Dangerous Tool - Bow Medic Portable Bow Vise

Hugeapple

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Jul 24, 2022
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Location
Minnesota
I'm not trying to be a dink, I feel this is a serious safety issue compounded by the manufacturer's lack of appropriate (any) response.

I purchased the Bow Medic Bow Press with 'Ultimate Limb Brackets' to perform some tuning and changes to my daughter and my bows. Things seemed fine when tuning my daughter's 35# bow... Upon getting my bow (70#) pressed and beginning to work on it, the Bow Medic assembly snapped and the bow let go. Luckily, my children were not up to their elbows in the bow and I was able to get my hands clear.

This is an unsafe solution, and it does not seem WESTERN RECREATION, the people behind this product, care about it.

Please be safe and buy a suitable product, which will not injure you or destroy your equipment.
 

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Joined
Oct 5, 2021
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Good to know. Glad you and the kids are ok.

Looks like a knock off the Bowmaster?

Sent from my SM-N975U using Tapatalk
 
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Hugeapple

Hugeapple

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Thanks Hokiehunter! I've never used the Bowmaster, but I'm doing what Wapitibob advised, and buying a press that I know will never let go. Any thoughts on 'real' presses? The Last Chance options are an easy bet, but I looked at one called a "bow press work station" made by another smaller outfit - also US made and seems to be of decent quality.
 
Joined
Apr 5, 2013
Messages
509
Location
Pine, CO
Bought one of these years ago for a backup press to go in the truck. Tried to compress my 70# Matthews with it once to fix a string that hopped off after snagging on a bush. Took about 3 minutes for it to be a hard "nope" and drive to town to use the press at Gene Taylors. Seemed sketchy.
 
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Hugeapple

Hugeapple

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Bought one of these years ago for a backup press to go in the truck. Tried to compress my 70# Matthews with it once to fix a string that hopped off after snagging on a bush. Took about 3 minutes for it to be a hard "nope" and drive to town to use the press at Gene Taylors. Seemed sketchy.
I should have known better but, I have friends with presses and thought I could use it for some simpler things. I wish I would have been as wise as you, and said nope when the smart guy in my head said "are you sure about this".
 

JDB9818

WKR
Joined
May 21, 2012
Messages
464
Location
Colorado
I looked at all the options at the time and ended up with the Last Chance.

Use my press pretty frequently and have ZERO regrets and would purchase it again if in the market. It’s just so easy to use.
 
Joined
Jun 21, 2019
Messages
2,261
Location
Missouri
I'm glad no one got injured. Hopefully your bow also survived unscathed.

I limped along with Bowmaster and Synunm presses for a few years before ponying up for an LCA EZ Green. I never had any accidents with the Bowmaster (same design as Bow Medic) but it always made me nervous. The Synunm seems more solid, but it's still slow to set up and not compatible with all bows. The "real" LCA press is much faster, safer, and more versatile...my only regret is not buying it sooner.

When I ordered my LCA press from Black Ovis, ROKSLIDE10 discount code worked for 10% off. And you can earn some reward points for future use if you create an account.
 

JoeDirt

WKR
Joined
Mar 6, 2019
Messages
471
I couldnt compress my bow with the bow medic, the fingers would bend. Complete POS!
 

Dave0317

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Mar 22, 2017
Messages
266
Location
North MS
I used that exact same press once. And only once. Fortunately nothing bad happened. The parts broke under tension, but didn’t move anywhere, basically the tension held the bolt in alignment with the cable until I let the tension off by backing the screw out. Once the tension was off the parts, it basically crumbled into several pieces. Very weird. Scary what could have happened if the parts were bumped just right under tension.

I wrote the manufacturer and they asked for a picture, then they asked for my address so they could send a new one. The new one never came and I haven’t contacted them back. Don’t want it at this point. They are aware this is a dangerous problem and choose to keep selling the same defective and dangerous product.
 

Rob5589

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Sep 6, 2014
Messages
6,243
Location
N CA
I used a BM for a few years, it worked but certainly not ideal. I then got a bow that it couldn't press so I bought the EZ Green. Should have bought one waaay sooner. The BM is now for field emergency only.
 
Joined
Apr 2, 2018
Messages
387
Location
Dawsonville, GA.
I use a bowmaster same design. Have taken down multiple bows with it. Mathews, Obsession, PSE. never had an issue.

Several have said issue pressing 70 pound bow....are you backing the poundage on the bow all the way down before pressing it? Makes a BIG difference if you are not.
 
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Hugeapple

Hugeapple

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Negative shipmate. I spend A LOT of time getting my bow nock busting tuned. Anyone who isn't shooting their kids Genisis bow would know that's not an answer suitable for this problem. I'm guessing WESTERN RECREATION somehow compensates you, or you wouldn't be as misinformed (wrong) as you are.
 

sneaky

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Feb 1, 2014
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Negative shipmate. I spend A LOT of time getting my bow nock busting tuned. Anyone who isn't shooting their kids Genisis bow would know that's not an answer suitable for this problem. I'm guessing WESTERN RECREATION somehow compensates you, or you wouldn't be as misinformed (wrong) as you are.
Has nothing to do with your nonsense response. Backing off the poundage before you tried pressing it is just a common sense step for that design. Sounds like the misinformed here might be you, thinking you can do work on your bow with an emergency option setup. Backing your bow off to press it then cranking it back up to poundage isn't going to throw off your "nock busting tune". Luckily you still have all your teeth and you learned a tough lesson.
 
Joined
Aug 8, 2022
Messages
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EZ Green is very popular, heavily marketed. Uses all thread rod for the drive mechanism.
92 Safari press used Acme threaded rod. Commercial grade screw drive mechanism.
 

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Synunm Portable Press is quality.
 

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dj1975232

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Aug 9, 2022
Messages
111
I have one I purchased years ago and will only use it now on low poundage kids bows. The real problem is the "fingers" that grab the limbs. They bend easily and will let go at the absolute worst time.
 
Joined
Oct 21, 2020
Messages
85
EZ Green is very popular, heavily marketed. Uses all thread rod for the drive mechanism.
92 Safari press used Acme threaded rod. Commercial grade screw drive mechanism.
I was all set to buy a top of the line LCA press when I discovered 92 Safaris press on AT...far better than the LCA presses and less money...
 
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