# String Jig Designs



## Macker (Mar 22, 2007)

lern said:


> Hey folks, how about giving me some opinions on the best design for string jigs, three post vs. four post. I am thinking of buying a jig and want to know which way to jump. :smile:
> 
> Thanks,


buy the little jon from deezlin!! it is so easy to use for anyone starting out and 3 post is easier than 4, but i use 2 now.......find it very easy.


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## BOWGOD (Aug 11, 2004)

Each design has it's pros, and cons. Personally I have 2,3,and4 post models, and use them all through out the process of building 1 set.

I do not like a 2 or 3 post for lay out. I do all my lay outs, and serve my loops on a 4 post. I do all my serving on a 2 post, and use the 3 post for buss cables.


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## lern (Mar 21, 2005)

Thanks guys for the information. Any other thoughts?


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## fletched (May 10, 2006)

I prefer a 4 post. You don't have to use all 4 post but you have the option is needed. I use all 4 post when string building. I will second the little jons string jig. It is a very good jig. www.bowstringjigs.com


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## joebass (May 22, 2002)

I can custom make any jig you want.


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## GILL (Jan 10, 2008)

*string jig design*

I prefer the 4-post design in every way. I've been using a slightly modified Dream Machine for six years now and love it. Like everyone else I have my own process for building strings that works flawlessly for me. I bought, tried and returned the Little Jon jig in a hurry. I absolutly did not like the process for building strings on it. That said....I might be the only person on the planet who didn't like the Little Jon jig.


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## Spotshooter2 (Oct 23, 2003)

Gill , and I absolutely didn't like the Dream Machine but love the Lil John. LOL


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## SandSquid (Sep 2, 2008)

They both have their pro's and cons.

I have a 4-post from JoeBass and it's great for everything and works the way I like to work. But I need a separate stretcher and twister.

I also have a Little Jon that I'm re-learning to make strings with it's a whole different process with that beast. but I'm coming up to speed quickly.

Both will produce good quality strings. Despite the extra steps flipping and flopping ends with the Little Jon, it still produces a top notch quality string faster than using a 4-post and separate stretcher.


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## FS560 (May 22, 2002)

I have a JoeBass four post plus a twister and stretcher. It works quite well for my technique that developed from many years of stringmaking.

I have made strings using the JoeBass stretcher and twister and that works out excellent but I still prefer to use four posts to start the basic construction of the string.


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## Deezlin (Feb 5, 2004)

GILL said:


> I prefer the 4-post design in every way. I've been using a slightly modified Dream Machine for six years now and love it. Like everyone else I have my own process for building strings that works flawlessly for me. I bought, tried and returned the Little Jon jig in a hurry. I absolutly did not like the process for building strings on it. That said....I might be the only person on the planet who didn't like the Little Jon jig.


I don't know if you are the only person who doesn't like it, but you are the only one that I have ever taken back.


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## GCOD (Nov 24, 2006)

I love the little john jig.I had a dream machine and the only thing still in use from it is the uni strut, that I use with the little john.


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## FS560 (May 22, 2002)

FS560 said:


> I have a JoeBass four post plus a twister and stretcher. It works quite well for my technique that developed from many years of stringmaking.
> 
> I have made strings using the JoeBass stretcher and twister and that works out excellent but I still prefer to use four posts to start the basic construction of the string.


I meant to say that I have used the stretcher and twister together as a two post jig but prefer to lay out the string with four posts.

Regarding someone's previous comment about moving the string around on the Little Jon being a lot of trouble, unless your stretcher is built into one of your swing post units, it would be necessary to move the string to the stretcher anyway. I have the four post mounted on one piece of unistrut and the stretcher and twister on another piece. That way I can leave a string on the stretcher for burnishing and rolling while building cables on the four post.

I would like to have bought a Little Jon but could not justify the cost for the number of strings I make.


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## denden9 (Sep 19, 2004)

I used to use a jig my uncle used to make before he died in 1989 very much like little john jig but lately been using a dream machine with good luck .


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## Spotshooter2 (Oct 23, 2003)

> I would like to have bought a Little Jon but could not justify the cost for the number of strings I make.


FS560, In reality I couldn't justify it either for the same reasons but I bought one anyway just that the strings I am putting out there are top notch. For me that was reason enough. Plus I had been watching Deezlin's posts from the time he first started to invent the Little Jon jig and I knew beforehand that was the one I wanted. I made good strings before but now I can make *REALLY GOOD *strings IMO.


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## BOWGOD (Aug 11, 2004)

GILL said:


> I prefer the 4-post design in every way. I've been using a slightly modified Dream Machine for six years now and love it. Like everyone else I have my own process for building strings that works flawlessly for me. I bought, tried and returned the Little Jon jig in a hurry. I absolutly did not like the process for building strings on it. That said....I might be the only person on the planet who didn't like the Little Jon jig.


I don't like the little John for building the string, but I love it for twisting, stretching, and serving.

I do all my layouts, and serve my loops on my modified Dream Machine then transfer it to the little John for twisting, and serving.

