# Bowmaster Portable Bow Press. Any one have it? Good or Bad?



## hunt1687 (Aug 22, 2008)

I have one and can't imagine life without one. I also have a monster Pac press, a super press but for the small jobs or to take on the road I'll grab the Bowmaster. I have also purchased a couple other adapters for it to increase the no. of bow I can use it on. I run our local archery club so I can take it with me on league nights to work on members bows. I would have to say GOOD.


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## cjjeepman (Oct 28, 2011)

I also love mine ,picked up the split limb adapters also .best 45 bucks you will ever spend .


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## l3rian (Mar 11, 2011)

x3 here, its all I use.


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## RJPOUTDOORS (Jun 2, 2009)

I have had mine for over 6 years and I love it. I take it on the road with me and I never worry about not being able to find a pro shop if something happens. Also it does not eat up alot of space to store at home, I made a small rack to hold my bow while I work on it out of pvc pipe.


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## Michigan Bob (Oct 26, 2002)

I've had one for more years than I can remember. Works great, but I have a full press so I haven't used the Bowmaster for a few years now. But think you would be pleased with one. I used mine for years before I bought the full press and used it with only great results.


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## Krypt Keeper (Oct 10, 2007)

I got one and its handy to have. Need to pickup the split limb adaptor for my sons bow. 

I got 4 bows to work and keep ruuning. Helpful to have it at home them driving all the way to a shop for simple adjustments.


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## woodyogau73 (Jan 11, 2009)

I've had one for a couple of years. Very compact. I've used it to change strings, cams, idler wheels and peep replacement. Great customer service as well. You really can't go wrong.


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## Tunaboy (Oct 3, 2004)

I hear that they are good but I would hate to not have a full size press in my basement. I play with my stuff way to much.


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## bowcrazy05 (May 26, 2010)

I also have had one for a bout 8years cant live without it. Hey rjpoutdoors do you have a pic of your pvc bow holder?


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## Don Schultz (Jul 5, 2002)

Had mine for almost 20 years. Bought the cable upgrade a year or 2 ago. Only press I have owned or need. Keep it in a little zippered pouch in my archery toolbox, and it's always ready to go. I have the 'split limb adapters' which I very rarely use.

I think that some of the newest bows with past parallel limbs may not work with it? This would include some of the PSE X-Force bows.


I've got access to a Last Chance press at my club (17 miles away) which I will use along with the range for major tuning sessions.


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## boweng (Aug 7, 2006)

I've used one exclusively for several years on my Hoyt Protec and a few of my friends bows. Works fine. It is what it is. A cheaper alternative. I hate it when I have to tune cams but that only happens once a year or longer. Never hated it enough to pony up for a regular press.


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## fredoZ7 (Feb 24, 2012)

used mine last night for the first time to twist my cables, worked great


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## RAM56 (Aug 28, 2008)

I "cheat" and use my draw board along with the Bowmaster. I use the winch to draw the bow part way,then slip the Bowmaster into position. Makes it alot easer to slip the parts past the cams on my primal and I can adjust (twist/untwist) cables and strings and verify the effect s muck quicker than with the press alone. ,


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## maineguide (Jul 12, 2009)

Best investment you could make. I have 1 also. I have tore down bows completly with mine. The only issue was I had to hold bows in my lap. I suppose I could of made some sort of stand while useing it. I take it on trips and have a bench press I use at home.


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## ken Johnson (Apr 5, 2007)

If you are pressing the X-force style bow you may want to spend the extra money and get a nitehawk press. It cost less then $120.00 and easily presses the X-force style bows. You can look at the press at www.nitehawkarchery.com.


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## brandonlw (Feb 23, 2011)

i had a bad experience with the bow master i pressed a z7 and the piece of rubber that protects the limb finish came off and the bow kicked out and one of the bars that pull the limbs together got wedged in between the limb and the cam so i didn't use it any more but it may work better with the adapters i not nocking it i've used it with a lot of bows and had great success i guess it just kinda shook me up but all in all i think it's a good press just make sure everything is right before pressing and being done correctly


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## redyak3 (Nov 5, 2011)

I'm thinking of getting one, until I can get a Pac or inline. I need to do a string change asap, got an Axis hunt planned on Maui in three weeks. Will be used on a Drenalin, hopefully no issues, and it'll be a first.


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## Jungleman (May 14, 2010)

brandonlw said:


> i had a bad experience with the bow master i pressed a z7 and the piece of rubber that protects the limb finish came off and the bow kicked out and one of the bars that pull the limbs together got wedged in between the limb and the cam so i didn't use it any more but it may work better with the adapters i not nocking it i've used it with a lot of bows and had great success i guess it just kinda shook me up but all in all i think it's a good press just make sure everything is right before pressing and being done correctly


Yeah I got in the habit of checking those little tubing covers and making sure they are all the way in before I put it on the limbs everytime. They tend to work their way out when you`re doing multiple presses/twisting. Just something to keep an eye on.

