Flemish String Question

[Marc St Louis]

I wrote a quick article for PA last month on a slightly different type of string that I make. It's quick and easy to make and is a combination of an endless loop and a flemish. Takes very little time to make

[tom sawyer]

That is kind of what I had heard before, about adding twists before you start the second side.  The only part I'm fuzzy on is what is a twist?  I make sure to roll each of the two (or three) bundles in the same direction, and I typically put some twists in the string before starting the second loop so the string has a twisted appearance throughout the length (looks good when you are using two colors).  So I simply need to add more of these twists?  Or I need to unwind the two lays first by rolling them backwards so that they are unwound in the loose part of the string, then start my winding in the proper direction?  That second one sounds right, and it does appear that the two lays wind up over-twisted and on the verge of starting to roll themselves in the opposite direction as a result.  Kind of like what happens when you wind the heck out of a rubber-band-powered airplane.

I'll give this a shot sometime.  I don't use a jig, probably ought to get hold of one though.

Looking forward to the article Marc.

[Justin Snyder]

Make your jig Lennie.  Its the easiest thing you will make for bows.  The twist is the rolling in your fingers. I watched the video once and it said twist away wrap toward, so I say twist.  It always twists away from you. Then after I fold it back I turn it around so I am always working left to right.  then it twists away and wraps toward.  Clear as mud? Justin

[OldBow]

I, too, had trouble with a loop unraveling even if I carefully "did the twist" correctly. When I started to semi-braid the strings of the loop and really mass them together with lots of wax before starting the twist, I solved my problems.

[PK]

I just bought a couple spools of B50 thinking it was going to really good,(goin by what I heard) I think the stuff is terrible, now I have to serve the twist just to keep it from unraveling, Ive tried beez wax and patrolium based wax or both together and it does not matter, fast flight or B40 is way better. don't even know if ya can get B40 any more or is that fast flight? good thread.

[tom sawyer]

I've read a little more on some other sites about this prewinding prio to the second loop business.  I think I was really making it bad for myself by keeping the two bundles twisted and wound around each other.  From what I can tell you are supposed to unroll them to where the strands in each loop are not twisted at all, then actually twist them backwards several times.  Thanks for the advice.  And Justin I'll probably make a simple jib where I can wrap strands around three nails, that'd keep the string off the floor in the shop if nothing else.  Probably still have the problem of keeping track of just how many strands I have in a bundle.  NEver fails, I get to six or seven and wonder is it six or seven.  Its tough to count them when they are waxed up good.

PK, I've bought some B50 Dacron that wasn't waxed very well, it was a pain.  Stuff with good wax works better, and this little business of introducing negative twists to compensate for over-twisting during second loop production, should make a big difference.  I never heard of B40.  B50 is the traditional material.  there's many low-stretch strings, 452, B50+, TS1, etc.  Stuff is made of Fast flight, dyneema, and combinations of various low stretch synthetic fibers. 

[John K]

I  bought doin the twist with Joe Strak, very good dvd.

If anybody would like to watch it i could loan it to you.

[Badger]

    I take all the twists out of my string before starting the second loop, the trick is before pulling it tight to finish it off you have to give the whole string about 30 turns counter clockwise. They cant unravel like that. Steve

[tom sawyer]

One thing I forgot to mention, the whole clockwise/counterclockwise stuff messes with me because I'm a lefty and do things backwards from you folks.  Its hard to know what instructions to reverse though.  I wouldn't tie my boots and then put them on.  But my bowknots are probably mirror images of yours.

Its tough being a lefty.

[Justin Snyder]

That is a horrible burden Lennie. That is why I say twist away wrap toward.  It works if you hold it in your left hand pointing right or your right hand pointing left.  Justin

[duffontap]

It's good to hear that you guys have troubles with string length.  I measure my loop lengths very carefully and still have problems hitting my desired length.  One of my biggest problems has been making a string slightly too short and unwinding it to get it to fit (you guess what happens). 

I've found that if you can stand it, it helps to just stockpile strings of every normal length so you have something to put on the bow regardless.  I probably have a dozen good strings around all the time and this has saved me a lot of heartache when I'm ready for a new string.  I also switched a year ago to FF strings only so the numbers on my jig threw me off.   

With any luck, an experienced string maker like me can size a string right in only 3-5 tries.   

          J. D.

[PK]

oops I put this in the wrong thread

[mullet]

  The simple string jig is the way to go for getting the right length.

[DanaM]

I just tie a knot on one end its so much easier length is perfect everytime

[George Tsoukalas]

ton sawyer, I'll just mention this because know one has. After tying the first loop I wrap a twisty tie around it to keep it from unraveling, remove all twists and tie the second loop. I tie the loop for the bottom limb just large enough to stay on the nock securely. Jawge