Home archery shop components?

[Thomasj1107]

For everyone that’s built an at home setup for working on your bow, what’s list of items that are must haves or that you’ve realized you needed through the process, and specific manufacturers or products you love would be great!

I’m starting with a press (what’s the difference between the LCA Ez green and other models?)

Vise (leaning towards OMP)

Draw board (LCA attachment)

Fletching jig (already have)

Arrow saw (saw this mod saw deluxe saw kit that looked interesting)

 

[bmart2622]

Squaring device and spin tester and obviously levels, allen wrenches, pliers, etc.....

 

[Billy Goat]

Some early EZ green models had the limb bracket pins welded on I think, makes them hard to upgrade if shopping used. Ez green isn't built quite as heavy as the regular LCA, and doesn't have the round hand wheel, otherwise I think the new versions are the same now, but lots of different limb press attachments now, which they add up in cost.

I'm not familiar with many other presses outside of LCA, but several reviews here of the Howard's Press.

The LCA drawboard is pretty pricey for what it is, convenient, but can spend a lot less to do the same thing, just will take up more space too.

I use the OMP vise, I like it, sure any of the ball mount vises are pretty similar.

Arrow saw, I just have an old Easton, don't really know much of what's out there currently. Some way to square arrows, I just use an A5 thing i think it is.


One thing I have found helpful personally is having my press mobile. Its nice to have it where you are shooting if you need a press to make tuning adjustments, thats getting antiquated anymore with limb shift/cam shifting solutions.

Good lighting, a little magnetic bolt pan, the flexible leads with alligator clips look really nice but I don't use them. Pin punches can be helpful in lining up limb holes and cams, or for holding a cam in place while working on it. Don't use a hammer on them, just handy for an axle replacement while putting on strings, etc.

Bearpaw makes a decent serving jig, the AAE isn't bad.

 

[svivian]

X2 on being mobile

 

[Chris in TN]

For whatever it's worth, have a plan to not breathe in the dust from cutting your arrow shafts. It's an easy thing to overlook but likely to be important in the long term. A shop vac with a jig to hold the hose near your cutter, would likely suffice, if you had a small-particle filter in your shop vac.

 

[realunlucky]

Check out the Howard's Total Vise system- https://www.rokslide.com/howards-total-vise-legacy-bow-press/

They also a really nice bow vise there is a couple review threads on here about them

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[doc holiday13]

For whatever it's worth, have a plan to not breathe in the dust from cutting your arrow shafts. It's an easy thing to overlook but likely to be important in the long term. A shop vac with a jig to hold the hose near your cutter, would likely suffice, if you had a small-particle filter in your shop vac.

x2

HEPA filters are generally available for most shop vacs

 

[Sizthediz]

I would not get the lca draw board or at least research the new model. The one I had the rope started to bind up causing issues. I ended up selling at a deep discount so new owner could get it repaired and I moved on to archery dezigns draw board. No problems noted with it. Just my opinion

 

[BigSky]

I highly recommend the Howard's Total Vice and Howard's Total Vise Legacy Press. They are the best I've ever used. Additionally, the attached draw board which comes as part of the press is a very nice and necessary addition. The draw board is not an extra expense so figure that into the cost when comparing to others and there is no need for extra fingers like some other press(es). I also recommend the Carbon Express arrow saw. I know you stated you already have a fletching jig. I've become quite fond of the Arizona EZ fletch and I don't see how anything can be quicker fletching a dozen arrows than two of these. If starting over I might consider the new OMP Phoenix fletching jig. Good luck with your accumulation of equipment. It's a fun journey.

 

[Luked]

Bow Vise
Arrow saw
Fletching jigs
Bow Press
Arrow Squaring devise.
A draw board is nice. I never got one or built one and I manage fine

 

[dtomkidd]

LCA EZ green press
Bow vice of some kind
Drawboard (I turned my press into a draw board)
X- spot arrow saw
Arizona archer mini max fletching jig
Bow square
String level
Hamskea 3rd axis level
LCA hs4 bowscale
Paper tuner of some kind (made my own)
Hot melt glue for arrow inserts and collars
Bob Smith maxi- cure for fletching
AAE Primer Pen for fletching
AAE wipes for cleaning arrows before fletching
D loop material
Bcy nock point and peep thread

 

[Idaboy]

LCA EZ green press
Bow vice of some kind
Drawboard (I turned my press into a draw board)
X- spot arrow saw
Arizona archer mini max fletching jig
Bow square
String level
Hamskea 3rd axis level
LCA hs4 bowscale
Paper tuner of some kind (made my own)
Hot melt glue for arrow inserts and collars
Bob Smith maxi- cure for fletching
AAE Primer Pen for fletching
AAE wipes for cleaning arrows before fletching
D loop material
Bcy nock point and peep thread

^^^^This

I have whatever LCA press has the draw crank, works fine.
- set up a very level table/bench and invest in some good string levels with a good vise...OMP is pretty good

Shop around for arrow saw, can usually find used.

Also a good arrow squaring device, that gives repeatable results


All of this stuff is buy once, cry once. I assume when you say "home shop" you mean for yourself (and a few buddies)....but I never looked back after getting sick of going to shop to "tune" if I changed arrows, draw wt, etc, etc.

 

[ResearchinStuff]

Howard's total vice press and vise, a fetching jig, and maybe a squaring device. Lots of places will cut arrows to length for free or minimal cost.

I used to have an ez green, the Howard's legacy press is much nicer, and it has an integrated draw board.

 

[dtomkidd]

^^^^This

I have whatever LCA press has the draw crank, works fine.
- set up a very level table/bench and invest in some good string levels with a good vise...OMP is pretty good

Shop around for arrow saw, can usually find used.

