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[Paul Morris]

The Ripcord has proven to be easy to set up and very FOB friendly and we have not had many problems with this rest. However I did just get an email from a guy who was making contact with forks. Turns out the rest was adjusted so the rest was at the full up position about 6-8 inches before full draw. Yikes would that cause problems!  The shop that set the rest up must have thought having the rest stay up that long would be a good thing.  He also was having issues with the cable fraying. No doubt the result of all the pressure applied to the down bus cable on the cable slide.

After hearing this, I decided to set up a new Ripcord rest (again). I just followed the instructions to a tee. The two most critical things I found was to have the attachment cord tied to the down bus cable at about a 45 degree angle to the rest when NOT drawn back (per instructions).

Also it is VERY important to make sure the cord has just the right amount of slack so at the last part of the draw, the pull cord disengages the lock up and the rest falls when you SLOWLY let the rest down. All I did was put to much slack in the pull cord at first, lock the fork in the up position and pulled the bow back to full draw and slowly let down (the rest did NOT drop). Then I took a little slack out (about 1/8 inch) and repeated this procedure until when I let down from full draw, the fork was disengaged and dropped. (again, just per instructions).

If you use the rubber peel and stick arrow guide that mounts on the riser shelf, it may need to be trimmed down a bit for clearance. Those arrow guides/holder give us the most troubles! 

The whole set up took all of 15 minutes. Plenty of clearance and shot great! Very easy rest to set up and FOB friendly.

I encourage folks to set up the rest themselves. So far with each rest I have tested, as long as you follow the instructions, everything works great.

If you have a shop set up the rest, please make sure and ask them to save the instructions, packaging and and all the spare parts. That way you can double check things.

Here are the photos of my set up. 

(click on photos to enlarge).

Regards.

[Dakota6gun]

The other issue people seem to run into with setting up drop-away rests for FOBs is tuning.  For a lot of people I've talk to about this, they are stuck on the rutt of set the knocking point using a bow square, then move your rest side-to-side and/or up-or-down to paper tune.

That is not optimal for FOB clearance.  Paper tune horizontally by moving the rest of course, but first set the rest vertically so that when it drops, it lays flat on the riser.  That maximizes clearance.  Then tune by moving your nocking point up or down as necessary.  Works like a charm.

This may seem obvious to FOBizens, but this advise has stopped a few I know from pulling their hair out.

Tim

[Paul Morris]

Good tip Tim!

So many folks are stuck with having the arrow centered at the burger hole. 

[Mainehunter]

Hey Fobnation, I just tried some fobs with my Bowtech Tomkat and Rip Cord rest.  They do not fly well at all because they are hitting my rest.  I did a contact test with my vanes and there were no marks on the rest, but the fobs hit.  My cord is served to my down bus cable, so I cant move that.  What else can I do to get these things to shoot.

[Paul Morris]

Hey Fobnation, I just tried some fobs with my Bowtech Tomkat and Rip Cord rest.  They do not fly well at all because they are hitting my rest.  I did a contact test with my vanes and there were no marks on the rest, but the fobs hit.  My cord is served to my down bus cable, so I cant move that.  What else can I do to get these things to shoot.

When you did the clearance test did it look like you had as much clearance as in my write up?

Do me a favor and pull the bow to full draw and check for string pinch with the FOB.  Then please let the bow down SLOWLEY and see how much travel before the rest starts moving down.

Last, please inspect to rubber peel and stick arrow guide as see if that is where the FOB may be hitting.

We will get to the bottom of this!

Thanks for letting us know!

[Mainehunter]

I have checked my clearance with the tester, it looks okay.  I do not use an arrow guide.  My rest lies flat on my riser.  And I do not use the capture arm.  I checked the drop of the rest from full draw, the string moves about 1/2" before the rest drops.  I have not checked for pinching at full draw. 

Should my rest be dropping sooner?

[Paul Morris]

I have checked my clearance with the tester, it looks okay.  I do not use an arrow guide.  My rest lies flat on my riser.  And I do not use the capture arm.  I checked the drop of the rest from full draw, the string moves about 1/2" before the rest drops.  I have not checked for pinching at full draw. 

Should my rest be dropping sooner?

Check for pinch first that may be the problem.

[Mainehunter]

I made a correction on my launcher cord today and the rest seemed to drop a little faster.  When I shot vanes, they were fine.  When I shot the fob I still had contact.  As an FYI, if a fob makes contact with a Rip Cord rest when shot on 10 degree day they will shatter into about 9 pieces.  Leave it to me to break the ALMOST indestructible fob!

