# Ratchet Limb Press-Parallel & Past Parallel Limbs



## SARASR (Oct 30, 2009)

Sweet! Nice work.


----------



## kdog23 (Jan 30, 2012)

when you are done pressing, how do you let it down in a controlled manner? that is the part I have never quite figured out or trusted.


----------



## B.Hunter (May 4, 2009)

kdog, i was skeptical about this as well. I read under another users DIY ratchet press where Nuts&Bolts explains this. You raise handle to the 90 deg angle and it will hold onto gear. As you release the main sections gear, the handle can be lowered at a slow pace. It sounds complicated but is simple. Here are a few more pics.


----------



## newbowthunder (Jan 21, 2012)

If you decide to make them to sell if be very interested


----------



## B.Hunter (May 4, 2009)

Here are the parts list and dimensions:
3/4" square aluminum tubing 18" long (x4)
3/8" hardened bolts 5'" long (x6)
3/8" hardened bolts 2" long w/head cut off and "skinny nut" threaded on bolt(x4)
3/8 wing nuts (x6 or x10 if used on short studs)
18" fuel line or heater hose (thicker than shrink tube for cushion)
Starting at bottom (closest to bow) drilled holes at 1, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 & 17" mark 
Any questions or comments are more than welcome. (Sorry newbowthunder, i'm not going to make any to sell)


----------



## Rich D (Jan 25, 2012)

Great idea,Thanks for the parts list an the hole lay out. I will try this soon


----------



## bust'em1 (May 2, 2009)

nice job, just like the one i've been drilling holes in. Great minds think alike! lol. But you finished yours first.


----------



## deepsprayj (Nov 4, 2011)

I got a bowmaster i may adapt using your plans and scavenged parts from the brackets. Is the placement of the bolts specific to the bow being pressed or do you think that would work on any bow? My pops has a pipe bender i may use instead of the square tube so the bracket flows with the limbs more.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2


----------



## B.Hunter (May 4, 2009)

The series of holes are "random" kinda sorta. I looked at the diy thread started by "harleynut - $30 bow press" and added a couple of extra holes. I plan on using on youth to adult size bows. The past parallel bows is the one that had me stumped. As someone stated it harleynut post, the press arms wanted to "pull" up and wedge against the cam. If you look at pic, you'll see i put bottom bolt in riser cutout. This allowed the arm to stay stationary. I seen no adverse effect using this way. Maybe someone can chime in if they see any issues with this. 
Yes, great minds think alike!!!


----------



## Jakej1320 (Feb 14, 2012)

Throw in an inexpensive turnbuckle, and you will also get fine adjustments.....


----------



## Don Schultz (Jul 5, 2002)

deepsprayj said:


> I got a bowmaster i may adapt using your plans...


Yes I also have used a Bowmaster about forever. I like this system because of the security and safety. The Bowmaster will neatly provide the force in a safe controlled fashion.


----------



## phantom1 (Dec 14, 2004)

B.Hunter, Nice, where can we buy the aluminum square stock easily? I also like the turnbuckle idea and maybe the Bowmaster combined with the original design posted by you. Thanks!


----------



## B.Hunter (May 4, 2009)

phantom1 said:


> B.Hunter, Nice, where can we buy the aluminum square stock easily? I also like the turnbuckle idea and maybe the Bowmaster combined with the original design posted by you. Thanks!


I bought the square tubing at Lowes Home Improvement. Also have seen @ Ace Hardware.


----------



## Pittstate23 (Dec 27, 2010)

Nice, makes for a more portable press. good work


----------



## Spurhunter (Dec 8, 2008)

Looks like a winner to me. Great job.


----------



## dave* (Sep 9, 2008)

You got me thinking on this one, instead of square tubing I am thinking 1 5/8 x 5/8 unistrut ( the stuff with the pre drilled holes on the back side) then running the press nubbins off the unistrut sliding track for infinite adjustability. 

Just thinking this would make it a simple bolt together once the 4 pieces of unistrut were cut to length...

Only question is a 3/8 bolt and Tee nut strong enough?

D*


----------



## nuts&bolts (Mar 25, 2005)

dave* said:


> You got me thinking on this one, instead of square tubing I am thinking 1 5/8 x 5/8 unistrut ( the stuff with the pre drilled holes on the back side) then running the press nubbins off the unistrut sliding track for infinite adjustability.
> 
> Just thinking this would make it a simple bolt together once the 4 pieces of unistrut were cut to length...
> 
> ...


Use Grade 8,
and you should be more than strong enough.


----------



## littleonion (Jan 16, 2006)

How do you get the pegs to spin freely? I would think you would want them to spin so that they can roll up the limbs as the bow is pressed.

Sent from my SCH-R530U using Tapatalk 2


----------



## Red Cabomba (May 3, 2012)

littleonion said:


> *How do you get the pegs to spin freely?* I would think *you would want them to spin so that they can roll up the limbs* as the bow is pressed.


The answer is in the first post:



B.Hunter said:


> ..The "pegs" in for the past parallel limbs are 3/8" hardened bolts cut off about 1". Then i put fuel hose over them and when pressing, they tend to "roll up" the limb.


----------



## B.Hunter (May 4, 2009)

Alan is correct on bolt strength-grade 8 ( i put hardened bolt in material list).
As far as the "rolling" of the pegs, the fuel hose on pegs is somewhat loose fit and rolls up limbs as i mentioned.
The unistrut idea would give you greater ease of adjustment of pegs-please post pics if you build one dave*


----------



## surmn8er (Jun 5, 2008)

Saved for future reference.


----------



## RangerJ (Apr 5, 2009)

Marked


----------



## b0w_bender (Apr 30, 2006)

nice design I like it!


