Archery Business: Jul/Aug 2010
32 archeryBUSINESS July/August 2010 EXPERT TUNING TIPS He adds that a spooked deer will be the least of the customer's problems if you don't tighten loose limb-pocket screws. Even minor limb travel inside the pocket can cause wear, \037 rst marring the paint \037 nish, and then eventually bruising and cracking the limbs. Villa said this is also a good time to check and grease the bow's limb pockets and pivots. He said some manufacturers diligently grease their limb pivots and others don't. Either way, he recommends using marine grease, which won't break down in rain or snow. On used bows, be sure to clean the pocket and pivots to remove grit, bark, leaves, pine needles, small stones and other debris before reapplying grease. The last items to inspect are the bow's axles. After removing them, look for rust and roll them around on the table to ensure they're straight. Steel wool removes most rust. Inspect wheels and cams for wear or damage, whether they're new or old. "Guys will say, it's straight from the factory so it must be OK, but they don't realize mis- takes happen there too," Villa said. "We've seen warped cams from the factory. We had one idler wheel that was machined crooked. One of its sides had a razor-thin edge and the other side was really thick. We've also seen where bearings or bushings got pressed crooked into a wheel. That really affects things! This is why we break everything down. You can't see every possible problem when the bow is fully assembled."REPAIRS & REASSEMBLYIf this thorough inspection reveals a cracked limb, bent axle, frayed string or cable, or other serious issues, Tao's Archery Services doesn't BOWHUNTERS: DON'T OVERLOOK SIGHT LEVELINGIn addition to being an IBO and ASA world champion, Utah's Tim Gillingham is also an accomplished bowhunter. That familiarity and expertise in both arenas helped Gillingham recognize an irony most shooters overlook: Even though target archers shoot in more controlled settings, they're more aware than bow- hunters of keeping their sights level. In contrast, bowhunters often pay little attention to sight-leveling, even though they're more prone to problems because of their bows and the conditions they shoot in. "I probably never noticed that difference until recently because target bows don't change much from static to full draw," Gillingham said during his seminar at the January 2010 ATA Trade Show in Columbus, Ohio. "They have a real stiff limb system, they have a big brace height, and the sight bubble doesn't move much. In day-to-day shooting, it didn't affect me much. "But in hunting bows, where guys deal with 80 percent letoffs, 6-inch brace heights, 30-inch axle-to-axle bows, and varying shot angles, their bows are much more susceptible to torque and shifting. If their sight is a bit off level, even a little cant will throw off their impact point several inches downrange." That awareness helped inspire Gillingham to develop a sight-leveling tool called the Easy Third Axis Level, by HAMSKEA Archery Solutions (www.hamskeaarchery.com). The device helps all archers adjust their sight on its \037 rst, second or third axis for maximum accuracy at any angle and distance. Without these axes adjusted correctly, impact points will vary depending on range and shooting angles. The Easy Third Axis Level mounts to the riser's sight window on hunting sights and the target sight's vertical sight bar with a non-marring thumb screw. It comes with instructions for both types of sights. Because of its small size, it can also be used to quickly check or con\037 rm a sight's level setting in the \037 eld. "Hunters are the ones who really need to pay attention to the sight's third axis and make sure their bows are level," Gillingham said. "The farther you shoot, the more critical it becomes." Patrick Durkin 026-034_AB10JUL-tuningtips.indd 32 6/8/10 10:15:51 AM
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