Ever wonder what # bow you are realy shooting?

[Rob DiStefano]

yep, i fully understand the amo 26.25" standard.  

however, most of us have always used the more practical clothespin-on-the-arrow-@-28" approach to measuring holding weight, and it's pretty much close enuf.    

[wingnut]

Well the close enuf approach is probably what got this thread started.  If everyone measures them using a standard measurement for length and uses a quality scale, well then it should be all the same . .. right?

We have ours set up to measure at the standard with a top quality digital scale.

I know within a 1/10 of a pound what the weight is when the bow leaves here.

Mike

[Rob DiStefano]

mike,

a pound +/- ain't at all a big deal, and that's all the variance i've ever found between the amo 26.25" and front-of-riser 28" for most stickbows.  

what is a big deal is a marked bow weight that's 2# or more off a reality check.  that's what i reckon this thread is about.  but it's good to know yer one of the bowyers that does it all correctly, and with the right tools.

[wingnut]

A good example of what can happen is a customer of ours had a Dryad Hunter bow for over a year and had shot it extensively.  She took it to a shop in town and had the owner weigh it.  He said it was 7# over the marked weight.  She called madder then a wet hen and I had her send the bow here.

When it arrived we strung it up and weighed it.  Exactly the weight that it left here and what was marked.

I called her back and asked how they weighed it and what scales were used.

She went back with a couple other bows she had.  They weighed 5# more the marked.

She asked if they calibrate the spring scale used.  Nope. .no reason too it's perfect.

Then when I asked how they measured drawlength it was to the front of the riser.  A hunter is about 1.25" at the pivot point.  So it was drawn to 28.5 AMO about 1.5-2 #.

Add it all up and the bow weighed 7 pound more on an uncalibrated scale measured to the wrong place.

That's why standards are important.

LOL

Mike

[Rob DiStefano]

Originally posted by wingnut:
....  A hunter is a little about 1.25" at the arrow pass.  So it was drawn to 28.5 AMO about 1.5-2 #.  ...

dunno what ya meant by the above - with that bow, was the riser front end 1.25" past the pivot?

no matter what, sure sounds like the scale was the prime culprit ... as it is in almost all cases of incorrect bow weight markings.

[Bowwild]

I also replaced my standard spring scale with an Easton Digita Scale -- the same they use at international FITA tournaments to make sure archers' equipment is "legal".  I'll admit, I mostly do it for the "fun" of knowing. However, I think it is pretty important to know when buying, cutting, and tuning arrows. For folks who go to the trouble bare-shaft and other intricate methods of tuning actual draw weight is one of the starting points. I can't imagine anyone wanting to know exactly what components weigh that wouldn't first want to know their exact draw weight.

I also think bowyer's who charge extra for bows made to specific draw weights should use the most accurate measuring device as possible. I wouldn't appreciate paying $25-50 extra to get it exact and then finding the bow didn't spec out.

I have checked all my bows for draw weight vs. the documented (on the limb or riser) and found it common for the weight to be off 1-3 pounds. Nothing worse than that but I have only measured 9 recurves.  Of course if I was a longbow shooter and measured one of these contraptions (I'm only kidding here guys) I'd expect it to change draw weights based upon different moon phases and whether or not I was in rut. Sorry to you fellows who tell me from time to time to get some "limb straightener" for my recurves!

Hanging the bow by the string does not give an inaccurate reading,  the weight of the bow  merely represents the draw length at that many pounds.  We have had one bowyer that I think was fudging to hit the target weight because we had bows that were both three pounds heavy and four pounds light.  One very popular longbow maker is consistently 2 or 3 pounds heavy than marked, that does not bother me at all it is consistent. I think that the difference between a single hook and something that the string fits on that represents  fingers may give a slight variation as well. A Bear dealer in the area showed me the difference once on his bow scale, not much but it was different.

[wingnut]

Fixed it!  Dang I should proof read before I hit send.  LOL

Mike

[Bjorn]

I make self bows for my own amusement, and use a spring scale hung from a nail to which a yard stick has also been attached.
I measured the DL using the ultra scientific clothes peg method and marked 28" on the yardstick.
The scale gets calibrated with a 40 lb dumbell that was weighed on my bathroom scale. Both are analog-not digital; but close enough for me.

[Rob DiStefano]

the easton digital scale is pricey it's SO good - ain't nothing like it around that i've seen and glad i got me one.

[lpcjon2]

What ever happened to the old days and how they did things...LOL

[Rob DiStefano]

Originally posted by lpcjon2:
What ever happened to the old days and how they did things...LOL

THESE are the good ol' dayze!    

[CaptJack]

all the bowyers just put the string on the scale hook and pull the riser down to 28" at the front of the riser - it's how it's always been done

it was Bob Lee (Wing) that started the AMO

[Richie Nell]

My bathroom scales show exactly what Roger wrote on my Widow recurve.  Either both right or both wrong.

[Rob DiStefano]

Originally posted by Richie Nell:
My bathroom scales show exactly what Roger wrote on my Widow recurve.  Either both right or both wrong.

bathroom scale!?  

[Bowwild]

I need to stand on the bathroom scales and see what I weigh when I draw my bow!  My bow is so good to me at other times maybe I'll weigh 10 pounds less when checking this "draw weight"? LOL

[Rob DiStefano]

Originally posted by Bowwild:
I need to stand on the bathroom scales and see what I weigh when I draw my bow!  My bow is so good to me at other times maybe I'll weigh 10 pounds less when checking this "draw weight"? LOL

   

[Red Beastmaster]

I know a guy who tried to weigh his compound with a bathroom scale.

He set the scale on the edge of the kitchen table, hooked the string over the corner of the scale, got on his knees and pushed the bow down to full draw..................... Can you tell how this is going to end?

Right about the time wifey leaned in to read the scale the string slipped off the scale...............the bow dry fired, he slammed his bow to the floor mashing his fingers, wifey screams, the scale flips through the air and lands on the back of his head................then wifey starts beating on him for almost killing her! True story!

[Doc Nock]

Red,

Is that one of those Beaver County stories I almost got to live with!      

[jcar315]

I don't have a scale but was working on some factory camo removal today and here is a 1969 Bear Kodiak Hunter marked at 60#

 http://images.imagelinky.com/1274589088.jpg

After some elbow grease this is what was under the strike plate

 http://images.imagelinky.com/1274589339.jpg

I have often wondered about this issue but don't have a scale. Usually don't remove too many strike plates on my Bear bows but it is always interesting to see what waits under them.