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Author Topic: Bow tuning/set up  (Read 4956 times)

Offline mburrows

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Bow tuning/set up
« on: January 17, 2020, 04:59:08 PM »
Purchased a bow press and everything else I'll need so i can start tuning and setting up my own bows. I have a basic level of knowledge about the process but are there any tips or tricks youve learned along the way in setting up bows that can help shorten my learning curve?

Offline WapitiTalk1

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Re: Bow tuning/set up
« Reply #1 on: January 17, 2020, 05:05:56 PM »
MB, here’s a good set of “how to” VIDs I’ve used before (they’re over in that stinky WapitiTalk forum). RJ

http://www.wapititalk.com/Hunting/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=8307
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Offline mburrows

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Re: Bow tuning/set up
« Reply #2 on: January 17, 2020, 05:24:04 PM »
Thank you! Checking it out now

Offline Jellymon

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Re: Bow tuning/set up
« Reply #3 on: January 17, 2020, 06:15:27 PM »
Before relaxing the press while your bow is in it, pull up on the main string to put tension on the cams/strings to keep all the strings in thier tracks while letting down the press. This avoids derailment and possible damage.  :tup:

Offline TheStovePipeKid

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Re: Bow tuning/set up
« Reply #4 on: January 17, 2020, 06:23:40 PM »
Search for "The Nuts&Bolts of Archery" on your prefered search engine. It's a PDF you can download. Great reference for tuning at home.

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Offline OltHunter

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Re: Bow tuning/set up
« Reply #5 on: January 19, 2020, 08:14:32 AM »
What kind of bow do you have? There are a few tricks based on your brand and cam system.

The few non specific bow tips I have is get your starting point solid.

Max out your limbs and check draw poundage. You will have to adjust your buss cable to dial that in.

Set your center shot, get your arrow parallel to riser and shelf and leave set throughout your tuning process, only adjusting the rest till the very end.

And also, if new strings, shoot 50 to 100 before even thinking about tuning.

Check out gold tips super tune series with Tim Gillingham on YouTube. Best I've seen.

Nock tuning is another thing over look and you will run down he rabbit hole if you are tuning the wrong arrow and they all aren't consistent.

If your grip and shot execution is not good, you will chase rabbits too.

I prefer bareshaft tuning not in paper and adjusting my strings to correct and walk back tuning as a micro tune for my rest.

Any rest adjustment should be 1/32 to 1/18 inch at a time. Moving your rest too much with where you will get into trouble.

Offline mburrows

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Re: Bow tuning/set up
« Reply #6 on: January 19, 2020, 05:24:31 PM »
What kind of bow do you have? There are a few tricks based on your brand and cam system.

The few non specific bow tips I have is get your starting point solid.

Max out your limbs and check draw poundage. You will have to adjust your buss cable to dial that in.

Set your center shot, get your arrow parallel to riser and shelf and leave set throughout your tuning process, only adjusting the rest till the very end.

And also, if new strings, shoot 50 to 100 before even thinking about tuning.

Check out gold tips super tune series with Tim Gillingham on YouTube. Best I've seen.

Nock tuning is another thing over look and you will run down he rabbit hole if you are tuning the wrong arrow and they all aren't consistent.

If your grip and shot execution is not good, you will chase rabbits too.

I prefer bareshaft tuning not in paper and adjusting my strings to correct and walk back tuning as a micro tune for my rest.

Any rest adjustment should be 1/32 to 1/18 inch at a time. Moving your rest too much with where you will get into trouble.

Thank you for the advice.  I've got a 2012 Quest Primal (binary cams) that I will be swapping out cables, string and rest on.

Offline OltHunter

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Re: Bow tuning/set up
« Reply #7 on: January 19, 2020, 10:39:06 PM »
Unfortunately I'm not familiar with that cam system.

It doesn't look like there is a buss, do you have 2 cables and string?  I'm not sure how'd you increase/decrease draw weight, but it would be a combo of twists somewhere!

So left and right are going to have to be at the rest or else you will have to shim, which is probably unnecessary.

Basically, you want to get everything in the right starting point before tuning. 
I forgot to mention cam timing, get those hitting exact, before tying in your nocks and dloop.  You don't want to tie everything in, get everything perfect centershot, then realize you need to adjust your timing.

Put twists in whatever cam is hitting first till they are synced up.  This will need to be rechecked after 50 to 100 shots.

Run your arrow generally from the bottom of the arrow to the bottom of berger hole to the middle of hole, but check into best specs for your bow. 

Then eyeball the arrows along side the riser and shelve to get your arrow as close to centershot as possible.

Tie in your nocks and dloop, your peep (make sure to tie around the peep itself) and then shoot 50 to 100.  Work on your form, execution, get your peep exactly where you want it.  Chalk up your vanes to make sure there isn't any contact anywhere.  Work on draw length and make any adjustments there too.

Recheck timing, get it perfect.  Recheck centershot, adjust as needed. 

Shoot your arrows through paper, and turn the nock 1/3 or 1/4 based on fletches to see if the tear changes, you want all arrows acting the same.  IF you can't get then the same, you have a grip/torque problem or your draw length maybe too long or face contact.

