GNerol

I found the time to do a little more target practice with the new Exomax. I really like this bow. The more I shoot it, the better it gets. My only problem with it is it seems to be eating the serving string where it is being held by the action. I have a little over a hundred shots on it so far (Excalibur Dacron string), and the serving string has worn about 1/2 way through. Is this normal? At this rate I don't think I will get 200 shots out of it. I examined the two arms that come down from the top to hold the string cocked and did not see or feel any rough spots. I understand that a 225 lb draw weight is going to put a lot of pressure on the serving string, but this seems to me to be real fast wear. But I am still new so this could be normal. The serving is also seperating where the rope cocker arms grab the string. I have been able to keep pulling it together, but this seems unusual to me too. I can see I am going to have to learn to re-serve the strings if they are going to wear out this fast. Or is the whole string wore out when this happens? Thanks for the help guys.

Gnerol

GNerol

Sorry, I forgot to mention that there seems to be plenty of wax on the serving string. I have waxed it twice so far.
Gnerol

awshucks

You can take the right size drill bit and radius the hooks some followed by sanding them smoother, should eliminate serving wear there and they fall off the string easier. The Emax eats servings regardless of string choice. Dan Miller advised me to use no wax or rail lube on the strings, as he claims the wax softens the serving and allows the claws to separate the windings.I realize this borders on heresy, lol, and I've tried it but haven't come to any conclusions yet. I can say I've noticed no adverse affects to no wax. I recently was informed of yet another method by a forum member here that got the info from yet another forum about using real small diameter serving matl and once you reserve as normal, you reverse direction and go back to where you started from, thus ending up w/ a double served string. Supposedly, this will increase serving life, but I haven't tried it yet.I was just shooting til servings gave out and replacing strings.I finally broke down and got a serving rig and matl from Danny Miller and made my own jig to stretch the strings and do my own now. Takes about 15 minutes from start to finish and my 2nd attempt was great. Danny even takes the time over the phone to give you sure fire tips. Serving life decrease w/ poundage, just a fact of xbow life. There are guys w/ 1000's of shots on Vixens w/ no reserving. My Phoenix gets at least double the serving life as my Emax, the Paradox is not far behind the Emax in wear, which to me blows the theory that compounds are easier on servings out the window.

Dnk

This is just an idea. Why not mark the strings at the sides of the rail and serve over top of the wearing serving with dental floss. You should be able to get two layers of dental floss without any real affect on the height of the string. If that helps then do that to a new string. Just an idea.

awshucks

Might work. I've got a slew of strings and now serve my own, so it's no big deal to me. Even got a couple customs I'm looking forward to trying on my Phoenix, lol. Actually, what I personally think is if there was a better way, better matl to use, ect ect Excal would be right on it. I just don't believe they would sell a $600 xbow w/o the best string you can get, for machine made strings. I've been feeding strings to my Emax since August of 05. My friends new Ecet ain't far behind in hunger either, lol.

smokepolehall

I went thru one serving on my Phoenix. Since i got my Exocet 200 ain't had any problemwid the serving or strings!

awshucks

Don't know how many of ya'll have gone to the Italian xbow site, but it's a wealth of info and various tests, run by a guy called Matthias 72 on Excal forum. this guy eats, breathes, and sleeps xbows, lol. Here's a copy of what he has to say taken from Excal forum:

On theory the comsumption increase with a square law:
for example: Phoenix comsumption factor is 175*175=30625; Exocet200 is 40000 and Exomax is 50625. In easy words that means:
Exomax eats the serving 60% more than a Phoenix or 26% more than an Exocet200.
And the consumption reason is principally due for the pression with the relase hooks. The only real way to decrease consumption is to decrease the pressure for square unit. How? Using a serving with a great size. Or a string with bigger size. If in future Bill will project a new relase hook a little bit bigger than actual(for example two times the actual surface) it will be a very good emprouvement because it will reduce for half the pressure for square unit and our serving will eat much more less.

retiredarmy

I shoot the phoenix. With the help of people on this forum (DNK, Awshucks) I have learned to serve my own strings. I am getting around 150 shots or so on a serving. I use NO lube as stated by D. Miller. Right
or wrong I don't know. Know one thing for sure, once ya learn how to do it, it sure is a great piece of mind to just pull string off and take 15 min. and have new string to shoot.JMO...Bill