# String Jig... What is it worth??



## dbowers (Mar 24, 2004)

Have you made any strings on ine of them yet? How do the pins andpost hold up; any bending?

Your tensioner is an interesting design!


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## Deezlin (Feb 5, 2004)

I am making string on it, now. I am still in a learning curve. I have not shot any of the strings, but I expect to later this week. I have applied up to #200 pounds and at this point the string is usually stretched about 1/2" beyond its final length. I am using Ultra Cam, I have stretched this string for 4 days with no further elongation. At 200 lbs there is a slight deflection in the lower plate and possible at the tensioning post. The pins are hardened drill shafting which have been pressed into the rods. They have also been tilted to the outside so the string loop will slide to the base of the pin. The tensioning post is secured by a bolt and a 1/8 positioning pin to avoid rotation. The major deflection is some bowing in the uni-strut which may be about 3/4" over 100+ inches. I do not have a flat enough surface to make an exact measurement. If the uni-strut was attached to a 4x4 or something of that nature, the deflection would be much less. However, any deflections I have observed do not are only stress deflections and the pieces recover after the stress is removed and no permemnt bending or other problems have occured to date.


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## reylamb (Feb 5, 2003)

Can you also build a jig to accomodate floating yolks as well, ie, the posts 8"s apart instead of 16 or however long they are in your pics......I might be interested in buying a regular jig and a floating jig if you would be able to do both. I already have the unistrut, so that is taken care of already.

Good looking design there.


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## Deezlin (Feb 5, 2004)

reylamb said:


> Can you also build a jig to accomodate floating yolks as well, ie, the posts 8"s apart instead of 16 or however long they are in your pics......I might be interested in buying a regular jig and a floating jig if you would be able to do both. I already have the unistrut, so that is taken care of already.
> 
> Good looking design there.


I don't see that as a problem. I have never done a floating yolk string. The current dimensions on the pin to pin dimension is 11-7/8" that could be changed, but I would like to investigate your requirements. It should be possible to more the post together to your required dimensions. I think this could be done on the same plate and there would only be a minor charge for the additional machining.


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## reylamb (Feb 5, 2003)

On my current homemade jigs, I run 15"s on center for the posts for a standard string and control cable, although your dimensions would also work. For bus cables, I use a floating yoke, with the posts 7"s on center, although 8 would work fine. If the posts could be swapped, then just having 2 sets of holes for the pegs would work, if not, I could get 2 plates if needed.


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## hink (Feb 11, 2003)

as far as the deflection of the strut goes you can buy thicker strut or it can be purchased as two pieces tack welded together.


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## Deezlin (Feb 5, 2004)

Yes, you could add another section of uni-strut tacked under the other, but the deflection on the uni-strut is actually no problem. While the deflection is there the string is stretch to 200#. A 100ish inch long string elongates about 1/2 under this load, at this point, my impressions is the string is being stretch with more force than the bow can produce.


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## Deezlin (Feb 5, 2004)

*Is it worth $250?*

I am going to have a meeting with the machine shop, but the current cost looks to be about $250 plus shipping. Is this too much?


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## Seth the XSlayr (Feb 20, 2005)

I don't know about the string jig market, but I do know quality and and custom combined are surely worth 250 dollars. Looks like a good design. < I stuttered!


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## Jabwa (Dec 10, 2004)

To prevent unistrut bending, have you considered mounting on a 2x6 board, with a 3/4" space between the unistrut and the board? You can then slide a piece of 3/4" board between the two to prevent deformation of the unistrut. This works on my homemade jig. Frankly, the $250 price tag is a little pricey for an archer to make just his own strings. I am pretty obsessive about my archery and even I would balk at something over around $150. Would some sort of Cam used as a tensioner cost less to produce?


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## Jabwa (Dec 10, 2004)

Another thought: Instead of the Unistrut and flat steel pieces, have you considered using square steel tubing?


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## AllenRead (Jan 12, 2004)

That's a well built and well thought out jig. 

Question - How do you measure the 200 # tension? Is there a scale built in that I don't see?

Good jig, however, I don't think you will sell many at $250 especially without the uni-strut. 

Good luck with it!

