Esquire's target butt

[Lane Puckett]

I saw Esquire's target butt on the score board shoot scores page

http://tradtalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=257

and while I understand how you guys are getting the foam compressed is there a cheap/free source for the foam packing material????

We used to use cardboard but the foam looks like the cat's meow.

Since I have a range in my backyard and like to shoot broad heads I've used a sand pit for years but it doesn't transport real well.

Thanks,
Lane

[Esquire]

Lane,

I saw the title to this thread and thought I was under a personal attack! http://tradtalk.com/forums/images/icons/icon10.gif Ain't no target painted there, I thought to myself...them's fighting words!!!

Then I realized where you were headed with the thread.

The foam is awesome, someone gave me this target but I'd love to find an inexpensive source myself.

This morning I shot a little and noticed the banding is getting loose. I need to recompress it so it doesn't slide apart. I'll probably wrap a ratchet strap around it for now, then work on a more permanent fix.

Mike

[Eaglearcher]

Layered foam butts are quite common over here in the UK.
They are awesome. I have had one in my back yard for about seven or eight years now and its still holding arrows, even the ones i shoot out of my compound.
Most Field Archery clubs use them now and they can last a couple of years or more on a Field course.
a 3 foot square butt can cost about £60 ($100 approx) but they do last.

[George Tsoukalas]

LOL.
Jawge

[Lane Puckett]

Whoa Esquire I didn't intend it to be like that. However when I re-read it and put myself in your shoes it was pretty funny, thankfully you have a sense of humor.

As soon as I find a source for the material the way to get the stuff compressed is how we did cardboard.

Take two 2x6's and threaded rod. Use the threaded rod to tighten and compress the whole setup. Works good on cardboard so I'm sure it will work with foam.

Lane

[Esquire]

Yeah, that's what I was thinking about making. A couple of threaded rod compressor frames. In the mean time the ratchett strap did a great job of tightening it up.

[Eaglearcher]

Best way to compress the layered foam butts is to make up a steel frame or find two immovable objects (trees are good) that are about 12 inches further apart than the butt. Lay the straps around the butt ready to tighten them and then put a car jack between the butt and the frame/object and then open up the jack. This way the foam is compressed directly and you can get a Ton or so of pressure built up. Once the butt is compressed just tighten up the straps. Safety tip:- Stand well back when you release the jack, just in case the straps give way.
Once the butt gets a bit shot out. Just take it apart and put the outside layers in the centre of the butt and the shot out layers on the outside.
This can almost double the life of the butt.