HuntingNet.com Forums

HuntingNet.com Forums (https://www.huntingnet.com/forum/)
-   Technical (https://www.huntingnet.com/forum/technical-20/)
-   -   Tuning bow (https://www.huntingnet.com/forum/technical/94274-tuning-bow.html)

bones 03-17-2005 05:43 AM

Tuning bow
 
Do you think every bow hunter should be able to tune their own bow? If so where do I begin?

bones

Bulzeye 03-17-2005 11:35 AM

RE: Tuning bow
 
I like tinkering with it myself, but it's not for everybody, certainly not every hunter.

I feel that every bowhunter should know his weapon well enough to recognize when it is not shooting right, and know how to determine if he has good arrow flight. He should be intimately familiar with his trajectory and point of impact at all ranges within his chosen maximum shot distance, and be realistic when choosing that maximum limit.

Wether he chooses to set-up his own bow and fix problems himself, or pay someone else to do it matters not.

If indeed you are interested, start with Easton's Tuning Guide.
Read the whole thing, and then you'll have more questions.
Easton Tuning Guide

newman1 03-17-2005 12:02 PM

RE: Tuning bow
 
I personally would love to know how to tune my bow.Like Bulzeye i love to tinker,I can do some stuff for myself but when i get carried away i usually screw thing up ,and back to the pro shop i go:D

BGfisher 03-17-2005 02:00 PM

RE: Tuning bow
 
Ah yes, but by screwing things up you learn, too. Maybe it's just to keep your paws off what you don't understand, but that's not the answer either.

I'm a tinkerer. Had nine different drop-aways on my bow last year. Playing and playing to get very last fps out of the bow. That's how you learn how it shoots and how it should shoot. And by becoming familar with it you'll know when something is amiss. Bulzeye cover it pretty well.

To that end I can say I've been shooting compounds for over 30 years now. Never have I had one in a shop for anything. I tear them completely apart and then put them back together. Tune, tinker, tinker, and tune some more. I change things on my bow more foten than I change underware---well, almost. Just like yesterday. I changed the drawlength on my bow just to see what results I'd get. I made it 1/2" longer. Let's just say the results were quite ugly. But if I didn't try, how would I ever know for myself?

For you to know your bow is a good thing. As Bulzeye said, Easton's Tuning and Maintenance Guide can be a big help in the right direction.

26drawny 03-17-2005 03:25 PM

RE: Tuning bow
 
Well I think that is a good coment and I think I will have to go check that sight out BG. I think you make a valid point that we owe it to the deer and ourselves.. I like that. I will have to teach myself how to tune.. I for one like to tinker with stuff...lol

rybohunter 03-17-2005 04:57 PM

RE: Tuning bow
 
I think a person should know how to do the basics. Sight it in and get your b-heads hitting with field points and know when somethign isn't right. Every hunter doesn't have to be able to rip his bow apart and put it back together. I am getting into this tuning myself thing and although it isn't that difficult, I don't really see myself changing stuff and tinkering for no reason.

nodog 03-17-2005 07:36 PM

RE: Tuning bow
 

ORIGINAL: BGfisher

Ah yes, but by screwing things up you learn, too. Maybe it's just to keep your paws off what you don't understand, but that's not the answer either.

I'm a tinkerer. Had nine different drop-aways on my bow last year. Playing and playing to get very last fps out of the bow. That's how you learn how it shoots and how it should shoot. And by becoming familar with it you'll know when something is amiss. Bulzeye cover it pretty well.

To that end I can say I've been shooting compounds for over 30 years now. Never have I had one in a shop for anything. I tear them completely apart and then put them back together. Tune, tinker, tinker, and tune some more. I change things on my bow more foten than I change underware---well, almost. Just like yesterday. I changed the drawlength on my bow just to see what results I'd get. I made it 1/2" longer. Let's just say the results were quite ugly. But if I didn't try, how would I ever know for myself?

