tips for a new string

dottorfoggy

Member
it's time to make my own string, i found the ideal brace and the actual string, on a 72" have like 50+ twist, too much. as i read need like 20/30 twist

some small details:
- which rotation i have to keep when twisting the string? looking from upside, clockwise or counterclockwise?
- also on the serving, as above, which rotation?

how you make pretension on it? to avoid an extension during shooting? where i bought the last string, they a machine that can draw over 400# on it and i can see it, after 2 hours shooting it move just 1/8 - 1/16.
 

geoffretired

Supporter
Supporter
When I make my strings, I twist them before I serve them. That way, the twists get settled under the servings, I also find it easier to serve a round, twisted string than a flat straight bundle of strands that twist as I serve; and unwind if I relax. I serve the same way as the twists as that seems to keep things in place easier. Going the other way tends to untwist the strands as I work. Being right handed I work from the left along to the right. The serving tool is going away from me as it rolls over the top of the string.
It confuses me when I think clockwise or anticlockwise, I tend to fix the left hand end of the string and twist the right hand end. I twist so the top edge of the string is moving away from me, just like the serving tool does when I use it.
It looks the opposite way to a screw thread.
20 to 30 twists seems about right. It produces a string that stays "round" and smooth. Too many twists can start to look lumpy and too few seems to look flat in places.
Stretching with 400# is something I never bothered about. What I found more important was keeping the tensions equal in the windings as I made the string.It is so easy to pull a bit too much near the end, and produce a slack strand from one of the earlier ones.
My string jig has rollers on the tops of the posts. Once the string is wound on, I roll the string so it moves like a chain on a bike, and that allows any slack strands a chance to even out with tighter ones.
Recently, I made a stretcher, to see what it was all about. I liked doing the twisting under some tension as that bedded in each strand nicely against the rest producing a round string with almost invisible twists as it was so smooth on the outside. It is easier to serve the string on a stretcher, too.
One thing I find with serving is, the tension needs to be set well, so the serving is tight round the bow string. BUT also each winding needs to be kept tightly up against the previous windings. If each winding is just in contact with the one before, they will separate very soon when in use. I tend to raise the right hand end of the jig so I am serving uphill and the weight of the serving tool is pulling downhill towards the previous windings.
 

Rik

Supporter
Supporter
Regarding "pre-tension" : just leave your bow strung to stretch it in. It should stop creeping after a day or so.
There will always be some amount of normal stretch while shooting, but the string recovers from that when you take it off. To avoid that at a start of a shoot, you could string the bow before travelling. If that's not possible, then string it as soon as you arrive, and the hour or so before you shoot and the practice time, should take care of it.
 

EVC

New member
Rik, in my experience, after stringing it takes around a dozen shots for it to settle (of course, after it has fully creeped).
 

Rik

Supporter
Supporter
Rik, in my experience, after stringing it takes around a dozen shots for it to settle (of course, after it has fully creeped).
yes, so it depends on what kind of shoot it is... with a WA round you're fine with practice. With a shoot with more limited practice, it may be worth setting up early to give it time.
 

dottorfoggy

Member
but, how many twist is recommended for a really good performance? my girl string have 18 twist on a 66" and mine, have 35 on a 72 to match the right brace.

between 15 to 25?
 

ben tarrow

Well-known member
but, how many twist is recommended for a really good performance? my girl string have 18 twist on a 66" and mine, have 35 on a 72 to match the right brace.

between 15 to 25?
Surely the bracing height is more important than the actual number of twists. If your string is well waxed so that the fibres stick together then you dont necessarily need twists to hold the string together.
Some years ago we did some experiments with putting lots (hundreds) of twists in an overlength string, so many that it was like a telephone handset wire. As long as you could untangle it enough to get it on the bow, it didnt seem to affect the performance unduly.
 

geoffretired

Supporter
Supporter
but, how many twist is recommended for a really good performance?
I don't think the number of twists is to do with good performance.
Twists were essential in the days of linen strings,in order to hold the strands together... like spinning a thread from wool.
These days we twist strings to make them into a nice round shape. The real benefit of twists in a string, is when you want to adjust the bow's brace height.If you have 30 twists, for example, you can take out a lot of twists and lower the BH by a decent amount. If you want to raise the BH you can add twists above 30 and still have a string that is manageable. No twists in a string means you can't lower the BH with it and need another string.
 

dvd8n

Supporter
Supporter
AIUK Saviour
I have heard that if you have insufficient twists in your string then the strands can separate when you loose and the string behave like a parachute, robbing you of a little speed. I've seen no evidence though, so it could be an urban myth.
 

Rik

Supporter
Supporter
I have heard that if you have insufficient twists in your string then the strands can separate when you loose and the string behave like a parachute, robbing you of a little speed. I've seen no evidence though, so it could be an urban myth.
There was some slo-mo footage showing something like that some years back. I don't have a reference to it though.
 

ben tarrow

Well-known member
I have heard that if you have insufficient twists in your string then the strands can separate when you loose and the string behave like a parachute, robbing you of a little speed. I've seen no evidence though, so it could be an urban myth.
Thats what the wax is for
 

ThomVis

Active member
I have heard that if you have insufficient twists in your string then the strands can separate when you loose and the string behave like a parachute, robbing you of a little speed. I've seen no evidence though, so it could be an urban myth.
I think that's where the minimum of 12 twists comes from, so your string is round and doesn't "balloon".
I've experimented with having the least amount of twists so the string doesn't act like a spring. I found it very hard to get a good AND quiet tune from it. Made a string a tad longer with more twists and the noise problem became less of an issue.
 

Stretch

Well-known member
The importance depends on the string material also. If you put to many twists in Angel Majesty it starts to shoot weird - at least I've had problems with it. With most dyneema type strings (8125, FF+, ASB etc ) it really doesn't make a huge difference unless the string starts to knot up. But I have to say that I think the second string in the picture does not have enough twists. I doubt it's going to separate but you're pulling it in to your face - if it has a profile like that it is more likely to damage your face :) I've shot up near the 60 twist end on a 72" bow string and would always rather be at then end than the sub 20 end.

Might be worth doing the Majesty trick - wrap some paracord around it, pull tight and rub up and down - it may cause the string to round up (make sure there is a decent amount of wax on the string cause the cord will remove most of it). Works beautifully with Majesty and your string drops about 20% in diameter. So if you like that brace height you need an extra 1/4" or so on the string length.

YMMV

Stretch
 

dottorfoggy

Member
Nice!
Next week i will put some extra twist on her string for a try, actually is in the middle of the brace range recommend from hoyt for her bow, gmx+short between 8" 1/4 and 8" 3/4.
This Sunday we have our club competition and we dont want to change it so close to this event.
 

dottorfoggy

Member
Yesterday i made my string, on th jig it measure 68" 5/16 and after 18 twist, is on his place, 9" brace



I'm trying to stay between 15 to 25, some say are the "recommended" range.
I have made two, just in case "something" happens

a small detali, what kind of serving are you using? i have the Brownell Diamondback 0.22 now
I appreciate all your tips but I don't have time to try out everything right now :(
 

Attachments

Rik

Supporter
Supporter
Serving: after trying Diamondback (bit rough) and Halo (too soft), I settled on Angel Majesty.
I'd really rather have a cheaper option, but hey, I don't get through it all that quickly.
 

dottorfoggy

Member
mmmm interesting, can be really cool to understand if a smaller size serving will improve a little the speed of the arrow, but is a really small amount of weight from 0.22 to 0.19, nee to understand the weight per cm.
 
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