Alien X, grip and gap at a join

[duffy]

Hello

i have just received my alien x and what a good looking bow.

A couple of questions though

if you have the alien x, have you got used to the grip, or still dislike it?
i am unsure at this stage, firstly i havent shot with it so cannot judge it properly yet it feels a bit odd in my hand as i am used to the softer grip of the firecat pro-x, if you havent liked it what have you done to rectify that, make your own or replace it if you can?

seondly on the riser (imagine you are holding it in left hand upright) where the two pieces of riser join near the top, they are a triangle sort of shape, as you move the riser aound you can see there is a tiny gap between the join ie you catch a little bit of light through it as you move it around, should i worry about this, i ask as all the other compounds i have owned the joins in the riser there has been no gap.

i would have thought they could have put a bit more money into putting vibration dampners into the bow rather than the one you can push in and out with your fingers have people shot the bow without that piece of rubber.

and to finish it off inside the grip one of the holes they didnt finish painting it camo.

any ideas and help would be appreciated

[Spiker]

Hello

i have just received my alien x and what a good looking bow.

A couple of questions though

if you have the alien x, have you got used to the grip, or still dislike it?
i am unsure at this stage, firstly i havent shot with it so cannot judge it properly yet it feels a bit odd in my hand as i am used to the softer grip of the firecat pro-x, if you havent liked it what have you done to rectify that, make your own or replace it if you can?

seondly on the riser (imagine you are holding it in left hand upright) where the two pieces of riser join near the top, they are a triangle sort of shape, as you move the riser aound you can see there is a tiny gap between the join ie you catch a little bit of light through it as you move it around, should i worry about this, i ask as all the other compounds i have owned the joins in the riser there has been no gap.

i would have thought they could have put a bit more money into putting vibration dampners into the bow rather than the one you can push in and out with your fingers have people shot the bow without that piece of rubber.

and to finish it off inside the grip one of the holes they didnt finish painting it camo.

any ideas and help would be appreciated

I like the grip on my AX. I have a Firecat also but took the rubber grip off it right from the start and put the wood sideplates on it. When you shoot your hand doesnt touch the side plates anyway. You can change the grip on it but it is really hard to get the factory ones off in one piece.

I would not worry about the joint in the riser at all. The camo dipped bows tend to look like there is a gap there because the dip has a hard time filling in that sharp angle. That joint is together and is not going to come apart.
A small brush and dab of flat paint would fix inside the grip if the dip didnt get into a spot...

If your V.E.M. is too loose just put a bit of silicone on it and push it back in.
Dont know why you would want to shoot without it - it serves to kill the vibration in the riser at the shot.

I have an AX, a Firecat, a Nemesis plus 5 older Martins and 2 other brands. The Alien X is by far the most fun bow to shoot.
(It's also the fastest)

[duffy]

I like the grip on my AX. I have a Firecat also but took the rubber grip off it right from the start and put the wood sideplates on it. When you shoot your hand doesnt touch the side plates anyway. You can change the grip on it but it is really hard to get the factory ones off in one piece.

I would not worry about the joint in the riser at all. The camo dipped bows tend to look like there is a gap there because the dip has a hard time filling in that sharp angle. That joint is together and is not going to come apart.
A small brush and dab of flat paint would fix inside the grip if the dip didnt get into a spot...

If your V.E.M. is too loose just put a bit of silicone on it and push it back in.
Dont know why you would want to shoot without it - it serves to kill the vibration in the riser at the shot.

I have an AX, a Firecat, a Nemesis plus 5 older Martins and 2 other brands. The Alien X is by far the most fun bow to shoot.
(It's also the fastest)

i think i am being a bit cautious, i bought a 2nd hand compound from someone in my club for £75 an old hoyt for 3d end of 09, ive then have been borrowig a friends martin cheetah for the past month and liked using it, so i recently put an order in for a firecat pro-x and the alien-x (i havent shot either bow) i bought the firecat as had seen my friend using it, and the alien x because of all the reviews i had read and of course of how good it looks. i do shoots in the uk (south east) and i havent seen anyone else shooting an alien. i am leaving the dampner in i was just surprised i could take it out so easy rather than it being firmly in place like the balls on the firecat, and i was used to the grip from the cheetah, i shoot bowhunter so tend to hold on to the handle rather than let it rest in the hand. i can slide a piece of paper into the gap with ease and can get 2 pieces of paper in as well but it doesnt fall out - im just thinking its a small gap but the pressure on these bows etc.

