Pinwheel 12

Just curious----there are alot of people who answer specific technical questions on this board and others as tho they have been involved in this industry a long, long, time. Some of us actually have been around over say 20 or 30 years and I know a couple of you on here, but I'd like to know everyones' qualifications if you would seeing as this is a true "technical" forum--how many years you have worked in a shop, how long have you been on factory staff or have been involved in the industry, or simply how many years have you just dabbled on your own? etc. Thanks!


If you want to know mine---

I've been involved with the sport of Archery over 35 years, and involved with the industry business at some level for over 30. I've been on four factory staffs over the years and have won more than my share, mostly 3D tho also a few other format awards along the way. I currently run Merlin USA as CEO along with owning two archery-only retail businesses that carry other different lines and thus am very busy working on various types of equipment daily. I have learned much over the years from well-known and respected techs such as Emery Loiselle (now retired) Norb Mullaney, Larry Wise, Chris Jones, George Chapman, and others, have attended countless schools and seminars, and stay in constant touch with other not-so-well known techs who know their stuff too. The sport and industry is my life and livlihood, not just a hobby. That about sums it up.

Rangeball

I've never worked in a shop, really only paid attention to bow tech stuff since finding this place in my desire to become self-proficient due to the utter lack of qualified "pros" in my area...

What I know I've learned mostly from here. I try to limit my responses to questions I feel 100% certain of the answer from the bank of knowledge guys like you have passed on to me, thankfully...

Without naming names, there are several guys here that I owe a sincere debt of gratitude. Thank you very much for taking your time to help a fella out

Mykey

None!, thats why i pm you Kevin, ArthurP and others when i have a technical problem. Thats also the reason you will hardly ever see me respond to a tech question because i can't answer it. I've been bowhunting for about 16yrs but i'll be the first to tell you i'm no bow tech. I tinker and dabb with my own bow and try to do all my own work and also help my friends all i can but when it gets technical i send them to the bow shop. The name of the shop is the Archery Clinic owned and operated by Teddy Harris here in NC. He's been in the industry for over 30yrs and i have no doubt he's forgotten more than i'll ever know about bows like several of you guys here have. He has also helped me a great deal just as many here have including yourself and i've learned alot from him but it doesn't make me a bow technician in no way shape or form so i leave that to the real pros. If one visits the forums enough it doesn't take very long to know who knows what their talking about or who doesn't when it comes to the technical side of archery. I wish i could say i knew more about the techincal part of the sport and i do know more than i use too but it's a learning experience for me everytime i run into a tech problem. You techie junkies keep up the good work because there are those of us out here that lacks in that department that really appreciate it!

JeffB

I certainly wouldn't consider myself a top "tech" person....just curious/anal about equipment for the most part, but let's see..

I've got about 8 years of full time experience in the retail side of the Industry (6 years FT/2 years PT)

Been on 2 different Bow companies Staff. One a corporate advisory staff (not a shooting staff ) position. The other through a Manufacturers amateur shooter (3D) program. Also 2 different arrow rest companies national staff, A sight companies National staff, and two arrow manufacturer's National staff. IME, Most shooting staff titles are just that...a silly title for amatuers so they feel important...HCA or AFC or whomever didn't know me from any other amateur doofus shooting their stuff..Go over to AT..you'll see guys with a Bowstring Wax Staff title in their sig The only one where I felt like I was actually valued and respected was with BowTech... But I'm going off on a tangent... I digress

I still help out my local shop as needed during the busy season..been doing that for 4 years now I guess..when they are not busy I play with all their new toys

Been involved exclusively in Archery for 14 or 15 years now I reckon, and hunting for a total of 26 years.

Mostly, I just buy lots of bows and try to break them . IMO/IME, Good "tech"s are always learning and more importantly trying to learn.

Hope I'm still doing it when I'm Norbs age.

Jason N

Thanks for typing that our for me too, Rangeball!

Honestly, this fits me to a tee....

I also tinker a lot with my setups and read as much as I can here and other forums and magazines and books, etc. Trial and error and the wonderful folks all over the net have helped me become better at bow tuning, setup, etc.

mrfritz44

I never worked in a shop and I've never even shot a bow before...................












But I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night.

ButchA

Me? ....you're kidding. I am absolutely CLUELESS regarding the technical aspect to archery! [&o]

All I know is that 3-4 years ago, I was hanging out with a buddy of mine and tried to shoot his righty Browning compound bow in his backyard (and I'm a lefty!). The results were not pretty.... [:-]

But I got hooked. Since I am left eye dominant and shoot lefty, I wanted to get a lefty compound bow. But I was totally clueless and funds were not readily available at the time for a brand new bow. But at least I visited a pro shop and got myself measured. I am a perfect 30" draw and can easily handle a 65# bow. So, long story short, I did the next best thing - I searched Ebay.

I found a lefty PSE Edge Series 1000C bow on Ebay for $70 bucks. It was 30" draw and 65# draw weight and still in great condition. I bid on it and won it. The bad news was that the auction was for a bow, so.... that's just it, I got - A - bow: No sights, no rest, no stablizer, no anything! I brought it to another pro shop and they looked at it and said, "Whoa buddy, you need everything!" Long story short again... They put the bow on a scale and checked it all out. They put in a press and checked the synergy round wheel cams and cables and bow string. Everything was still perfectly accurate and square and true. So, they helped me pick out the best accessories for a "newbie" and outfitted my bow and made me a bunch of XX75's in a #2315 w/ 125gr tips. They even worked with me on my draw form, my peep sight alignment, and arrow nock point and arrow alignment.

Basically put, there is no way on earth I could have done any of this by myself. I was totally clueless to archery and still don't know everything. The way my old PSE bow is, I leave it alone. I don't mess with it at all. It is deadly accurate, rugged and reliable, so I just keep on going with it, until I decide to upgrade into a better bow.

Butch A.

JeramyK

I'd have to say that I'm in the same boat as Rangeball and Jason N.

I too love to tinker with things. That's carried over into archery. I used to rely heavily on local shops for everything. Now I want to do as much as I can myself. I've learned alot from this forum. Not only by asking my own questions but also from questions asked by others. If someone posts a question that I can answer I'll add my 2 cents. With the knowledge in this forum I have no doubt that if I'm wrong or inaccurate someone will correct me.

Pinwheel 12

Jeff--

So true! I get a kick outta the guys that walk around like they're on the Pro-Bass tour instead of at an Archery shoot, with every patch of every company that will send them a free one stitched to their shirts-- half of whom do not even know who that person is, let alone sponsoring them! LOL.

Gotta say tho, that some shooting staff do work hard for their positions, and it ain't always easy to maintain that position with monthly reports, working at shows and seminars, etc. Depends upon whether one is a "shop shooter", "co-op shooter", "advisory shooting staff", or "factory shooting staff", or " full factory staff" that determines who's who in the zoo.


Yep, I agree with you---good techs must continue to learn every day to keep up with the ever-changing technology. But they can also use their current knowledge base and many years of hands-on experience to help guide these newer technologies. We see this every day in the industry itself.

Knowledge is power, as they say. Pinwheel 12

Techy

I have worked on bows in a shop for only 4 - 5 years now.