How long did it take you guys to become completely self-sufficient in regards to archery? I'm not talking about not getting advice, still.......but how long to be able to completely handle all your setup needs.....from arrows to bows?

My goal is to have everything I need to do this, this year. I've been shooting a bow for 2.5yrs.

I also know this isn't for everyone....and I can appreciate that fact, too. My shop owner is NOW only 2 mi away.....but his shop is moving and he will no longer have a range. I don't want to "need" him if he doesn't have that to offer me.

Depends on how many bows you setup a year. If you try and setup 2 bows a year, I would say guy can get self sufficient in a year. Always somethign to learn. Only way to do it, is dig in and set one up and make a bunch of mistakes in the process.

I'm in that 2-3 bow a year category. At least one for me.....and one for my son (that I'll be working on).

I just see no need in paying out $$ for this.....AND the idea of being self-sufficient is appealing to me. Seems like a HUGE advantage if something goes awry. I'm sure my friends who bowhunt would benefit from this, as well.

I think time and a persons learning curve also have have roles to play. I'm not anywhere near able to do everything myself, but with more spare time and cash to tinker/shoot/tinker some more, I probably could be in a matter of 6 months or so. You'll probably be surprised how fast you pick everything up once you have the tools.

Im with ya GMATT, I wish I could learn or had the understanding of archery to do it myself. I wouldn't have to deal with jerks!!

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I was pretty self efficient already at the age of 5 years old. Both of my parents have been bow hunting for years so It was something I grew up with. I was always in the Archery shop with dad helping and learning while tinkering with bows and with arrows, broad heads, fletching, etc! I haven't done my own fletching for 10 years or so but I plan on doing my own again being every time I get a dozen new arrows the fletching is coming off with in 3 to 4 months if I'm lucky.

Well, start by reading a few books, going to a few siminars, and downloading the easton tuning guide. Build yourself a paper tuning rig, tear off your fletch a few arrows to learn bare shaft tuning, and then try broadhead tuning, maybe some walk back tuning.

Move your rest and see the effects of all tuning methods, Move you nock point and see the effects of all tuning methods. If you think your good enough, (we,know thats not an issue for ya), work on group tuning.

Order you a set of strings and cables and change out a few, practice serving, and tieing D-loops as Greg outlined in the technical section.

Take some mismatched spined arrows and see the effects bare shaft tuning along with broadhead tuning, etc.

Take your bow completely apart and put it back to together. Just dig in.

What I did was use my old PSE to learn alot of stuff.

I was going to remodel my basement with a completed room......but I figure I can get out cheaper building a shop, myself.....and get some added bonus use out of the space.

The equipment to become suffiecient isn't that expensive (in the grand scheme)....and I think I'd get a lot of satisfaction out of being able to do it myself.

Couple of weeks.....and I'll get started.

I started shooting a bow at the age of 10 and by the time I was 12-13 I had figured out how to install sights and rests and basic bolt on accessories. When I started working at the archery shop when I was 16, it probably took me a couple weeks of getting shown what to do and different techniques. After the initial learning phase, and I started working on customers bows constantly, I became pretty proficient and quick after about a week. I worked in the shop for about 2 years and am able to do almost any task possible with a bow. From basic initial setup (rest, sight, peep, nockpoint, silencers, d-loop, sts, papertune, walkback tune, etc) to setting to specs and cam timing, replacement of cams, limbs, to complete tear down to parts and reassemble. It really isn't all that difficult to do, just takes being shown the right ways and getting comfortable doing it.