Trad Gang
Main Boards => PowWow => Topic started by: traditionalman on September 03, 2011, 08:47:00 PM
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Any plans out there for making a strecher to pre strech your bowstrings?
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A Nail and a 25# Weight and a Month for hanging Maybe?? :thumbsup:
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I made one this summer using a rachet strap bolted to one end of a 2"x3"x8' and an I bolt at the other end with an "S" hook crimped onto the eyebolt...I also put measurements when it was under slight tention and marked every half inch up to about 70" so I would know how much I stretched it...I am thinking of doing another using a different method...The more gears or teeth a rachet has would be better so you only stretch it about 1/8th to 1/4" at a time...I'm sure there are better ways and don't over crank the rachet or you can bend the eye bolt or open the "S" hook and have the thing smack ya...I just saw one using a Boat trailer crank that I'm going to make and sure it would be much better... God Bless and hope it sheds some light on how it can be done... Keefer's <")))><
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I use a bar clamp with a nylon strap and s hook,put a lag bolt in the end of a 2x4 and hook bar clamp on other end
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Lee,
If you weren't eating them backberries you would of beat me to it! :laughing:
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Easy. All you need is 2 round shafted screwdrivers. Put one screwdriver through a bowstring loop, lay it on the floor, and stand on either end of the screwdriver. Put the second screwdriver through the other loop, and lift it chin-up style. Pull up as hard as you can on the upper screwdriver to stretch the bowstring, and give it a bunch of very hard upward snaps (20 or so). That takes most of the stretch out. Then string it up, shoot a dozen arrows, and you're good to go.
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Just curious. Does anyone have a photo of their string stretcher?
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I used Adam's method only one screwdriver in the vise and I pulled on the other one. Put my scale in it to see what I was pullin - pulled to about 100 lbs several times and it seemed to stretch it out.
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i use a 5 gal pail of nuts and bolts hung from a screw in the floor joist of my house 1 or more days works for me
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Ryan shows one here in his video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j8EghWvyUcA&feature=youtu.be
Its on his workbench. It has a scale on one end and a boat winch on the other end. It looks to be pretty simple to build. The big mystery is how does he keep is table top so clean?
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LOL Tom!!! :biglaugh:
Here's some pics.
Crank side
(http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t142/rysanpei/IMG_0307.jpg)
Scale side
(http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t142/rysanpei/IMG_0308.jpg)
I used two 2x4s just because I had them laying around. I would've preferred to use some kind of box tubing, but come to think of it wood is more "taditional" HA! :D just joking......
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The rachet strap and a big eye bolt seems to work well, I have seen several in use. I have to start making my own strings, simple and it would save me a bundle! Shawn
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Shawn,
I like ryans as well and I'll post mine as soon as I get the camera and off of here..It's a ratchet strap and cost was under $20.00 if I remember correctly.....Ryans is a good idea cause he has the scale and I noticed something that's very important as a safety factor in Ryan's..He has a metal plate that is under the bottom and I'm sure his reason is because there is quite a bit of tention and can pull the eyebolt and move it or possibly bend it...I already want to build a better an more improved version of mine and just want to say Good idea Ryan! :thumbsup:
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Here's mine with just a rachet strap and I didn't know how to get the whole length of it but it's on a full 2"x3"x8' board....I put a string on there to give you an idea...Keefer's <><
(http://i633.photobucket.com/albums/uu55/KEITH63/DSCN1563_472.jpg)
(http://i633.photobucket.com/albums/uu55/KEITH63/DSCN1562_471.jpg)
(http://i633.photobucket.com/albums/uu55/KEITH63/DSCN1561_470.jpg)
(http://i633.photobucket.com/albums/uu55/KEITH63/DSCN1560_469.jpg)
(http://i633.photobucket.com/albums/uu55/KEITH63/DSCN1559_468.jpg)
(http://i633.photobucket.com/albums/uu55/KEITH63/DSCN1564_473.jpg)
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Here is the one I made from a piece of unistrut,2 j-hooks and a piece of 1-4 20 all thread.
