Working on your own bow

[cnelk]

Thanks for the great feedback! This gave me the confidence to start. I ordered a rest I'm going to tackle myself along with a bow vise. I'm looking into bow presses next, think I'm just going to start with the bowmaster. I want something I can bring with me on hunts in case something comes up. That's the number 1 reason I'm getting into this.

I have an extra Bowmaster. New in package.
You can have it.
PM me your address

 

[Billy Goat]

I have what amounts to a full shop. Plenty of things that you don't really need. I'm not a huge fan of the portable presses, but I do have a couple for different bows just incase. Either way you need a press that works with your bow to do much of anything. Draw board to me is pretty critical anymore. I'm with @5MilesBack on the bow vise, I just use my press to hold the bow while tyeing nocks, loops, peeps or anything else. I'd rather have the bow horizontal for that stuff than vertical. If I could find a decent vise for cheap I'd have one, but that's something I haven't felt like I needed to spend money on.

In terms of learning? Lot of time, use to read a bunch of the stuff Easton put out. Now there's lots or resources. Having a good shop that doesn't mind helping you is a good asset. They can show you the basic stuff, of course there's youtube now.

That's just for your bow. Whole other mess of things for the arrows, but most important thing there is an arrow spinner. You can get quality arrows made to order, so I think the bow stuff is more important. Hard for someone to tune a bow to you.

 

[doncarpenter]

I do all that stuff with my bow in the press.

I have done that stuff in my press but I prefer to quickly turn the bow, spin the bow and have full tension on the strings and cables.

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[Blockcaver]

I’ve got two Bowmaster presses. A real early version when compounds were long and straight, then a later version for shorter bows with a set of “L” brackets for split limbed bows. It has much heavier cables but they are still a pain to use. I installed peeps and drop away rest cords with mine, even did some yoke tuning. They are slow and painful and not entirely safe with past parallel and parallel limb bows. Be careful with them.

Since 2014 I’ve used a pipe clamp bow press I made. Google them on archery talk. The jaws are all hardwood cut to shape on a table saw with the hole for the pipe drilled with a spade bit. I wax the pipe with paraffin and the jaw slides nicely. Also built each jaw to be about 3” long so it doesn’t bind on the pipe and is much stronger.

I’ve pressed split limb and solid limb Mathews, a solid limb Hoyt and Prime Rivals on it.

I can install a peep in the string or an arrow rest cord in a cable very easily. I do twist strings, cables or yokes for tuning with it. Also have changed cams on the Primes.

Cost was $5 for a hardwood block at the lumber yard as the neighbor gave me the pipe clamp when he moved away....but they would only cost $25 or so to buy.

Good luck bowtuning! It’s the only way to go unless you have a very handy and reliable trustworthy bow shop nearby.

 

[Trevor96]

I used a Bowmaster press to change the limbs on a Carbon Knight. It was a pain, but it worked. I got a LCA press since then though and it is so much nicer to use

If you've got the money and space I'd recommend the LCA, if you don't the Bowmaster will probably work

 

[4rcgoat]

If your looking for a quick,dual purpose type of vise,i found these bicycle repair clamps to be fairly useful.....for some things.

 

[5MilesBack]

I have done that stuff in my press but I prefer to quickly turn the bow, spin the bow and have full tension on the strings and cables.

Well of course you want full tension on the strings and cables when doing most of that stuff, I just use the press to hold the bow in place when doing that stuff........not relieve the tension on the strings and cables. Like Billy Goat said, I prefer to have the bow horizontal for all that stuff. That's how I find and set my nocking points as well. I use levels and gravity.

 

[doncarpenter]

Well of course you want full tension on the strings and cables when doing most of that stuff, I just use the press to hold the bow in place when doing that stuff........not relieve the tension on the strings and cables. Like Billy Goat said, I prefer to have the bow horizontal for all that stuff. That's how I find and set my nocking points as well. I use levels and gravity.

I wasn't suggesting that you completely press the limbs in order to work on the bow, but with the LCA EZ green that I have, some bow models, especially those with past parallel limbs, it's a sketchy situation with only slight pressure. If I had a press that holds the bow in place like the X-press I would probably be more to use it to hold the bow for work instead of a vise. I too prefer to have the bow horizontal for the work, I just lay the bow so the upper limb pocket is touching the work bench while still in the vise. Different strokes for different folks. I don't care how you work on your bow and I'm not suggesting either way is right or wrong.

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[5MilesBack]

Out of curiosity, what’s in the way of being able to get your treat completely tightened?

Can you uhhhh, describe this treat?

And to Don.......I do use an X-press, so there's that.

 

[Txdeerslayer]

Can you uhhhh, describe this treat?

And to Don.......I do use an X-press, so there's that.

I was not paying attention to stupid autocorrect. Lol. I was asking what was in his way of being able to tighten his rest.


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[5MilesBack]

I was asking what was in his way of being able to tighten his rest.

Ya, I wondered the same thing.

 

[ericacymcdonald]

I have an extra Bowmaster. New in package.
You can have it.
PM me your address

View attachment 266488

You guys are awesome! Pm sent

 

[ericacymcdonald]

Ya, I wondered the same thing.

I was not paying attention to stupid autocorrect. Lol. I was asking what was in his way of being able to tighten his rest.


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It hits the cable rod, I could make it work but I want a new one anyway it's a old nap rest I ordered a rippcord max that locks up and has full containment

 

[ericacymcdonald]

I watched a lot of youtube videos last night probably learned more in that few hours then the last 10 years haha I always just paper tuned and called it good. bowtech had a great series on tuning the overdrive cams and while I don't have a press yet one thing I noticed was that my bows lower cam the timing lines are off a bit. Seems I need to add a twist, probably just the strings breaking in but just goes to show me how much learning will help because I'd of otherwise had no idea

 

[Txdeerslayer]

You should look at the Hamskea rest. It’s micro adjust for tuning. I have one on my Revolt X and Reckoning. Since they’re limb driven, you won’t need a press to replace or work on it.


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[Cbaumhoer]

Good info. I’ve always heard Dudley has a bunch of good videos to watch on learning

 

[mfllood3800]

What is everyone using a bow vise for? I've been doing all my own work myself for years and have never used nor seen the need for a vise.

I know this is an older post, but I like the bow vise for setting sight up and getting the 3 axis alignments close. My final 3rd axis is done on my garage frame at full draw, but my vice allows me to set bow up right and rotate it down and up to verify that 3rd axis is close. I also will align my 28" stabilzer to the exact angle needed for comp bows.
I also use it for working on the various bows within the same day. Much quicker and faster. I have the EZ green press with hand crank, and going from my 40" ATA Target bows down to 28" hunting bows and back to my 38" bows is a pain. I have several bows for target (3) disciplines and a couple hunting bows, plus the bows folks bring over for work... The vice is just a convenience for quickly putting bow in a solid configuration to do what ever is needed. I will even set D loop here some times or get rests level. I also use the press and let it hang as you mentioned , but with the way the world is today, something in the atmosphere seems out of kilter and I'm not sure if its hanging perfectly straight any more. lol