Restringing compound

[crowhawk]

What tools are rquired to fit a new string to a compound bow? Is it a big job as I'de also like to shorten the draw lengh as it's about 32" at present.

[geoffretired]

Are you going to make your own strings to re-string the bow or buy exact copies?
To re-string you either need allen key to wind off the tension on the limb bolts until the strings go loose or you need a bow press to take the tension off the strings without undoing the limbs completely.
A shorter bowstring will shorten the draw length as will longer cables. Some wheels or cams have different adjustments on them to do the same thing. you may be able to do it that way.

[geoffretired]

Just seen the bow on the internet. It says adjustable draw length. Looks like there are slots in the wheels that can be used to change the draw.
You need to make some slack in the system as described in the earlier message.
Let me know how you get on.
All the best
Geoff

[greydog]

I don't know what compound bow you have, but there are only a few on the market (two that I know of) that you can take the pressure off the string by unwinding the limb bolts. If this isn't an Oneida or Bladerunner style bow, don't wind the limb bolts out by more than 4-5 full turns from bottomed out as it is unsafe, sorry if I've misread your post there geoffretired, but you'll definately need a bowpress to take the pressure of the strings and cables.

[crowhawk]

It's a Bear Silvertip 70lb DW

[Jerry Tee]

Play safe and use a bow press. If you slacken it off you might not get the same amount of turns back evenly on the limb bolts when you do them up again and that would mean tiller and tuning problems.

[greydog]

Ok Crowhawk, I think I found one, looks like it has the old style wheels, if that's the case there will be slots in one side of both wheels, the shooting string will be fed through one on each cam, by moving the string to the furthest one (wrapping more string around the wheel in effect) you will shorten your draw length. There will be about four slots on each cam and each one will change the draw by about an inch.......you need to make sure that the string sits in the same groove on both cams, for instance the second one in from the limbs face on both, so that your cams stay timed.
You will definately need a bowpress for this, and wind the poundage off the limbs before putting it in the bow press so as not to over stress the limbs.

If you need to put new cables on, you might need to take it to an archery shop as I think your cables will lliterally be cables (steel with a plastic cover) So you can have these replaced with string material, as on more recent compounds, or you might be able to have the cables adjusted somehow.

If in any doubt get a bow shop to look at it for you, better to be safe than sorry, especially when you're playing with 70lbs

[Bald Eagle]

Well said Greydog and I won't answer to what Geoff originally said! I hope he was joking!!

[geoffretired]

Hi all,
I have had nine different compound bows in my time and dismantled a few others too. All of them have unwound to the point where I could remove the strings and cables. However,I accept what the others who subscribed have said about a bowpress. When you rebuild it, try without the press. If it can be rebuilt without it, it can be disassembled without it too, but at least you will find out safely.

[Thunk]

I know nothing about compounds but I do remember an incident a few years ago when an archer (in Scotland if I recall) did this using what is euphemistically referred to as a 'portable' bow press. The steel cable snapped under load, and as the broken end whipped through the air it sliced through his throat. No - he hasn't taken part in archery since...or anything else for that matter.

Moral: There's a world of difference between KNOWING what you're doing, and THINKING you know what you're doing. If you have even the slightest doubt, pay some money and get it done at an archery shop by a professional.