[steve_T]

how thick is that angle?

 

[Dthbyhoyt]

That looks scary ...

 

[hunt123]

Great design!! Simple, easy and quick to make! I just might have to make one myself. I suppose you could run a couple angles across the bottom and keep the joining bolts loose so the arms could hinge at that point. Then you could eliminate the bolts at the front of the limbs, and it would all stay together in one piece.

 

[MikeK]

You are a survivor! A rare breed.

 

[steve_T]

You are a survivor! A rare breed.

he aint gonna be a survivor for too long if that angle is as thin as it looks.

 

[curtisy]

for a one time use cool beans!!!

but if your gonna use it more ,personally I'd use something a bit thicker:darkbeer:

 

[Mathews4ever]

Looks good might make one myself. I think that angle is plenty thick the object is to just release the pressure from the limbs so you can work on the bow.:thumbs_up Very cool thanks for the info.

 

[trophytaker75]

The biggest issue with this press is the pressure is on the limbolt area of the bow if you look at it and invesion what it is doing it is basically trying to rip the limbolts out of the pockets putting severe stress on them as well as the limbs and the pockets.Then you get to the thin angle and the ratchet strap WOW.As I said in your post on Mathews forum if you really need a press that bad buy a $40 bowmaster or atleast put a piece on the bottom of this 1 and use heavier angle and a better drawing device on top.I would also cut the angle as short as possible to make them stiffer and try not to get them too hot when cutting them I suggest a hacksaw.

 

[slaz]

the biggest problem i see here is when you let it down, its all or nothin.

 

[Buckfevr]

how thick is that angle?

That's a steel angle and you aren't bending it for nothing. It takes a very small amount of pressure to relieve the limbs. Moreover there are several commercially available designs which work on the same concept. One is presently available at Cabelas and it is actually a slightly riskier design, IMO, in terms of focusing the pressure on a small segment of the limbs.

Certainly if one had a drill press it would be a small matter to make one out of much sturdier steel if desired.

Here is such a version:
http://www.huntingnet.com/forum/tm.aspx?m=2391841

I don't have a concern regarding the pressure at the limb pocket, but there are simple solutions regarding that within this design, but for me that is a digression. As for the bowmaster press while I am aware that many have used it to good effect I would not use one to save my life. It does indeed come down to ones comfort level with things and I am sympathetic to that. As I said if one is uncomfortable with homebrew type of solutions, please don't give this any mind.

For me why I presented this is that this is very much becoming a rich man's sport and it need not be IMO. And to a large extent, it needs not to be, in the long run if we hope for a meaningful preservation on our hunting hertitage.

If you spend $1200 a year plus on a new setup and need a $650 X-Press, well God Bless You!!!

But if you don't and all you can dig up is $250 for decent used setup and putting out even another $150 for a bow press is out of the question, maybe you can fashion something yourself and maybe you can learn to work on your bow. And maybe you can buy an inexpensive fletching jig and an inexpensive cutoff saw for $25 and learn to build your own arrows. Etc

I have a press. I really didn't need to make one. But I fashioned a press in under and hour and was able to tune my bows so that I had them shooting bullets at 3, 5 and 15 feet. I just wanted to present the idea. Maybe someone will take something from it.

But hey if you're not comfortable with it, there are much riskier designs out there available commercially.

 

[Buckfevr]

the biggest problem i see here is when you let it down, its all or nothin.

It's very easy to let it down one notch at a time. All of the designs using a ratchet strap, work in this manner. Also I think there is a huge misconception on the amount of pressure applied, we're talking about a few clicks after it engages. I understand it looks scary, but if anyone were to use any of these types of presses, I beleive that the concerns would be quickly allayed at how little force is applied to press the bow.

 

[Buckfevr]

Packs up real nice for transport:

You guys aren't thinking that's like drywall corner bead are you?

 

[cmherrmann]

I would remove the hooks from the ends of the straps and run the top bolt with the plastic hose right through the strap so there is no hook to fail or slip off. I would then get the bottom bolt/hose on the riser and not on the lower part of the limb so that it is flexing the limb just as if the bow is normally drawn.

 

[simi06]

Cool beans Buckfvr. Better then my ThighMaster method using my East German girlfriend.
Although it's hard to beat a bow press with extra hands.

 

[LONGSHOT ARTIST]

looks good, but i would go with a little thicker metal and some grade 8 bolt's to be on the safe side!....other than that looks as if it would work really well!

 

[Buckfevr]

I would remove the hooks from the ends of the straps and run the top bolt with the plastic hose right through the strap so there is no hook to fail or slip off. I would then get the bottom bolt/hose on the riser and not on the lower part of the limb so that it is flexing the limb just as if the bow is normally drawn.

I agree with you on the hooks. Indeed I tried cutting them with my bolt cutter but couldn't. I'll cut them off with a hack saw when I get a chance. I think that would make it much more stable.

Another solution with the lower bolt is to run it through the dampener hole on the Mathews bows, as is done with some of the conventional presses.

 

[Buckfevr]

And because I haven't brought enough heat on myself over this. I just wanted to follow up with some of the objections/suggestions regarding the pressure at the limb pocket. Here is the solution in terms of running the lower bolt through the dampener hole:

Consistent with the recommendations of Mathews, although clearly this press would not be approved:

http://forums.mathewsinc.com/viewtopic.php?t=103597

I am taking the suggestions about eliminating the hooks from the strap and having the loops directly on the top bolt, moreover I want to make an effort to fashion a solution which will keep the loop centered. IMO as has been pointed out that is the weakest aspect of this design, because the hooks do want to slide off center. Or at least I need to fashion something to keep the hooks from sliding. Hmmm actually that would be easy.

 

[ShootToKill10]

Looks good to me

 

[Buckfevr]

Here we go:

I used a snug fitting tubing and cut a slot for the hook. That's real secure now. I'm pretty well pleased with the overall design now, I really feel that the comments helped improve it.

Thanks for the indulgence and for the constructive criticism.