Also a good arrow squaring device, that gives repeatable results


All of this stuff is buy once, cry once. I assume when you say "home shop" you mean for yourself (and a few buddies)....but I never looked back after getting sick of going to shop to "tune" if I changed arrows, draw wt, etc, etc.

I knew i was missing something, arrow squaring device is pivotal when building your own arrows.

 

[CMF]

Check out the Howard's Total Vise system- https://www.rokslide.com/howards-total-vise-legacy-bow-press/

+1 on the vice, I've won the vise in the cbc. Only used once so far, but seems really nice.

I didn't see anyone mention a tool to check the spine on arrows. This is something I plan to get when I get the new house/shop built.

 

[fatbacks]

Having very little pro shop support in my area I really want to dive in and get all the tools to do my own work on my bows.

However, looking like $1000 initial investment and wondering if I’ll need all these tools in the future. Still use the pro shop to swap stings and what not but looks like most bows of the future will have timing and cam tuning built in… who knows what else as bows will have in the coming years. That’s the conundrum I’m in.


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[dtomkidd]

Having very little pro shop support in my area I really want to dive in and get all the tools to do my own work on my bows.

However, looking like $1000 initial investment and wondering if I’ll need all these tools in the future. Still use the pro shop to swap stings and what not but looks like most bows of the future will have timing and cam tuning built in… who knows what else as bows will have in the coming years. That’s the conundrum I’m in.


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That's pretty close to what I spent, probably a little more. Most things you're buying for an at home bow shop are a buy once cry once item other than consumable products.

It was a lot of money to throw down at the time but I'm now very thankful I have all of it. Its also pushed me to dive deep and really learn how to setup and tune a bow to a better level than most of the pro shops around me since I'm not rushing a bow off my bench to get to the next one.

A bad experience with my local bowshop is what pushed me to buy all of my own equipment. I asked them to swap strings and tune my bow. Got a lot of friction on asking for my Threadz string and cables to be installed because I didnt buy whoever their string manufacturer is and basically said there would be zero warranty on any work or tuning since he doesn't know that brand. Bow came back completely out of wack and not tuned at all and I know this wasn't a Threadz issue. Ive installed 3 sets of Threadz on my own since then and everything on the bow is completely in spec and takes very little to no tuning adjustment to shoot a clean hole through paper after installing them.

 

[ddowning]

Everyone's responses are pretty good. I would add a string jig and beiter winder serving tool. There is a thread on archery talk called the comprehensive string building thread. One of the contributors there goes by automan26 and has a YouTube series on building the "el cheapo string jig." I'm a couple hundred dollars into building strings and cables. The first set was workable and has no peep rotation. The second set was as good as anything I've had from WC or Catfish. I also discovered that some companies published string and cable specs are not necessarily accurate.

If you want to save money on a draw board, you can build one for about $50 with a harbor freight worm gear winch, a few bolts, and a section of 2x lumber. It is not as nice looking or compact as one that goes on your press, but the worm gear winch can stop at any point in the draw cycle. There are no clicks.

Honestly, the best part of my home bow shop is the 60' long building to shoot indoors in the heat in winter. If it hadn't already been on the property, I would have built it at least 65' long to get a true 20 yards. As it is, I can shoot 18.5 yards.

I also built an arrow saw by building a v-groove jig with a moveable stop on a miter gauge for my table saw. I use an abrasive cut-off wheel in place of the blade. I have cut arrows that way for over 20 years. It works very well.

The basics, in order of importance as I see them are: fletching jig, arrow saw, arrow spinner/squaring, serving jig, press, draw board, string jig. Obviously there are the Allen wrenches etc that most people have anyway that are needed. I manage to never go to a proshop and maintain several bows each for me and 5 other family members with my little shop.

 

[billysmals]

Everyone has pretty much said it all when it comes to the equipment you proposed. I bought the non packable EZ green on discount at black friday. I installed it to a butcher block topped garage chest. You can get those for like less that $200 at black friday. This way it's mobile, as others have mentioned, and also holds all my supplies.

I use the MOD saw arrow saw. Not the deluxe version. The deluxe version wasn't worth the cost. Bearings are fine on the basic. I can buy extra squaring discs...if I need too. I used a discount code so I got 10% off the price of the basic one, which ended up being under $150, which I think is the best price for a saw out there.

My archery tool chest as the vice, the draw board, and the arrow saw mounted to the butcher block top. A one stop shop that rolls around the garage.

I have an LCA draw board also as part of the black friday sale..... You can make them for like less than $50 with a boat loading crank, and esssentialyl a pipe wrapped in foam. doesn't install into the LCA of course, but it's a lot cheaper and does the same thing. I would do this if I was starting over.

I didn't buy the "LCA" version of the little attachments (Mag dish, ect...) mainly, their just expensive....I sourced a cheaper magnetic pan for like $6 bucks on amazon. This has been the best $6 I spent as it magnetically holds all those screws, bolts, wrenches...ect. Nothing is worse than dropping some tiny screw.....

I got a used OMP vice on ebay for a song. It works fine, but it is a little more annoying to get a perfect level. I know they have the "micro adjust" version, but the used one was too cheap to pass up. Mine has is a bit of give after it clamps.... so when I move it to level and then clamp, the bow will "settle" and ends up off a bit. It just takes time and I learned to intentionally clamp the bow out of level accounting for the slop as the bow adjusts...This may be just my OMP vice, but if I were to do it again, I'd look at buying a bicycle/mountain bike vice. They can be bench mounted, and clamp in a similar manner as those B.A.P mounts, but are much cheaper. I think Whitetail fit has a video of his home shop that's worth exploring if you want a vice like this.