----------



## catfishmafia76 (Aug 23, 2009)

Very nice, I somehow missed this one back in April. Great work B.Hunter!


----------



## matlocc (Sep 29, 2009)

will that press and insanity safely?


----------



## B.Hunter (May 4, 2009)

matlocc said:


> will that press and insanity safely?


I had to look up a pic of the Insanity. The larger cutout (limb mount to limb pivot) in riser has me baffled. I don't see why it wouldn't work-but then again, i have never tried on this on an Insanity. When i did the Attack, the bottom bar of press is in riser cutout to eliminate the press trying to "slide off" the tips of past parallel limbs. 
If you like, i can ship this one to you to try. Let me know.


----------



## Attack (Oct 25, 2011)

Tagged


----------



## Texas Husker (Feb 22, 2015)

Very nice. Tagging :cheers:


----------



## Tunaboy (Oct 3, 2004)

Nice work. Can you disassemble a bow with one? I think the limiting factor is that you can only get so much web belt on the ratchet before it gets too full to rotate.


----------



## B.Hunter (May 4, 2009)

Tunaboy, yep. You just have to start with maximum belting wrapped on ratchet when limb compression starts. Once limbs are compressed, strings/cables are removed, you will have sufficient belting wrapped to allow for full decompression of limbs. It sounds complicated but is quite easy.


----------



## oldschoolcj5 (Jun 8, 2009)

nice press B.Hunter!!


----------



## bonecollector66 (Mar 2, 2011)

Tag , I may make one also


----------



## Tunaboy (Oct 3, 2004)

BH, gotta be careful with the ratchet on a full teardown. The way the strap loosely laces through the rachet if you have a ways to go before full decompression the belt can slip and allow the bow rapidly relax the last inch or two. This would be a bigger issue on older bows that have a lot more preload on the limbs. Standard steel bolts have plenty of shear strength to handle this application.
If grade 5 or 8 make you feel better it certainly can't hurt you.


----------



## B.Hunter (May 4, 2009)

Thanks Tb, I have the grade 8 bolts on this press. The "loose webbing" is a factor but with this being a fairly large ratchet strap (maybe overkill) it still has quite a bit left when limbs are full decompressed-that is if its almost fully spooled up right when the press starts to press limbs for string/cable removal. Some smaller ratchet straps I tried previously didn't have the capacity to allow for full decompression.
Thanks to everyone for their input and comments. I shared this DIY press after reading others designs and to keep the cost reasonable for the common archer to build and use.


----------



## 4falls (Aug 18, 2013)

wrapping a tag on this for sure.


----------



## G.Keniston (Dec 27, 2009)

Tagged.


----------



## RobRiguez (Feb 24, 2015)

Just found this thread, would the Unistrut be as strong as the square tubing?


----------



## B.Hunter (May 4, 2009)

RobRiguez said:


> Just found this thread, would the Unistrut be as strong as the square tubing?


Rob, Unistrut would probably be stronger but would be quite a bit heavier and cumbersome (IMO). The aluminum tubing is quite strong, even with the holes drilled in it. I'm certain u could use different materials.


----------



## BW321 (Feb 3, 2014)

Tagged


----------



## BBhunt (Oct 29, 2014)

Tagged... Nice design!


----------



## bald_batchie (Mar 28, 2012)

Tagging this one. Nice design, and thanks for sharing!


----------



## vectrix13 (Apr 24, 2013)

Thanks for posting this. Now I have something to do today. Plus this will make the recent purchase of a bowmaster worth it since it won't work with my bow.


----------



## L8drop (Nov 1, 2013)

Tagged for pressing an Attack


----------



## MADZUKI (Jan 26, 2014)

That's usin' the old noggin' !:thumbs_up


----------



## jhinaz (Mar 1, 2003)

B.Hunter,
How do you determine which hole to put the 'middle' cross-bolt in? Is it suppose to make contact with the inside of the limbs? Thanks, - John


----------



## phantom1 (Dec 14, 2004)

Still a great portable press idea! The ratchet strap could be combined or replaced with one or more turnbuckles or the bowmaster as others have mentioned. Has anyone used these other ideas and taken pictures? I love seeing the creativity of AT members, you guess are very inspiring!


----------



## B.Hunter (May 4, 2009)

jhinaz, the "middle" bolt and the limb "tip" bolt can be moved to any of the predrilled holes in the aluminum tube to allow uses on various bows.
phantom1, i thought about a turnbuckle but for speed and simplicity, the ratchet strap was far easier for me.


----------



## buckslayer3 (Jul 18, 2010)

May have to try this.


----------



## phantom1 (Dec 14, 2004)

B.Hunter said:


> jhinaz, the "middle" bolt and the limb "tip" bolt can be moved to any of the predrilled holes in the aluminum tube to allow uses on various bows.
> phantom1, i thought about a turnbuckle but for speed and simplicity, the ratchet strap was far easier for me.


Yep, that ratchet may actually give you pretty fine adjustments in hindsight. I recently bought a used Nitehawk that uses both a turnbuckle and also a strap and unique buckle(no ratchet). The strap is very handy for the quick long adjustments and the turnbuckle does the fine adjustments and the only actual pressing. Your ratchet can probably do both. Thanks for sharing your press!


----------



## mav1970 (Feb 9, 2018)

*Ratchet Limb Press-Parallel &amp; Past Parallel Limbs*

Was thinking like maybe small harden wheels like x-press in a way skateboard wheels? To roll with limbs


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## B.Hunter (May 4, 2009)

mav1970 said:


> Was thinking like maybe small harden wheels like x-press in a way skateboard wheels? To roll with limbs
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


The roller bearings may work. If you decide to build one that way, post up.


----------

