# Quality, cheap string making jig?



## Viper1 (Aug 21, 2003)

hs15 -

This one should do...

http://www.archerytalk.com/vb/showthread.php?t=1731644

Viper1 out.


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## Thin Man (Feb 18, 2012)

Believe the post above. 

I used the instructions from his book to make my own Flemish jig for the cost of a piece of wood and some nails.

Some of the best money I never spent.


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## hoytshooter15 (Aug 13, 2012)

How does one acquire the book that instructs how to make the jig?


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## Viper1 (Aug 21, 2003)

hs -

Look at post number 5 in the link I attached. 

If anything is unclear, ask.

Viper1 out.


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## Thin Man (Feb 18, 2012)

*"Shooting the Stickbow" by Anthony Camera* from Lancaster Archery or 3Rivers Archery. 

Great book on shooting technique for beginners from the ground up. Includes Olympic style equipment setup and shooting techniques. It has chapters on making both types of string jigs and also describes in detail how to make the string properly. Arrow construction on all types of shafts, aiming variations, anatomy of how a bow is built, physical and mental archery aspects. 

It is possibly the best general archery manual on the market today for the stickbow shooter.

The guy who wrote "Shooting the Stickbow" is the other fellow on this thread who's been steering you to the links. I believe the links are for a newer, improved version of the jig that is different from the one in his book.

Good luck.


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## hoytshooter15 (Aug 13, 2012)

Thanks. I got a PDF for the jig from Viper so I'm good to go.


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## limbwalker (Sep 26, 2003)

Or another option is to build one on a "Uni-strut" (usually used by electricians for mounting panels, lights, etc.). I made mine for less than $30 worth of materials, all purchased at Home Depot. Built it in about an hour and still works great.


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## x1440 (Jan 5, 2003)

Can you guys post pics of your string jig posts? I'm looking for a design for sturdy metal posts & cross members.


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## zal (May 1, 2007)

It's easier to build a jig than a good string. I make mine 3 post construction with cheapo wood bench vise on other end to hold the two posts, when I start making loops I swap it around. I've made dozens of the bloody things with that, even though I have custom build heavy duty jig too. There's no difference in end product once you get to know it.

I think the wood bench vise cost equivalent of $10 at a hardware discount store, three pegs were about $5. Plank of wood it's mounted in I found from junk pile. The custom build jig which is made of heavy steel rods was about $300.


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## limbwalker (Sep 26, 2003)

> It's easier to build a jig than a good string


I agree. All I needed to build this was a hand saw, a drill with the right sized bit, and some epoxy.


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## x1440 (Jan 5, 2003)

John, are those concrete anchors you're using for the posts? What size?


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## knotdodger (Oct 2, 2005)

Bought this from AT'er. Munch. Very good price. Will stretch strings I make for compound buddies also.


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## limbwalker (Sep 26, 2003)

Yup, concrete anchors. I think 1/2" but maybe 7/16. 

Everything in that picture came from Home Depot.


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## DK Lieu (Apr 6, 2011)

A couple of years ago, one of the students in my Level 2 class created a video of me making a sample string on my string jig. He put the video on YouTube here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMuPmx2LzEA . The video does not show the entire string-making process, but enough to show how the jig is built and how it's used. The jig is made with Uni-strut, 9" machine bolts, matching nuts, and 3/16" pins. Around $30 in material and a little elbow grease. All the Cal Team strings are made on this jig. As you will see, the jig does not have to be fancy or expensive to work well.


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## Warbow (Apr 18, 2006)

limbwalker said:


> Or another option is to build one on a "Uni-strut" (usually used by electricians for mounting panels, lights, etc.). I made mine for less than $30 worth of materials, all purchased at Home Depot. Built it in about an hour and still works great.


Wait, so that's what an Olympic quality string jig looks like 

I love when simple stuff can be used to make functional home brew equipment.

World Archery has a handbook that details some home brew techniques for making risers, bamboo limbs, elevated rests and more, including how to make vanes out of electrical tape:









From the World Archery “How to Make Your Own Archery Equipment guide. It's a hodge podge of material, some of it from their coaching manual, but much of it is how to make target archery style gear using simple hand tools and equipment. Even how to make arrow points out of nails.


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## limbwalker (Sep 26, 2003)

That's cool. Love this aspect of our sport.

I was telling my wife yesterday that Plumbers, electricians, carpenters and other "tradesmen" usually make really good archers because they are used to working with their hands, making simple calculations, eyeballing measurements and finding simple solutions to mechanical problems.


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## caspian (Jan 13, 2009)

Warbow said:


> World Archery has a handbook that details some home brew techniques for making risers, bamboo limbs, elevated rests and more, including how to make vanes out of electrical tape


on another forum, a respectable compound shooter once posted the results of shooting arrows fletched with vanes made from the thin plastic from deli olive container lids. (post unfortunately lost in server crash.)

there wasn't much difference to FF187 or TF200s in long distance shooting.


