# Refurbing a Vintage Compound.



## massman (Jun 21, 2004)

It begins. 

I hope to cronical the refurbishment of an older Hoyt Spectrum hunting bow, into a target bow.

To date I've disassembled the bow completely. Removed some bow quiver mounts. I took the riser (cast aluminum) and the limbs (solid glass) to a local industrial sandblasting company today. I should have them back by Monday/Tuesday. He explects that the factory camo job will be completely removed. He plans to use sand or glass bead on the riser and a plastic bead on the limbs. We shall see.

I'm also checking with a local shop that deals with HOYT's to see if they have any old stock of the 2" soft cams that this bow uses.

I hope to post pictures when I get these parts back...

To be continued...

Regards,

Tom


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## rsarns (Sep 23, 2008)

Take lots of pictures of the process....


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## b0w_bender (Apr 30, 2006)

Yes Pictures would be great.


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## massman (Jun 21, 2004)

I've also found a set of new 2.05 wheels for this refurb. As commented on in another note, I was going to use the current wheels but with a shortened string to get me to the 28 + drawlength I need. Now with the new cams I'll be able to use a normal AMO length string. I'll be making new cables and string as I have the material, Jig and have made a number of strings before.

Hopefully we'll be looking at black gloss limbs, dark blue metalic riser and either black/yellow or orange/green cables & string.

I should have the parts back sometime early new week from sandblasting. Depending on weather (supposed to be in the 90's next week) we may have them painted this coming week. Question with painting will be the humidity level.

Previously when shooting compound fingers, I never shot with a clicker. Having shot recurve for the last 12+ years now, I do plan to use a clicker on this compound.

Plan is to use an AAE magnetic clicker mounted to the sight extension bar and shoot some 1914 X7's I have at full length.

Regards,

Tom


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## massman (Jun 21, 2004)

Just received a voicemail that the parts are done. YES!!!! Bummer is I'm working until 5:30 and they close at 4:00PM. Oh well, pick them up on Monday. BOY that was fast...

Regards,

Tom


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## massman (Jun 21, 2004)

Picked up the parts today on my way to my paying job. Riser looks GREAT, just a few pits that will need bondo. Limbs are also great with just a couple of places that will need sanding. A tiny and I mean tiny residue of the previous paint and a couple of molding imperfaction from the molding of the limbs at hoyt. Total cost for sandblasting...$20.00

It is supposed to thunderstorm at my place 4:00 to 8:00PM so we'll see about pictures. Humidity is in the 70+ range all week so perhaps we may get these parts into primer, but I think paint will need to wait a few days if not all week.

I received my brand new 2.05" wheel from the local shop. The price was $34.90 for the wheels and shipping to me USPS. I think I will be able to use the stock cables as they seem to be spec'ed at 49" for most/all draw-lengthed with a 48" axle to axle length. They seem to look almost brand new. I'm pretty sure as this was a hunting bow in a previous life that this bow saw little shooting since leaving the shop. The new string I will make will be at 57 1/2 to 57 3/4" in length. I'm leaning towards making the string from orange/green material.

I also need/want to modify the original grip that came with these bows. I'll be sanding a small flat section angled slightly so that the sight side of the flat is lower than the arrow side. Should promote getting the bow hand better into the grip than the original molded grip. Really quick work on a hobby type belt sander.

Regards,

Tom


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## massman (Jun 21, 2004)

Hello,

This thread started with a Hoyt compound. I've since added an older Ben Pearson 2 wheeler to the mix. The Pearson will be finished first as it gives me the quickest way to start shooting compound again. The Pearson is a 55-60# max weight 2 wheeler with 29--27" draw-length adjustment with the wheel. It is a bit older as it uses steel cables and a Dacron string. I just got the riser from sandblasting. These older risers seem to outgas or something. Most end up with a krinkly kind of paint on them as they age. Raining here in Western Mass so paint will need to wait. Hopefully this weather (rain every day) is possible going to break Wed or Thurs. We'll see.

Regards,

Tom


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## massman (Jun 21, 2004)

Was finally able to get a coat of gray primer on the Pearson riser. I'll let this dry/harden for a few days before sanding most/all of it off. This first coat is used as a filler coat to fill in tiny voids and pores of the metal. Next will be some spot automotive putty for the larger voids. Then another coat of primer. Let it harden and finally some sanding with 600 grit wet sandpaper.

Regards,

Tom


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## massman (Jun 21, 2004)

Picked up what I hope will be a really nice and different color for a bow. It is an automotive paint color (Autumn Maple Metalic). Kind of a cross between a DARK red and a ROOTBEER metalic.

Hopefully get to the final sanding tonight. Maybe paint in the morning before work.

We'll see...

Regards,

Tom


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## FS560 (May 22, 2002)

Not sure about the Pearson but the Hoyt Spectra is magnesium and you will need to pickle the handle before painting to prevent the finish from falling off. Bare magnesium oxidizes immediately in air and this oxidation prevents proper adhesion of paint.


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## massman (Jun 21, 2004)

By "pickling" I assume this is some type of acidic bath? Hence acid etching the surface? Or is it developing forcing a patina onto the surface?

