IT'S HERE! IT'S HERE! MY NEW BOW IS HERE!

[M_Kanzler]

The bow I bought on fleabay arrived today.      

It's a Darton Ranger - 46# 58"

Came with a handsome custom case  :D  
And a string. (See pictures)
Now I have a whole bunch of questions.

Measuring in a straight line from nock to nock
I measured 56". The string, when I take out the slack measures 55.5"

How long is the string supposed to be?

I'll post the pics below and ask more questions in the next post.

Here are the pics... if you click on them you'll get a super large version.

 

 

 

[chopx2]

Amo bow length is the 58" you see marked and is measured along the contour of the bow nock to nock that is why the stright line distance is only 56"

The amo string should be 3" less; therefore, a 58" AMO string is actually 55".

Sounds like the string is close, but inspect it carefully and get a new one if you have doubts about its integrity. Once you put it on and twist it to the correct brace height it will probably be fine if in good condition.

Looks to be in pretty good shape from the pics...congrats.

[chopx2]

Also those tips are not designed to handle modern string materials. If you do get a new string it should be dacron and it will stretch a good bit when first shot. So keep checking brace height and twisting it up until it gets pretty stabile.

[Mike Most]

Congrats on the new bow, lay the bow on a table with the belly flat and the limb tips in the air (pointing up). Run a flexible tape from nock to nock along the back thats the length of your bow, if your string is 55.5 I would bet the bow to be 58" to the nocks or 59 to the tips of your bow. In the picture above the string goes on the other side of the bow. (Please dont misunderstand my intent here,but I have seen a few strung backwards)

Happy shooting

Mike

[M_Kanzler]

It's not a scratched up as the picture makes it look,
but... there is a spot or two where there is what looks like
white paint on one of the limbs. Either from leaning against a wall
for a really long time, or sliding along a wall as it fell over (maybe?)
Could I use some rubbing/polishing compound to take that off and to
buff out the smaller scratches?
I'd imagine it's a tough finish - maybe goo-gone (a gentle solvent)
might get most of the white paint off first.

Once I put the string on, should I do a break in process like pull it
to half draw a bunch (20?) of times, then 3/4 draw a bunch of times - before ever going to full draw?

I have a bow stringer, and will use that.
Should I just string
it & let it sit overnight before pulling it at all?

After  what happened with that longbow I bought before , I'm a bit paranoid.

Is there anything else I should do? I know I need to replace the pad
on the riser & arrow shelf. The leather on the riser is like a
100 year old piece of beef jerkey - hard & brittle. I bought a set
of Hairy Beaver arrow rest pads (I think they are the hair ones -
I know they aren't the leather version) - I assume that will be okay?

I know I need to put an iron-on patch over the hole in the custom storage case too.

[Mike Vines]

Sounds like you got a good buy.

[LA Trapper]

Nice looking bow Mark.  I've got one just like it only it is a 1969 Darton and it is 40#.  It has been my kids bow passed along and my rehab bow after shoulder surgery.  I still break it out every now and then and work on form.   Like they said, do not use a fast flight string on that bow.

I hope you enjoy it as much as the excitement in your post indicated.

  :D  

Good luck and don't forget to pick these guys brains if you have a question.

Billy

[M_Kanzler]

Originally posted by Mike Most:
In the picture above the string goes on the other side of the bow. (Please dont misunderstand my intent here,but I have seen a few strung backwards)
Happy shooting
Mike

No offense taken. I'd rather you tell me something obvious or
something I know rather than me go do something stoopid.

The seller was awesome!        
He helped get the shipping down, and made a beautiful cardboard box
from a refrigerator box.

I ended up getting the bow for under $60 including shipping, so I'm pretty happy.
I just hope I am strong enough to draw it comfortably.

With just a little minor cleanup I think it will look really nice.

Is it okay to use car polish (e.g. Meguiar's) to make it shine
(actually, a semi gloss would look really cool, but I'm not gonna wet sand it!)

[M_Kanzler]

So is it okay to just string it and draw it to my anchor? (I know not to dry fire it).

I'd like to see if I can draw that much bow.

[Mike Most]

Yes Sir by all means

[M_Kanzler]

Well... since I have to get up at 05:00 and I already put it away...
It'll have to wait until I get home from work tomorrow.
But I should be able to shoot it then.

