Help please. I just ordered a spool of Ultra Cam and would like to hear your recipes on making the string. I have heard that 12 strands is the "magical" number for this material? My main concern is getting a good nock fit. How are you beefing up your serving? I am shooting a 66" R/D T/D Longbow 59# at my 29" draw. Thanks in advance!
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8 strands will be plenty. I use either .30 Halo or .25 for center serving and .19 for the loops.
Ultra cam has a breaking strength of 125#(advertised) so we'll use half that 62.5 . That means 6 strands is good up to a 75#bow (62.5*6/5=75). 4 is good up to a 50# bow and 5 is good up to 62.5# bow. If your making endless loop strings use 5strands. If your making Flemish use 6. I use a .26 crown serving and either double serve or add strands under the serving to get a good nock fit. To find out how much you need just serve a small part( about 1.5in) and add strands until the nock fit is good.
I use 6 strands for 45# and under and 8 strands for over. Advertised strength and actual strength tends to vary on all the string materials and I have not had a string break using that formula. The minor difference in speed compared to the extra strength of the two strands isn't worth the risk for me. As JC says your mileage may vary.
Thanks. I forgot to mention that I will be making a flemish string. So from what you are saying, 12 strands is too much and 8 with double serving will make a good starting point?
The best "trick" I know of for getting a proper nock fit was passed on to me by Rod Jenkins. Just wrap dental floss at the nock point to get the fit you want, then add a drop of super glue to the floss.
Very large servings on very small diameter strings are apt to slip. Adding strands underneath makes for a lumpy serving. The floss is quick, easy, cheap, neat, and durable.
I don't use UC string material, but I can say that there are no "magic formulas"--you'll have to do some tinkering to find out what works best for you.
Chad
I adjust the nocking point serving the way Chad says. It's good advice.
LBR I like to use Dyneema fishing line to build up a spot for noc fit. It lasts and doesn't come off at all even without glue, and it is slick too.
I've use the dental floss method myself with good results, however sounds like some other good methods here too! By the way, love the Ultra Cam , switched from D97 which just keep stretching for me.
Ultra Cam is the best string material I have ever shot. Tuff,fast, and very quite. You'll love it.
Page,
I've been wanting to try an 8 strand UC. I've been told that it's comparable diameter to 8125. Currently I'm shooting 8 strands of that material double served with .026 and my X nocks are a little tighter than I like. Otherwise love the string. I thought the serving would probably "wear in" to perfection. So far that hasn't happened, but I'm not shooting alot right now either. Don't remember what nocks you shoot. Hope you had a good hunting season. Let me know how the string test comes out. (This site's better than having your own R&D Dept.!)
Hey Richard, Yea, I thought I would try a 8 strander and see if all the hype is true. If it's any indication of the 12 strand FF I made a few weeks ago, I'll be very pleased. I keep hearing that the UC is the "bomb" for making these "skinny" strings. I've been "old school" on strings for too long. I'll keep you informed of the progress. My nocks are Easton Super Uni Nocks.
Vermonster, I know the string is not as strong as advertised which is why I used half the breaking strength when figuring out how many strands I need to use. For a 6strand string to be safe on a 60# bow each strand only needs to have a breaking strength of 50#. That's only 40% of the advertised breaking strength. The formula I'm using is also a bit overkill. You could probably get away with 4strands but 6 is more than safe. 6strands is actually SAFER than 8 because the string is just as likely to break but 6 is easier on the tips and bow. So 6strands is pretty much the best choice. I wouldn't use 8strands unless the bow was above 70# in draw weight.
OK Jesse, So 6 strand is better than 8 because the combined breaking strenght is less there fore the string will "give" as the limbs come to rest after the shot? An interesting thread on another forum (the "wall") has a fella using a 9 strand with great success, 3 bundles of 3.
What advantage would an Ultra Cam skinny have over a 6 strand D97?
