# Here's my press with variable finger setup



## tpcollins (Aug 3, 2007)

Finally finished my press today, after following EANole's thread on another forum. I made a few changes, mainly where my finger mount is welded onto tubing which has two holes. It is set up now for my Madness with the short hole. I can turn the tubes around, move the fingers to the other hole, which tips the fingers further back so I can press a more conventional bow. I cut 5/16" bronze bushings for a preset overall width of the fingers plus tapped the ends of the shafts an added a compression spring to keep tension on the sides of the fingers. It probably wasn't necessary but I'm a bit anal. And I didn't like how the fingers were a bit loose tipping back and forth so I drill a 1/4" underneath the front and added a small compression spring there as well. The finger will still move but they have a sort of postive stop to them now. The two attachments underthe press are for a future draw board attachment. I fogot to add - these were coolhandluke fingers.

You're probably not aware that I'm a season ticket holder for Meeeechigan football.


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## jstaier (Feb 10, 2009)

very nice, plan to be starting on mine soon it will be ORANGE & BLUE. GO GATORS


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## yet2getthebig1 (Feb 17, 2009)

Looks very nice. Finish is A+


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## Featherlight37 (May 7, 2009)

jstaier said:


> very nice, plan to be starting on mine soon it will be ORANGE & BLUE. GO GATORS


now that sounds like a press id like to see!!!

haha very nice job tho!


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## mikea5232 (Aug 27, 2008)

Where did you get those springs. I have been looking around here for them and i cant find them?


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## Race59 (Dec 7, 2008)

*Beautiful press!!!*

That's a very nice press, very versatile and well thought out. The fit and finish look absolutely flawless..... An example of impeccable craftsmanship!!!


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## tpcollins (Aug 3, 2007)

mikea5232 said:


> Where did you get those springs. I have been looking around here for them and i cant find them?



The tension springs on the finger shaft came from the spring display at the hardware store. I bought one that would slipped over the shaft that was 2" long. Then I cut it the right length after a bit of trial and error, grinding the cut edge and deburring it so it will sit flat. The short 3/4" springs under the fingers came from the same place.


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## Mbmadness (May 19, 2009)

Very nice . What would you say final cost is on that press . I need a press for my madness bow .


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## JCR (Aug 12, 2005)

Very nice looking press. Could you by any chance take another photo with a bow pressed in it? Is this type of press limited to parallel limb bows only or will it press any bow? I am not very press literate so please excuse any question that may seem obvious to the more seasoned bow mechanics.


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## jasondinsmoore (Jun 29, 2007)

Nice, but be a lot prettier in Green & White...

Go Spartans!!!!!


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## jasondinsmoore (Jun 29, 2007)

FYI... I'm just kiddin' man... even though I am a sparty... either way, i don't want to get into that issue... IT'S A VERY NICE PRESS... GREAT JOB


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## tpcollins (Aug 3, 2007)

Components ran $135 and another $30 for welding. I'm not going to press a bow until the Plasti Dip on the fingers cure out. But here's a link when I was playing around with the setup upside donw. One is my old conventional High Country, the other is my new Madness.

http://www.archerytalk.com/vb/showthread.php?t=964915


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## nelliott (Feb 22, 2008)

O....H....I....O......

other than the paint job the press looks good...


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## TH30060X (Jan 7, 2006)

nice press, but the colors are all wrong. O-H...I-O


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## nelliott (Feb 22, 2008)

TH30060X said:


> nice press, but the colors are all wrong. O-H...I-O


didnt I just say that?


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## johnson21 (Feb 19, 2008)

Press looks great!!!!! BUT....

Go big RED, (Nebraska)


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## cmherrmann (Jun 1, 2004)

Great looking press!


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## psychobubba (Jul 27, 2005)

nice job :thumbs_up


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## ryninger (Oct 15, 2008)

Can we get a link to the plans you used?

