Old Compound Bow Repair in Toronto

I have discovered I have some skill at fixing older model compound bows.

Three weeks ago a friend at the Toronto Archery Range approached me with a cherry red older model compound bow (I estimate it was made in the mid 1980s) that was literally in shambles. The bowstring, cams, cables, and various other parts were in a ziplock bag and the compound bow itself was basically just the riser and limbs. He wanted to know if there was any chance of fixing it.

BACKGROUND - I have fixed other compound bows before, usually while at the archery range and doing what I call "Compound Bow Triage". I set up my tools on an "operating table" (picnic table) and perform "emergency surgery" to repair the bow. I have done it for people so many times I have lost track. Apparently I have developed a reputation for being able to fix compound bows, both newer models and older models.

So when my friend brought me the wreck of a bow at the time I didn't know if it was possible. It was in shambles after all, and I had never tried to fix a compound bow that was in such a state of "pieces". But as someone who was raised on Lego who loves building and repairing things, I told him "I make no guarantees, but I am willing to give it a shot."

I honestly wasn't expecting much. It was in such a bad shape I was expecting it to be missing too many parts that it might be impossible to fully repair. We even joked about taking off the limbs and turning it into a 'Frankenstein' recurve bow, that is how little faith I had in it being possible to repair it.

And voila.

It is fixed. Just finished repairing it this morning.

 Above and Below: "The Red Brute"

Fortunately most of the parts were there.

I call it "The Red Brute", and I shall explain why. This compound bow vibrates like crazy when you shoot it. The vibrations jar me all the way up to the shoulder. Think of shooting this bow like riding a wild bronco. It is going to shake a lot and try to buck you off. It is also very noisy, partially because the bow is missing a string stop (see further below).

Old Jalopy

Or alternatively if you like car metaphors, it shakes like an old jalopy. A jalopy is a really old decrepit car that is in horrible condition, could break at any moment, and literally shakes when you drive it. Some people enjoy driving a jalopy, but they are not for everyone.

But the Red Brute is powerful, and it is certainly accurate at close distances judging by the clusters I did this morning. Next Sunday I will take it to the range and test it out at longer distances, and return it to its owner.

So what needed to be repaired???

#1. The Cables and Cams

The first order of business was getting the cams, cables and bowstring back on the bow itself. They were a jumbled mess so I had to unjumble them and then figure out what goes where via a little trial and error / logic.

#2. New Retaining Snap Rings for the Axles

The cam axles were missing two external C-shaped 3/16th inch snap rings that keep the axle from sliding around and falling off. That required a trip to the Sunnybrook Home Hardware and $1.57 for the tiny parts.

#3. The Bowstring was a Wreck

The old bowstring was in such poor shape I decided to add serving all the way up its length and reinforce it in areas that looked weaker. This would make the bowstring heavier, but would dramatically increase the life expectancy of the bowstring. (The cables meanwhile were in excellent condition and did not warrant any repairs.)

#4. Added an Arrow Rest

My friend didn't bother putting an arrow rest on the bow, as he reportedly bought the bow along with several other bows at a proverbial garage sale. Bought the whole box of them. So I added an old Hostage arrow rest from my box of old archery equipment stuff that I don't use any more.

I needed the arrow rest on there so I could take the bow out to the garage and shoot it multiple times to make sure it was actually safe to use. I shot it 50+ times, during which I discovered how loud, noisy, and jarring it was.

GOOD VIBRATIONS?

Overall I enjoyed fixing this old compound bow. It was a complete wreck, in shambles, and it now can shoot quite accurately despite the shaking and shoulder jarring. I had a good deal of satisfaction shooting it in my garage.

However due to the vibrations I would probably want to do several things to get more accuracy and reduce the jarring. The most important of these is #3.

#1. Add a Trophy Ridge 9 Inch Static Stabilizer to reduce vibrations / increase accuracy.

I have tried other stabilizers, but this is my favourite thus far.

#2.Add Limbsavers to reduce vibrations and noise.

#3. Add a String Stop to reduce noise and vibration.

