# Bowmaster Portable Bow Press for tuning.



## TankJon (Jun 23, 2013)

My local archery store has a waiting list for bows to be tuned and I have been reading up how to do it myself but don't have a few hundred to slam down on a ez press or such like press. Figured one of the Bowmaster portable presses with the L limb adaptors would do for tuning my Limbsaver Proton. Anyone used one of these presses and are they A. Any good and B. As safe to use as a bench top bow press?


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## Praeger (Jan 7, 2011)

I used one for my first year, and short of disassembling the bow, it works fine. Sometimes it's awkward, but the rewards of being able to tune your bow far outweigh the limitations of the Bowmaster. Safe, yes - just use common sense. As in all presses, double check brackets on the press and where the strings are laying when your release tension.

Now a quick pitch for dropping $399 on an ez press. Beyond making pressing your bow so fast and easy, an ez press (or any home made variation) doubles as a draw board (many iterations can be found in the DIY bow press threads). The combination of press/draw board means you will _*never*_ have to drive to a "pro shop" and pay someone else to work on your bow for _*anything*_. It is difficult to monetize not having a tuned bow because you didn't want to pay a shop, but you can definitely add up a few visits to a shop and begin to figure out at what point you just bought that shop a bow press. The press will last a lifetime. If you think you'll be into archery for more than a few years - just buy it now. Skip the bowmaster, double down and order it. Worst case you sell it a few years later and probably get enough of your money back. 

Anyone bought a bow press and regretted it?

I learned this in woodworking. Buy for the long haul, and only cry once.


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## Blue Falcon (Oct 27, 2012)

I love mine. They are not as fast as a full press, but do the job just fine.

Sent from my MB860 using Tapatalk 2


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## straddleridge (Apr 28, 2010)

I have both a home made in line press and a bowmaster. The in line press is faster and easier but the bowmaster works well. I have completely torn down my bow with the bowmaster. Of course the bowmaster is very small and portable to use in the field


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## TankJon (Jun 23, 2013)

Praeger said:


> I used one for my first year, and short of disassembling the bow, it works fine. Sometimes it's awkward, but the rewards of being able to tune your bow far outweigh the limitations of the Bowmaster. Safe, yes - just use common sense. As in all presses, double check brackets on the press and where the strings are laying when your release tension.
> 
> Now a quick pitch for dropping $399 on an ez press. Beyond making pressing your bow so fast and easy, an ez press (or any home made variation) doubles as a draw board (many iterations can be found in the DIY bow press threads). The combination of press/draw board means you will _*never*_ have to drive to a "pro shop" and pay someone else to work on your bow for _*anything*_. It is difficult to monetize not having a tuned bow because you didn't want to pay a shop, but you can definitely add up a few visits to a shop and begin to figure out at what point you just bought that shop a bow press. The press will last a lifetime. If you think you'll be into archery for more than a few years - just buy it now. Skip the bowmaster, double down and order it. Worst case you sell it a few years later and probably get enough of your money back.
> 
> ...


I know what you mean there! Bought a few cheap alternatives only to end up buying what I should have got in the first place!

The Bowmaster is cheap enough to keep me going till I have enough to get the EZ press. Probably worth waiting until a 2nd hand one comes up.


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## Gapmaster (May 23, 2002)

I used that Bowmaster for years with excellent results. Where it came in handy for me was when I went to the archery range. I had that press right there so I could twist cables and do just about any tuning I needed to do. Well worth the money. The biggest plus is like I said, you can take it with you anywhere.


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## sixgunluv (Jul 1, 2003)

Nothing wrong with a Bowmaster... certainly the most portable. My advice would be to cut the rod off that is used to turn the press and sacrifice a correct socket and small ratchet to put in the box with your press.


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