I have a recurve I want to set up for bowfishing. I've seen the price of the "gadget" adapters for recurves and longbows.
How hard is it to install a stabilizer insert, i figure it's not hard to do but how do i know the right position/placement on the bow?
thanks for any help.
It is not that hard to do. Frank Scott of Bear Archery fame gave me an insert to convert an old beater of a Pearson bow when I was a kid in college at UF. It was not that big of a deal...but nothing is when you are working with a $35 bow to begin with!
Another option would be side mount quiver bushings. These are cheap and easy to install. I even did a set without the aid of a drill press but I don't recommend it. I don't know how easy the front mount bushing is but it can't be too terribly difficult. I just like having my reel on the side of the bow. By the way, they do make side mounts for spincast reels such as a Zebco if you don't want to use an AMS.
I have an AMS reel on one of my longbows using the 3 Rivers mount and it works great.
Jr.
just worried about placement so I don't screw up the bow....any help?
I made a padded handle for the reel so I can hold both at the same time. when pulling in a fish I put the over my head, so I'm hands free. It works like a charm! Mike
They're very easy to install, although I'd highly suggest using a drill press.
make sure you mount it low enough that you can still get a comfortable grip when there's a reel attached to it.
Drill press is nice, but not required. I did one recently without one and it works great, but afterwards I thought how much easier it would have been with a drill press.
I installed it in an old Ben Pearson fiberglass Pinto.
Make sure that you put it low, as mentioned earlier, but still in the beefy part of the riser. I would worry that the riser might crack from stress if I put it too low. I will see if I can come up with another picture that shows it better.
http://s108.photobucket.com/albums/n24/gw_hunter/bow_fishing/?action=view¤t=IMG_0647.jpg
I did on an old bear bow too..just put masking tape over the white plastic and used a small bit to start and then a larger foster style to make the real hole..used a very cheap drill press.
Used "Brownell's Glass Bedding" to epoxy in the bushing as that stuff will last till the end of time! Now I wish I'd have done smaller inserts into the side of the riser for the AMS side mount unit.