end of the wood.

7. Put the block of wood underneath the fishing line close to the end of the bow.

8. Rub rosin on the fishing line (your new strings) and your musical bow is ready to go.