Looks awesome btw!! :darkbeer:


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## FEATHER_RIDGE (Nov 25, 2006)

good job,,,,,,:darkbeer:

thad


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## Mig (Nov 26, 2008)

GO BUCKEYES!!!!

great job anyways!:thumbs_up


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## Grandad (Jan 3, 2009)

WOW... what an awesome job you did on that press. I doubt you could buy one any better.


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## Zorg (Jun 25, 2009)

Wow, great job! 

I'm dreaming having the same at home !!!


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## JWT (Jan 3, 2006)

ryninger said:


> Can we get a link to the plans you used?
> 
> Looks awesome btw!! :darkbeer:


Everything you need is right here in the DIY section:shade:


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## targetmaster31 (Sep 3, 2005)

*bow press*

i dont have a lot of time to build one my self right now but would you bew willing to build one and sell it to me?


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## tpcollins (Aug 3, 2007)

I posted this thread in the wrong forum, it has EANole's original thread and bom for the press plus the changes I made.

http://www.archerytalk.com/vb/showthread.php?t=972419


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## Fire&Ice (Aug 28, 2008)

Nice! PM sent


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## CoolhandLuke (Oct 30, 2005)

Looks great!


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## bmk1 (Aug 21, 2009)

That press looks great


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## bjtc_brian (Aug 23, 2009)

Nice Press!


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## starr06 (Sep 10, 2007)

nice press just wrong colors go bucks


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## BowmanPa (Oct 26, 2006)

tpcollins said:


> Finally finished my press today, after following EANole's thread on another forum. I made a few changes, mainly where my finger mount is welded onto tubing which has two holes. It is set up now for my Madness with the short hole. I can turn the tubes around, move the fingers to the other hole, which tips the fingers further back so I can press a more conventional bow. I cut 5/16" bronze bushings for a preset overall width of the fingers plus tapped the ends of the shafts an added a compression spring to keep tension on the sides of the fingers. It probably wasn't necessary but I'm a bit anal. And I didn't like how the fingers were a bit loose tipping back and forth so I drill a 1/4" underneath the front and added a small compression spring there as well. The finger will still move but they have a sort of postive stop to them now. The two attachments underthe press are for a future draw board attachment. I fogot to add - these were coolhandluke fingers.
> 
> You're probably not aware that I'm a season ticket holder for Meeeechigan football.


Back up


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## CoolhandLuke (Oct 30, 2005)

ttt


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## mamouth (Aug 24, 2008)

is it possible to have youre drawing if yes cant send to me thank you


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## elkmaster (Mar 1, 2004)

Cool Press!


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## elkmaster (Mar 1, 2004)

ttt


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## CoolhandLuke (Oct 30, 2005)

Ttt


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## Bed Frear (Oct 4, 2009)

Sweet press, but I would have went with green and white. You know, the OTHER michigan colors. Seriously though, nice press.

-Joseph


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## coonhound0 (Sep 5, 2008)

nice press!


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## Cornraker (Jul 22, 2008)

Even though i'm not a Michigan fan that looks really cool!


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## CoolhandLuke (Oct 30, 2005)

ttt


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## Archeroni (Oct 3, 2008)

I really like the fact that you did not weld the finger plate directly to the press arm but instead to a removable 1 3/4" tube, or "finger tube".

By doing this you can easily remove the "finger tubes" and replace them with attachments for a drawboard / shooting machine.

"If" :wink: I build one of these presses I will mimic your design along with make some shooting machine attachments. I have some ideas for those.

Another idea "if" :wink: I build a press like yours is I would not weld the legs on the press, but rather use 2" nestable tubing with setscrews to create "leg tubes" that can rotated from straight down like legs, straight back like wall mounts, or remove one and center the other straight down for a Reese hitch mount etc. My legs would be made from perforated nestable tubing, 1 3/4" and 1 1/2" with the 1 3/4" welded to the removable 2" leg tubes. You could then also rotate the press vertically and use as a vice of sorts if you wanted.

Oh, and one last thing I would do, I would order a 1 3/4" and two 1 1/2" sample square tube plugs for the open ends of my press tubing from this company:

http://www.harmancorp.com/products/plasticplugs/squaretubingplugs.aspx










Just click on the "S" next to what you want and submit the address form. Easy.

