[W8EVB]

String Making Newbie Question Time - Please be gentle

First of all, This is my first post to AT. I am still fairly new to archery and unfortunately for me, I am one of these people that has to try to understand everything with a hobby such as this. I recently started into making my own bow strings and have a couple questions.

1. When I lay out my jig setup to build a new string, How do I account for stretch and twist when I am setting the jig length?
2. Is there some kind of formula for figuring all of this?

Thanks ahead of time for passing your wisdom and experience.

Eric

 

[fasteddie2488]

Welcome to AT! Every builder is different. I like this formula of building 1.25% long personally. For example, lets say you are building a 90 inch string. 90x1.0125=91.125. So 91.125 or 91 1/8 long is where I start at twist up to 90 stretch and twist again.

 

[W8EVB]

Thanks for the reply Eddie. How do you apply the tension for the stretching?

 

[fasteddie2488]

I use 400-450#'s personally and serve under approx. 100#'s

 

[60X]

What material and how many strands? I set mine about 1/2 as long as eddie.

 

[B&B Strings]

If you send me your email i will send you a cool program i made for getting it all figured out. It really is a fun process and rewarding when you put a peep in a bow and watch it come back perfectly square.

 

[W8EVB]

My first strings were of B50 as I had it sitting here and that was what was on the bow I was building for. I have some 452x coming and I will be using 20 strands for this same bow.

Without a bunch of really expensive equipment, how do you know how much tension you have applied? I'd really like to see some of your setups for doing the stretching.

Thanks!

 

[fasteddie2488]

Trophy I tend to like a tighter twist ratio. For me, have noticed it almost eliminates shoot in time

 

[TightString]

Note that for stretching your string, you'll need a jig for doing that. You won't be able to put hundreds of pounds of tension on the posts of your string jig.

 

[W8EVB]

I was contemplating stretching it before and after twisting with a large spring and a turn buckle so I could adjust the turn buckle with a predetermined spring. Some thing like a 300lb/inch spring would be my guess. One inch stretch on the spring would equal 300 lbs tension on the bow string. Is this a good or bad idea?

 

[aread]

Almost all of us will have a little different technique for getting that little extra length that you need for twisting.

Mine is to set the posts at exactly the distance I need, but when I spin the string, I don't pull it tight. This works for me and a couple of others I've corresponded with, but it won't work for every one. Keep notes on what you do and your results.

I use the BCY Micro String Stretcher for putting on tension. I don't know how much tension it can achieve, but it does a pretty good job. I can put a bow in a piece of Unistrut. I use the Stretcher for about 90% of my string building. What I can't do on the stretcher, I use a BCY Mini Armature.

Good luck & welcome to AT,
Allen