Flemish String Jig Question

[Hogcoots]

I may have an ignorant question but I am going to ask anyway.  I did a search on the "how to" forum and found a template for a flemish string jig.  I made the jig according to the template.  Now the question, if I have a 56" AMO bow, do I make the string using the 56" designated hole in the template?

[lpcjon2]

I believe for longbows it's around 4" Less than the length of the bow and with recurves it's 3" less. Hope that helps.

[Keefer]

Carl,
  To answer your question I would say Yes... Most plans that I've seen and I made  were from the Buttlers video string board plans on their video and that 56 would be the AMO markings on the bow...Everyone has a different way of doing twists and some twist tighter and some loosely..Best to try a string and compare the length like Tim above explains...I think those measurments following the plans automatically subtracts the 4 inchs for the recurve...I have found It takes some practice and learn where to start your twist say 71/4 or 71/2" and so on..Loops for sliding down the string can be big on a recurve but very small on the longbows...The key is Practice,practice and then you will learn some strings will stretch more then others...If you are like me I'm trying to design my own string stretcher so I can prestretch my personal strings...I made an Oak board jig where I included a dowell rod about 1" at the top to put my spool of string on and just pull about an arms length then start at the #1 starting line and work in the direction I laid out with arrows pointing the way to next line...Before long you will be hooked in making strings...Next your own string wax...Then a bow jig to hold your bow while making your string puffs and so on and so on...  

[mudfish]

true, the actual string will be around 3-4" less than the length of the bow, but on most string jigs the hole designates the length of the bow.  I usually go with the hole 4" longer than the bow length, start my first loop 11" back from the ends, and then put it on the bow to figure out where to start the second loop.  about an 1 1/2 to 2" up toward the nock from where the string lays when the bow is unbraced.  then twist to fit.

go for it, figure your first string is to get the hang of it anyway.

[mudfish]

I wrote mine while Keefer was writing his and don't disagree with anything he says, we just happen to do it a little differently

[Lee Robinson .]

My string board is made out of stainless steel, but you could make one that would work just as well out of scrap plywood and finishing nails...but to date, every string jig I have ever seen has been "adjusted" in such a manner that you use the number written next to the peg to fit a given bow.

[Keefer]

Carl,
Dale Karch from 3 rivers used to have a segment or short video in their ads and they are sponsors here so you might want to check out his how to thread as well to get some ideas..There have been several different kinds of jigs and different tecniques on how to use the jigs...I had to learn that when making a recurve string for say a 62' bow then a longbow string using the same peg set at 62' does take some practice but where you start to make your loop say 2' or whatever will also set your fistmele or brace different as well... Just remember if it's a Dacron B-50 it will stretch quite a bit unless you prestretch it some...So Many different string materials and all stretch differently...I hope we all shed some sort of light on the subject but make your first and if you don't like it just untwist it and try again...Learn your board and if it helps any my very first string took 4 hours to figure it out but now about 15 minutes to get it twisted then I serve it...Have fun with your new board...God Bless, Keefer's <><

[Bent Rig]

Yes , pick the peg that equals your bow ntn and it will work just fine - everything is caculated in the jig already .

[Bud B.]

It all depends....alot depends on your twist. I find that I need to go to the 56 mark for my 58 AMO based on my twist style. I'm using B55 which does stretch some.

[Rob DiStefano]

flemish 'string jigs' are merely aids to help a process that is as subjective and unique as the people twisting such strings up.  

they're just a guide, no more or less.  

the master string makers, and we have more than a few here at trad gang, can build flemish twist strings as readily and easily as a concert pianist can bang out a mozart sonata whilst i and others are still struggling with 'mary had a little lamb'.  

you need to pay yer dues, and build a LOT of twisty bowstrings, to become accurate enuf to twist up a flemish string of the correct length for a given bow length and brace height on the first try.

until then, keep twistin' the night away!  :D

[LBR]

I honestly don't understand why any string jig is numbered according to bow length.  To save yourself a lot of headaches, number it by string length.  AMO/ATA says the string is supposed to be 3" shorter.  The old "rule of thumb" says 3" shorter for longbows, 4" shorter for recurves.  Anyone who's made very many strings knows that neither of these works every time for every bow.  I personally have seen recurve strings vary from 2.5" shorter to 6" shorter;  longbow strings vary from 1.5" shorter to 4" shorter.

You'll save yourself a lot of aggravation in the long run by labeling it according to string length.

[Bud B.]

Originally posted by LBR:
I honestly don't understand why any string jig is numbered according to bow length.  To save yourself a lot of headaches, number it by string length.  AMO/ATA says the string is supposed to be 3" shorter.  The old "rule of thumb" says 3" shorter for longbows, 4" shorter for recurves.  Anyone who's made very many strings knows that neither of these works every time for every bow.  I personally have seen recurve strings vary from 2.5" shorter to 6" shorter;  longbow strings vary from 1.5" shorter to 4" shorter.

You'll save yourself a lot of aggravation in the long run by labeling it according to string length.

Spot on.

The jig I made uses string length based on AMO. The variances come from my twist abilities/inabilities.

[Grey Taylor]

The jigs I make are labeled for actual string length, within twist and construction variations anyway. It seems a lot easier that way, I don't see a lot of self bows with an AMO label.

Guy

[Lee Robinson .]

I have found that if you are making a dacron string...you generally need to twist it up about an inch shorter than a string made of HMPE fibers due to stretch.

[LBR]

No doubt you still have to learn to adjust for different materials, even different strand counts, but labeling the jig by bow length just adds to the confusion.

On the original question (almost forgot), run a strand on the 56" peg and see what it measures.  If you get a strand that's around 72" long, then it's labeled by string length.  If you get a strand that's 68-69" long, then it's going by bow length.