The Red Brute has a slot for a string stop, but that part is missing, hence the noise/vibration. I browsed Amazon.com to check out the prices of string stops, but sadly they are a bit pricey. $50 to $200 each, depending on the model type.

THE END RESULT?

The final results is that this is a compound bow that has speed, power and accuracy, but desperately needs a string stop and perhaps a few extra gadgets to help make it quieter / vibrate less. It is approx. 60 lbs with a 29" draw length, with 50% let off.

Cost of Repairs
$30 for repairs / labour.
$1.57 for parts.
$10 for string serving (material + labour).
_________________
TOTAL $41.57

Overall, I am very pleased that I was able to fix this bow. I regret not taking a photo of what it looked like before I started repairing it. People would have been able to see the before and the after.

So if other people out there in Toronto are looking to have their old compound bow repaired, let me know and I will give it a try. I really enjoyed fixing this one and I am willing to try fixing other bows too. So if you have an old bow and it is in bad shape / in need of repairs, let me know and I will try to fix it. If all or most of the parts are there we can see what can be done. If many of the parts are missing, but you like the idea of a 'Frankenstein Bow' I am still willing to do that as well.

I charge $30 per hour plus the cost of any replacement parts.

"I make no guarantees, but I am willing to give it a shot."

Luddites and NIMBYs

Luddites refers historically to a groups of Englishmen between 1811 - 1816 who destroyed machinery in cotton / wool mills in England because they feared they would lose their jobs due to increased industrialization and technology.

In the modern context Luddites are the type of people who hate new technology in general. You might be too young to remember this, but such people complained about electricity lines going up in their neighbourhoods because they thought too much electricity causes headaches and other health problems.

If this sounds familiar, it is because the same sort of Luddites now complain about wind turbines in their neighbourhoods - usually accompanied by the phrase "Not In My Backyard", hence the acronym NIMBY.

The Luddite objection to wind turbines and the long list of fake health problems is just one way Luddites hold back society from making a smoother transition to a better way of producing electricity.

Take for example the typical off-grid home in the far north. Assuming you do want electricity, what source of electricity do you think will be the most cost effective and affordable?

• Solar Power
• Wind Power
• Hydro Power
• Gas/Diesel Generator

If you answered wind power, you are on the right track. Wind power is the only true constant, regardless of what time of year it is and the time of day, there is also some wind. Plus we are fortunate to live in Canada, which is a surprisingly windy country. (So much so that other countries like Germany, where wind turbines are super popular, are actually jealous of how "wind rich" Canada is.)

Hydro power might seem like a good idea, but it implies you have to build a dam or water mill, which might be legally expensive or require you to purchase land that has a river, and has the added problem that the water might freeze over during the winter.

Solar power comes with several downsides. One, it only produces energy during the day and that energy needs to be stored in batteries. Two, solar panels need to be cleaned regularly in order to produce peak energy, which includes removing any snow during the winter.

A Gas/Diesel Generator ultimately ends up being expensive when you consider the cost of transporting all the fuel and the cost of the fuel itself. When compared to the long term cost savings of other options, having a generator may seem like the quick and easy way to provide electricity, but over the longer term it is ultimately the most expensive way to get electricity.

Plus there is the issue of conservation...

The notion of conserving energy is going to be used more often when you know you have a limited supply of energy. Knowing they have a diesel generator a typical person will lose track of how much energy they are using, end up running low on fuel, and then having to go buy more when they run out. This cycle of lack of foresight and lack of conservation will lead to a person going overboard on their budget for electricity.

When a person knows they are running on wind power + battery storage, they will focus on conserving energy and avoid wastefulness. If they know they need more electricity, then adding a 2nd or 3rd wind turbine would be possible to add the necessary extra electricity. Ultimately they will end up with more electricity than they can use and the battery storage will be topped up constantly. When that happens the user will then be able to afford being a little wasteful, with little worry of ever running low on electricity.

The Luddite Response

If you are reading this and still leaning towards a diesel or gas generator, well then you are a Luddite. The type of person who hates computers and cellphones, and other forms of technology. The type of person who was against electricity lines and microwaves back when they first became popular.

The type of person who is so mentally stuck in the mud they would never live off grid anyway, because that sounds like "too much work".