How to Make a Bowstring : Page 387

Grasp the threads at E—which is the middle of the skein—lift the skein from the board and hang it on the left nailthat is in the joist. Make another set of strands exactly thesame way and hang this set on the middle nail. Make a thirdset and hang on the right nail.

Grasp one of these skeins 12 inches from the end-measure it—and wax well; do the same with the other twosets. You will note that the ends of these skeins taper to apoint; each thread is .4 inch shorter than the one next to it.

Arrange the ends of the three waxed points so that they aretogether and exactly even. Measure from the end of thepoints back a distance of 71/2 inches and mark with the thumbnail. Fold a piece of heavy paper over the 30 threads whichis now the major skein, slide it up to the 71/2 inches mark andhold this position. Put this in the vise so that the 71//2 inchesmark is even with the jaws. Fig. 43.