How do you correct for string pinch?

[Paul Morris]

I made a correction on my launcher cord today and the rest seemed to drop a little faster.  When I shot vanes, they were fine.  When I shot the fob I still had contact.  As an FYI, if a fob makes contact with a Rip Cord rest when shot on 10 degree day they will shatter into about 9 pieces.  Leave it to me to break the ALMOST indestructible fob!

How do you correct for string pinch?

Humm.......That hard of hit there may be more to it than the rest (possible cam time issue causing the back of the arrow to be driven down).

First things first......Are you getting sting pinch?

If you do see any pinch, all you have to do is spread out your string loop a bit (wider) until the pinch is gone.  Then take a bit of serving to make up the difference so your nock still fits the way you like.

Keep us posted,  We will get to the bottom of this.  I have tons of folks using Ripcord and FOBs.

[Dakota6gun]

Mainehunter,

I had exactly your setup working this past fall.  Took three deer with my Tomkat, RipCord and FOBs.  It shouldn't be cam timing because the Bowtech binary cams seem self time pretty well (unless you have string length issues, but I doubt it). 

Have you paper tuned your bow?  Your nocking point may be low given the height of the ripcord (especially if you just installed it and your old rest was lower.  If possible make sure you are well tuned on paper using fletched arrows, then try FOBs again.  I'm concerned you are hitting your riser, or even the cable rod or something.  Smashing FOBs to bits like that take some serious smack. 

Also, as Paul has suggested, man the Ripcord needs to come up at the last possible moment--in the last inch of draw if possible and still come to full draw.  That's the best way, FOBs or fletch.  I've set a couple up now.  I like to use the football rather than serve the cord into the down cable.  Leave the cord long, lock up the Ripcord and do a full draw and slow letdown.  If the Ripcord lets down, let 1/8" of an inch out from the football, if it doesn't take 1/8" in.  Repeat that cycle until you find the spot where 1/8" more slack will not cause the Ripcord to fall when you let down from full draw.  Tighten the football all the way and you are good to go.  The rest will drop with maximum speed.

I had no string pinch issues with the TomKat.

Good luck and stick with it.  The end justifies the means, my friend.

[Mainehunter]

Thanks for the tips Dakota6gun, I firmly believe I will get this figured out.  I did paper tune the bow with vanes when the Rip Cord went on.  I got ahold of Rip Cord the other day and they are sending me a new cord.  I am going to start from scratch with the football.  Also glad to hear of someone else shooting a Tomkat!  I love that bow.  I cant wait to get the fobs dailed in.

[Maine Woods]

Hi All I am a friend of Maine Hunter and will see him this weekend. I am going to try to help him get his fobs flying right. I am not a bow tech so my only qualifaction is patience. Dakota6gun could you tell me what your Tomkat nock poit is measeuring up from center of axel Please.   Thank you.

[Dakota6gun]

Hi All I am a friend of Maine Hunter and will see him this weekend. I am going to try to help him get his fobs flying right. I am not a bow tech so my only qualifaction is patience. Dakota6gun could you tell me what your Tomkat nock poit is measeuring up from center of axel Please.   Thank you.

Main Hunter, Main Woods,

It will make some difference that my TomKat is an '05.  The binary cam system was put on the TomKats in '06, and I imagine the A2A changed at the same time, but I'll give you measurements.  The percentages may be helpful.

A2A = 32 7/8"
Distance from the top of the top axel to the bottom of the nock = 15 1/6"
Distance from  the bottom of the bottom axel to the bottom of the nock = 18 1/16"
The nock is set up to be above the nocked arrow

Hope this is helpful.  If you have questions, send me an email and we can exchange phone numbers.

Tim

PS.  I really liked my TomKat as well.  Hard to beat that bow for the price.  WAY lighter than my new Guardian too.  Right now I'm setting her back up with the factory sights and such to put her up for sale.  Hate to let her go, but two hunting bows is one too many 

[Maine Woods]

Thank you Dakota6gun. PM sent. Thanks to all for the help.

[Maine Woods]

Ok checking back in. I raised Me. Hunters nock point about 1/8- 1/8+ and he is ordering more because he is breaking them shooting groups : Thanks for all the help. I will soon be testing mine. I do know the shoot fine ( higher than my quick spin seed hunters) but good flight. I have wraps ordered and will do some real testing once I have all my stuff, and OK weather it is winter in Maine just give me low to mid 30s.   John