Tom


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## Fury90flier (Jun 27, 2012)

on finishing magnesium
http://www.finishing.com/faqs/magnesium.html


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## KStover (Jan 24, 2009)

Eastwood makes a " Self Etching Primer" that comes in a can. I have used it on magnesium and on aluminum risers.
Just primed the bare metal with it, sanded it with 600 grit sand paper and painted over it.
It cost about $15 per can, a can will do 3 or 4 risers. Check it out at eastwood . com

A lot of the older Pearsons did have magnesium risers. 
You may be able to find out by looking at the Pearson catalog for that year.
Most of Pearson's catalog from 1957 to current are posted at the address;
http://www. benpearson . com/vb/showthread.php?924-First-Set-of-Catalogs

I put a few spaces in the address hoping the Mods don't find it, Ive had them delete my post for doing this before.

Good luck with your project.

Keith


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## massman (Jun 21, 2004)

Thanks for the lead on the cataloges. I'm pretty sure, looking at them that the bow I'm refurbishing is a 1983 Millionaire. Seem identical in the riser/limbs & chrome wheels.

Regards,

Tom


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## KStover (Jan 24, 2009)

Massman

So you are refurbing the same model bow that I shoot. I have four of these bows. If you need anything, let me know. I have several sets of wheels/cabels and cable yokes. The wheels are in the 30" draw range, I have bare aluminum and black sets. I also have a few sets of PSE wheels and custom cables that I made years ago to fit the Millionaire/2301. The PSE wheels made the bow tighter and shot better for me. I shot for PSE in the 80s and loved the draw cycle of their bows, so I adapted them to the 2301. I also have several sets of limbs. I'll never use any of these parts. If you need anything let me know and you can have them.

Keith


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## massman (Jun 21, 2004)

I was able to get the riser painted and I assembled the bow last night. White limbs. They cleaned up easily with a kitchen cleaner with bleach in it. Some really grimy areas needed a more caustic cleaner but cleaned up/ I have a coat of wax on the limbs. One trick I remembered after getting the limbs on ( so I removed then & then reinstalled) was to use a white grease on the riser where the pivot of the limbs contact the riser. This quiets down the bow down "creaking".

I have the draw set at 28". The end of the cables are terminated into a round disk. The disk has a cross area each arm with a different length. This would change the length of the cable.

They used to make a high wrist grip for this riser. If you have one, I'd be interested in buying it from you.

I did get the bow wrong in the previous post. It is a 1984 Millionaire. Not 1983...

Regards,

Tom


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## massman (Jun 21, 2004)

Finished the initial set-up of the 1984 Pearson Millionaire. I set the tiller to 1/16". I like to run some tiller rather than try and get it to zero. Why?? I like to error on the positive side. If for whatever reason I measure incorrectly when attempting to get to zero, I could end up with negative tiller. Eye's are not what they used to be...

I outfitted the bow with a an AAE master plunger & AAE magnetic rest. Very durable rest. I've never seen one fail. Add to this a sureloc sight with scope & clarifier peep. I'm also using a AAE magnetic clicker mounted to the sight bar. This will be a first for me shooting a compound with a clicker. Normal for a recurve but I never did in the past with a compound FSL.

Hope to test this out Sunday. We'll see. I'll try and get a picture of this set-up posted some time. I plan to shoot some X7 1913's fletched with 3" white feathers and G nocks.

Gee, maybe we'll even be able to make a field shoot in August here in Massachusetts. Maybe, we'll cross our fingers...

Regards.


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## big cypress (Jul 31, 2006)

i don't know what weight your drawing but will assume 1913's is a typo . . .peace


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## massman (Jun 21, 2004)

No 1913's is not a typo. Some shafts I purchased YEARS ago. Spined should be in the 600-650 range. Should work on this compound as it is a (soft cam) wheel @ 40-45# draw-weight. Also 9% NIBBS points on a full length shaft 1913--3" white parabolic feathers, RH helical fletch with large groove G nocks.

Hopefully they should tune OK. We'll see.

Regards,

Tom


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## big cypress (Jul 31, 2006)

.733 over 28'' span . lets hope for the best and see what happens . .peace


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## massman (Jun 21, 2004)

I was able to get a few shots off late yesterday evening. Just able to see through the peep. I should be able to get some shooting done tomorrow. I'm also currently shooting it w/o a grip off of the riser alone. I may or may not add a grip. Debating this in my mind...

First impressions... Bow shoots smooth. Perhaps that is because I have V-Bars and a long stabilizer on it?? Maybe not. I do also need to crank up the poundage as it did seem easier than I'd expected. Not having a scale make it a bit more difficult setting-up.

Regards.


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## massman (Jun 21, 2004)

So I decided to use the stock grip. These grips are made of a soft plastic. I cleaned it up with a solvent as it had a sticky residue on the outer surface from where the previous owner had used packing taped over it to hold it on the riser. I neutrallized the solvent with water & soap and then once dry installed it with double stick tape. A 1/16" thick tape on the center part of the grip and a very thin (carpet tape) layer on the sides. Careful placement in order not to stick the tape in the wrong places on the riser and so far it seems to be holding.

I cranked up the poundage 3/4 turn, checking to assure we maintain the tiller.

Bow is smooth, rocks over easily and I'd suspect we're getting 35-50% letoff.

I'm wondering if I want to shoot this in the valley of the wheel or hard up against the stops at the back end of the valley. To my understanding, wheels were ever designed to be shot up against the hard stop. Reason being that as you release the string, the poundage the string sees actually goes down a bit before rising again to peak weight. The draw curve would seem all messed up that way. Anyone with experience with this??

Regards,

Tom


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