Heavy weight longbow, techniques to string.

[Kirkll]

Kirk, I’m curious how you built your portable stringer. I assume it was on the order of your bench setup? Would like to see a drawing or hear a description of it.

It was pretty basic….I just used a 2x4 frame 30” x30”  and screwed some plywood guests on the corners . Then I  Drilled 3/4” holes and used oak dowels for the pegs that were removable. You could use an old broom stick, or mop handle too if ya can’t find the big dowel stock…..

  I just screwed mine to the side of my display table. I mounted it to a tree one time too.    I suppose you could put some free standing supports if you wanted to have a stand alone set up. Or even use it flat on a table or work bench. You could also Just drill holes in the work bench and put you pegs in when needed. I’ve seen other bowyers with a bench top set up just like mine before, but I like the vertical one better. Easier to pull the limbs with two hands and hold it while you slip the string on the tip. You also don’t need a clean work bench… it’s rare to see that in my shop….   Hope that helps…

[onetone]

Thanks Kirk, I got the picture. Was just wondering how you anchored the outfit. 50# and up the torque would tend to upend things. I guess for free standing a guy could design it for push, rather than pull and use his standing body weight to hold the jig in place … just don’t let the bow get out of hand! 

[Buggs]

Bolt the jig to a 8' 2X6 and you probably would not need to stand on it.

[Kirkll]

I saw a similar set up that was fabricated from tube steel and had rubber hoses on the pegs, that the bowyer plugged it into the receiver on the trailer hitch of his truck. THAT was a slick set up.  Rock solid.

I thought about having a  trailer hitch modified to hold my 2x4 frame set up, but just never got around to it.

You can mount the pegs horizontally on your 30" X 30" frame so you are pushing down that works fine too. I screwed another 2x4 on the edge of my frame at my trailer hitch height one time and wedged it under the hitch on one end to anchor it after seeing that other guys set up. That worked ok too.

Get creative bro!

[onetone]

All good ideas, but the key word for me is “portable” so stand-alone is a must. I’ll work something out.

[Old3Toe]

On longer and stouter longbows to push-pull, I grab and pull the upper limb above the fade. Y’all please correct me if this is a no-no, but the upper limb is a bit longer and it doesn’t seem to put undue stress anywhere— more leverage = less grunt.

[Kirkll]

Kirk, I’m curious how you built your portable stringer. I assume it was on the order of your bench setup? Would like to see a drawing or hear a description of it.

Here is a rough sketch.... The frame was built from 3/4" plywood and used std rod and shelf pole.

You stand on the lower part and pull the bow towards you.....

Now I remember what happened to mine ..... It got smashed with a hay elevator in the loft when i tried to use it to support the elevator. i chose poorly...lol