new pool ball ring

ginni · Post by **ginni** » Sat Jun 02, 2007 8:43 pm

I just finished this ring today.
I have made it in the korean style, is a little bit loose, so I wrapped it with some thin leather.
Probably after few shots I will detach the leather, because the finger will became thicker.

ginni · Post by **ginni** » Sat Jun 02, 2007 8:52 pm

Another two pics.

Tomorow I will see how it works.

Orda Khan · Post by **Orda Khan** » Sun Jun 03, 2007 12:01 am

That's a very neat job.

Bede · Post by **Bede** » Sun Jun 03, 2007 3:57 am

Ginni,
That is a good looking ring and seems well made for your thumb. Getting the proportions right is very important.

Try it out on a light bow first. Then you will be able to see any negative effects. A slower moving arrow is easy to follow in flight and you will be able to see if there are any disturbances. Just short drawing a heavy bow does not have the same effect. The shorter draw makes the arrow appear stiffer to the bow and causes other unexpected effects.

Good luck.

ginni · Post by **ginni** » Sun Jun 03, 2007 5:15 pm

Thanks Bede!

Today I have shot at 150 meters, to a small target bhutanese like (easy to wheel into a car).

The ring is going very well, I have shot a lot without any pain.
After two hours and 80-90 shots probably, I start to feel little tired, and I have had few bad shots untill I have go home.

I had the chance to see how the arrows are flying at that distance.

Anyway, this is a big improvement to my techinque, the previous copper ring was bad, now I know that. And with the sugakji ring that I have, although a good one, I just don't like how work, I feel like I not have enough control of the arrow end.

raygun · Post by **raygun** » Mon Jun 04, 2007 4:19 am

Beautiful job ginni!

Did you try different thickness in the ring and see how it affects your shots?

ginni · Post by **ginni** » Mon Jun 04, 2007 5:15 pm

I have a one that is was made from three layers of leather, one very thick and hard and two very soft.
The first was boiled for more hardness, and after all that I coated with some epoxi.
So the ring was very comfortable and the part that cover the thumb pad was thick, 6-7 mm.
The ring was not working good with the hwarang bow, I cannot take a firm lock with the thumb and after release the string often snatch my index tip.
I had the sensation that I cannot push the thumb tip on the middle finger second phalanx with enough strebght.

The new ring work very well, after a lot of shooting, even when I was tired the string have never snatch my index.

So I think a thin ring work better.

Another thing, the little groove near to the ring's hole, where the thumb is flexing, is very very useful, is helping the thumb to flex free and because the string touch the skin in that point, I have a better control.

Thank you all!

Jason DuLac · Post by **Jason DuLac** » Mon Jul 02, 2007 10:08 pm

Ginni,

I'm new here and can't seem to see the pics of your thumbring. Can't find anything to click on either. Any hints anyone?

I posted a pool ball build along on the Leatherwall.

Hope to see yours!

J.

Orda Khan · Post by **Orda Khan** » Mon Jul 02, 2007 10:14 pm

They have been removed.

ginni · Post by **ginni** » Tue Jul 03, 2007 11:45 am

Jason,

I have removed the pics, but you can see it on this link:

http://s183.photobucket.com/albums/x123/cuadrant/

But now the ring is broken...

http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/lekigrup/ ... 1721581474
http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/lekigrup/ ... 7426614162

I want make another one from cow horn.

Jason DuLac · Post by **Jason DuLac** » Tue Jul 03, 2007 9:15 pm

Ginni,

I've made several and my favorite so far is from a purple #4 pool ball. Purple! and more importantly, comfortable. You can see my whole ring building process on the 'Trad Bow' site called the 'Leaterwall'. Once there do a search for 'poolball thumbring' I might have listed it under 'pool ball thumbring'. Can't remember.

I made one from horn and it was a beautiful black. After I sanded down to fine steel wool, I used 'Brasso Brass Polish' to give it a glass like finish. Didn't know how well the Brasso would work on horn, but it was great.

I noticed that one had a lip on it to help separate the string from your thumb. How did that work for you? Do you recomend it? I haven't tried that yet.

Thanks for the great thread!

J.

Jason DuLac · Post by **Jason DuLac** » Tue Jul 03, 2007 9:20 pm

New here, so I'm not sure if this pic will post. If it does I'll post others of it as I built it.

J.

Jason DuLac · Post by **Jason DuLac** » Tue Jul 03, 2007 9:36 pm

It worked! Here's some more of the process...

For me, I find that getting that leather tab real smooth, almost paper thin under the thumb pad, then keeping it real thick for protection from the string is very important. Without that thick leather tab between my thumb and string, I develop a cyst of sorts on the tendon that runs on the inside of my thumb. This is why I asked about that 'lip' that you had incorporated into yours and if it offered any extra protection from the string?

The other ring is of purple heart wood (aka amaranth). I've made several with this wood and a few have broken, but if you get the wood grain perpendicular to the bowstring, it is stronger. The poolball ring looks blue in the pics but is actually purple.

Oh yeh. I know this may sound lame, but I just can't help myself!

'THUMBS UP FOR THUMBRINGS!!!'

J.

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Bede · Post by **Bede** » Tue Jul 03, 2007 11:01 pm

The blue ring is very like some Turkish rings I own. If you are getting pressure at the base of the ring on your thumb, then the thumb is turning too far around the string. By that I mean you are probably turning you wrist in the horizontal plane away from your face. This causes the string to slide up against the tendons on the underside of the proximal phalanx of the thumb.

Jason DuLac · Post by **Jason DuLac** » Tue Jul 03, 2007 11:15 pm

THANKS Bede!

I know exactly what you're talking about (I think). Your advice just made me look at my wrist at full draw. Even when my wrist is as relaxed as possible, the force of the string pulls my hand toward my ulna/little finger side, so that my wrist is bent below my little finger, but straight at my thumb/radial bone. Is this a 'normal' position?

If I understand you correctly, I should just keep my wrist as relaxed as possible to prevent added flexion toward my little finger side, right?

Thanks again!

J.