Homemade weapons are common amongst re-enactment enthusiasts.
If you have taken the time to construct your own bow, it makes sense that you would want to string it with a string you've also made yourself. Fortunately, making your own string is neither difficult nor expensive. The supplies are readily available at any archery supply store, or can be substituted with supplies from home improvement stores. The key to a good bow string is to make sure the twists used to secure the strands in the string are tight and uniform.
Instructions
1. Create a jig for your string. Use a 1-by-6 pine board that is 28 inches long. Mark the center-line of the board. Starting 2 inches from the end, use a 5/32-inch drill bit to drill 16 holes along the center line. They should be spaced about 1 inch apart and will cover about two-thirds of the line. These holes will allow you to make strings of different sizes. Place a 1-inch finishing nail 1.25 inches off the center line, parallel with the first drill hole closest to the end. Place another nail in the same place on the opposite side. On the opposite end of the board, use 1-inch finishing nails spaced .375 inches apart to create a place to hold the string. There will be 10 on each side of the center line, halfway between the center and the edge of the board. A diagram of this layout is available in References.
2. Determine the length and strength of your bow string. Use a 1-inch finishing nail in the corresponding hole on your jig and begin wrapping your string. Tie the end to the first nail on the end of you row of nails. Bring the string down around the line of nails on the bottom, across the length of your jig to the single nail on the other side. Continue around that nail to the moveable nail you placed in the drill hole and back out to the single nail on the other side. Finally bring the string back to the nail you started at, this time wrapping around the adjacent nail. Repeat this process until you have the number of strands you need. Cut the strands between the tightly placed nails. Be careful not to move the strands as you remove them from the jig. The ends should be kept uneven.
3. Repeat step 2 to create a second bundle of strands. For beginners, it is helpful to use a different color so the strands are easier to identify.
4. Cover the ends of both strands with wax. You may need to warm the wax over a candle to make it pliable. Work the wax into the strands so it covers approximately 10 inches from each end.
5. Hold the strands tightly between your thumb and forefinger, 7 inches from the end. The tip of the longest strand on each bundle should align with the longest strand on the other. Use your other hand to twist one bundle clockwise six times, then bring it over the other bundle. Twist the other bundle in the same manner and bring it over the first bundle. This twisting and rotating will secure the strands and make the loop to secure the string to your bow. The colors should alternate evenly. The size of the loop will vary depending on the size of your bow. Leave several inches of string untwisted at the end.
6. Hold the middle of your twisted bundle and use your other hand to create the loop. Bend the loose end over to meet the rest of the string. Repeat the twisting process, but this time you will twist the same colors together. Twist the short end of the sting to the long string all the way to the end of the short string. Repeat this process for the second bundle.
7. Pinch your loop at the base and begin twisting the two larger bundles together with your other hand. Continue until the shorter strands are completely twisted into the longer ones.
8. Repeat steps 5 through 7 at the opposite end of the string to create the second loop. Twist the length of the bow string in the same direction that your loops are twisted in.
9. String your bow and mark on the string where your nocking point will be. Put a second mark 2 inches above the nock, and another 6 inches below. Reinforce this area by wrapping a monofilament thread around the string. Start the wrap by separating the bow string strands slightly and passing the monofilament thread between the strands. The wrap should be tight, but not so tight that it cuts through the bow strings.
10. Use a high-quality string maker's wax that contains resin to wax your string. Beeswax can be used in a pinch, but the lack of resin makes it more difficult to work with. Rub the wax onto the string quickly to create friction. The heat from the friction will allow the wax to penetrate the strands of the bow string.
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