For you to know your bow is a good thing. As Bulzeye said, Easton's Tuning and Maintenance Guide can be a big help in the right direction.

Dittos to you and your dittos.

BGfisher 03-17-2005 07:42 PM

RE: Tuning bow
 
rybo, you make a valid point also. It all comes down to how much do want to learn and for what purpose. My thing is archery, not bowhunting. Bowhunting, at least the act of shooting, is just an extention of what I have been doing all year long. I'm not near as active or competitive as I once was, but I still enjoy shooting just to shoot. It's my main hobby. I know other people have other varied interest and that's good. I have all the fishing gear and other stuff. I also scuba dive. But for those who do want to learn the ins and outs of bow work, I say more power to them. But, as with a lot of things it get addictive for those with a desire to learn something.

BTM 03-17-2005 08:19 PM

RE: Tuning bow
 
Another thumbs up for the Easton Tuning Guide.

Bob Ragsdale's site is also excellent. He debunks a lot of commonly accepted myths.

http://www.bowhunting.net/bobragsdale/ragsdale.html

Sniper151 03-18-2005 12:17 AM

RE: Tuning bow
 
Spending time with a more experienced archer can get you off on the right foot. Ask questions and watch him when he is setting up his bow or maybe he will help you set up your bow. Hands on experience will help you learn faster and you can ask questions on why and how as he is helping. You're going to make some mistakes, everyone does, but once you see it done your confidence will grow and so will your skills. One very important thing to remember is to keep a log on your bow. Such things as brace height, top, bottom and center. Rest location, nock set height, peep or kisser location and cam placement. Than if something goes bad or you change cable or string, you will have a reference to set your bow with out hours of trial and error.
Good Hunting...

KenL 03-18-2005 11:10 PM

RE: Tuning bow
 
I agree, I have a buddy that has all the tools to tune our bows. I go to his house, and we sit and tune both our bows. We go in his back yard, and paper test them. If you ever lose a string, or something happens in the field, knowing how to work on your own equipment is priceless.:D

BGfisher 03-19-2005 03:10 PM

RE: Tuning bow
 
Sniper, keeping a log is a good idea. I do it all the time. However I like to start when a bow is brand new taking and recording about every detail I can think of. That way when you replace the rigging you set the bow up to what it was when new, not what it was right before the change.

And yes, I log every change I make with the varying results. This is where owning your own chrono helps. Yeh, there is just nothing like tinkering.

AllenRead 03-19-2005 07:44 PM

RE: Tuning bow
 
You might also get this DVD:

http://www.archerytalk.com/vb/showth...ghlight=LeEarl

It hasn't shipped yet, so I don't know if it's any good. However, LeEarl did a downloadable video on tying in a peep that did a good, complete job of explaining one way of doing it.

If you get it, you will have to be careful. Be sure that you understand what he is doing and if it is safe. He may be the best in the world or the worst. We don't know until we see the video and can judge first hand.

Hope this helps,
Allen

throwingStarr 03-19-2005 08:04 PM

RE: Tuning bow
 
Went out at 8:30 am to get started tuning my new bow my groups were awful found out right away i could'nt get my string to my nose then decided well better head to a pro shop and get a module change out that would give me an inch more draw, that worked well then had a problem with the peep (rubber hose) not aligning proper, so i tinkered with slipping it throuhg at a different angle on the string (didn't have a bowpress handy and did not want to go back to a shop) i managed not to cut any strings, got that taken care of, my groups still were off so i went back into the house got the allen wrenches again i think for the umpteenth time and adusted my forward elevation and windage and center shot, went back out to the backyard shot several more times and to my amazement all seemed to pay off my groups were very tight, so tight i busted a couple nocks, i have to say that with all the added hardware i had my shop put on it was still up to me to tune and get it to where the arrows were striking the target correctly and accurately. It's been quite a day.


All times are GMT -8. The time now is 10:03 AM.


Copyright © 2026 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.