To anyone reading the archery forum

Would you say you are your own bow tech?

  • I don't really work on my bow aside from minor adjustments

    Votes: 71 29.3%
  • I take my bow to a shop to have string/cables replaced, but do my own tuning

    Votes: 53 21.9%
  • I have a hone shop and outside of purchase, do everything myself.

    Votes: 123 50.8%
  • Worry about other things BG besides where companies should be putting resources.

    Votes: 1 0.4%

  • Total voters
    242
OP
Billy Goat
Joined
May 6, 2018
Messages
9,808
Location
Shenandoah Valley
What does this question mean?:

Worry about other things BG besides where companies should be putting resources.

I do my own work, even though it's on a portable Bowmaster, I've swapped strings, limbs, but it's great to be able to tie in a peep or twist a string/yoke quickly to tune. Eventually I'll get a full-size press at home, but I've been a member of a few clubs with a press and that's great!

That's not a question, but an answer.


Telling me to not worry about these things.
 
Joined
Sep 8, 2014
Messages
1,823
Location
Front Range, Colorado
Nobody touches my bow but me. There was some definite trial and error to begin with, but I'd never go back to having a shop do anything but hand me the bow and take my money. The little mistakes here and there took a lot less time than going to a shop.
Between drive time, wait time, and the fact that a shop is never going to be able to spend the time to finish broadhead tune my bow, doing everything DIY is a no-brainer. It's more effort on my part, but way less time and money. Also allows me to tinker and experiment without bothering or waiting on anyone else.
 

ZDR

WKR
Joined
Apr 20, 2013
Messages
945
I do the majority of my own work at home. I don’t have a press yet but have access to one when I need it. Not an expert tuner by any measure, but I can get my own bows right. When I retired 2.5 years ago, I got a job in a local pro shop and it’s been an education.
 
Joined
Feb 2, 2023
Messages
304
Location
Wyoming
Shop for anything press related.

I do my own arrow building though. From tail to tip. Had great results and it saves me money and I don't have to rely on others when I'm in a pinch.
 

mod-it

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Jun 7, 2023
Messages
151
I do not own a bow press yet. So I go to a shop for string set changes, getting BH and ax to ax set, cams timed, making sure it hits peak poundage, and placing a peep in the string.
I also use a shop to cut arrows since I don't have a cutter. But that's all I need a shop for with a new arrow build.

I do everything else myself from that point, I like to set up a bow per the video that Paige Pearce has on setting up a new bow so it holds the best (minus the adjustments that require a press of course).
If a new string set was put on, that changes it a bit. While still at the shop I will have a d-loop added and the peep tied in so I can shoot it until the set settles, as the string usually needs a twist added/removed to get the peep sitting correctly again. Then I'll take it home and remove the d-loop and untie the peep, and start going through my preferred setup process.
 

Axlrod

WKR
Joined
Jan 8, 2017
Messages
1,519
Location
SW Montana
Friend I've known since grade school (40+ years) owns the pro shop/indoor archery range here. He is a hunter and a shooter. And he is way better at teaching fundamental archery to my kids than I am- well they listen to him.:)
He is very detail orientated and does a great job on all our bows and arrows. He does nothing but archery every day and has for many decades. No way I can match that with you tube. When he retires I will have to take my bow over to his house.
 

*zap*

WKR
Joined
Dec 20, 2018
Messages
7,772
Location
N/E Kansas
I do not see how I could have the same level of experience as Mike Carter so I take my bow to him even thou he is a few hour drive. Carters Archery, Cameron MO.
 
Joined
Feb 29, 2012
Messages
3,555
Location
Washington
This is meant for anyone who shoots a bow. It's really just wondering how many archers really do all their own tuning/maintenance versus how many need a good local proshop. I suspect on RS we get the sense that most are a bow tech, when in reality it's far from it.


This is not a judgment post, simply personal research. Something I have wondered about for a while.

I do. I have only used pro shops for limb swaps. All other work is done by me at home.

