# DIY Drawboard Question



## eltaco (Dec 30, 2009)

I'm finally going to build myself a drawboard, and I've been looking at a few projects trying to decide how I'd like mine to end up. 

I'm going to go with a simple horizontal drawboard, likely a 6' long 2x6. I see that most people are using a threaded pipe to support the bow, but I'm not certain how they are fitting the pipe to the board. Are you guys just drilling a 1" hole and press fitting the 1" pipe into the hole, or using a nut and washer on each side of the board? Seems so simple, but I want to make sure the connection stays solid.

I see that some drawboards have the pipe and worm gear offset. Is there a certain distance I should offset the two in order to have the string draw back straight along the draw board?

Thanks. Looking forward to getting into tuning my own equipment!


----------



## eflanders (Dec 8, 2007)

If the drawboard is only 1-1/2" thick it will not support the pipe properly with just a hole in it. Most folks use a floor pipe mounting flange instead. I just cut-off a one foot section of the 2" x 6" and attached it to the end of the long 2" x 6" and then I drilled a hole the same diameter of pipe through both. The extra thickness makes it strong enough without having to buy the pipe flange.


----------



## eltaco (Dec 30, 2009)

Thanks, I might give that a try if I can't locate some pipe flanges.

If you're going for a press fit, are you simply using an unthreaded pipe?


----------



## Vortex69 (Jul 8, 2007)

eltaco said:


> ... Is there a certain distance I should offset the two in order to have the string draw back straight along the draw board?...


Never understood the offset thing myself.......one contact point on the riser and one pulling point on the string (2 points) will always net the same functional results reguardless of the angle that they are mounted on a board.


----------



## nuts&bolts (Mar 25, 2005)

eltaco said:


> I'm finally going to build myself a drawboard, and I've been looking at a few projects trying to decide how I'd like mine to end up.
> 
> I'm going to go with a simple horizontal drawboard, likely a 6' long 2x6. I see that most people are using a threaded pipe to support the bow, but I'm not certain how they are fitting the pipe to the board. Are you guys just drilling a 1" hole and press fitting the 1" pipe into the hole, or using a nut and washer on each side of the board? Seems so simple, but I want to make sure the connection stays solid.
> 
> ...



Use about a 3-inch offset,
between center of your 1/2-inch threaded pipe (use a floor plate)
and
where the rope feeds into your winch.

This simulates the vertical distance
between where your nock lands on your face (when at full draw)
and
where you have the web of your hand on the pivot point of the grip.

Suggest you screw in some angle brackets (90 degree books shelf supports work also)
and
turn your draw board sideways,
so that the bow is vertical.

When the draw board is vertical,
then the bow will be also vertical,
at full draw.

If you do not use an offset,
and you have the draw board vertical...
then,
the rope from your winch will be horizontal,
and
the bow riser will lean backwards.

it does not hurt anything,
just looks weird.


----------



## eltaco (Dec 30, 2009)

Same functional result... as it's point to point.

However, I'd like to mount a measuring tape parallel to the length of the board, not at some arbitrary angle. Thus, the offset I'm describing.


----------



## eltaco (Dec 30, 2009)

nuts&bolts said:


> Use about a 3-inch offset,
> between center of your 1/2-inch threaded pipe (use a floor plate)
> and
> where the rope feeds into your winch.
> ...


Thanks, that's good info.

What's the advantage of drawing vertical vs. horizontal? I was just planning to go horizontal with the board, but perhaps I'm missing something?


----------



## nuts&bolts (Mar 25, 2005)

eltaco said:


> Thanks, that's good info.
> 
> What's the advantage of drawing vertical vs. horizontal? I was just planning to go horizontal with the board, but perhaps I'm missing something?


If you want to see how your cam timing is doing..

then,
gravity DOES have an effect.

So,
mount your front stabilizer,
mount your sight,
mount your side stabilizer
and then put your entire rig on a VERTICAL draw board.

Easy enough to put some book shelf brackets on the backside
and clamp the brackets to your workbench,
so you can work on the draw board in the flat mode
or
so you can work on the draw board in the vertical mode.





























So,
if you are a target shooter,
and you have a long front stabilizer...

then,
the long front stabilizer does apply a load
on the top and bottom limbs.

Just depends on how picky you are,
when you are tuning the synch and timing of your cams.


----------



## Vortex69 (Jul 8, 2007)

eltaco said:


> ....I'm going to go with a simple horizontal drawboard,... !


Here's an example of the amount of parallax you may experience with no offset. These pics were done with a BT Commander who's 'Pivot point to berger' is approx 3/8" shorter than a bow such as a Monster, but may give you a feel for your pending project. They were also taken with the line take up at the center of of a 2" spool (way to many variables..... if your anal). If you look closely you may notice about 3/4" loop movement from brace to full draw...good enough for a ruff (but actually pretty good) draw force curve but very accurate for DL.

