I put together a string board from designs off of stickbow webpage. I know how to make the loops, but have trouble getting the correct length desired. Figured I will have to play with that. But thats a different story.

Question is, how long should I make the loop for top and bottom? I like bottom to be small loop of course.

The instructions say on the webpage to take 7" from tip of the two bundles and twist enough to slide down the bow 5". I see some guys on thier string boards have marks for how long to make thier loops. Some twist up 3" for top, but that makes a large loop.

Is this something I am going to have to experiment with or is there guidelines for bottom and top?

Mark.

I make my top loop about 2 1/2" and the bottom about 1 1/2" of course you could always make them smaller.

I have 2 marks on my board 1 @ 8" for long bows and another @9" for recurves I do make the loops slightly larger for recurves.

Ok, so you grasp the two bundles 8" from the top of the longest strand for longbows?

Thanks,
I appeciate the advise.

You will figure out what you like as you go. I make my tiller strings with 3" loops on both. For my bow strings, I make them with about 2.5" each. Ive never worried about making one smaller than the other. My tag ends are about 7.5" to where I start my loops. All this is relative to what im makeing the string for.

10-4

I thenbraid up 2 1/2" then fold over and braid into the mainstring body, 1 1/2" on the other end.

thanks guys.

It will take some tinkering--even if you start in the same place I do, everyone is a little different and you will probably not get the same results.

Loop size depends on what you like, how you want it to fit, sizeof the tips/limbs,etc. I like a smaller bottom loop because it stays on better when stringing the bow. I like a larger top loop because I can slide the string down the limb when unstringing.

When I start the second loop, I measure every time, from the finished end--that's the most consistent for me. It varies depending on the material I'm using--for instance, with a dacron string I'll go the length I want plus 3/4"; for Dynaflight about 1/8" shy of the finished length, for 8125 about 1/4" longer than the finished length, etc. 'Course it may be a good bit different for you. I also pre-stretch my strings under a lot of tension--250-300# or so, which makes them longer than if I didn't pre-stretch.

Take some measurements, take some notes, and practice. It really is pretty simple once you get the hang of it.

Chad

Dadgone anything worth anything takes work. I didn't know I had to adjust for different strings etc. Thanks Chad.

Darn them strechy dacron strings.

Reason I started this, is with building bows, I need strings of varying lengths all the time. For now, I just twist up one loop and do the timberhitch thing on the bottom until the bow is done.