I keep mine with the split limb adapters in an old camo binocular case.
Definately a gotta-have-it cool tool to have!
Get one you won`t regret it 

Oh I have used it on a Razortec, an Alphaburner and CRX 32.
The first time was kind of.........nerve racking.........but you get over it I have confidence in it now.
Just take it slow and watch EVERYTHING check check and doublecheck.


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## straddleridge (Apr 28, 2010)

I have noticed the rubber tubing covers moving on mine. I superglued them onto the bars. Seems to work


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## Martin_Shooter1 (Jan 25, 2012)

Use mine all the time for peep installation and even complete teardown.:thumbs_up


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## 2lunger (Nov 16, 2010)

brandonlw said:


> i had a bad experience with the bow master i pressed a z7 and the piece of rubber that protects the limb finish came off and the bow kicked out and one of the bars that pull the limbs together got wedged in between the limb and the cam so i didn't use it any more but it may work better with the adapters i not nocking it i've used it with a lot of bows and had great success i guess it just kinda shook me up but all in all i think it's a good press just make sure everything is right before pressing and being done correctly


Me too, but my incident, DEFINITELY OPERATOR ERROR, cost me limbs and cams. It is a great little tool when used properly. Don't get greedy like I did, expecting it to do more than what it is designed for, and you will be fine with it for most maintenance.


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## l3rian (Mar 11, 2011)

brandonlw said:


> i had a bad experience with the bow master i pressed a z7 and the piece of rubber that protects the limb finish came off and the bow kicked out and one of the bars that pull the limbs together got wedged in between the limb and the cam so i didn't use it any more but it may work better with the adapters i not nocking it i've used it with a lot of bows and had great success i guess it just kinda shook me up but all in all i think it's a good press just make sure everything is right before pressing and being done correctly



Its is true that you need to be extra careful using a bowmaster. For the most part it is simple unless your distracted, you just need to use common sense just like you would if it was a full size press.


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## fhhunter (May 17, 2012)

Use mine at home, and wouldn't dream of going on a hunt without it in my pack(do that with an x-press etc...)
Worth every penny:thumbs_up


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## 7018rodburner (May 25, 2010)

Martin_Shooter1 said:


> Use mine all the time for peep installation and even complete teardown.:thumbs_up


How much thread come on these portable presses. The one I looked at had about 2" of travel for let down. No way that was enough to let down
my bows.


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## maufenkamp (Dec 21, 2011)

fredoZ7 said:


> used mine last night for the first time to twist my cables, worked great


Mine arrived Friday and within 5 minutes I had added a half twist to my string to straighten my peep out...


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## Ray knight (Jan 9, 2012)

7018rodburner said:


> How much thread come on these portable presses. The one I looked at had about 2" of travel for let down. No way that was enough to let down
> my bows.


You have to set it right with just enough travel to remove the strings and then you can back it out from there to relax the limbs. On some bows, you may have to employ some straps and such and re-adjust the press to let it down more.


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## Destroyer (Sep 11, 2009)

My bowmaster has been good. The 'Split Limb Press Brackets' aren't the best imo but the newer 'Split Limb L Brackets' look better, just haven't tried them yet.



Ray knight said:


> On some bows, you may have to employ some straps and such and re-adjust the press to let it down more.


Or a longer string but you need to be careful. Setting the bow to minimum draw weight helps too.


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## Seeemshootem (Feb 2, 2010)

It works and will get the job done but it didn't take me long to realize I wanted something else for tuning my bow. You'll find you spend more time pressing and releasing your bow than the time it takes to make the adjustments. I made one of the "$20 bow presses" found in the DIY forum and have been much happier. I still use the bowmaster for an emergency press on hunting trips.


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## straddleridge (Apr 28, 2010)

I use a home made stabilizer mount vise to hold my bow when I press it with the bowmaster. I have done a complete takedown and have pressed my mission UX2 hundreds of times.


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## Thansen (Sep 23, 2009)

I have one but I also have the extenders to get it away from the bow and I would recomend them. They give you alot of room to work verses putting the press though the Yoke of your limbs. I always take them on the road with and use my regular press when I'm at home. I think they are great but buy the right extenders they make several now. I don't think they make these any more I think they make a newer version that is better. Not sure on that.


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## bullsi (Jan 18, 2006)

Purchased one for my Strother bow and it works awsome.


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## 4by4buck (Feb 6, 2011)

Will this press work on an elite answer?


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## Maui Rhino (Mar 13, 2010)

It looks like your drawstop may get in the way, depending on how long it is. If you look at the pics above that Thansen posted, the bracket is just to the outside of your limbs. If the draw stop is significantly wider than the limb tip, it won't work. I think you can get away with it being an 1/8" wider, as you can adjust how far into the bracket your limb is set slightly, but I wouldn't go more than that. Those brackets make that a great press though....especially if you are on the road.


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