String making

[Prometheus]

Hey, Folks - quick question:

I have some corner brackets and some wood lying around and i thought i'd make a quick simple string jig for continuous/endless loop b-50 davron strings. I want to make them for one bow length: 52". I know the whole 4" math for recurve strings, but i'm wondering how that's measured? Is that end to end including the loops? Or is it like center of loop to center of loop? Or just the string part in between loops? Can anyone show me a picture?

I'd just run the math with one of my other strings, but theyre all flemmish, and im sure theres some stretch in them already, and i'd like to be as accurate as possible. Also, i have no other 52" bow strings - i'm doing this for a vintage bow i picked up for a song (relatively) that had no string.

Thanks for any help, folks!!

-P

[Shredd]

Save yourself a lot of trouble... Get some 1/8" non-stretch line and tie a bowline knot in each end... Keep adjusting the length until it fits your bow... 

  To measure a string, Drill a 1/4" hole in one end of a 2x4 and stick a 1/4" steel rod in it, Loop your string over the rod... Clamp the board to the table, now put another steel rod through the other loop and stretch the string out with a good amount of tension and measure to the outside edges of the rods... That will give you string length... 

   When you make your string you want to make it a little shorter than the expected length... I think I go about 3/8" shorter with FF string....  You may want to go shorter with dacron...  I am sure a string maker will chime in to clue you in as I am new to making strings

[Bvas]

My limited experience is 1/2-3/4” stretch with Dacron.

[scrub-buster]

I made a string jig similar to the one you are describing.  I drilled enough holes to make it adjustable to any string length I'll ever make.  I made it for endless loop strings but now I only make flemish twist.  Now I use it to pre-stretch the strings before I put it on a bow.

When I make a string I make it the exact length I need before I add the twists.  Then I stretch it back to the exact length.

[Prometheus]

Thanks for the input folks. I think i've got enough to go on, and i'll be giving it a shot this weekend, hopefully!

[monterey]

With B50 or B55 you can make the string about 1.5% shorter than an established working string length.  So, measure the length of a string that is the length you want and subtract the 1.5% then make the string that length.  It will be a bit short initially but will creep to the desired length if left strung on the bow for a day or so as well as shot.  When it's too long it can be easily kept to the desired length with a few occasional twists.  That formula will get you to a useable string length without too many twists.

[macbow]

I made one from a boy scout manual about 45 years ago.
Mine had two arms.
Probably made a thousand strings ith it