Good job on your press. I am a Purdue fan myself, but have been to Ann Arbor and have family that went there. Thanks for sharing.


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## skybolt (Apr 29, 2008)

JCR said:


> Very nice looking press. Could you by any chance take another photo with a bow pressed in it? Is this type of press limited to parallel limb bows only or will it press any bow? I am not very press literate so please excuse any question that may seem obvious to the more seasoned bow mechanics.


X2. Very nice work!


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## jns9661 (Oct 31, 2009)

how is the plasti dip on your fingers holding up? does it wear down fast or any thing? I just dipped mine last night so not sure on durability.


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## jlnel (Dec 22, 2009)

very nice


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## musshunt (Sep 6, 2009)

Nice bow press! I would of had it dipped in Mossy Oak Treestand to match your PSE!! :darkbeer:


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## Ouztse (Jul 28, 2010)

What are the bars coming out from the top of the legs?


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## lc12 (Jul 30, 2009)

I believe those are there to support the bow when putting it into the vice and to keep it from falling to the floor when removing the bow.
I did the same thing to my bow press.
We call them "caution bars".


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## pwahuntn (Jun 18, 2004)

Good looking press!


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## vastomper (Sep 25, 2007)

Tagged

Sent from my DROID3


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## BROWN STAR (Dec 20, 2013)

This is the nicest custom DIY press build yet! Looks great! Too bad it wasn't green and yellow, Go Pack Go!

http://www.archerytalk.com/vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=607224&d=1248219245



tpcollins said:


> Finally finished my press today, after following EANole's thread on another forum. I made a few changes, mainly where my finger mount is welded onto tubing which has two holes. It is set up now for my Madness with the short hole. I can turn the tubes around, move the fingers to the other hole, which tips the fingers further back so I can press a more conventional bow. I cut 5/16" bronze bushings for a preset overall width of the fingers plus tapped the ends of the shafts an added a compression spring to keep tension on the sides of the fingers. It probably wasn't necessary but I'm a bit anal. And I didn't like how the fingers were a bit loose tipping back and forth so I drill a 1/4" underneath the front and added a small compression spring there as well. The finger will still move but they have a sort of postive stop to them now. The two attachments underthe press are for a future draw board attachment. I fogot to add - these were coolhandluke fingers.
> 
> You're probably not aware that I'm a season ticket holder for Meeeechigan football.


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## pwahuntn (Jun 18, 2004)

Nice want one


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## TheTracker (Sep 11, 2009)

tpcollins said:


> Finally finished my press today, after following EANole's thread on another forum. I made a few changes, mainly where my finger mount is welded onto tubing which has two holes. It is set up now for my Madness with the short hole. I can turn the tubes around, move the fingers to the other hole, which tips the fingers further back so I can press a more conventional bow. I cut 5/16" bronze bushings for a preset overall width of the fingers plus tapped the ends of the shafts an added a compression spring to keep tension on the sides of the fingers. It probably wasn't necessary but I'm a bit anal. And I didn't like how the fingers were a bit loose tipping back and forth so I drill a 1/4" underneath the front and added a small compression spring there as well. The finger will still move but they have a sort of postive stop to them now. The two attachments underthe press are for a future draw board attachment. I fogot to add - these were coolhandluke fingers.
> 
> You're probably not aware that I'm a season ticket holder for Meeeechigan football.


Whats up with all that Michigan crap all over it, Go Buckeyes!


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## tpcollins (Aug 3, 2007)

lc12 said:


> I believe those are there to support the bow when putting it into the vice and to keep it from falling to the floor when removing the bow.
> I did the same thing to my bow press.
> We call them "caution bars".


Yup . . . but I don't really use them now. Actually with my design, I can flip the fingers upside down and drop the bow in from the top. Six of one, half dozen of the other.


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## EXMARK68 (Sep 22, 2015)

Hey i like the way u built the press , do you have any prints and specs, i can get i want to build one like it but in purple and yellow go tigers


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