Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Shoeman on December 01, 2010, 08:20:57 am
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Just finished my first bow, flat, 58.5 between nocks, from a white oak board. It pulls 45# @ 29" and looks good to me. I had a string made for me from measurements I provided. Question is the string height is about 7.5", which seems pretty stinking high to me judging solely on looks. But I only have a longbow to compare it to.
Is that string height ok? I have not shot it with the new string yet, but it does shoot really well with the paracord tillering strings I used!
TIA,
Geoff
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Geoff, 7 1/2 " is pretty high. I did a couple 59" pyramid bows this summer and have been bracing them around 5 1/2 ", or just enough for the feathers to clear. Have you stretchted the string? sometimes to break in a string I will double it, run it through a 30# dumbell weight and hang it on a nail for a couple hours. This might lenghten it some and lower the brace heigth.
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Most of mine brace around 5 1/2 .A new string will stretch or you can un twist it a little,depending on how much twist the maker put in it. :)
Pappy
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I just ran out before leaving for work (gets in the way of all the real fun!) and ran 7 arrows through it. It shoots MUCH faster with a real string, and shoots very straight. That was great.
The string length is 54.5" and looking at the invoice for the string I see it shows bow type as recurve, which this is not. So I'm thinking the string should be 1-2" longer? It's made B-50. Will that stretch in use?
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Is it a fFemish twist string or an continuous loop string? If a Flemish you might have a remedy but if a continuous loop you are stuck with the length. OK, you've made a bow, now it is time ti learn how to make a string!!!
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I leave it at the lowest brace height at which I get good arrow flight. I start at fletch clearing distance then increase as needed. My bows are braced at 7-7.25 in as measured from string to BACK of handle. My site has tuning info. Jawge
http://georgeandjoni.home.comcast.net/~georgeandjoni/
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If you ordered the string and provided the bow length to the string maker, they probably assumed that it was a fg bow. Most makers will make a string that provided roughly a 7" brace, give or take a bit. In thier defense, most of their customers will be using fg bows. Get around that by either explaining that you are using a selfbow, giving them a bow lenght two or so inches longer than your bow actually is (so they make a longer string), or making your own strings. (I'm working on that last part now. Mine are functional, but not pretty. Way less expensive and more fun to mess with though.)
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It's a Flemish twist.
Dumb noob question, whats an FG bow?
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FG is fiberglass! It's a bad word here so we just abreviate it! ;D
You might be able to untwist the bottom loop and twist it back to a straight string. Then you can tie a bowyers knot(timber hitch) at the length you need. All of my strings use a bowyers knot. I doubt you could untwist it enough to lower the brace height by 2" without it coming unraveled.
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So you're saying untwist the bottom loop completely until that end is straight with no loop, give it a few twists to keep it together, then knot a loop into it?
I need to learn this stuff too I can see. :D
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I'll try to get some pics of what I am saying. Basically, yes, untwist the loop and re-twist the string into a straight end and add a bowyers nkot for the bottom limb.
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Hey Shoeman, I didn't see a location in your profile. I know keeping a low profile on the net is good but if you add your city and state guys like me will sometime offer help if your close.
I'm sure Pat will get you going. the Bowyers knot is hard to picture but easy once you learn it.
Ron
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Lets see how this works...
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...and for a little more clarity lets try this...
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That's a HUGE help. Thank you very much! I'll try that tonight.
macbow, I'm in Bangor, Me. George T. is "close" to me by about 250 miles I'd guess ;D but his website has been a great help to me.
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I unwound the string and used the timber hitch to lengthen it. First try resulted in 5" string height but the knot looked a little iffy in the nock. So I retied it a bit shorter and got 6" with a better looking knot/nock arrangement. It looks much better when braced now. If it's not raining as predicted in the morning I'll give it a try and see how it works. It's dark here by 5:00pm this time of year so no bow fun for me after work.
Thanks to all for the help!
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Shoeman, I've had to let out string before and ended up with an "iffy" looking knot. What I did, and you might consider, is tie a short piece of artifical sinew (or dental floss, string, etc.) around your loop knot and wrap it an inch or two down the string and tie it off. Just a little insurance in case you think the loop might slip.
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Good idea. Thanks!