[Myk]

My jig is almost complete. I've received my serving tool and a spool of serving. And I've been taking apart and rebuilding old strings.

I have a few questions I haven't found searching for other threads.

I have Brownell Diamond back serving .022. It says "center serving" on the spool. Do I need something else for the end loops and end serving? If so, what.
I'm going to get my string material (452) from Lancaster, so something they have would be good.

On split strings. Which is better, 2 separate strings served together or a single loop with the end divided.?
I'm torn on this. One way would give 1/2 as many areas for the open ends of the string material to slip. But that would mean that is down on the cam end were it seems the serving is most likely to give out and allow slippage.
2 as one puts gives twice as many "trouble" areas but puts them on the axle which to my thinking would create less of a problem. Although getting both strings exactly the same length sounds like it might be a problem, at least at the start.
The ones I've taken apart were 2 separate strings served together.
So which is better?

 

[Punch_Master]

You will need #2S end loop serving material.
When you get the chance pick up some .025 dia center serving as well.
Split yokes are done better by one continuous string split in half at the end. Less knots that way and knots are what slips and accounts for 50% of string stretch.

 

[Myk]

Thanks, that should cover me.

After serving with the .022" and trying a nock, I figured I should get a little thicker.

Now to order that and run the beam out to get the final holes drilled and have a stretching plate welded on.

 

[PatD]

I made my split yoke cables one string, double the length of the cable, with half the total strands wanted. Serve 2 ends. Fold in half. Serve center.

 

[Jbird]

End Loops

Can someone post pics of how to make end loops without cutting the string after serving the center end portion. I want to make the end loops that I have seen that are smooth with no lumps or raw edges. I know some people don't even serve the end loops except below the loop but I think that looks tacky.
Thanks,
Jbird

 

[RobVos]

Can someone post pics of how to make end loops without cutting the string after serving the center end portion. I want to make the end loops that I have seen that are smooth with no lumps or raw edges. I know some people don't even serve the end loops except below the loop but I think that looks tacky.
Thanks,
Jbird

Like these?

 

[Jbird]

Robvos

Exactly. :thumbs_up
Jbird

 

[Deezlin]

I have been using .018 diamond back for both center and cam serving. It really depends on the number of strands and other factors which size is best. My arrows have not been falling off the strings, which is as tight as I want them.

The .018 center serving on the cam is covered with Liquid Loc. I haven't had any problems with it, but believe I will switch to #1-D for the cam servings. I may also use the mini-serving for loop serving.

Brownell does not say on their website that Diamondback is for center only serving.

http://www.brownellco.com/pages/archeryMAIN.html

I would try the .022 first and see how you like working with it. The serving prepration and Liquid Loc are both great products which they handle.

 

[RobVos]

JBird,

Start out the same way as you normally would and do the endloop serving (about 2 inches or so -- I have a little jig with set marks for my lenfths). When you get to that point pull out a little serving and allow your jig to hang there. Now rotate your posts so the endloop serving you just laid is around the post. Make sure that the finished end (where you started) extends a little past where you jig is hanging. Make sure you serving jig is tight enough and continue to wrap the serving -- you will be going over a little portion of the place where you started. You may have to wrap a few time by hand until you jig can flow along the string without interference from the post. Just keep on going until you have the end serving the length you need.

I don't have a pictorial on it, so I hope I explaimed it. Maybe I should do a pictorial?

 

[Myk]

Very slick, PatD.
That will be something for me to mess around with while I wait for my serving and string materials. Thanks for the idea.

Jbird, note that I'm in the "let's see what this does stage", but I've noticed if you have your end loops off center about 1/8"-1/4" you get a smoother taper instead of a bump. I've read that if you don't want to cut the serving and continue on to the end serving to use tape to hold the serving tight while you rotate it. That same site had the ends of the end loops staggered like I described above. (Sounds like what RobVos is saying maybe.)
Taking a guess from fly tying, a double strand whip finish knot would probably also hold the serving tight enough to spin your loop over to a post with the serving tool dangling if you don't trust tape (didn't sound like it would work to me) or trust leaving the tool dangle.
But like I said, that's not advice from someone who knows what they are doing yet.

Thanks Deezlin. I ended up getting Diamondback .018" and .026". Punch's post led me to Brownell's sight and I saw they recommended Diamondback .018" end serving for end loops but only listed one .018" Diamondback. Lancaster didn't have #2S, plus when I found out that's Fastflight and my experience with how slippery that is I decided I wanted more grip, especially since I'm just starting out.

