Spine Testing & Nock Indexing

[califhuntn]

How many of you use a spine tester to find the stiff side of your shaft. Do any of you index your nocks so that your arrows all shoot the same. For those that do is the correct way to use an un-fletched shaft. Once you determine the stiff side of the shaft is that the side where you place the ##### vane.

JR

 

[swbuckmaster]

I just shoot mine through paper bare shaft at 3-5 yards and get a bullet hole with one arrow.

Put that arrow down and start shooting the rest one at a time.

If it gets a tear you can twist the nock until it will get a bullet hole.

This is a good way to make sure all your arrows are flying out of your bow flexing the same way.

I then fletch them up. Ive never had a problem with any of my broadheads!

The harder you work the luckier you get!!

 

[califhuntn]

Thanks swbuckmaster.

 

[BigPig]

Good suggestion above. I will also add that if you buy better quality arrows, this becomes less of an issue.

 

[swbuckmaster]

Spine is only how far that arrow will flex with a weight suspended below it. So a consistent spine is important and high quality arrows will have a more consistent spine.

However all arrows have a dynamic spine. This means when put under load an arrow wants to flex a certain way. If you find the sweat spot that allows all your arrows to flex the same way out of your bow it will tighten your groups.

BP is correct in that quality arrows will improve your groups anyways but you can still tighten the quality arrows up by doing what I suggested above.

It would be cool to see if when you do your spine test and find the stiff side and mark it some how then do the bare shaft test to see if the mark you put on the arrow always comes out either up or down in our out. Then you will know you can save some time shooting all your arrows through paper.. ive just never done it that way.

Also if you shoot a few 3d shoots and have someone impact your arrows you will notice you can you get a flier if that arrow is numbered. I cant tell you how often I have found a flier arrow and have either had to retune it or just throw it out. This is one of the major reasons I have practice arrows and tournament arrows. I also never shoot at the same dot. I just don't want to waste a lot of time tuning my arrows to my bow to have someone or myself impact my arrow rendering it suspect so to speak.

I have also seen guys try to do what I do to my arrows and it never works for them. I think it is because they are not consistent enough between shots. The hooter shooter is a great machine for tuning arrows. If you do some research on the spot hog web page you might find the article on tuning your arrows.

The harder you work the luckier you get!!

 

[WapitiBob]

Sounds like BuckMaster has been talkin to the Hammer...

 

[swbuckmaster]

LOL I was actually hunting on Thursday with Tim. I watched him do this to his arrows on a hooter shooter several years ago. I didnt have a hooter shooter to try it with so I started doing it with paper on my own. I dont know if I was the first guy to do it this way but I do know I never learned it from anyone. I however have since seen several people doing it and have even read it in a hunting mag once.

It will work if you are a consistent shooter and are shooting proper spined arrows. I haven't been able to get it to work with my spot logs but my spot logs always seem to find the 10 ring.

The harder you work the luckier you get!!

 

[califhuntn]

swbuckmaster I took your advice. I got the first 3 bare shafts to shoot bullet holes but have been pulling my hair out with the 4th. I made slight turns with my nock until I rotated it 360 and still tearing left. I even switched nocks out and still. After about over 30 shots with just that one arrow I figured it might be me. Maybe I just getting tired. It is hard to tell if my form is consistent. A hooter shooter would be great. I will give it another try in the morning.

I have another question for you if I may. Once you have all your bare shafts shooting bullet holes and you glue your vanes on, do your broadheads line up with the vanes or does it matter at that point. I always heard it was important to get them to line up. I would even screw the BH on first then glue my vanes to line up and never considered the nock.

JR

 

[swbuckmaster]

LAST EDITED ON Nov-21-10 AT 06:17PM (MST)[p]sometimes I do find a shaft that just wont bullet hole like the other arrows. This is why it is important to get good shafts like BP said..

If I do find an arrow that wont bullet hole I mark it and use it on a close target where I wont care if someone caves in the side.

I have never bothered making the blades line up with the vanes. I think that is a wise tale. The fixed blades I shoot have never had a problem out to 60 yards if I have gone through all the work explained above.

I have had a shaft where I did go through the process above and accidentally fletched it 180 degrees off and that arrow will hit in the same place with its self BUT it will not group with the rest of my arrows at 60 yards it can be off as much as 4" at that distance. 4" to me is unacceptable!

here is a video clip of my 50 yard group with fixed blade heads and field tips. I will shoot a broadhead first then a shoot a field tip. I hate to re fletch arrows and the broad heads tear everything up

http://s109.photobucket.com/albums/n72/swbuckmaster/?action=view&current=0817071326.mp4

The harder you work the luckier you get!!

