This homemade, three-post, one-arm endless bowstring jig (for recurve) has gone through

many alterations in an attempt to reduce bending and increase practicality. It will make a
string up to 70” and has a post height clearance of 115mm (more than enough room for a
Beiter winder).

These instructions have been written for my own records but also to share the knowledge I
have gained over three months of tinkering, getting the jig to what it is today. Use them at
your own discretion and, dare I say, risk.

PARTS LIST

Qty Part Size From Part no:

1 Slotted steel 41mm x City Electrical 0024-4600
channel (e.g. 21mm. Factors
Unistrut) 2.5mm thick. (www.cefonline.
3m (118”) co.uk)
long.

3 Square bracket 10mm hole. City Electrical 0024-4237

40mm x Factors
40mm. (www.cefonline.
co.uk)

2 Flat coupling 2 hole City Electrical 0024-4240

plate Factors
(www.cefonline.
co.uk)

4 Non spring M10 TLC Direct UV NS10

channel nut (www.tlc- (or UV
direct.co.uk) SS10 and
remove
spring)

1 Wing knob M10 female Components KN0014

brass insert Direct
(www.comdir.co
.uk)

© 2010 Justin Ross Page 1 of 8

4 Studding M10 x 30mm Wickes 156645
connector (www.wickes.co.
uk)

5 Flat washer M10 Hardware store -

3 Repair washer M10 Hardware store -

1 Wing nut M10 Hardware store -

1 Cap nut M10 Hardware store -

1 Hex nut M10 Hardware store -

1 Hex nyloc nut M10 Hardware store -

© 2010 Justin Ross Page 2 of 8

2 Hex nyloc nut M5 Hardware store -

2 Machine screw M5 x 10mm Hardware store -

2 Hex bolt M10 x 30mm Hardware store -

3 Hex bolt M10 x 60mm Hardware store -

3 Rawplug M10 x 130mm Hardware store -

Throughbolt (R- (includes nut
SPT) and washer)

Note: If you can’t buy bolts to exact length, buy the next size up and cut down. You may
have to cut some bolt heads down by half for clearance inside the steel channel.

© 2010 Justin Ross Page 3 of 8

CUTTING, DRILLING AND WELDING (or riveting/glueing)
When measuring and cutting the slotted steel channel, take into account that the drill holes
needed for the ‘pivot arm’ and ‘feet’ should be through solid parts of the base.
Don’t use slots as the bolt holes.

Cut the slotted steel channel into four pieces:

58.5" (main channel)

27" (pivot arm – ensure its centre at 13.5” is solid, i.e. not a slot)
14" (foot – ensure its centre at 7” is solid, i.e. not a slot)
14" (foot – ensure its centre at 7” is solid, i.e. not a slot)

At least 7” in from both ends of the ‘main channel’ drill a hole

suitable for an M5 machine screw.

At the centre of each ‘foot’ (7”) drill a hole suitable for an M5

machine screw.

At the centre of the ‘pivot arm’ (13.5”) drill a hole suitable for an
M10 hex bolt.

This part isn’t essential but reduces the tendency for the
'pivot arm' to lift toward the end post. Weld a flat
coupling plate to the bottom of the ‘pivot arm’ so that
one hole is directly under the central drill hole of the
‘pivot arm’. The other half of the flat coupling plate
should protrude at a right angle to the ‘pivot arm’. This
flat coupling plate could be affixed in other ways, e.g.
small bolts, rivets or glue. Note: If small bolts are used
to affix the flat coupling plate to the 'pivot arm', don’t
let them foul the 'main channel' or the 'pivot arm' won’t
sit flat.

Use a flat screwdriver to open up and remove the metal sleeves from the
throughbolts.

© 2010 Justin Ross Page 4 of 8

ASSEMBLY

© 2010 Justin Ross Page 5 of 8

End post

Screw an M10 x 60mm hex bolt into a channel nut and do

up tightly. Slide into one end of the ‘main channel’ and put
a square bracket onto the bolt followed by an M10 flat
washer and studding connector. Tighten up firmly. Screw
on a second studding connector and tighten up firmly.
Finally, screw in a throughbolt with its washer and nut
included. Tighten up.

Pivot arm post 1

Screw an M10 x 30mm hex bolt into a channel nut and do

up tightly. Slide into one end of the ‘pivot arm’ and put a
square bracket onto the bolt followed by an M10 flat
washer and studding connector. Screw in a throughbolt
with its washer and nut included. You’ll need to move
this post so don’t tighten hard.

© 2010 Justin Ross Page 6 of 8

Pivot arm post 2 and tying off point

Screw an M10 x 30mm hex bolt into a channel nut and do

up tightly. Slide into the other end of the ‘pivot arm’ and
put a flat coupling plate onto the bolt with one half over
the ‘pivot arm’, the other half off the end. Put an M10 flat
washer onto the bolt followed by a studding connector.
Screw in a throughbolt with its washer and nut included.
You’ll need to move this post so don’t tighten hard.

Put a repair washer on an M10 x 60mm hex bolt and place

up through the overhanging second hole of the flat
coupling plate. Put a repair washer onto the bolt and
tighten in place with an M10 hex nut. Screw an M10 wing
nut upside down onto this bolt, followed by two M10 flat
washers. Screw an M10 cap nut onto the end of the bolt
to finish the tying off post.

Pivot arm

Screw an M10 x 60mm hex bolt into a channel nut and do up tightly. Slide into the ‘main
channel’ and put the ‘pivot arm’ onto this bolt. Screw on an M10 hex nyloc nut for enough
for the ‘pivot arm’ to be rotated and slide along the ‘main channel’ without the channel nut
coming free. Place a square bracket followed by a repair washer, onto the bolt, and screw
on the wing knob. This is what locks the ‘pivot arm’ in place.

Measure outward from the central bolt or wing knob of the ‘pivot arm’ to each ‘pivot arm’
post. Make the distance equal on both sides and tighten down the posts’ studding
connectors and nuts.

© 2010 Justin Ross Page 7 of 8

Feet

Put an M5 machine screw down through one of the M5 machine screw holes in the ‘main
channel’. Take one of the ‘feet’ and tighten in place with an M5 hex nyloc nut so that its
base is against the base of the ‘main channel’. The ‘foot’ should rotate when moved by
hand. Repeat at the other end of the ‘main channel’ with the other ‘foot’. The ‘feet’ can be
rotated in-line with the 'main channel' for easier storage.

The jig is now complete and you’re ready to start building bowstrings.

© 2010 Justin Ross Page 8 of 8