Allen


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## Darrel (Nov 9, 2004)

AllenRead said:


> That's a well built and well thought out jig.
> 
> Question - How do you measure the 200 # tension? Is there a scale built in that I don't see?
> 
> ...


I have to agree. I looked at some jigs and most are $200-280 complete. I can't see many people paying $250 + shipping and still have to spend more when it arrives for the uni-strut.
The design look great.

Darrel


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## Deezlin (Feb 5, 2004)

I have to agree with most that the jig is too high at $250. I was originally quoted $300 for the fabrication with would have make it too costly to produce. :thumbs_do 

The fabricator does not really know what his labor costs will be, so we are going to produce 10 to 20 of them to determine the true fabrication cost. These should be available around the 1st to mid of July. I will then post another thread for these jigs with the final price. I only started this thread to see what the interest was. I am also working on an idea to do automatic serving wraping, but this project is only in the idea stage at present.

I have not actually scaled the pull of the spring, yet. The spring is rated at 400 pound per inch spring which has a permissible travel of 1/2". Therefore, their should be approximately 200# of tension applied to the string. I measure this by checking the space between the spring can and the back of the bracket. 

Since the tensioner rod which goes through the spring is adjustable, the only way to determine the correct string length is to measure directly from the pins. This is accomplished by a gauge attached to the end of a measuring tape, up to 1" wide. This gauge is included with the kit. You can also "micro-tune" the length to by adjusting the rod travel a little. I would say this jig is very repeatable.

The first string I produced, I thought was junk because it was too short. After placing under tension for 24 hours, I had to add more twists to it to reduce it to the required length.

I have installed a set of strings on my Pro 40 Dually. During installation, I had to remove 2 twists from each cable and the bow was in tune to all other specifications. I have only about 100 shots on the bow, but since the initial peep sight setting, I have made no further adjustments of the peep. The bow is remained in specifications and there has been no serving separations at cams, etc.

I have been using Ultracam, crown serving, Liquid-Lox and Cam-Ez all manufactured by Brownell. I have not tried all the available materials, but I believe that with a little TLC, anyone can produce as good of a string as ANY string manufacturer can.

In my original posting I stated the pins were 1/8", this was not the case, they are 3/16" hardened pins. The final production model with have 5/32" pressed rivets for winding excess strands on verses the #6 machine screws of the prototype the pin centers will be reduced to 10 1/2" to decrease costs. This will also make the installation of the loop serving better as well as construction of 13" floating yoke cables.

I have constructed a 14" floating yoke cable on the unit and had no problems with it. The technique will be improved before the production of the video. 

If anyone has the machine abilities and wished to make there own jig, I have no problem with that. If you to do that I will make the video and plans available for a fee. 

I am a machine designer by trade and not a actor. But, I will produce a video on the use of the jig ASAP. If you are interested in viewing the video before purchasing the jig, I will sell these separately for $10. This purchase price will be refunded if you decide to purchase a jig.

My original intent is to produce this jig as reasonable priced as possible and I will do that. You could use square tubing or you can also use the slotted tubing that some of the other jig manufacturers do. But, it is going to be more expensive than the uni-strut. I have the uni-strut mounted loose on two folding tables and it can be used in that matter. If you bolt the unit down to a heavy work bench it won't deflect, but the deflection is not a problem even if it remains loose and is only noticeable if you are fabricating strings for single cam bows which normally require lengths of around 100". As I stated earlier, the main reason I do not want to include the uni-strut with the price of the jig is to control the cost. If you would prefer to have me ship you a piece, I can do it.


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## Deezlin (Feb 5, 2004)

ttt


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## Deezlin (Feb 5, 2004)

We should have the first run of these jig available in about two weeks for sale. I will notify everyone on my list when they become available and the price. The jigs are finished but are being sent to the coater for black oxiding.


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## AllenRead (Jan 12, 2004)

Do you have a final price yet?


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## Jabwa (Dec 10, 2004)

I hope you got me on your list earlier!!!!


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## plottman (Nov 15, 2003)

I would absolutely love to learn how to make strings. I have been shooting and hunting with the stick and string for about 10 years now but unfortunately everything I read about making strings confuses me even more.


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## ranterry22 (Oct 27, 2002)

*Video request*

Please send me a string-making video. Email me at [email protected] for my address.


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## Deezlin (Feb 5, 2004)

ttt


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