Once upon a time I was 100% self-sufficient for bow work, arrows, string making, tuning etc. After a spell I worked in a local shop as the bow tech
Now, with bows that got shorter and limbs more towards parallel, my bow press is useless, after market string makers popped up to make it less cost effective for me to make strings due to the quality I suddenly could get (making a set of strings/cables takes about an hour or so).
I still have the fletching jig and used to spend many weekends fletching, for family, friends and eventually the shop. Now, we are down to 2 archers and we don't lose arrows as much. I can still fletch and do it to repair damaged fletch, but given time it wasn't cost effective for me.
If you are doing it for pleasure, it can be rewarding!
Lancaster is a GREAT resource, the folks that answer the phone know what they are talking about. Tell them what you want.
The bow press will be the biggest investment. But it also lets you do TONS of things.
Other stuff:
- fletching jib (I have a Jo-Jan 6 arrow)
- serving jig (and several different materials)
- arrow cut saw
- arrow square (vital with todays inserts)
Learn how to tune, there's tons of ways, I've pretty much backed off to focussing on broadhead turning. I haven't paper tuned a bow in years as that's just a starting point. I eyeball the setup, sight in at 20 with field points, then broad head tune back to 50.
