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First flight arrow.
superdav95:
--- Quote from: willie on February 08, 2026, 05:56:18 am ---
--- Quote from: superdav95 on February 07, 2026, 08:16:51 pm --- As it sits now the spine as at 50lbs. This is pegged at 22” not 26”. The weight is quite light at 230grains.
--- End quote ---
Dave, can you explain the math behind 50lbs if you are measuring at 22" centers?
perhaps citing deflections. weight of the load and distance between centers is easiest for most as those three are "raw" data and not subject to formulas or derived units.
--- Quote ---I’ve been told by guys in the know that less spine is better to a point.
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good problem to have! max diameter can always be reduced
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It was suggested to me to peg at 22” when testing flight arrows. The arrows will be cut to about 24-25”.
My plan is to do a bunch with different spines and fletchings. Right now the flexion of the shaft measures .525” on my little home made spine tester which put it’s around 50lbs. The center point on the shaft is about 1” or 1.25” forward of the balance point. These surewood shafts should be beefy enough for sure.
superdav95:
--- Quote from: Del the cat on February 08, 2026, 06:38:30 am ---I wish you luck!
There are so many variables and it is almost impossible to get good reproducible results.
Seems to me like you are in the right ball park.
I'd suggest the quickest/easiest area for experimentation is size of fletching.
I don't think you can get too light, a bare shaft provides plenty of weight.
There is much discussion about FOC/balance point, my personal view is you want the balance point about 1/8 - 1/4" towards the tip.
With a non-shoot-through bow, the tuning of the arrow pass for clean flight from the bow and getting that elusive clean loose off the fingers is vital.
IMO the front half of the arrow is only there to stop it falling off the shelf/hand/whatever, as the arrow doesn't need to flex round the bow in the early stages of the loose and there is little sideways force on it. So stiffest and fattest at the back.
A simple V spliced hardwood footing is a good way to increase tip weight and minimise breakages at the tip.
As has been said already, if you can see the arrow go, it's not a good shot.
Some info on my arrows shot from an Osage self bow, here :-
https://bowyersdiary.blogspot.com/2018/03/new-pb-for-distance.html
Del
(terms and conditions apply. I reserve the right to be wrong!) ;)
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Good advise del. Thanks. I’ll check out your link.
willie:
--- Quote from: superdav95 on February 08, 2026, 12:07:08 pm ---. Right now the flexion of the shaft measures .525” on my little home made spine tester which put it’s around 50lbs.
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that deflection is with a 2 lb weight?
where does the 50 come from?
superdav95:
--- Quote from: willie on February 08, 2026, 06:38:52 pm ---
--- Quote from: superdav95 on February 08, 2026, 12:07:08 pm ---. Right now the flexion of the shaft measures .525” on my little home made spine tester which put it’s around 50lbs.
--- End quote ---
that deflection is with a 2 lb weight?
where does the 50 come from?
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I have a chart that converts it for me. Amp/ata spine chart. They are available online for download.
Del the cat:
--- Quote from: willie on February 08, 2026, 06:38:52 pm ---
--- Quote from: superdav95 on February 08, 2026, 12:07:08 pm ---. Right now the flexion of the shaft measures .525” on my little home made spine tester which put it’s around 50lbs.
--- End quote ---
that deflection is with a 2 lb weight?
where does the 50 come from?
--- End quote ---
Might be worth reading this, as there are two very different ways of "measuring" spine.
https://bowyersdiary.blogspot.com/2017/10/spine-measurement.html
Del
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