How long is a peice of string ver 2.0

[TheSilentBugler]

What sort of length can I expect from a 1/4 roll og b50...?

What serving should I use...?

I've successfully broben two linen strings tillering, not too keen on doing it again until the bow is ready to shoot.

[gilnockie]

I have never counted the number of strings have made out of a 1/4 lb roll of B50. But, you can expect at least 10 of 12 strands.

Use Brownell No 4 braided nylon for the loops (if you are making a continuous loop string). If you are making a Flemish Twist, you will not need to serve the loops.

Use Brownell no 18 monofilament nylon for the centre serving. Make sure that you serve the string in the same direction that your fingers will exert pressure on the string when you draw the bow. In other words, when you draw the bow, you should tighten the serving. If you serve it the wrong way you will tend to loosen it. You may not loosen it in fact but you will be exerting forces which will try to unravel it.

You will need a brass string nock. Dont bother with dental floss. If you dont want to buy nocking pliers, you can use crimping pliers or at a pinch, long nose pliers to apply the string nock. If you don't use nocking pliers, removing the nock without destroying it and damaging your string is not easy. So, you have to get it right the first time. I suggest that you lightly crimp the nock to the string. It should not fall off but it should slide up and down. Place an arrow on the shelf and nock it on the string with the string nock ABOVE the arrow. Move the arrow up the string until it is about 4mm above being perpendicular to the string. Then secure the nock to the string.

Finally, buy a set of nocking pliers or make friends with someone who has a pair. They are essential for releasing the string nock so it can be moved as the string stretches.

[TheSilentBugler]

Thanks man, just what I needed to know.

Linen string #3 was finished last night, a gorgeous off white/brown creation) this time it didn't break, w00t...!

The bow did instead

back to the old drawing board

#3 glued up last night, initial cutting tonight.

[gilnockie]

A really, really important lesson to be learned from making these things is to objectively analyse those which fail and try to work out why.

I built a bow with carbon in the laminates two weeks ago and while drawing it on the tiller stick with 70# of weghts it failed. Rather than simply discard it I went over it in detail trying to figure out why. I concluded that it failed because the riser was not properly glued to the core. (I had made a slight change to the glue up procedures). There was a patch of about 3" where the the surfaces had not mated under pressure. As a result there was a built in delamination. It did not show up until thre bow was drawn more than 70 times and it failed on the 120th draw.

As a result I went back to the original method of gluing up the bow. This was one innovation which did not work.

So don't be afraid to assess your progress objectively and learn from your mistakes.

Good luck.

[TheSilentBugler]

cheers mate.

It looks as if there was a 2" section slightly below the handle where the grain was twisted, best I can explain it.