# custom made strings



## bman9209 (Jan 1, 2013)

My questions is to you guys that build strings at home or form your shop how did you start selling them once you got to the point your strings was good enough to sell. Did you advertize or was it mostly word of mouth or what. I know a guy that got a deal and makes strings for a big bow manufacture don’t want to say whom or what company. But I know he makes over a 100,000 strings a year he is real into not giving any secrets of string making or business info. So I guess my question is I make strings and I am getting better at it once I get to a great string I would like to sell some if possible for a little extra cash. Is there companies that buy them or just people here and there. I know it sounds like a few big time string makers on here so I was just kind of curious I guess.


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## dsal (Dec 24, 2008)

I been making strings for years and dont sell them, only make them for friends. I have been ask buy a bowshop to make some for him but i turned him down. Dont have the time and not something i want to do. If you want to sell some strings you may want to make some for free to some shooters at clubs just to get the word out and try on here. You have to give a little to make anything in return. Can even offer some deals to some bow shops to get you started.


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## bman9209 (Jan 1, 2013)

Ya I have thought about bow shops but I just figured being a guy of the street not well known of making strings they would be afraid of buying any or even taking any for free do to the cost of some bows today. I have a pro shop up the road from me. I haven’t thought about clubs have to look into that as well. I was even thinking about handing out a few for free just to get feedback from them on how they like my strings. But then again we live in lawsuit world now days and hard to trust anyone.


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## Deer Eliminator (Jan 21, 2010)

Making a business out of string making, will require a lot of extras, insurance, excise tax, business license etc etc. So plan on finding out the costs first. Then make your decisions. 


Hutch


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## bman9209 (Jan 1, 2013)

i know about business license and insurance stuff. I had a lawncare business for 7 years but sold out ot another company. As for excise tax ive heard of it 11% or something around there. I hate to just spend out money for license and insurance if im not going to sell any to make money back. 
And hutch you post alot of good info i have read alot of your forums.


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## Deer Eliminator (Jan 21, 2010)

Excise tax is 11% per string set or string or anything added to the string. As for making strings and making money. You have to look at your market around you and deterimine who is willing to buy. A good marketing technique is to go around to the shops and see who is interested. Also bring a sample of your work. Some make there own and some buy from string makers. But there are some that don't at all. Those are the ones who would be a good to snag. As far as online you would have to set up a website. Oh also check out the archery schools.


Hutch


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## dsal (Dec 24, 2008)

Its all part of trying to make a living, got to pay all these things to make some money, sucks but thats just the way it is. The amount of taxes i pay each year and what i get back just sickens me. welcome to life.


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## bman9209 (Jan 1, 2013)

dsal 
I hear you on that.


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## Bownut400 (May 29, 2007)

I have often thought about building strings for a little extra cash myself. I decided it would be a great deal of effort and expense for a little profit. If a guy wanted to do enough strings to make it worth it I think a guys would have to be able to do atleast 4 to 6 sets of strings a day. For me it takes about a hour with my equipment I have now. So 6 hours out of my day would be difficult. Another method I thought of is similar to several guys on here do is a tuning service as well as make strings. It would take a while to get a good reputation. I am sure with dedication and hard work it could be done from scratch. (It just hit my too hard to do list). I wish you luck.


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## dwagoner (Sep 27, 2007)

bman9209 said:


> I know a guy that got a deal and makes strings for a big bow manufacture don’t want to say whom or what company. But I know he makes over a 100,000 strings a year he is real into not giving any secrets of string making or business info.


and the reason is that the knowledge he has on it is how he pays the bills and feeds the family, most dont share build secrets or string specs for that matter either. i started using buddies as test dummies, then got better and had friends start telling others, once your local scene gets more and more out there you start getting a better reputation. then you work into getting deals with building for shops, once your pretty big you can go after some bow companies. its a timely road that you dont just get into in a few months. I remember one guy that started off a little too fast and gave away strings to his supposedly "pro staff" then you got guys running around saying "HE makes the best strings ever!!!!" when the truth is the guy had not even had a string set out for longer than 6 months, you cant prove your quality when your first set ever is only 6 months old. 

as far as building over 100k sets a year HOLY $!*& that sounds a little bit off, thats 275+ sets a day and if you work 365 days straight!!!! so lets take a 6 day work week as thats about all anyone can physically do and thats 312 work days and would be 320 string sets a day, im not sure of any string company big enough to build 320+ sets a day 6 days a week all year long?????? Unless your buddy is the owner of Winners Choice.


