Palm Rest on Apex!

[vaguru]

Doesn't this look GREAT! I think so. Haven't shot with it yet, but feels super. Thanks to my friend Gary for all his help with this project. I think it's a winner! I also added a hooked butt!

I MIGHT be done with mods now.

[lscha]

Wow! That is cool! You need to take a pic of you shooting it.

[bdog]

Sure looks like it will get the job done,is there no limit what can be done to the bows,or is there different classes of bows ?

[Normous]

That is a solid addition to enhance your target shooting position. I have always wondered what one like that will look like and now I do.

[vixenmaster]

AH Ha! T-Hole stock another one of these here modifying ppl,

[vaguru]

bdog,

Depends on what organization you plan to shoot. For indoor, I have looked at the rules for NAA and NFAA. There are limits, but both allow palm rests, hooked butts. I have been making and experimenting with different rear peep apertures, front globes and inserts. I have made 5 sizes for the front as well as a crosshair. I'm still looking for that magic setup that will allow me to SEE the target. No magnification is allowed, darn!

I have never shot with a palm rest before last week. I fabbed one up out of wood to try and evaluate. I din't want to modify the stock, but the rest was just too good to go without!

This final? machined version is of my design, and there may need to be a slight improvement. It is adjustable whereas the prototype wasn't. I'm hoping this will allow me to find a few more centers. The one league 5 spot I shot with the prototype, while experimenting with some other mods I scored 300-53X. I know not bad, but there were 7 shots that failed to find the X ring.

Even if it doesn't help my score, old eyes, it sure does look neat!

smoke,

yeah, I'm a modder! I'm considering going to MA, Modders Anonymous. Nah, what was I thinking!

I'm having WAY TO MUCH FUN with this bow! I have no handicap in the league, haven't dropped a point yet. It may come that I do, but it is up to me, the bow is super accurate.

[Wide8pt]

That is truely an awsome bow. Lots of time and work put into it something to be proud of.
I didn't see the remote control though?

[vaguru]

wide8,

I do have one, just can show it yet! There are 2 stick on sensors that attach to your temples. The wires then connect to the trigger mechanism. When your brain says everything looks right, the arrow is released. It is proprietory at this time, and if I showed it to you well......you the the rest! Unfortunately, due to the electronic components it is not legal for competition, no electric/electronic triggers allowed!

Thought Activated Trigger 002.jpg (102.04 KiB) Viewed 4130 times

I'm also working on a vision sighting system, similar to what is used on helo gunships, but rules state no objects in lenses allowed that help in aiming.

Visual sighting system 001.jpg (97.99 KiB) Viewed 4130 times

There are a few glitches that have to be worked out yet with both systems. When things look right, the arrow is gone. Have to be SURE you are looking where you want the arrow to go! Really glad I put the 5 Spot pic in the program, who knows where that arrow would have gone!

Can't remember how to count to 5! 1.jpg (66.63 KiB) Viewed 4130 times

[saxman]

Way cool looking.
I want one of the comb raisers on mine.

[pdislow]

One certainly can't argue with that kind of results on the target!

[awshucks]

Nice tweaks! I'm betting the palm rest ups the scores noticeably.

[Wide8pt]

I had no idea that a person could make such a target bow. Kind of wish I hadn't seen it now cause I love to shoot and tinker, looks like it may be hard on the pocket book though? Any thing that keeps the bow in your hand for the whole year would be worth it though. Congrats on your mod.

[vaguru]

Well, it's not really that costly. I bought the bow from Danny after I told him just what I was looking for. I built the STS before it arrived, and the weight tube also. I initially shot with a back up target scope I use for 3D (never had to use it though).

To be legal for NAA and NFAA, as well as others, I built a proto type sight mount for the SureLoc sight. The sight was boxed since I no longer was able to shoot a vertical. The prototype mount was rethought and I fabbed the one on there now with nothing more than a drill press, hacksaw and file. Had a chunk of aluminum laying around.

The front globe was made on the drill press from a lenght of 1/2" aluminum round stock that was also laying around. I made inserts for the globe out of 2512 front inserts I bought, for 25 cents each. Saved much filing. I have now made 9 inserts for the globe including numerous different sized apertures, a cross hair, a post and a center drilled lens (zero power) for fiber optic.

The rear peep is one of the older Excalibur rear peeps that have a metal screw in peep housing. It is fitted into a piece of 1" Delrin (found that laying around too) and mounted in a Weaver ring. I have rear peep apertures as well, nothing more than center drilled set screws I bought for 30 cents each. These screw into the Delrin from the front side of the ring and change easily for differing light conditions.

The level is one I bought from Lowes, it has 2 small levels in a housing used to level A/C units, pool tables, stoves, etc. Cost was $3.50 if I remember correctly. After trying it mounted in numerous places, I finalized on the rear under peep location. Small piece of SS 1/16" stock mounts using the Weaver ring crossbolt. Level attached with ferrule hot melt.

The adjustable comb was fabbed out of wood, just like the one I put on my 3D rig last season. I'm going to make a mold for these parts and cast them from some sort of plastic, probably polyester, or epoxy. It may end up being a filled resin. My goal here is to have something more durable than wood, as I plan to have the stock and non anodized parts film dipped in some outrageous color/design.

The hooked butt was easy, nothing more than a length of 1/8" x 3/4" aluminum flat stock.

Now the palm rest. I made a prototype out of wood and taped it to the stock to try. I had never shot a palm rest before. Worked so well I decided to go forward with the real thing. Up to this point, no mods were made to the bow that could not be returned to original. This mod required drilling mounting holes in the stock, a benefit I thought well worthwhile. The reason being the stocks reinforcing structure inside was not large enough to suit me, for strength and durability.

I contacted a friend of mine that is a machinist. We discussed my plans, made some revisions for ease of manufacture. He offered to build the rest for me. I told him I didn't want to cause him extra work, but he reminded me of favors I had done for him in the past. Mentioned something about me being "bull headed" not wanting him to build it. I bought some hardware, and away we/he went. The rail was a scrap piece from some other project and was available. All other material except the knobs were short "scrap".

A few days later he called, told me it was done. You have seen the results.

All told, due to my friend, my ability from skills that I learned to teach(my friend also teaches)I have less than $50 invested over the cost of the bow. Now if you had nothing, needed to buy all the goodies, the total for this rig as sits would be near $1000, if you could get someone to make the parts needed not available. The film dip is not included, as it has not been done at this time. I'm guessing this will be around $150, to start!

BTW, my friend will make the palm rest for anyone interested. The globe and inserts, rear peep parts as well. We will need to redesign the globe a bit to make it use readily available inserts. I'm working on that now. You can contact me for pricing and availability.

So there you have it. I have about 4 weeks of tinkering with making things, and then shooting to test them out to see what works best, for me. I'm planning on shooting the NAA National Indoor and The NFAA National Indoor Championships this year. I still have lots of work to do, then get up to speed in order to be competitve.

I LOVE this stuff!