Of course it will depend on how thick the 452 ends up, but the 450 and Fastflight strings I've been taking apart and rebuilding for practice were too thin for my nocks with the .022". With those old strings I needed an extra strand in the center to tighten it up with the .022".
Along with the serving tool and .022" I used my Cabela's card points to get some free liquid lock and cam eze.

Got the final holes drilled and the stretching plate set up on the string jig. So far it seems to be working great, although I'll probably end up having to throw some heavier stock into my lathe and remake the stretching posts.

 

[Deezlin]

Very nice end loop serving, RobVos. Did you find you spring?

What you are doing is a good idea. Have you ever seen the BCY end looping using the strands of bowstring material. I tried it a few times, but I didn't like working with the material.

How do you tie off you bowstring material. BCY was demostration a square knot. I have been use a couple of cinch notes around the bundle. When I get back from vacation, I may place some videos on www. bowstrings.com doing some of these type of details.

 

[RobVos]

I keep each tag end tensioned until I do my initial end loop serving. Then I use a midshipman's knot or jamming hitch on each side of the serving. You often don't even know they are they as they are basically an extension of the serving. I keep the tag ends all the way to the end too.

I haven't had time to really look for the spring yet.

I haven't looked at the BCY video. I saw a Vaportrail cable that appeared to be done this way -- used the tag string material as the endloop serving on the koke end of the cable. I thought it looked crappy compared to using serving.

And for whoever was looking for 2D or 2S, you can't get it anymore becasue it is spectra and the military has supplies locked up. You can get 3D, which is similar but made of Dyneema and works well.

 

[Deezlin]

Thanks for answering the question. I wasn't a boy scout so I will have to do a little research to understand what a midshipman's knot is.

 

[Deezlin]

http://www.geocities.com/roo_two/knotindex.html

Here is a link to some different style of knots.

If you took your midshipman knot to were you wanted to end loop serving to end and tied to the bundle on either side of your post. Then you could apply the serving between the knots. Does this make any sense?

 

[Myk]

I tried your way of doing a split, PatD. Works great.
I'm thinking it would be easy to see if the string is slipping too. All you'd have to do is mark that side and if it gets longer than the other you know the problem.

 

[PatD]

Yeah, when I tie it off, I just use a square not, and serve over the tag ends for about 2 inches. I don't find I need any more. I do end servings like Robvos, if I decided to serve them with 3D.

With 2 colour cables, try this:

1: Double the length for the length of the cable.

2: Lay out each colour of your string material with the tag end at opposite ends (tie off your gray material at one end, and the black at the other. Leave your tag ends longer than usual (maybe 18 inches)

3: instead of using serving material, serve your end loops with the tag ends, one will be gray, one will be black.

4: fold cable, and serve your cam end normally with serving material as this end wears.

This just makes a neater looking cable with a personalized touch. I have never seen anyone else with cables like this.

Different Idea: Serve idler wheel servings with Spider line fishing line. This stuff is tough - it's made for rubbing on rocks and the sides of boats, and when it's on it's COMPLETELY invisible if you have a little wax on the string beforehand. You have a hard time seeing it up close. Again, just another neat touch to personalise your bow.

Many neat tricks and small things to making strings that just make you life easier, or a product with a better fit and finish.

 

[RobVos]

http://www.geocities.com/roo_two/knotindex.html

Here is a link to some different style of knots.

If you took your midshipman knot to were you wanted to end loop serving to end and tied to the bundle on either side of your post. Then you could apply the serving between the knots. Does this make any sense?

I apply the endloop serving prior to putting in the knots, so it actually turns out as you have stated (I think). The knots are on each end of the endloop serving almost like a little extension on each end. These get served over a little after I start the main part of that serving.

 

[AKDoug]

Rob- That serving looks fantastic. Do you have any trouble doing it that way when it comes time to twist the string? The couple of strings I have made so far I have used the method of serving the couple inches for the end loops and then twisting the string, then finishing up the end serving and center serving.

 

[rangerunner]

a few yrs ago when I started making strings,,I bought a video ,by Larry Wise
Basic string making,,it was very helpful,,

 

[RobVos]

Doug,

I do it both ways and it depends. I have been able to make them look good doing it the way you do it as well. Another thing you can do is one end that way and the other end you can leave the jig on and twist from the opposite end to permit you to do it that way. Not sure I am making sense. If you have 2 jigs, you can do both ends that way or if only a 1-color string you can do both that way after adding the twists.

I will post some pictures for JBird on how to do it.