strings

[osage outlaw]

So you don't reverse twist your loop ends?

[WillS]

Yes, the loop ends are reverse twisted...

Just did this one, SUPER rough - this is not how they look when you're doing them properly, you get lovely round reverse twists but this shows the four steps.

1.  Left hand holding the starting point of the twist, right hand rolls DOWNWARDS



2.  Left hand holding starting point, right hand rolls UPWARDS -  first reverse twist.



3.  Loop folded, right hand holds loop and left hand rolls DOWNWARDS



4.  Right hand holds loop, left hand rolls UPWARDS.




One Flemish twist laid in loop.

[PatM]

   Let's see the 5 minute version.


 Seriously. Double loop, and better looking than individually twisted. Go.

[BowEd]

That's definitely different then the way I do it.Talking about the loop being made.My tails are intertwined or reverse twisted into the main body lengths individually and lengths are different to give it a taper which is part of the extra time factor on my end I'm sure.Plus this is just me I usually 3 ply all my strings.
I'm sure your way holds good enough but I know my way does for sure.

[PatM]

 Top string makers spend a lot of time with strand tension balance where everything is even in length and equally strained.

[mullet]

 I'm with the group that hates to make them. I will sit down and do it when I have to, though. I have a place here local I can drive to and buy one already made for $10. The thing that I hate the most is when I get the string finished and it's a little too short or long and I have to untwist it and redo.

[WillS]

That's definitely different then the way I do it.Talking about the loop being made.My tails are intertwined or reverse twisted into the main body lengths individually and lengths are different to give it a taper which is part of the extra time factor on my end I'm sure.Plus this is just me I usually 3 ply all my strings.
I'm sure your way holds good enough but I know my way does for sure.

Yours is the same as mine.  My tails are reverse twisted into the main body at different lengths, to feather them out so there's no stubby ends.  I also usually 3 ply mine - especially if they're natural fibres.  This rolling method works for 3 ply (and more) just as easily - that's what makes it so good!

The longest part of the entire string build is counting out the strands, and staggering the ends for the taper.

[WillS]

I feel like nobody has read the Traditional Bowyer's Bible chapter on string making...  I thought they were "the" go to books on this stuff?

[BowEd]

I'll have to disagree with you.It is not the same.Unless I'm looking at the picture wrong.It looks like your taking 2 main bodies and reverse twisting them into each other.Mine are individually twisted into each other.
Looks like to me I could take your loop insert my finger and make it bigger if I wanted too.My way you can't.The loop is locked into 1 size and that's it.I must be seeing this wrong I guess.

[WillS]

No, it's my crappy photos, not you!  The loop is locked, just like a normal Flemish laid in loop.

There's literally zero difference between this and the slow way - the string is no better or worse, but by rolling the bundles on your thigh first, and then rolling them back together the other way you do all that "twist left, wrap right stuff" in on go.

[PatM]

The slow way balances tension much better and undoubtedly looks better.

[Stringman]

I've seen dozens of different ways to make string. Had my hands on a few different methods as well and I just can't visualize what you're saying. Components of it, yes. But as a whole it's not making sense.

If making a single loop string the rolling on the thigh trick saves lots of time. But that's only after the first loop is laid and string twisted out past the tags. At this point I would roll out the entire string on my leg - or forearm - and have it done in a few mins.

For double loop strings there is no gain to thigh roll the body of the string cause you have to separate the string again to lay the second loop. (I assume this is where our methods diverge.) With double loop strings the length is very specific which is why string jigs are so common. Consistency being the key to most things in archery, it's no different with strings and the more you do the better it gets.

[stuckinthemud]

I think that next time I make a string I'll give it a go, if I don't like the results I'll just untwist it and do it the 'normal' way.  Thanks Will, and everyone else, for the all your input.

[Aaron H]

I like to use a single loop fast flight tillering string with a timber hitch to get my string length dialed in.  Then I'll take that string and use it to measure out the correct length for an endless loop. They are better strings in my opinion. Takes a bit of time, but so does everything else in this game.  Like PatM said, there's no rushing quality.

[BowEd]

Will S...My fault then as long as the string loop is locked in size that's good.I'll show a pic of my loops.The only way they get bigger is from stretching a little.
Ruddy Darter....That's almost an exact replica of the way I make my 2 looped strings then while making the second loop I can hold that string to the exact length I want to start the second loop at.Along with measuring the tillering string after tillering like Aaron does.
Stuck....Usually I only got 3 to 4 inches of interlocking tapered fade below the loop.It holds.So I start out with around 9" length to make the loops.Start at the 4"to 4.5" mark from the end approximately.Reverse twist 1.5" for a normal loop on my bows/larger if larger tips.Then interlock reverse twist the rest of the ends into the main body plys individually.