I can pre-stretch strings,burnish them,serve them and add silencers on it.
After I pre-strech my D97 strings they stay right on the money.I really like to pr-strech them before I put themon my bows. (http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm196/2elkhunt/00small48851719.jpg) (http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm196/2elkhunt/00small54476032.jpg) (http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm196/2elkhunt/00small15332865.jpg)
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I made mine out of inch square tubing with an upright on each end. I put an eye bolt on each end and use an old spring scale and a ratchet strap.
I put 120 to 130 pounds on a new string and leave it over night. It seems to work out well.
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See what we can dream up when we all put our heads together! Anyone else have any they would like to share?
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Okay, I hang the loop on a nail and hang a metal bucket from the other end. I then proceed to load it with two 12" sections of rail road track and other heavy tools that may be handy. Hang it for an hour or two. Gives very little if any stretch once strung.
Am I over stretching it? Never weighed the bucket laoded and I know it aint the same each time.
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Joe,
I played around with the one I made using 450 plus to see how far I could stretch it..Well lets just say I never broke the string with the rachet strap and had a very hard time getting the handle down....I ended up bending that "S" Hook of mine and string loop snapped out....Now there is no need to over stretch a string but I wanted to see just how much it could take....If you make a lot of strings I would invest in a scale like Ryan has and build the same kind of stretcher...I think his has a better controll with the crank arm and you also have a safety lock on the gear....I have a scale like his and planning on another string stretcher in the near future....I doubt you are over stretching it Joe....Your method is just as good and I used the same style with a bucketbefore I made mine but the good thing with the board jigs is you can put your string silencers on,wrap the string loops with wool yarn,serve the string and make your own tie on nocks if you want...Now here's a thought if you have a work bench just use a ratchet or a boat winch and mount it on one end of your work bench and an eyebolt at the other with an S hook to put in the string loop and where the string starts to get tight then mark the bench at the S hook on the eye bolt side and measure out as far as you want like 72" or so and you will also see how much you stretched the string...I bet if you look around you can get an inexpensive crank or rachet strap and eyebolt with an S hook for under $20.00!
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Just go to the hardware store and get a turnbuckle, should do the trick.
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Hey, here is a novel idea, how about you put the string on the bow and shoot it for a few days, that way you get a little practise in at the same time.
Regards.
Bert.
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I like what I have seen and hope everyone keeps posting their ideas. We can get better together. As far a just shooting the string in we have all done that. You string and unstring your bow 20 times for a B50 flemish string. Also I use flast flight for my arrow nock and would like my string pre streched before I install the nock.
I think the boat wench and the turn buckel/all thread is also a great idea. I think a big game scale would be nice as I read somewhere it takes about 300 pounds to really prestreach a string right.
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Gary,
I like the idea of prestretching as well verse's taking the string on and off and twisting etc,etc,etc...The topic was making a string stretcher and we posted as requested what we had made ourselves...I for one also like the boat wench and there is many other uses for the stretching jig other then just stretching the string...Just a nice handy tool to have around in the shop but if one prefers to unstring and string several times then that's his option but we were just posting for the fella who asked for help is all...Just another Novel idea...Regards, Keith :rolleyes:
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Thanks everyone submitting their photos. "Words" for descriptions of things are fine, but nothing beats a photo. :thumbsup:
BTW, Keefer (Keith) thanks for the private messages. :)
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Thanks Keefer and everyone else.
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Hey,
You guys are welcome and many have helped me along the way...I also learn from seeing better then reading...I got to say I learned several things off this site just this year and glad we all share our ideas with each other.... :campfire:
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There are detailed plans on our first video (Doin' the Twist) and they will be on the second one (yet to be named--should be out before Christmas).
I'd post a pic, but it would take a bunch of them to make it make sense, and I don't know how to post pics either....
