Anyone got plans for a string stretcher to pre stretch strings befor putting them on a bow?

Ratchet strap works like a charm. Put a bolt in a wall that you can hook one loop of the string over. Put another hook you connect the ratchet to and crank away.

Should be simple enough to attach one to something that would sit on a bench or work table.

Yeah i work on road and stay in a camper 90% of the year a solid wall is hard to find.

I do not have plans for a stretching device but;

I brace the bow with the new string and put the back of the bow on a table. Then I gently push the limbs from the belly side towards the table a few times. Then I have to twist the string to get the brace height back and the string stabilizes after a little shooting.

You could do the same thing by pushing the limbs with the back of the bow against your thighs.

I bought a ratcheting boat winch at harbor freight pretty cheap. I attached it to a 4x4 and screwed an eye bolt to the other end of the board. I cut about half of the eye out so it only makes a half circle. It works pretty good, I need to pick up a scale so that I know how tight to crank it. I’m on the road right now but can post a pic when I get home.

The ratchet strap mentioned already is the simplest and cheapest.

Any door can be used.

Place one hook under, one hook over, the string in between and tighten.

Simple and doors are everywhere!

Just make the string a little short and brace the bow. Leave the bow strung for a day or two drawing it several times a day. The string will settle in and stretch, then you can center serve. Easy enough.

why not just hang a weight on it

I've used one for years that I made out of some scrap lumber, a small winch, and a cheap game scale.

It's kind of heavy, but it's simple and works really well.

I use it to pre-stretch my strings, put the center serving on them, and install string silencers.

I just clamp it to my workbench when I need to use it.

When I stretch a sting with it, I put about 200# of tension on the string for about a 1/2 hour.

They don't move too much, if any after that.

The pics aren't the best, but they'll give you a general idea.

Keefers made a nice one out of some light weight steel channel that works the same as mine.

If you send him a PM, he'd probably post some pics of the one he made too.

Thanks Brandon and how are you my friend? I will send a few pictures if I can locate them but it's pretty much like yours and I use it for serving my puffs on and rapping wool yarn down the "Y" string loops as well. A tool that gets use a lot my shop not just for me but my friends strings as well. Here is the scale end of Jig and will send pics of the other end.

The boat wench with strap.

On the bench but I switched scales right after I built it to the round scale like Brandon has on his as well.

Strut lag bolted to 2x6 minimum on edge

Then you can come up with a variety of attachments

Example of air stretcher on strut. If your attachments are low. If you want to serve then you need to stiffen the strut.

Up to 400 psi.

This is the ultimate.

More green!!! ;^)

That's an aweful lot of expense, space and work, just to stretch a string.

Just FYI, there is a big difference between a 'winch' and a 'wench'. ;) Not to say you can't have a wench stretch your string.

George, LOL.

70 pound dumbbell works for me

A pair of eye hooks and Piece of strut isn't Exspensive.

Even a ten dollar string is stretched and measured at 100 psi for amo standard.

I have never bothered with gear to pre-stretch strings and certainly would not bother if I spent my time traveling in an RV (which I did for full time for a couple of years).

When I make a string, I finish the string to the point of adding center serving. I put the string on the bow and might make a few shots. For B50, I would leave the bow strung overnight. Then I finish the string with center serving and nocking points.

deerhunt51 x2, why make it complicated.

Most at least in the beginning let there bow do the stretching. That doesn't interpret to me that most are right or getting the most out of the string. If that is good enough for you carry on.

When I make my endless loop strings, I set the jig just 1/4" short of AMO string length and build the string. In fify-couple years, I never had one stretch beyond that measure, and that is with Dacron. The raw Dacron B-36, B-43, and B-50 was advertised as pre stretched. I never made Flemish twist strings but I suspect a lot of that initial stretch isn't material itself, but the way it's put together.

This is what I order for amo 66" longbow. Actual string length on bow is 63.5 on this particular bow at proper brace height. As you can see these strings stretch from 61-5/8 to 63-1/2" on the bow. These are built on top equipment and stretched and measured at 100 psi. For dacron the price is unbeatable. I use these strings for base line testing against modern fibers.

Never seen a need for one myself. But then again, I shoot endless strings.

String it up, take a half dozen shots, leave it braced overnight. Done and done.

Thanks for all the replies think im gonna rig something up like recurve crafter.

Another DIY method. One end attached to my chinning bar. bottom end through a dumbbell handle. Pile on as many discs as you want. I have gone over 100 lbs, once even grabbed the chinning bar and STOOD on the dumbbell! Yes, I could have put my wench there instead but not worth the price or the effort.

My stretcher is made solid with strutt and the I bolts mounted on sliding uprights . If you're making it portable be sure to get heavy Guage strutt two pieces of 1 1/2" bolted back to back would be stout or a piece of 1 1/2" × 3".

You can buy double strut as well.

I hang it from a hook in the basement rafters and attach an ammo box of lead billets to it and then lean my 195# butt on it a few times. It does stretch it and it's free.

This scale can go to 400 psi also and I believe I had a total of about $78.00 in my string stretcher when I made it in 2014.I also made one with a ratchet strap before that but the one I have photo's on is used for other things beside stretching such as installing puffs and wrapping wool on loops . As some mentioned "WHY" spend the money when you can just let the string settle in on a Braced bow? Well that is fine if that is what you like to do But I see it as a useful tool and I like it.

But I get some guys like gadgets which are fun to make.

But I get some guys like gadgets which are fun to make.

OOPS I was wrong my scale go's to 440#..

As mentioned by TLHBOW make sure the strut is heavy gauge to be safe. The one I made is heavy and does weigh a lot but it stays to the back of my bench . The legs I made make it stable so no clamps are needed to hold strut down.I used to have a step by step How to on Brandon's site a few years back with what I used .

If your on the road and in an RV you could probably find two trees and a ratchet strap. Easy peasy.

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