 

[califhuntn]

Thanks again for the information. As far as shafts go I'm shooting Easton FMJ's so I think I am using good shafts. Those groups at 50 are pretty darn good. I like the pack goats. Do you use them often in the backcountry.

JR

 

[swbuckmaster]

I use the goats mostly in the winter when you need to pack more weight. I also use them when I take my kids back packing with me. I can pack my gear on my back and the kids crap on the goats.

The harder you work the luckier you get!!

 

[califhuntn]

Hey swbuckmaster I have another question related to bare shaft testing if you don't mind. If my bare shafts are consistently tearing left even after I have rotated my nocks 360 degrees do I have a weak spine issue. I have checked the charts I am 99% sure I am shooting the right arrow.

I have shot the fletched arrows and got a near perfect bullet hole but when I shoot bare shaft it tears left. This is at a distance of 3-5 yards. I shot a bare shaft at 20 yards to see if it would group close to my fletched arrows and it hit 12" to the right.

I thought it may be me torching the bow so I used a cotton glove to see if there was a difference and still tearing left.

I am going to see if the local pro shop will let me use their hooter shooter. I guess I will know if it is me or the equipment at that point.

JR

 

[Cahunter805]

Califhuntn What arrow are you shooting?What is the arrow length and your draw weight? From what you have said in previous post I would assume the arrow is correct. What bow are you shooting? Could it have cam lean or need a bit of adjusting? My guess would be the rest needs to be adjusted a little to get your centershot perfect.

 

[swbuckmaster]

Canhunter805 does have a point. cam lean sometimes can lead to what you are experiencing.

I pull my pow back and have someone put an arrow on the cam and rotate the arrow towards the string I want my arrow to parrell my string when it is pulled back. If it is not I apply a few twists to which ever side of the yoke needs it.

Spine can also have an effect.

Just playing around with these sort of things will make you a better archer in the long run because you will be more aware of how to tune your bow and you wont be afraid to experiment out side the box so to speak.

good luck.

The harder you work the luckier you get!!

 

[califhuntn]

Cahunter805 I am shooting an Easton FMJ 400, 26.5" from nocking point to end of cut shaft. Draw weight was set at 65 pounds approximately and I have 125 grain field point. According to the chart with Easton I am shooting the right spined shaft. Shooting a Mathews Switchback.

I had my archery shop change the limbs for me under warranty about a few weeks ago because one of them was starting to splinter. They claim to have set it back up correctly and I watched the owner shoot a fletched arrow through paper at 5 and 10 yards.

Took it home and started shooting bare shafts. Kept getting a left tear. I moved the rest to the left because it was a bare shaft but maybe not far enough because nothing changed. I dropped the draw weight a couple pounds and it only helped slightly.

I will try to check for cam lean tonight. If I need to make any adjustments I will have to take it back in to the shop and rely on them to get it right. I don't own a press yet. I want to be able to work on my bow on my own but just need to get all the necessary equipment. Thanks for the feedback.

JR

 

[Cahunter805]

LAST EDITED ON Nov-30-10 AT 03:38PM (MST)[p]Your arrows seem to be the right spine. Have you tried a 100gr field point to see if it helps? I doubt it will because your spine should be correct with a 100gr also. I know you said its a left tear but which way is your nock pointing once through the paper and into the target? This is the fun part of archery. Once you get a bow tuned its amazing how much better your shots feel and group.

 

[swbuckmaster]

usually if you get a left tear meaning your nock is left of the point you are shooting a stiff spine. This will go against the easton chart but sometimes you can just wipe your hiney with the easton chart IMHO.

It can also mean you might be contacting your strings or rest.

It can also indicate cam lean.

It can also mean they might have only replaced the limb that had a problem. IMHO this is not a good thing. I believe when you replace lets say the top limb you should also replace the bottom limb because one limb might be pulling harder the the other. If this is the case you might need to mess with the tiller. Hope they replaced both limbs.

The harder you work the luckier you get!!

 

[Cahunter805]

Any updates?

 

[califhuntn]

Nothing yet. I'm in the process of making a shooter. Once I get it up and going it will let me know if the tear is because of my form or my bow is out of tune. I am also trying to buy a used EZ Press or a takeoff that someone has made. I would rather tweak my bow myself rather than have the guys at the local shop work on it. Thanks for checking in. I will update as soon as I know more.

JR

 

[Cahunter805]

If you are looking for a great bowpress check out archerytalk forums. There are many sets of plans on how to build one.

 

[califhuntn]

Thanks. That is where I have been looking. In fact that is where I found the idea on building my own shooter. I love there forums. They have a lot of very insightful and creative guys that are very willing to share their ideas with fellow archers.

JR