For warranty work Hoyt requires you use a dealer.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Joined
Feb 24, 2016
Messages
2,631
I typically do EVERYTHING myself. With the exception of warranty work of course.

My new bow doesn't work in my press so that is throwing a bit of a wrench into my typical routine.
 

CCooper

WKR
Joined
Sep 14, 2017
Messages
1,080
Location
Western OR
Lucky enough to have one of the best bow shops there is 15 minutes from me. I don't touch anything on my bows. Just went in a couple weeks ago and shot one through paper and had the timing checked for shits. Everything was perfect. In and out in 5 minutes.
 

87TT

WKR
Joined
Mar 13, 2019
Messages
3,576
Location
Idaho
After some poor experiences with "shops", I decided to try to do it myself. The nearest shop was 2 hrs away. After I got the runaround on a new string and tune costing me two trips, I was done With the internet and Youtube, it's a no brainer. I built a press for like $50 , a draw board for $20, a paper tuning rack out of scrap wood and a roll of masking paper from Home Depot. Bought a cheap vise off of ebay and some levels and squares. My latest build was an arrow saw that works awesome and cost less than $20 for the cheap Dremel tool
 

Dave_S

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Dec 17, 2022
Messages
136
I tune on my own (thanks to bowtech for making it easy) and am getting set up to build arrows myself. Strings or anything that needs a press is going to the shop.
 
Joined
Sep 13, 2020
Messages
784
I’ve purchased a press and draw board within the last 12 months. The nearest shop from me is 30-40 minutes away (one way). And frankly when I go in there I always feel awkward and like I am inconveniencing them. It’s probably just a “me” thing and not because they actually feel that way. I also figured that anything they can do, I can learn to do myself with enough time and effort. I’m also extremely interested in how it all works and why, so it was a natural progression for me. I’m still a complete novice but this year I have changed my own strings, timed up my cams, and tuned my bow to shoot bare shaft bullet holes through paper. Phenomenal learning experience. I don’t see how I could ever go back unless there is something that I work on for months and still can’t figure out (but that’s what Rokslide is for!?).
 

87TT

WKR
Joined
Mar 13, 2019
Messages
3,576
Location
Idaho
I’ve purchased a press and draw board within the last 12 months. The nearest shop from me is 30-40 minutes away (one way). And frankly when I go in there I always feel awkward and like I am inconveniencing them. It’s probably just a “me” thing and not because they actually feel that way. I also figured that anything they can do, I can learn to do myself with enough time and effort. I’m also extremely interested in how it all works and why, so it was a natural progression for me. I’m still a complete novice but this year I have changed my own strings, timed up my cams, and tuned my bow to shoot bare shaft bullet holes through paper. Phenomenal learning experience. I don’t see how I could ever go back unless there is something that I work on for months and still can’t figure out (but that’s what Rokslide is for!?).
The last straw for me was when I called to see about getting a new string on my PowerMax. They told me that I would have to “drop it off” and pick it up in a week. Mind you, this was in April so not like just before hunting season. i live over 2 hours from the shop so I asked if I could make arraignments to drop it off when they opened and pick it up before they closed that day. I was told no. I finally got to talk to the owner and he agreed to it. Dropped it off for a new string and “full” cleaning and tune. They called me a few hours later and said I was all set. I went and picked it up. I used their indoor range to shoot a few before I left. I then saw that it had not been cleaned. When I asked about it, I was told there was a mix up and I would have to leave the bow as that tech was gone for the day. The same tech that oiled my QAD rest and ruined it. I decided I needed a backup bow and then thought to myself, you can’t do any worse than the “tech”. Two new bows later and haven’t had anybody but me touch my stuff. I even changed the limbs on my Helix.
 

TripleJ

WKR
Joined
Apr 12, 2016
Messages
2,000
Location
OR
I'm blessed in that one of my best and longest friends had his own shop for a few years, and then was in the archery industry for quite a few years after that. He has a shop set up in his garage and does my bow work for me. I do build my own arrows at my house. I have 2 well known shops near me, heck I work 2 blocks from one, but any work I've had done at both of those is inconsistent at best.
 
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