FFF incompatable bows?

[darren1968]

Hi can anyone enlighten me as to why some bows are incompatable with Fast Flight? Can a bow thats compatable with Dacron strings, be converted to FF string use, if so what changes need to be made? As always your help is much appreciated.

[Chris Wilson]

Many bowyers/manufacturers didn't readily start making bows FF compatible until the mid/late 1990's, when low stretch string materials started becoming popular in the "trad" community.  When you think about it, that wasn't too very long ago.  The majority of manufacturers today build their bows to handle low stretch materials.  I only know maybe a handful that don't.  I'm not really sure why.  As far as modifying a bow to handle low stretch materials goes; laminateing some phenolic or linen micarta onto the tips would probably be the answer, but I'm no expert on the issue.

[hotfootTG]

The key difference is, as Chris said, that the tip overlays on the back side of the bow are made of a material that is stronger than glass and can take the pounding that low stretch materials give it. Generally, linen Micarta is used.

Micarta is a trade name, so if you try to order it from Bingham Projects or other raw material supplier, it may have another name.

Also, the epoxies used in making bows today bows is superior to the glues/epoxies used on older bows and can stand more punishment.

Al (Als Decals)

I've converted several sets of limbs.  I simply grind a flat area on the old tip, or sometimes grind it completely off on a drum sander. Glue on a piece of phenolic and clamp in on. I've used 2-ton epoxy, and Super Glue Gel (liberally),  without problem.  Then just refinish the limb tip and spray with urethane.

A few times I've had to change the angle of the nock just a bit to keep the string away from the wood on the belly side.