Chad
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I've got pics Chad was kind enough to email me a few years ago. Will try to post them tomorrow. Can't seem to do it with my phone.
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I apologise to Mr Frelink and everyone who thought I was knocking his idea. I was not knocking his idea just stating that stringing and unstring the bow as the string streches is what we are trying to get away from.
If Mr Frelink or anyone else was offended I'm sorry. Everyone's thoughts are welcome and appreciated.
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The pictures look like you are going for a planned stretch distance. So how much do you stretch a typical string? 1/4 inch, 1/2 inch, 1 inch?
I have always just shot a new string some and adjusted brace height as needed. after the initial shooting session, the brace height changes very slowly after that.
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Blaine,
Myself I stretch them about a 1/4 to a 1/2 " to just make them tighten up and pull the braided ends tight so I won't have much stretch in the beginning of a new string...I made mine quickly and just added 1" marks so I could see how much it stretched as I was tightening the rachet...You really don't need to crank it so hard just put some tention on it and using a scale will let you know how much weight you are putting on the string...My next one I build will have 1/4" increments cause I just put 1" increments starting at 36" out to 72" on the oneI posted...I just wanted a reference point so I myself would know how much I was stretching my string...Now if you look at Ryans pic with the boat wench that's a very good idea and the scale will let you know how much tention is being put on a string...Gary I owe Mr.Frelink an apology as well...I thought he was just being a wise guy and I possibly took his post the wrong way...Very sorry Mr.Frelink for making a smart comment! God Bless, Keefer's <>< :o
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Here are pics of Chad's string stretcher:
Full Frame
(http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d83/skendrot/photo.jpg)
Left Close up
(http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d83/skendrot/photo-1.jpg)
Center Close up (looks like it allows a quick adjustment to string length )
(http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d83/skendrot/photo-2.jpg)
Right Close up.
(http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d83/skendrot/photo-3.jpg)
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Steve,
How's it been old buddy? Did you have many Sika deer drownings from Irene?
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Shoot, I just put them on the bow overnight.
There's a whole lotta ingenuity in this thread, but why pre-stretch a string? Seems like an extra step to me.
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Hey Keith- No Irene didn't do much in Dorchester. No storm surge to speak of due to the north winds.
Jeff- I think most string makers like to pre-stretch their strings before they serve them and attach nock points so they don't loosen up and move as the string stretches on the bow.
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Hey Gang,
Here are some my personal reasons for a string stretcher.
1) When I send someone a string I want to make sure that I get them the exact "final creep" length. Even though I fallow the exact building measurements each time, I'm not always exact on the "final creep" length.
2) It saves me time because I can get most of the creep out within an hour.
3) It's easier for me to "burnish" my strings.
4) It's easier for me to tie on silencers, and nocks under tension.
5) I made it high enough to serve my center servings, and I also use it to serve endless strings under tension.
Aloha!
Ryan
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...why pre-stretch a string? Seems like an extra step to me.
I do it as a courtesy to the customer. When someone sends me a measurement, it's for a shot-in string, and that's what I try to match. Plus it saves the customer a lot of time shooting a string in, when they could be shooting for tuning, accuracy, etc.
I can pre-stretch a string in minutes under around 300# of tension. I can also accurately measure the string by AMO specs (under 100# of tension) by just hooking my digital scale to the jig.
My jig also comes in very handy for serving the string, tying on silencers, etc.
Chad
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I use the same scale and crank setup like Ryan shows in his videos. I check all string length at 100# but stretch them out at about 300# of tension and they are very stable once strung up on the bow. But I don't stretch dacron strings more then 100# of tension.
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Mine's built like Chads but isn't adjustable, it's pretty well maxed out making a 63" string. I like the ajustability of his. :thumbsup:
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I'm glad you mention only 100 pounds for a dacron string. I did remember reading 300 lbs tension to prestrech a string but that must have been for 8125,D97 and 450+ type strings.