String building video

[AlanF]

Very soon I will be helping about 20 Boy Scouts work on their Archery Merit Badge. The troop is the local troop here on Navy Base Guam. One of the requirements is to build a bow string. While I have a string jig which was given to me I have no experience building bow strings. That brings me to the question - is there a good video available on building flemish strings that I could watch to prep and also let the boys watch before attempting a bow string? The reviews for the two offered by 3 Rivers are not encouraging. Any recommendations? Thank you.

[JamesKerr]

http://www.3riversarchery.com/product.asp?i=7046

Here you go, this is the video Chad Weaver and Rod Jenkins did together.

[Grey Taylor]

You can also get them directly from the source:
http://www.recurves.com/dvds.html
These are the best instructionals for string building available.

Guy

[Dimondback]

Hey Alan,
       I kind of chuckled when I saw your post as I was asked to teach flemish string portion as well for group of 16 scouts here in VA about two weeks ago. You are going to have your hands full brother and will busier than a one-legged man in a butt kicking contest. My fingers were so sore after that night.....a couple of tips that may help this go a little more smoothly:

1) Build a several string jigs as shown in the How-To/build along section of this site (I had two and things still got backed up).....or......

2) Another option (and possibly the better way) to the above would be to have 18 strings worth of material already pre-cut and then have a couple of them demonstrate the use of the jig on the last two. This will allow all of them to participate step by step as you demonstrate the twisting procedure. This will also free you up to evaluate their progress after you show them initially.

3) Serving all 20 strings will be impossible unless it is a 12+ hr. class. Demonstrating on two of the best products was all we could manage in 3 hrs.

4) They REALLY like waxing the string for some reason.

5) The hardest concept to pass along was how the counter-rotating twists hold the string together. I used a 3 foot piece of 1.5" twisted strand rope (available by the foot at Home Depot) as a large scale training aid and also mentioned that the way to make natural cordage in the woods is done in a similar way and that combination seemed to turn the light on.

6) 25% will nail it and build a better loop than you. 50% will struggle some and finally get it. 25% will lose interest and play with the wax   .

I had a blast with these young guys and I think you will too...hope these lessons-learned from my class helps you some.....happy twisting!

CPT D

[AlanF]

Thanks for the DVD recommendations.

CPT D thanks for the sage advice. Nothing like hearing from someone who's been there.

Alan

[LBR]

Alan, if you get either of my videos and they don't live up to expectations, just let me know and I'll make it right.  If the reviewer on the 3 Rivers site had actually watched "How to Build a Great Bowstring", they would have seen my contact information and my inviation to call or e-mail me if there were any questions--and if I couldn't help, I'd have made it right with them.  We build the string from start to finish and don't leave out any detail.  Traditional Vision Quest (Masters of the Barebow series) did the filming, and did a great job.  The reviews I've personally recieved for BGB have all been great.  

The camera work in "How to Build a Great Bowstring" is much better than "Doin the Twist", but you can get the details on flemish strings from either one.  There's more info. on endless strings in BGB.

Dimondback has some great suggestions.

Chad