Now start addressing tears.  left/rights will be at the rest.  Go opposite your tears and same as bareshaft impacts.  So left tear, move your rest right, bareshafts hit left, move your rest left.

Up/down you can work your control cables first and then your rest second. Sometimes it will take a combo of both.  High tears work top cam, low tears work bottom, add half twists at a time to see if it fixes/changes anything.  If it doesn't then leave it, and work your rest.  bareshaft high work bottom, low work top.

High tear, move rest up, bareshaft high move rest down.

Most likely you may now have a top or bottom cam hitting first....that's okay.  Seems now a days with the bows, a little top first and a little nock high seem to be common.

Paper tune at 5 feet to 15 feet.

Barshaft tune 5 yards to 30 yards.  A good exercise especially if you don't have a lot of room, is to shot a fletched arrow, pull it, then shoot your bareshaft to try to hit the exact same hole.  You goal is to do this from as far away as possible.

Walk back tune for final micro adjust at rest left or right, if you got to right, you most likely won't need to do this, but I always like to check.  it's amazing what 1/32" at the rest will have zero affect sub 20 yards, but once you get out to 40+ it will show up.  I usually don't even have to move my sights and the arrows pull in line.

Here's what I posted a little while ago, a few more tidbits in there, but again not for your cam system:
https://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,245274.msg3291222.html#msg3291222

Good luck, don't drive yourself crazy!

Offline mburrows

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Re: Bow tuning/set up
« Reply #8 on: January 24, 2020, 08:28:57 PM »
Got everything taken off and put back on the bow. New limb driven hamskea rest is an upgrade im excited about. Thanks for all the help, ive largely been using the input ive received for tips and for places to get good "how to instructions".

I made a draw board and the cam timing seemed nearly  perfect, is that normal or is there usually some adjustment required?

I shot a few arrrows and chalked fetching and had to do a little adjusting but that was an easy adjustment. Going to send a few more tomorrow then recheck timing and dive further into fine tuning.

 Really enjoyed the process so far!

Offline andersonjk4

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Re: Bow tuning/set up
« Reply #9 on: January 25, 2020, 07:24:01 AM »
Tagging along for reference later. I just got my first bow and am wanting to learn how to do all my own tuning.

Offline blackveltbowhunter

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Re: Bow tuning/set up
« Reply #10 on: January 25, 2020, 08:59:09 AM »
Got everything taken off and put back on the bow. New limb driven hamskea rest is an upgrade im excited about. Thanks for all the help, ive largely been using the input ive received for tips and for places to get good "how to instructions".

I made a draw board and the cam timing seemed nearly  perfect, is that normal or is there usually some adjustment required?

I shot a few arrrows and chalked fetching and had to do a little adjusting but that was an easy adjustment. Going to send a few more tomorrow then recheck timing and dive further into fine tuning.

 Really enjoyed the process so far!

 In general most binary cams hold time very well. If you are swapping quality strings built to spec, then the bow being in time is not unusual. Your on the right track putting some arrows through it letting the strings settle and recheck.  Don't know which hamskea you got, but they are a solid accurate rest, I bet you will love it!. In the last few years I started playing with micro adjust rests more and more, after years of thinking they were overkill, and have come to consider them almost mandatory if your going to be nitpicky.

Offline andersonjk4

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Re: Bow tuning/set up
« Reply #11 on: January 25, 2020, 09:34:27 PM »
Any info on the draw board you made? I’m planning on building one eventually.

Offline OltHunter

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Re: Bow tuning/set up
« Reply #12 on: January 25, 2020, 09:51:05 PM »
Yep, most are going to have near perfect cam timing if the strings are too speck. No matter how good the strings though, they still are going to settle a bit and possible stretch some.

I run the hamskea trinity too. Really great rest. You can play around with moving where you attach it to the limb to fine tune the drop. Closer or father away from the end.

It is a fun process, glad you are enjoying it!

Another tip I remembered is during your tuning you may add a 1/2 twist and it might be too much, but you can work the end loops in and out for a micro adjustment. Opening up the end or twisting in more can buy you what you need. I've had to do it a couple times, but not always. Hopefully that makes sense.

You planning on paper tuning or bareshaft?


Offline mburrows

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Re: Bow tuning/set up
« Reply #13 on: January 26, 2020, 07:09:56 AM »
I did end up tweaking cam timing just a little bit yesterday but not much. Im switching out one custom string for another.

Im going to do both paper tune and bareshaft I think, at least that's what my current plan is. I am considering starting a new arrow build essentially from scratch too.


I used these instructions to build the draw board. I already had all the materials other than the boat winch and floor flange https://www.fieldandstream.com/articles/hunting/2013/08/step-step-how-build-diy-draw-board-your-compound-bow/

Offline andersonjk4

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Re: Bow tuning/set up
« Reply #14 on: January 26, 2020, 07:29:45 AM »
Thanks for the link. That looks just like I was thinking about building. I even have an extra boat winch in the shop.

When you are looking to tune your bow and also figure out a new arrow setup which do you do first? Or is it iterative?

 


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