Making your own strings

[Autumn Whitetails]

I want to make my own strings and just wanted to know if anyone can recommend a good book or video that shows you how.

Thanks

[Oregon Okie]

check out the how to down below. I made Rob D's endless jig and there is a flemish jig with instructions too. I can't remember where all I looked, but I know from this site alone pretty much, I have made flemish and endless strings. Just started the endless. Man, I bought an ugly color of string thread... I'll call it practice. It is hunter orange... way bright.
Anyway...there is a video... "doing the twist" might find that on you tube but I think 3 Rivers sells it.

[nlester]

Doing the Twist
 http://www.3riversarchery.com/Doing+the+Twist+-+String+Building+DVD_i7570_baseitem.html

That is if you want to make flemish strings.  I've never seen it, but have only heard good things about it.  Best of luck to you

[Bobby Urban]

Probably 100's of vids on You Tube.  Check it before buying a video.  Pretty easy and allows me to have multiple strings and try different types of material and strands to help tune my bows.  You do not need a string jig to get started.  Just put two push pins on a wall a little longer that the string you need and you are good to go.  Very adjustible and pretty much free.  A good place to do this is the stringer in your stairway to the basement(unless you have a nice finished basement)  Wives may frown on that???

[KHALVERSON]

bobbys right
all kinds of vids on youtube
including building a jig
kevin

[LBR]

It's not that hard, but there are lots of hints and tips that you won't find just anywhere.  Good information goes a long way--for the retail price of one string (more or less, depending on where you get it), you can have a video at your disposal that can knock tons of time off the learning curve.

We (Joe Stark and myself) put all we could into "Doin' the Twist" because we couldn't find all that information anywhere else.  It's broken down into 11 segments and is nearly two hours long.  You won't find it on YouTube, not legally anyway.

Barring no disasters, in the next week or so 3 Rivers should be getting the very first shipment of "How to Build a Great Bowstring", featuring Rod Jenkins and yours truly.  It covers things not found in DTT, and DTT has some things not in this one.  We did our best to put decades of experience, along with thousands of strings worth of experience, into about 90 minutes of video.  The video quality is excellent, thanks to the expertise of Traditional Vision Quest.

So.....soon you'll have at least a couple to choose from, if you decide to go that route.

Chad

[Jwilliam]

Doin the Twist    


Bill

[portugeejn]

Yup.  Doin' the Twist is the one.  I read lots of stuff, and had a mentor teach me, but it didn't all come together until I watched Doin' the Twist a few times.

RonP

[RobinHood1389]

I personally ordered the Flemish jig, 2 spools of B-50, serving, serving tool, and an instructional video from 3rivers 3-4 years ago (still on the first set of spools). Haven't ordered any new string material still. I have made lots and lots of strings since then.

The biggest advantage of the video.....quick reference to go back to if the mind slips. lol

[Eric S]

Get some b50 to practice with. It is a lot cheaper.

[Bel007]

Originally posted by Jwilliam:
Doin the Twist      


Bill

x2 - I watched the youtube vids, I read thread after thread, but this video made it all seem logical.

[stevem]

TBM magazine had a good story on this several years ago.  If you PM me I can send you the article.  I used it many times for reference and found it helpful.  I made the jig as they described from a scrape piece of plywood and several nails.  One thing I learned is try to error on the long side.  I can then untwist one end if the string is long and then will know exactly what adjustment to make on the redo and hit the length perfectly the second time.

[Night Wing]

Looking forward to, "How To Build A Bowstring".    

[lt-m-grow]

I have made my own for 3-4 years now...I taught myself from some articles and a cheat sheet that came with the jig I purchased.

Only two things come to mind:
1.)  Don't over think it, it is easier than it should be...seriously it is so simple I sometimes don't believe it works.

2.)  The only trick I didn't read, was how to "join and make the loop"  which was super easy too, but for me it didn't translate on the paper instructions at first.  Maybe a quick quick look at video will do that.

Having said that, I have goofed around with padding the loops, padding under the nock point (for skinny strings), double serving etc.  It is all simple or maybe I should say there isn't one way to do any of it.  Have fun.  Making strings in kinda fun.

[monterey]

Find Rob's video that is on this site somewhere.  You need not look further.  It contains everything you will need to know!

[gonzoso]

This morning I had never made a string.  Yesterday I got my D50 in.  After lunch I made a jig using 30" of 2x4 and some finishing nails.  

30 minutes ago I made my first flemish string and it came out great!

It's not hard and I'll never buy another again.