I always get in too deep...

[AJMag]

Found a perfect piece of oak at home depot today. I'm gonna try a selfbow. Would it work to back it with mossy oak fabric instead of drywall tape?

The first one I did I followed the poorfolkbows site and backed it with drywall tape, then covered with camo cloth. You can see the squares through the fabric. After that I started backing board bows with brown paper bag. I used the long thick kind you get at home depot for yard trimmings as they're larger so you can easily use one piece from a nock to the center of the handle, then repeat. They work good if you want to paint over it or lay fabric without having something show through. Just a thought.

[PSD Ryan]

Made my first ever practice string.

Finished my string jig today. Still waiting on the serving tool so it was hand served, and I used cheap 400 instead of halo. 12 strand d50. I need to make a little 2 foot bow to stick it on

For not having a serving jig and it being my first time, I'm pleased. The tension on the serving caused an extra tight twist I can't get out, but overall not terrible.

[Green]

Nice work Ryan. Started building endless strings myself in the last few weeks. Quality of your serving jig is definitely important on these.....I took Rick Barbee's recommendation to heart and just ordered two of the Bearpaw servers myself.

[Limbwalker]

Very well done. It's a lot easier than most folks think!

I made this jig out of a metal strut that I got at Home Depot. Total parts was under $30 and it works great. I've made dozens, if not hundreds of strings on this now.

John

[PSD Ryan]

Nice work Ryan. Started building endless strings myself in the last few weeks. Quality of your serving jig is definitely important on these.....I took Rick Barbee's recommendation to heart and just ordered two of the Bearpaw servers myself.

Thanks. The bear paw is what I'm waiting for to get here. Only ordered one though. I'm sure ill want another soon if I start playing with different materials

[Graybow]

Made my first ever practice string.

Finished my string jig today. Still waiting on the serving tool so it was hand served, and I used cheap 400 instead of halo. 12 strand d50. I need to make a little 2 foot bow to stick it on

For not having a serving jig and it being my first time, I'm pleased. The tension on the serving caused an extra tight twist I can't get out, but overall not terrible.

Can you give some dimensions on your jig? I've not seen one like that.
Thanks

[PSD Ryan]

Sure. The unistrut is 12 gauge. The 14 gauge channel is too small. I think the unistrut was about $14.

The bases are made of fir 2x4. I got one for $2. The tail piece is 6" and the other I think I made 9", but the width of the pivot one is all personal preference. Give yourself plenty of room to serve, but don't make it too wide. The runners in the unistrut are 1x2. I had some laying around the garage. The tail piece has the runner screwed to it in 3 spots. It ain't going anywhere, but if I have to slide it, replace it, etc, I easily can. The pivot piece I drilled a 1/2" hole through dead center and on the runner too. Used a 1/2" lag bolt, washer, and wing nut. The posts are each 6" sections of 3/4" hardwood dowel. I glued them in because I didn't want any wiggle room. The tops are wrapped in serving thread and then coated with wood glue. Should keep the tops from splitting. Then I drilled and put wood screws in the tops. Use the partial thread kind so you have a smooth surface. Done deal.

[Draco]

Very well done. It's a lot easier than most folks think!

I made this jig out of a metal strut that I got at Home Depot. Total parts was under $30 and it works great. I've made dozens, if not hundreds of strings on this now.

John

Great minds think alike I guess. Here is mine but it is a little different. The adjustable poles have two wing nuts so there won't be any creep when making a lot of strings the same length. I used to make hundreds of strings and before I added the second tightening wing nut, I would get shorter and shorter strings because the pole set would creep in from the strain. I welded 2 unistrut nuts to a bar that would slide in the unistrut tube and then welded the bolt to it for the pole bar to go on. If you are just making a few strings, I don't think you would need it.

[PSD Ryan]

Good idea. I do have a lot of metal laying around. Might try to do something similar instead.

[Limbwalker]

Guys, if you get the long concrete anchor bolts like the ones in the picture I posted, and some "strut nuts" to put them in, you won't have to weld anything. I just epoxied them in the 1x2" red oak board. Took me literally 20 minutes to build.

[Deb]

Today I built my endless string jig. It looks great. Got my string materials in but bass pro messed up my order so my serving tool just shipped today. I got a bear paw.

Also started roughing out the belly of my board bow. Doing this bow with hand tools only is painful. I could throw it on a bandsaw and be done with it, but as it's my first bow, I want a more traditional, no power tools build.

Lol, you get over that when you're older.

[PSD Ryan]

I'll be over it on my second bow...it's a pain in the rear!

[Graybow]

I'll be over it on my second bow...it's a pain in the rear!

I did mine with hand tools. It's labor of love! lol