Start an in-home shop

[Jacob Chapman]

I’m going to start piecing together everything I’d need to work on my own bows. I don’t trust my local shop to weigh a field point correctly.

What all should I be looking to buy?

 

[axeforce6]

Press. Arrow saw. Grain scale. Draw board. Scale to check draw weight, Fletching jig. Chrono. I made a jig to hold paper to shoot through. This should get you started..

 

[Jstumbaugh]

Exactly what Axe said. I don't have a draw board built yet or an arrow saw but I can do pretty much anything else to tune a bow in my "Dojo".

 

[PhotoHunter]

I started with a portable bow press and have never needed anything better.

 

[homebru.trout]

Don't forget a bow vise. Save yourself the heartache and just buy the OMP one to start.

 

[stanginthe11s]

spine checker, arrow spinner, squares, levels, loop pliers, arrow squaring device

 

[Miflatlander91]

Press draw board draw weight scale arrow levels levels bow holder arrow spinner Alan wrenches some pliers box cutter lighter grain scale fleatching jig arrow saw and a target will get you where you want to be I do t go to a shop any more unless it's to buy parts I can't find and need a dealer

Sent from my SM-G998U using Tapatalk

 

[ResearchinStuff]

I think arrow saws are a luxury, most anywhere you buy arrows will cut to length for free or negligible cost. Otherwise these lists are solid.

 

[Rob5589]

For myself, an arrow saw is a must. Driving 35 mins each way to have them cut is a time suck. Now that I'm shooting a single string bow it's even more useful.

 

[ResearchinStuff]

I exclusively buy arrows online. Driving to a shop is time I don't have.

 

[Elkhntr08]

Squaring tool for shafts. Good Allen wrenches, long handles.

 

[Roosterstraw]

i spent over two hours at my shop this year watching them set my bow up. Went home and shot it and it was so out of tune it wasn’t funny. You will be happy with with your own shop. I have an ez green press & draw board. Omp vise. String levels and sight levels. Fletching jig. Arrow spinner. Square. Paper tuner. I just buy my arrows precut and spine indexed.

 

[stanginthe11s]

I will add that what you need ultimately comes down to how serious will you be, how much time will you devote and how much money do you have. all you really need is a bow press, however it will be quite annoying and hard to do anything efficiently. if you have the money buy the best you can, if you don't have the money you can make and improvise a lot of tools. only place you really have to spend is on the press and I say LCA all the way.

 

[BigSky]

I don’t trust my local shop to weigh a field point correctly.

What all should I be looking to buy?

Grain scale.

Problem solved.

 

[JeffRaines]

Been there done that.

Buy the EZ Green press... yes the price sucks, so does a monkey working on your bow.

You can easily build a draw board with a 2x6 and some parts from Lowes/Harbor Freight. Put a scale on it and now you can measure draw weight.

I haven't bought a vise yet and probably won't as I haven't missed it.

 

[Gerard Marcaurele]

The question to answer first is what level of tuning you’re trying to accomplish. I’ve gone so far down the rabbit hole that I could easily have spent $20,000 on equipment.

If you’re on a budget, my opinion would be to buy (in no particular order):
T handle hex wrench set
T handle torx wrench set
Press
Bow vise
Hamskea 2nd gen third axis level
Arrow saw
Bitzenburger fletching jig with AAE knob
Arrow squaring tool
Paper tuning setup (can build yourself to save $)
String serving jig
Easton d loop pliers
Draw board (can build yourself for like $50)


If money is no object and you want to learn everything there is to know:
Everything listed above
Last chance string serving tool (for properly stretching string to re-serve)
Arrow spine testing tool
Specialty archery string builder (if you want extreme consistency in strings, you’ll have to either build your own or spend the money to buy top tier models from ABB or another well respected brand)
Hooter shooter
Point weight kit (multiple different weight field tips)

 

[nuts&bolts]

Plywood box, allows you to have upper surface to work on stuff
and lower level to put tools not in use, out of the way.







Zip Strip is pricey, but works great for stripping off vanes.



G5 Arrow Squaring Device. One side has grit for grinding freshly cut carbon arrows. Other side is a blade to shave aluminum shafts.



Draw board to measure draw length, to check cam lean, to check drop away arrow rest timing, to check peep height above the arrow shaft.



Full size bow press is very nice to have.



Fletching jig is essential.



Arrow saw is very handy. This is a DIY arrow saw, using an angle grinder.



Thin grinding wheel/cutting wheel for cutting stainless steel. Works great for cutting carbon arrows.



Poor man's bow vise.