Good luck with your project!!


----------



## Reverend (Nov 2, 2004)

Very nice. I'm looking to build one again but am concerned with not twisting the riser (Hoyt Tec riser). I'm assuming that the pipe goes on the grip and it is pointing forward slightly to prevent bow from sliding back. Also, those book-ends or dowels are only to prevent the top of the riser from moving too far back. They are not holding any weight. Is this right? BTW what do you use to strap the bow in to prevent it from slipping, etc.?


----------



## Reverend (Nov 2, 2004)

Please explain the offset again. I somehow got lost as to it's function. Some pics as to where you guys are placing the support arms would be nice. I can't really tell from looking at Nuts and Bolts second pic.


----------



## nuts&bolts (Mar 25, 2005)

Reverend said:


> Please explain the offset again. I somehow got lost as to it's function. Some pics as to where you guys are placing the support arms would be nice. I can't really tell from looking at Nuts and Bolts second pic.


Rev:











If you mount the floor plate towards the "bottom edge" of the 2x8 piece of lumber...

and

you mount the boat winch towards the "top edge" of the 2x8 piece of lumber...

you will simulate the distance
from the grip to where you anchor on the side of your face.

The grip is usually about shoulder height.
The nock is somewhere along your jaw or the side of your face.

So,
3-inches difference (vertical gap)
between the 1/2-inch threaded pipe
and
the bottom of the winch where the rope rolls onto the spool of the winch,
simulates the length of your neck, roughly.


----------



## nuts&bolts (Mar 25, 2005)

Reverend said:


> Very nice. I'm looking to build one again but am concerned with not twisting the riser (Hoyt Tec riser). I'm assuming that the pipe goes on the grip and it is pointing forward slightly to prevent bow from sliding back. Also, those book-ends or dowels are only to prevent the top of the riser from moving too far back. They are not holding any weight. Is this right? BTW what do you use to strap the bow in to prevent it from slipping, etc.?


Mount the floor plate for the 1/2-inch threaded pipe
with 4 lag screws onto the 2x8 piece of lumber.

Pipe will be at 90 degrees to the piece of lumber.

The curve at the top of the grip (pivot point)
is enough to match the curve of a 1/2-inch threaded pipe.

Once you have tension in the rope going to the boat winch,
the bow will not fall off the threaded pipe.

When you let down the bow,
by unwinding the winch...
just hang onto the rope with your left hand,
while you have your right hand on the boat winch handle.

So,
when you have slack in the rope from the winch,
you can maintain TENSION on the rope going to the d-loop
and keep the bow on the 1/2-inch threaded pipe.

If you are worried about it,
just take a shoelace
and
tie the grip to the 1/2-inch threaded pipe.


----------



## Vortex69 (Jul 8, 2007)

Reverend said:


> ....... BTW what do you use to strap the bow in to prevent it from slipping, etc.?


I basically use a stick with a hole in it to keep the bow from tipping. Works great once you get the hole to dowel ratio correct.


----------



## Reverend (Nov 2, 2004)

Aaah, now I get it...
Thank you very much...


----------



## lucasm (Jun 24, 2008)

Where do you start your tape on your draw board ?


----------



## Vortex69 (Jul 8, 2007)

You can start your tape anywhere you want. In my case, I took an aluminum scale and ground off enough to equal the dowel + 1.750" then simple bumped the scale to the dowel and secured.


----------



## kg4cpj (Jul 29, 2004)

I am not new to archery, but why you would need this? and could someone tell me what it does for you? Thanks for your time.


----------



## jnthnbgg (Feb 9, 2010)

this allows you to tune your bow while removing the human element so in theory every shot is the same. I have seen people robin hood their arrows because it is so consistent. If you have the right kind of home made or public range you can paper tune, time cams, draw stops, walk back tune, broad head tune,.... basically fine tune your bow down to the dime. How ever I do have doubts because I believe it is better to fine tune your stance, draw, anchor points, release (human elements) and tune your bow to you, than to tune your bow to a machine. I am interested to see how it all ends up in the end once I build one. I will say the cam timing it is great for and watching how your bow draws to make sure its an even draw with neither cams leading the other. Any body's performance change because a drawboard/shootable drawboard?


----------



## lilliwaup (Sep 21, 2008)

I have used pipe flanges in the past for other applications and have had the pipe break off at the threads. After it breaks you can see how thin the pipe wall gets where the threads are cut. I would suggest that people put the flange on the back side of the 2x so all the force of the draw is not on the threads of the pipe. JMHO.


----------



## lilliwaup (Sep 21, 2008)

Could you explain the loop of cord with the 2 screws in the right hand picture?


----------



## contenderelite (May 24, 2010)

very nice


----------