I'm really happy with the D97 6 strand, but always into any ideas to improve upon it.
Pebowbender, that's sorta how it works. The 6strand acts more like b-50 on the tips but doesn't stretch and creep like b-50(pretty cool huh). I suggest you make a 3 bundle 6strand. A 9strand is good but 6 will be a little rounder, quieter, and faster. Also when beefing up the serving the string won't be "lumpy" if you add the strands the right way. You just add them to each bundle and not overtop all the bundles.
Vermonster, 6strands of Ultra Cam has a HIGHER breaking strength than 16 of B-50. Do you consider 16strands of b-50 sufficient for a 59# bow?
Freefeet, the advantage of the 6strand ultra cam over a d97 is that the ultra cam won't creep like the d97 does. Speed wise there won't be much difference.
Jesse, I hunt my bows, I like the protection the extra two strands give me if anything happens in the field. I hunt some rough terrain with lots of sharp pointy stuff. For the minimal speed difference and it is only 1-2fps, I go with the extra strands. DO what makes you happy with your string building. I also use endless loop so I like the extra strand in the loops.
QuoteOriginally posted by Jesse Peltan:
Freefeet, the advantage of the 6strand ultra cam over a d97 is that the ultra cam won't creep like the d97 does. Speed wise there won't be much difference.
I haven't had any creep problems with D97 at all. I make my own flemish strings, maybe skinny endless loops are where the creep problems are?
David (Vermonster13) do you pad your endless loop strings? If so with what and how many strands? I have been using 6 strand 450+ and pad the nock ends with 6 to 8 strands of dacron and serve them with nylon serving. I have some Ultra Cam and intend to build some skinny strings with it.
Thanks
Gil
Well I was slow to change also but love my "skinny" string. I first used D97 and it just kept creeping. I've also read lots of follks say D97 hasn't done that. I'm wondering if change of manufacture, quality control or string maker is the difference. Anyhow I now am using UC with the exact same way I made my D97 strings and after it settles in theres no creeping for me. I make endless loops myself, have so for years, It's always been my opinion that endless have alot less chance of creeping than flemish simply because of the number of twists. I try to make my endless loops strings so that I only have to twist it a couple times for my prefered finsih length. As for padding the loops which I do I use the same material because I believe that the HP string material is going to compress B50 and lose any padding effect. But like always your mileage may vary.
I don't pad them Gil. I use Halo .19 to serve the loops and haven't had any trouble.
QuoteOriginally posted by LC:
I first used D97 and it just kept creeping. I've also read lots of follks say D97 hasn't done that. I'm wondering if change of manufacture, quality control or string maker is the difference.
QuoteOriginally posted by LC:
I make endless loops myself, have so for years, It's always been my opinion that endless have alot less chance of creeping than flemish simply because of the number of twists.
Haven't you answered your own question?
:D
My first skinny, I used the same Brownell FF I have been using for probably 10 years. I used 12 strands and padded the loops and serving area to 16 strands. After the initial shoot-in(maybe 100 arrows or so) the string hasn't crept at all. I chrono'ed the 12 strand and the 16 strander I have been making all these years and there wasn't ANY difference in speed. The skinny did need 25gr less of tip wt to tune though and even with 1/2 as much string silencer material(I use yarn), the 12 strander was much quieter. Can't wait to get the UC and make a comparison.
Made my first UC string yesturday(8 strands). Seems to be good(haven't shot it enough to make a determination). Will shoot it more today. It is quiet but does seem to be less forgiving of brace height. Had to raise the brace by a full 1/4". Anyone else have this problem?
Why did you have to raise the brace height, sound or tuning? If it's tuning raising the brace height is used to stiffen the dynamic spine. Could be like pebowbender you may need to lighten the point weight because the bow is more efficient.
I had to raise the brace height because the bow was loud and had increased hand shock. Adding 1/4" of brace height cleared that up.
Interesting. Did you try going lower than your original height? Mine works well lower than higher.