Hoyt poured riser vs machined. Is that a bad thing

[dhacker]

One the archery consulants at shop I was at last night indicated they like the Mathews Q2 better than the Cybertec because its a machined riser instead of being poured into a mold like the Hoyt. They also said that the Mathews lifetime warranty if a repair is needed is typically faster than Hoyt.

Fact or Fiction on these issues?

[bigcountry25]

I would think you would have to pour a riser before you can machine it. Because if you didn't and started with a block of metal(which has been poured or casted in the first place to get it's current shape) machining costs would be very high. I bet what they mean is that the mathews is machined after the casting process and the other is just casted with very little or no machining.

[CentralPaHunter]

Being a first time poster on this board, I'm gonna stick my nose in here. Hopefully it doesn't get ripped off....

As far as I know, Hoyt makes 2 bows that have cast risers, the MagnaTec, and the MT Sport. They are cast from a mold, and then casting lines are cleaned up by filing or grinding.

They rest of Hoyt's risers are machined. Meaning that they start as solid blocks of metal. Then through the use of Computer controlled lathes, they are cut out of the solid block of aluminum.

I could be wrong, so someone correct me if I am.

As far as warrenty work, I've personally never had problems at the shop I visit, but at another shop, They seem to have a hard time.



Only Hoyt

[Grndzer]

Riser! Mathews? Was it a Mathews that EXPLODED at the AMO show? I can recall maby it was a bowtech. I know it wasnt a Hoyt!<img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>

WAR!

[PABowhntr]

You won't get your nose ripped off in here CPA Hunter... This is a friendly place with some incredible technical info from some very intelligent folks.

I believe your summary of the Hoyt riser issue is correct. Hoyt machines the TEC risers (minus the MTSport and Magnatec).

So, dhacker, those folks you talked to were half right and half wrong. Yes, some of Hoyt's bows are cast but only the MTSport and Magnatec.

As for repair work....I can't answer that one for you....I have never had to send a Hoyt back for warranty work...<img src=icon_smile_wink.gif border=0 align=middle><img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>

[Arthur P]

Bigcountry, machined aluminum risers really are cut out of aluminum plate or bar stock. You're right, machining cost IS expensive and one reason machined riser bows are generally a lot more expensive than cast riser bows.

dhacker, I've read that Hoyt's cast risers are die cast, not poured. They are formed under pressure to eliminate any gas voids. Modern die cast technology gives the foundries the ability to hold tolerances as tight as +/- .002&quot;. Machining tolerances are rarely tighter than +/- .0005&quot;.

I have never seen any blueprints of any bow on the market, but I doubt very seriously that you would find tolerances that tight on any part of any bow, with the exception of the precision ground axles.

I've got cast riser bows that are 15 years old and have been heavily used. No problems. I've broken a few limbs over the years, but never a riser. My bows are just as accurate now as any machined riser bow I've ever had. They just weigh a little more. There isn't any real advantage that a machined riser bow has over a die cast or forged riser bow, except a little less weight. And even that is a questionable benefit.

All in all, I think any benefits of machined aluminum risers are blown way out of proportion when compared to reality.

About warranty repair, I don't think Mathews is any slower or any faster on warranty repair than Hoyt. And the lifetime warranty is more of a marketing ploy than anything else.

[Big Country]

Ditto!