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## bman9209 (Jan 1, 2013)

No not winner’s choice. He is not a one man shop he has a hand full of employees. He has a contract with a bow manufacturing company he makes strings for year round. 100,000 may be a lot I don’t know he just stated to me he has put out about that for 2012 rather or not that’s correct I have no clue. I would say who but I don’t want to put him out there like that. I’m sure most of you can understand that. As well as the secrets I totally understand that 100% for sure for you big time guys that that’s all you do is make strings for income. I’m not looking to get rich I am currently on lay off so I have plenty of free time on my hands. My wife has a good job she is an occupational therapist so she makes good money and our insurance is through her work. So as I stated I have nothing but free free and free time on my hands right now. Also I do as well like tuning bows and so forth. I have a little shop in my basement with a press, draw board and all kinds of other bow tools. Nothing was made all bought from apple archery and last chance archery. I have 4 bows of my own plus my step sons bow that I do all of our work and tuning and so forth.


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## thwackaddict (Sep 1, 2006)

What is an excise tax?


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## 60X (Nov 8, 2002)

100,000 sets a year would put your buddy in the top 3 string mfg's in the world. Last I heard ABB was doing 30-35K sets a year and were #3 in quantity behind stone mountain and winner's choice. 

It's easy to look at building strings as easy money but there are so many hidden costs aside from material, equipment and time. Sit down and figure out how much you have to charge to get your desired profit. Take your desired profit and cut it in half and that will be more realistic and probably still over figured. I'm proof that you can become successful building strings but I'll admit I was very fortunate and caught some great breaks along the way.


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## thwackaddict (Sep 1, 2006)

60X said:


> 100,000 sets a year would put your buddy in the top 3 string mfg's in the world. Last I heard ABB was doing 30-35K sets a year and were #3 in quantity behind stone mountain and winner's choice.
> 
> It's easy to look at building strings as easy money but there are so many hidden costs aside from material, equipment and time. Sit down and figure out how much you have to charge to get your desired profit. Take your desired profit and cut it in half and that will be more realistic and probably still over figured. I'm proof that you can become successful building strings but I'll admit I was very fortunate and caught some great breaks along the way.


Sounds like farming! :teeth:

An old wise farmer once told me when I was just starting to calculate your expected expenses and your expected income. Double your expense figure, cut your income in half and if it still shows profit then you MIGHT be able to clear some money.


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## bman9209 (Jan 1, 2013)

Ok guys and gals so I have gone to a few local shops and offered strings to sell to them even offered some for free. The guy near me is a Mathew’s dealer so he said he gets his strings from them. Other shops I went to seemed as they was not interested at all. I can’t sell any or give any away for free. I plan on attending 3d shoots when they start up here near me in March. I’ve even put an ad on cl to give them away free and nothing. I am on the web site thing as for making one but at this point I can’t even give a set away for someone to just try them out and leave feedback and get my name out there. Although the Mathews dealer near me said he would most likely call for some traditional strings once I learn to make them. He said he can make strings at his shop as well but does not like doing it. Every day I am racking my brain trying to figure out ways to get my string out there. I don’t know how you guys are doing it.


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## NP Archery (Jul 29, 2008)

Building a string for yourself is fun. Building a string for your buddies bow is cool. Building a string to make a living is WORK.....neither fun nor cool.


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## Hoytalpha35 (Apr 5, 2011)

bman9209 said:


> Ok guys and gals so I have gone to a few local shops and offered strings to sell to them even offered some for free. The guy near me is a Mathew’s dealer so he said he gets his strings from them. Other shops I went to seemed as they was not interested at all. I can’t sell any or give any away for free. I plan on attending 3d shoots when they start up here near me in March. I’ve even put an ad on cl to give them away free and nothing. I am on the web site thing as for making one but at this point I can’t even give a set away for someone to just try them out and leave feedback and get my name out there. Although the Mathews dealer near me said he would most likely call for some traditional strings once I learn to make them. He said he can make strings at his shop as well but does not like doing it. Every day I am racking my brain trying to figure out ways to get my string out there. I don’t know how you guys are doing it.


Time........build some relationships.......learn the recurve strings for that shop to get yourself in there and maybe he'll get you to build a compound string when someone is in a bind. You've got to remember these successful guys have a lot of effort and sacrifice to get where they are. Like NP said string building is fun.


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## Deer Eliminator (Jan 21, 2010)

NP Archery said:


> Building a string for yourself is fun. Building a string for your buddies bow is cool. Building a string to make a living is WORK.....neither fun nor cool.


Well said almost like you've done it!!!:wink:




Hutch


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## ex-wolverine (Dec 31, 2004)

Let’s Talk Numbers just for conversation sake 75 bucks for a set
11% FET TAX on every single string set…
6% State Tax (idaho)
Federal Income Tax at the end of the year
String and serving Materials, expensive if you don’t have dealers license or TAX EIN 
Utilities keeping the heat and Lights on
Supplies (Heat Shrink, Speed Nocks,)
Mailing Supplies/Packaging 
Advertisement 
Web Page Maintenance
Equipment Maintenance/Replacement
Don’t forget cost of labor if you have a couple of helpers

How much do you think you just made off of your set of 75.00 set of strings now??