[machomanandysavage]

Cool bow! - I had one when I was in high school. I remember it was a good shooter.

[excelpoint]

Great bargin there and a nice bow as well. Have fun with it.

[M_Kanzler]

I think I'll put the string on it before I leave for work so it can settle in a little bit while I'm gone (about 12.5 hours).
I won't be able to change my mind while at work if I do though. I suppose I'll try to check to see if anyone says "DON'T!" before I leave.

[machomanandysavage]

No reason you can't do that. I can't see it hurting anything, think if you were going to be hunting dawn to dusk- you'd have the bow strung up the whole time then right?

[Stiks-n-Strings]

Mark, Glad to see you got a good one. Only thing I can think to add is don't sit the bow in a corner on the tips. either leave it laying flat or hang it from a peg. Recurves are prone to twist if not stored properly.

 I got your email about the kids bows just been busy and haven't got back to you. it will probably be this winter when hunting season slows down before I get to them..
 
 Stiks

[M_Kanzler]

Originally posted by machomanandysavage:
No reason you can't do that. I can't see it hurting anything, think if you were going to be hunting dawn to dusk- you'd have the bow strung up the whole time then right?

That's sorta what I thought after I gave it some thought. I just wish you hadn't said "Dawn to Dusk"... it reminded me how stinkin' long my work day ends up with the commute.   :(

 

Originally posted by Stiks-n-Strings:
Mark, Glad to see you got a good one. Only thing I can think to add is don't sit the bow in a corner on the tips. either leave it laying flat or hang it from a peg. Recurves are prone to twist if not stored properly.

 I got your email about the kids bows just been busy and haven't got back to you. it will probably be this winter when hunting season slows down before I get to them..
 Stiks

Thanks! I have it standing in a corner (with the string on it). I'll have to build a rack for bows - the kids little bows, my compound, my old Paul Bunyan 25# FG, and now the recurve are starting to become clutter in the living room.

No rush on the bows for the kids - if a lot of time goes by you may want to get new data for their size & strength, but they are happy with what they have for now. I need to solve a problem with porpoising on them both. They are both the same riser - one has limbs like a longbow & the other is a miniature compound.
I'll post another thread if I can't figure it out (nock height hasn't resolved it yet).

I do have more questions about my new bow...

Where on the riser do you measure brace height from? From the face, the back, the rest, ...?
Anyone know what the mfr recommended brace height is? Somewhere I read to adjust brace height until the string goes from a slap sound to a twaaahhnnng sort of sound (I think it was a book I checked out from our public library)

I know not to use a modern string, but I'm an engineer... so of course I would like to know what would happen, and why it causes the damage.

The nock point on the string looks like it's solid brass w/o the plastic insulator type sleeve. I'm just wondering about it. I'll assume it's already been tuned & just leave it - I sorta like the way it looks w/o the red/blue or black plasic on the inside. I'll post a picture.

I read somewhere that there is a minimum arrow weight to avoid getting to close to dry firing (in effect)... what is that minimum? I'm probably going to shoot carbon arrows with 125gr field points & aluminum arrows with 100 to 145 gr field points (I bought a few different weights so I can tune arrows for my compound - before I started lloking for a longbow then a recurve).

How important is it to remove the string when the bow is not in use?

That's all for now.
I'll put some more pics in the next msg.

[M_Kanzler]

Here are the pics... if you click on them you'll get a super large version.

Brass Nock Point:
(Now that I look at the picture I see the red plastic... the flash is better lighting than when I was looking by eye)

   

Brace Height:
   

Where do you measure from?:
   

[M_Kanzler]

Can anyone recommend a make and model of string?

I'd like to find one just like the one that's on it, but in a tan & light brown color combo so it looks a bit like natural materials.

What is a flemish string? Do they ever come with serving on the loops and the area where the nock point goes?

I sorta like the one that's on it - instead of bundles it's like a bunch of parallel strands.

I know y'all will say "use one of the sponsors"... but which one would be good to buy from. I want to order a string and keep the old one as an emergency backup... since I need to order inserts for some CF arrows anyways (I might as well order the string too to save on shipping costs)

[Night Wing]

Nice looking bow. A great find. BTW, looking at the photo, the brace height seems low to me. Brace height is usually measured from the string to the deepest part of the grip. That's where I measure mine.