I know what your saying though, with all the flip floppin that goes on with the little John I never could lay out a good string. I always ended up with some strands looser than others. I tried to build 3 strings on it when I got it. All 3 went in the trash, and I brought the Dream Machine back out. But I do love the stretcher/twister, and the serving winder. It was kind of a steep price for just a stretcher, but I would do it again in a heart beat. And the serving winder if you plan on building many sets a day the serving winder is a must. Although I have been eyeballing the new Apple winder. I've heard that it will serve the whole length of a string in the time it takes the LJ to do 1 end serving. But 5,000.00 price tag is hard to swallow:mg:


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## Breathn (Jun 12, 2005)

*ttt*

I love the Little John so much I have 2...I had 3 but ended up saling one..they are built like a tank and work great..I machine my own winder but the one he offers is nice..I have a apple pro winder coming..but will still keep the Lil john jigs for stretchers...


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## SDLAW (Aug 28, 2006)

BOWGOD said:


> Although I have been eyeballing the new Apple winder. I've heard that it will serve the whole length of a string in the time it takes the LJ to do 1 end serving. But 5,000.00 price tag is hard to swallow:mg:


There are several guys on here that have made very good winders for a lot less. Like about $4500 less.


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## ex-wolverine (Dec 31, 2004)

*I here ya*



SDLAW said:


> There are several guys on here that have made very good winders for a lot less. Like about $4500 less.


Wish I had access to the tools and shop that made yours...Thats sweet~

I am a one man show in my area and Im starting to get real busy...I have two Little Jons and winders ; its hard to keep up with those...Thats why I havnt advertisd on here yet as I dont want to get a bad rep for being to slow

If I had a rig like yours , HTM or apple it would sure speed things up...HTM's is $7,000 and Apples is $4,900...Be a long time to recver that money


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## SDLAW (Aug 28, 2006)

ex-wolverine said:


> Wish I had access to the tools and shop that made yours...Thats sweet~
> 
> I am a one man show in my area and Im starting to get real busy...I have two Little Jons and winders ; its hard to keep up with those...Thats why I havnt advertisd on here yet as I dont want to get a bad rep for being to slow
> 
> If I had a rig like yours , HTM or apple it would sure speed things up...HTM's is $7,000 and Apples is $4,900...Be a long time to recver that money


With some modifications, all that would be needed is a metal saw, drill and welder. Even if you had to hire some one to help build the winder, it would still be far less than the HTM or Apple. Of course they may have extra bells and whistles that justify their cost. I've never seen either one in use. But if all they do is stretch and spin, maybe I should start building kits. :set1_thinking:


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## mr.string (Jul 15, 2006)

*string jigs*

With respect to the lil john machine it seems to be made extremely well. I have built my own equipment to my designs. My machine will prestretch and serve at the same time without any changing of the string once it is twisted and loops served. I built the first one for about $1000 and will have the second built for a little more than that. I don't like anything with unistrut as I have found it not to be strong enough. I built layout jigs using 2" tubing so when I measure and layout I know exactly what I measured is what I end up with.


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## dshepperd (Apr 12, 2009)

the lil john looks very well made. I HAVE AN APPLE JIG, WOULD LIKE TO UPGRADE.


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## GCOD (Nov 24, 2006)

mr.string said:


> With respect to the lil john machine it seems to be made extremely well. I have built my own equipment to my designs. My machine will prestretch and serve at the same time without any changing of the string once it is twisted and loops served. I built the first one for about $1000 and will have the second built for a little more than that. I don't like anything with unistrut as I have found it not to be strong enough. I built layout jigs using 2" tubing so when I measure and layout I know exactly what I measured is what I end up with.


uni strut is plenty strong when it is lag bolted to the bench


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## Spotshooter2 (Oct 23, 2003)

What I did with my uni-strut was to bolt two of them back to back. No give at all in mine.


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## Deezlin (Feb 5, 2004)

SandSquid said:


> They both have their pro's and cons.
> 
> ...........................
> 
> Both will produce good quality strings. Despite the extra steps flipping and flopping ends with the Little Jon, it still produces a top notch quality string faster than using a 4-post and separate stretcher.


Thank you for that comment. I remember Gill. Believe it or not, he is the only person, I have ever had a return from. Now there may have been others who didn't like the 3 post system and sold them. However, I did return most of Gill's money to him.

There are a few reasons that a the Little Jon is a three post system. The main reason is cost. The swing arm assembly on the Little Jon is built to last. We have made some improvements on it over the last couple of years. If you look at it there are actually quite a few hole and tap drillings. If anyone has worked with stainless, they know it is quite difficult. However, for us in quantity and using automated equipment using stainless eliminated problems dealing with platters.

The other reason is tensioning of the string. The string is a lot easier to tension on a three post system than a four. Also if you like to do tag end serving. The Little Jon works very well as a two post system using tag ends.

As of right now, I don't see any improvements to the Little Jon jig or winder. I am using a flat rate USPS shipping box and its dimensions are limited. Any further length of the tension or parts would probably cause a change in packaging.


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