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## elcid99 (May 4, 2013)

60X said:


> 100,000 sets a year would put your buddy in the top 3 string mfg's in the world. Last I heard ABB was doing 30-35K sets a year and were #3 in quantity behind stone mountain and winner's choice.
> 
> It's easy to look at building strings as easy money but there are so many hidden costs aside from material, equipment and time. Sit down and figure out how much you have to charge to get your desired profit. Take your desired profit and cut it in half and that will be more realistic and probably still over figured. I'm proof that you can become successful building strings but I'll admit I was very fortunate and caught some great breaks along the way.


Funning you bring up Stone Mountain. Are you or are you not selling them as 60X strings on EBay?


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## OhWell (Aug 21, 2013)

60X said:


> I'm proof that you can become successful building strings but I'll admit I was very fortunate and caught some great breaks along the way.


I read where you were hiring other people to build strings for you. I like the part where archery experience is not needed, Oh here it is.

60X Custom Strings is hiring

Due to rapid expansion 60X Custom Strings is looking to add to our growing staff. This position will be hands on building bowstrings for the archery industry using our specialized process and machines. The job is fast paced and requires high attention to detail with quality being the #1 priority. Archery experience or knowledge is helpful but not 100% necessary. You can visit our website at www.60XCustomStrings.com to get a little idea about us and our products.
Ideal applicant will:

*good working with your hands
* able to read a ruler down to 1/64"
*able to work with fractions and decimals
* have common sense
*think and work independently
*have general math skills and able to use formulas
*pass background and drug test

Full and part time positions available. Starting salary $9-$18/hr based on output with room for fast advancement. Resumes can be accepted at [email protected]


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## 60X (Nov 8, 2002)

Yes we hire people to work for us. As of right now we are in a 3400 square foot facilty with 11 employees. I'm not sure what that has to do with this thread. We prefer no experience so we can train everyone on how to use our equipment and our processes. Aside from that there just aren't many people walking the streets that know how to operate a serving or layup machine. 

I don't follow the stone mountain comment. Our ebay store has nothing but our products in it so I'm a bit confused.


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## ex-wolverine (Dec 31, 2004)

Yep I agree with you 100%....

I think its pretty cool that Brad is employing folks, especially during these trying times...Also teaching new people the trade , might just interest and recruit new archers 




OhWell said:


> I read where you were hiring other people to build strings for you. I like the part where archery experience is not needed, Oh here it is.
> 
> 60X Custom Strings is hiring
> 
> ...


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## Ray knight (Jan 9, 2012)

When you factor in expenses for liability insurance (mine is a touch over $4,000/yr), 11% FET, material cost, tools/equipment, shipping, shipping supplies, advertising, sponsorships, warranty, etc. Its hard to make any money at all building strings. My strings are on the higher side for pricing at $95-$150/set and overall - I'm barely breaking even with all expenses factored in. I slipped a disc in my neck a few weeks back and looked into my expenses really hard and realized i made less than $5/hr net building strings when all is said and done and that was building 4-5 sets/day at $95-$150/set. Granted i have a lot of equipment i could always sell off but to continue taking orders at that rate would be a waste of time. So for now i'll take a few here and there for fun but after realizing all the hours i put in to make less than minimum wage - its crazy. The guys selling for $60-$70 i don't know how they do it and continue to do it and make a reasonable living. -So look HARD at every expense before deciding if thats what you want to do. It will take a few *years* to get to the point where its profitable as a business.


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## b0w_bender (Apr 30, 2006)

People ask me all the time if I make strings for sale, there is no way I would even consider that business. there is a ton of competition in it already and folks can be down right crazy about their expectations for a new string.


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## EXTREME 1 (Jan 24, 2004)

yep there is a lot of expense in getting into the string business with hidden cost that some have pointed out. Besides the taxes, insurance and advertising what hurts the most is the people who go around the paying for advertising and those who under charge. Especially on here.


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## EXTREME 1 (Jan 24, 2004)

Actually what I should have said is that it hurts all of us who pay for advertising on here and on other forums.


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## mfr22 (Feb 24, 2005)

I started building strings about a year ago with the idea of becoming a "string builder". I have just got to the point where I feel I build an excellent string set, but with my process, it is way to slow to keep up with a high demand and keep the quality. I have my own archery business that I run out of my garage doing bow tuning, setup and repair. After a year, my reputation is starting to spread and my business is growing. I recently started selling bows also. I also have an electrical contracting business, so I spend many late nights and early mornings in my archery shop, but I love it! I really think this is the real trick to making any kind of living in the archery business... you have to love it.


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