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## hoytshooter15 (Aug 13, 2012)

Thanks for the info guys


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## x1440 (Jan 5, 2003)

I just made my posts today using parts from Lowes: 1/2"x6" hex bolts, 1/2" nuts, 1/2" split lock washers (Item numbers are shown on the bag in the pic), 5x24mm shelf pins (item# 36755), and Steelworks 14-Gauge 1-in x 3-ft Plated Perforated Tube (#103642). I copied/modified DK Lieu/UC Berkeley's jig. I was also going to use wood cross members and concrete anchors like Limbwalker but thought the steel tube would be more stable. Also, the concrete anchors were about $3 a piece compared to $0.79 for these hex bolts and the hex bolts have no threads after being mounting so it's easier on your hands. I used a 3/16" Cobalt drill bit and it drilled into the zinc bolt heads like butter. The holes were a little tight so I had to wiggle the drill around to widen the hole, then I hammered the pins in. I'm going to solder the pins tomorrow to make them permanent. The holes in the tube are 1" apart so just need to count the holes to find the center and each post is the same distance from center. I used a 1/2" Cobalt drill bit to widen the holes on the steel tube, and placed one 1/2" nut on the inside of the tube and a washer and nut on the bolt and tightened the bolt. The 1/2" nut fits nicely inside the tube and the walls keep the nut from turning. 

Below are the pics. I'm going to go buy a Unistrut tomorrow and finish the build. Will post more pics later. Enter the item #'s on lowes.com.


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## woodpecker1 (Sep 6, 2012)

i just oredered this from lancaster archery.150 bucks.


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## Steven Cornell (Mar 22, 2003)

I used the Mike Gerard Jerassic String Jig. I drilled some new holes and attached it to a piece of Uni-strut. I took a couple of angles (right next to the Uni-strut in Lowes) to make a string stretcher. The jig is bolted to my workbench using T-nuts underneath the top so it is removable.
http://www.lancasterarchery.com/mike-gerard-jerassic-string-jig.html


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## midwayarcherywi (Sep 24, 2006)

Steve, that is one of the cleanest work benches I've seen. Looks like it's ready for high tea.


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## wmt3rd (Oct 20, 2004)

I did the same thing Steve did with the Mike Gerard Jerassic String Jig. It works great. Wish my workbench looked as clean. Mine is covered with other stuff. :-(


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## julle (Mar 1, 2009)

Here's another simple one I built last summer.









recently I added to tensioning handles and a stretching device.

















Most of this was scrap metal so it didn't cost anything. The plans were mine, but I asked someone who had access to a lathe to make the posts, and another guy welded the handles for me.


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## dreville (Aug 8, 2011)

x1440 said:


> ...
> Below are the pics. I'm going to go buy a Unistrut tomorrow and finish the build. Will post more pics later. Enter the item #'s on lowes.com.


Hi x1440, just wondering if you were able to get that Unistrut and if you have any updates to your build. I'm really interested in it, especially since I work right beside a brand new Lowes! I'm want to start making my own strings, but first, I'd like to make my own jig. I've been told that the jig has to be able to withstand a huge amount of stress, upwards up to 300lbs especially for compound strings. But, I only shoot recurve


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## Viper1 (Aug 21, 2003)

d - 



> I've been told that the jig has to be able to withstand a huge amount of stress, upwards up to 300lbs especially for compound strings.


Not really. That's for pre-stretching strings (recurve), and IMHO, just isn't necessary.
Modern string material will fully stretch (creep actually) with the first few shots, and the change in brace height might be on the order of 1/8".
Even Dacron will be fully stretched (crept) by the end of the first shooting session.

Viper1 out.


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## Warbow (Apr 18, 2006)

dreville said:


> I've been told that the jig has to be able to withstand a huge amount of stress, upwards up to 300lbs especially for compound strings. But, I only shoot recurve


"Stretching" strings under high tension is a nice idea, but you can see that former Olympian Limbwalker has a humble but fully functional string making jig. And his strings need to be good. So, do you need a better string jig than he does? Probably not. And, er, neither do I. I think I've just talked myself out of buying a fancy string jig. Doh! :mg:


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## x1440 (Jan 5, 2003)

dreville said:


> Hi x1440, just wondering if you were able to get that Unistrut and if you have any updates to your build.


Here is my finished jig. I'm looking for neoprene end caps for the feet so it won't damage my carpet or wall when I store it but the ones I found are either 25 packs are over $9 a piece. https://www.google.com/search?q=uni...38,d.aWM&fp=1da62c0546b2ff4b&biw=1137&bih=538

My jig is pretty much a homemade version of the BCY Yellowstone jig. Lowes and Home Depot sell 10ft Unistruts/SuperStruts. I was worried about getting the 10ft strut in Prius but my lowes had a metal saw available in the aisle so I cut the strut down to 8ft since I only need to make recurve strings. I cut the left over section to 1ft pieces and used them for the feet.



























I soldered the pins into the bolt posts for added strength. I heated the pins after soldering and wiped them down to clean excess solder off the pins and top of the bolt. Lowe's has end caps for the post cross members in the furniture parts section of the Hardware aisle but I'm just going to keep mine open.


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## dreville (Aug 8, 2011)

Very nice! Thanks for the update. 

How about wrapping the feet in hockey tape or something similar?

Are you planning to make a string to see how it holds up?


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## MAT (May 27, 2003)

http://www.tradgang.com/endless/ejig.html

Here's another like the one I made, but I used a uni-strut.


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## brd556 (Aug 22, 2011)

TAG.......gonna build one like this


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