# 2X4 bow press.



## Tacitus (Oct 14, 2012)

Is it possible you could give some lengths of the 2x4's?


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## N8rfastback (Mar 3, 2014)

Well my bow is 41" axle to axle, so I have my holes in the bottom 46" apart, and at least 3" from the end of the board, making my bottom boards around 52" long, and the uprights are roughly 45" tall I think. 

The key is to measure for your bow and have the uprights pretty much straight up and down when they initially make contact with your limbs, the limbs will bite into the boards a little and they won't slip. It took very little compressing to get the strings off, I was very surprised really. I also had my bow turned down as low as I was comfortable with prior to pressing it.


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## threetoe (May 13, 2011)

Now that's Red Neck.

LOL


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## N8rfastback (Mar 3, 2014)

It most definitely is! I don't mind at all though, I dig the backwoods style of doing things with what you've got on hand and solving problems mcgyver style.


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## N8rfastback (Mar 3, 2014)

If anything else this is handy for people that need something in a pinch and don't want to wait for a portable press in the mail or live too far from a shop, or are just penny pinchers LOL


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## Don Schultz (Jul 5, 2002)

threetoe said:


> Now that's Red Neck.
> 
> LOL


Yeah, but I'm lovin' it.


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## Tacitus (Oct 14, 2012)

thanks for the quick replay! Im defiantly going to have to look into building one of these! I have made the Pipe Clam Bow press and it is okay the hardest part is making the fingers for it when you can't find the right material and have to really go DIY and make something work lol


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## beaverman (Jun 21, 2008)

Nice simple design. Only problem I see is access to string/cable pegs on many cam designs with that solid wood along the sides of the cam.


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## N8rfastback (Mar 3, 2014)

Yea the string access could be an issue. I just unhooked one loop then rotated the cam around where I could reach the others, it's tight but not an issue on my bow.


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## pegleg1az (Nov 28, 2013)

That is one you could make up for your archery club and leave it there for everyone to use for an emergency repair... thumbs up idea.


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## apamambax (Dec 23, 2009)

put a wing nut on one of the pivo bolts an drill holes every 1-1/2" and it would be adjustable....you might be a ******* if you use 2x4's to build a bow press...


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## apamambax (Dec 23, 2009)

the vertical 2x4's dont need to be that long either 2' would be plenty


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## nhns4 (Sep 25, 2010)

Different.


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## apamambax (Dec 23, 2009)

if the vertical peices were shorter and you put those connectors that the riser is sitting on the bottom you could fold it together into a 50"x3-1/2"x7" stack of 2x4's...1" square aluminum tubes would make a great portable folding press


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## iluvgear1 (May 9, 2011)

Some may say ******* but I like it. And not even close to the guy with the video online somewhere who uses the framing in his garage and a floor jack to press a bow, but I liked that to.


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## Luke M (Aug 24, 2012)

Good thinking! I like it!


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## N8rfastback (Mar 3, 2014)

I used the ******* press today to set up my bow, it worked great! You gotta be smarter than the bow to get the loops on the posts with the wood in the way, but that wasn't much of a challenge.


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## Don Schultz (Jul 5, 2002)

pegleg1az said:


> That is one you could make up for your archery club and leave it there for everyone to use for an emergency repair... thumbs up idea.


Not really. It is pretty much custom for your bow's axle to axle and gap for the wheels. But If you owned one or two bows, one could make a couple of these to suit their needs for very little money.


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## jrdrees (Jun 12, 2010)

Terrific idea here!


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## apamambax (Dec 23, 2009)

Don Schultz said:


> Not really. It is pretty much custom for your bow's axle to axle and gap for the wheels. But If you owned one or two bows, one could make a couple of these to suit their needs for very little money.


all you need is multiple holes in the bottom 2x4 every 1-1/2"-2" and put a wing nut on the bolt and you could cover about any bow


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## Tunaboy (Oct 3, 2004)

I have a finger idea for your wood press. I made a press with a screw drive with wooden fingers. I used plywood called Baltic birch 3/8" thick. This is the stuff with many layers that is very strong. I shaped the bow contact area like conventional press fingers only straight not the 15-20 degree angle you see on the metal fingers. It worked good, a straight finger is like an arrow, very strong in a one plane.


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## EZelk (Jan 30, 2012)

Pretty neat press. I made a Apple look alike press over 10 years ago that worked great with my Darton Maverick, which I still have. I now have a Elite Answer and PSE Evo with past parallel limbs. Would this press or the $20 Wood clamp press work on these two bows? I need to put a peep in the Evo

Thanks

Eric


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## GrayTech (Jan 29, 2013)

Excellent idea. 
I would be careful pressing more than just enough to untention the string with this press. You mentioned the limb tips bite into the wood, so this press will exert some downward force on the limb tips while pressing them together as you go past vertical with the uprights. The limbs are made to bend, but they wont handle lengthwise compression. I would redesign it to clamp the bow riser down and use uprights that are angled outward a lot more.


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## N8rfastback (Mar 3, 2014)

I only put enough pressure on to remove strings, which is barely an inch of compression between the axles iirc. Worked out great for me and this particular bow.


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## kerrye (Sep 1, 2010)

apamambax said:


> the vertical 2x4's dont need to be that long either 2' would be plenty


If you shorten the verticals that much, you will drastically reduce your leverage. It will take a lot more pressure with the ratchet strap to press the bow.


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## tpcollins (Aug 3, 2007)

threetoe said:


> Now that's Red Neck.


A true ******* wouldn't use the strap, he'd put it up against a tree and back in to it with his truck.


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## Don Schultz (Jul 5, 2002)

tpcollins said:


> A true ******* wouldn't use the strap, he'd put it up against a tree and back in to it with his truck.


:-D. Yup.


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## N8rfastback (Mar 3, 2014)

I tried the truck thing but couldn't get my string and cable off the cam with it smashed into the tree bark so I devised the 2x4 press instead.


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## cjrich (Jan 15, 2012)

Just stumbled across this web page. Similar in principle to the 2x4 press but in metal. Thought someone smarter than I may find this useful to design fingers for the 2x4.
http://www.huntingnet.com/forum/technical/187825-squeezeking-bow-press-3.html


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## OhWell (Aug 21, 2013)

With all that leverage you could probably press it by hand. Once upon a time I built a wooden press using boat rollers and a winch. I have some ideas for a nee press for my tuning shop but I have been busy building other jigs and fixtures. This is very cool !!! Reminds of the "hay bail pool"


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