thanks for your help

[alex]

i think i am being a bit cautious, i bought a 2nd hand compound from someone in my club for £75 an old hoyt for 3d end of 09, ive then have been borrowig a friends martin cheetah for the past month and liked using it, so i recently put an order in for a firecat pro-x and the alien-x (i havent shot either bow) i bought the firecat as had seen my friend using it, and the alien x because of all the reviews i had read and of course of how good it looks. i do shoots in the uk (south east) and i havent seen anyone else shooting an alien. i am leaving the dampner in i was just surprised i could take it out so easy rather than it being firmly in place like the balls on the firecat, and i was used to the grip from the cheetah, i shoot bowhunter so tend to hold on to the handle rather than let it rest in the hand. i can slide a piece of paper into the gap with ease and can get 2 pieces of paper in as well but it doesnt fall out - im just thinking its a small gap but the pressure on these bows etc.

thanks for your help

This doesn't sound right to me. You'd better go to your dealer or to an archery pro-shop. I can't understand exactly where the gap is, but i guess it shouldn't be there Can you put some pictures here first?

[bfisher]

This doesn't sound right to me. You'd better go to your dealer or to an archery pro-shop. I can't understand exactly where the gap is, but i guess it shouldn't be there Can you put some pictures here first?

I would like to see some pictures of the gap in the riser, too. Alex is right. There should not be as much gap as you are describing. In fact, although you can usually see where the parting line is in the modular risers there should be no gap whatsoever. Furthermore, I've yet to see one with a gap in it. Something ain't right. Take it to a dealer for a look-see.

As for the grip on the FireCat? Personally I despise rubber grips. To each his own, but IMO the smaller the grip the better. That's why I always order my bows with the Thermal Elite grip or change to one. Rubber grips are one of the first things I get rid of. Here again, I don't grip a bow--no need to.

As for missing paint in the cutouts? Martin does not paint the bows. The have them film dipped by another company. True, they might or should do a better job inspecting them or if they do then yours may have been one that slipped through the cracks. There isn't much else I can say except that this would be a warranty issue also and should be handled through a dealer.

[ezbite]

i didnt like the my alien X's wood grip, so i removed it and installed the rubber vem grip i ordered from martin, im much happier now. cost $30 and i used the installation thread at the top of the forum, couple clamps, crazy glue and wala

[Spiker]

I gotta agree with Barry - if you can actually slip a piece of paper between the riser parts - It is not right. Better take it to the shop.

[duffy]

I would like to see some pictures of the gap in the riser, too. Alex is right. There should not be as much gap as you are describing. In fact, although you can usually see where the parting line is in the modular risers there should be no gap whatsoever. Furthermore, I've yet to see one with a gap in it. Something ain't right. Take it to a dealer for a look-see.

As for the grip on the FireCat? Personally I despise rubber grips. To each his own, but IMO the smaller the grip the better. That's why I always order my bows with the Thermal Elite grip or change to one. Rubber grips are one of the first things I get rid of. Here again, I don't grip a bow--no need to.

As for missing paint in the cutouts? Martin does not paint the bows. The have them film dipped by another company. True, they might or should do a better job inspecting them or if they do then yours may have been one that slipped through the cracks. There isn't much else I can say except that this would be a warranty issue also and should be handled through a dealer.

im not very good with computers so canot put pics up, see the pic that ezbite has put on, see in the riser near the top, the green, where the riser makes a triangle. on the other side of this where it joins it is where the gap is thats the best i can explain it, maybe ezbite could show a picture of that area of the riser (please)!!

ezbite how did you remove the wooden grip, withot damaging the riser or making marks?

am due to talk with the place i bought it on monday to ask for a replacement or refund.

also another question, is it easy to get the cams in time, im new to compounds and thought the cams were similar to the ones on the firecat, but i have been told they or not and you need to keep them in time, is it easy to do this or do i take it to a shop, and how long do they keep in time? do they go out of time when you change the poundage etc? or if i get a replacement do i ask for the tranz cam as it will be easier to set up and not have to worry.

thanks for all the replies and help

[alex]

Well , if i've understand correctly the spot - No there should not be a gap! Go back to your dealer.

[Spiker]

Here is a couple pics of mine but it is powdercoated not dipped.
If there is really a gap between the riser parts you need to get it replaced.
Take it to your dealer for a good inspection.