Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Arrows => Topic started by: Don Case on April 22, 2014, 02:19:52 pm
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I bought some 3/8" dowelling of mystery wood(possibly maple). It's beautifully straight. Comes in 6' lengths. I thought I was on to something. I put it on my newly built spine tester and it measured .700 deflection, about 37-40 lbs or so. My bow is 55#. Does this sound like it's in the ballpark since I have to subtract some weight for selfbow, some for point etc? Is there any way of increasing static spine if I'm too light?
Thanks
Don
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How long are you cutting them Don? You'll lose 5# every inch under 28" BOP. As far as adding spine? I know of two ways: Shorter arrows or lighter tips. I suppose wiping several coats of sealer on may add a pound.
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They'll be about 28- 30 inches I think. Kind of ashamed to admit it but I'm having a heck of a time trying to pull this new bow so I won't know the length for sure til I man up a bit and see just how far. I can manage 40# OK but 55# makes me grunt a touch( a big touch :-[ :-[ )
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I just read a bunch of posts about spining. I made my spine tester using some old plans and made it 26". So now I have to modify it to make it 28". That will make the shaft deflect more. These new dowels are getting softer by the minute. I'm thinking I bought garden stakes for my wife.
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26" centers are correct, don't change that on your tester. If they spined 37-40, they will be 27-30 out to 30". They wont work for your bows.
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They'll sure make nice garden stakes. One of them is fletched too.
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Very nice stakes, or 45-50# arrows that are 26-27" long. Im 6' 1" and draw 27.5" if I squeeze my cheeks together. I shoot 28-28.5" bop arrows.
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bop???
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Back of point
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I havent tried it yet, but i would think you could "toast" it some with heat to increase spine... Has anyone tried this?.... Brian
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That's worth a try, Brian. Tempering should increase the spine a bit.
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Cut one of them as short as possible for your draw and drop to 100 grain points and see how it flies. Kinda like PD said, about 26-27" should work out for 50lbs or so.
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I havent tried it yet, but i would think you could "toast" it some with heat to increase spine... Has anyone tried this?.... Brian
koan,
With the arrow being round, I don't think you will pick up much spine.
You can add a little weight to the nock end of the arrow and pick up some spine, but not much.
Very nice stakes, or 45-50# arrows that are 26-27" long. Im 6' 1" and draw 27.5" if I squeeze my cheeks together. I shoot 28-28.5" bop arrows.
I'm with Pearl, if I have some shafts on the weak side, I make them as short as possible. I'm 6' 1" also and only draw about 27", and its true about hand size, shoe size and "draw length".. ::) ;)
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I just tried toasting one and it changed the deflection from .700 to .600 which sounds good but the arrow bent a lot and didn't straighten when I heated the other side. I'll wait til it cools completely and then use more heat to try to straighten it. So it looks like it works but it's a lot less fuss to start with a stiffer arrow. I'll probably have an extra hour into it. Not that my time is worth much :D
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Don, heat the shaft while spinning it starting at one end and work down the shaft to the other end. Lay it on a flat surface to cool completely. You should still be able to make slight adjustments by hand after tempering.
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Don, heat the shaft while spinning it starting at one end and work down the shaft to the other end. Lay it on a flat surface to cool completely. You should still be able to make slight adjustments by hand after tempering.
Tried it and it was working but I dried it to much and when I tried to flex it a bit(not much) it cracked. Should have let it sit for a coupla days. Get impatient and forget stuff, that will be written on my headstone. Anyway this is way too much effort to put into an arrow. Start with a decent shaft.
Don
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Maybe running them through a compression block would firm them up.
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How about a wood hardener? Never done it, never used it, just an idea. dp
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Did you double check your new spine tester with an arrow of known spine? Are you remembering to measure the stiff side of the arrow (with the edges of the grain up, if that makes sense)?
You could also trade them, I suppose...actually I wouldn't mind some kid arrows if you go that route. Good luck!
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They only cost a couple of bucks, not worth bothering. I've got some aluminum shafts, I'll look up the spine and test it. Something of interest came up. When I was heating and spinning the arrow I had the heat about 2 1/2" from the arrow. I waited til it was light brown and then moved it along. It seemed to be taking a long time to turn brown. When I broke it I took a look and it was the same brown all the way through. I'm wondering if I should have had the heat closer so it would brown quicker and maybe not so deep. Any thoughts?
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I tested an Easton 2514. Spine should be .305 and I got .300 or so. I'm reasonably confident about the tester now.
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They'll be about 28- 30 inches I think. Kind of ashamed to admit it but I'm having a heck of a time trying to pull this new bow so I won't know the length for sure til I man up a bit and see just how far. I can manage 40# OK but 55# makes me grunt a touch( a big touch :-[ :-[ )
Yep I know how ya feel, it sucks getting old. Thats why I decided to build a few r/d bows and lower weight like around 42-48 pound range, I find I can hold the draw a bit longer and not stress the old bones with a 55 pounder. When I go to the Gym I do an exercise where I stand and pull up and back 55 pounds, this keeps me conditioned well so I have no problem with anything lower. As far as 3/8" shafts, i noticed the arrows were going to the left of the target. I'm right handed. All the arrows that I make now are 11/32" , I don't have spine tester built yet. One project at a time. Is your draw 28"....?
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What's a "gym"? ;D My draw length is in the 26-28 range. I think :P
Off to Winsor Plywood. See what they've got for dowels. My end plan is to use OS twigs for arrows. I've got a bunch drying but they're not ready. Now I've got a bow and no arrows. My first piece of advise for someone wanting to make a bow would be, "Make arrows, then a bow"
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As a wise man once said - "Any stick do for bow — good arrow damn heap work".
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And two matching arrows more than twice damn heap work :)
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Dowel.....scmashowels, make your own from square stock 'tis what I do. If you have a table saw, just rip the stock slightly larger than 3/8" or whatever. Then make a good shooting board, you can plane down one corner without flipping it over. As long as you have a good hand plane it won't take long. I use a jig and electric drill to make them round in about 30 seconds. Any way I can't find any 11/32" dowell. The last batch of blanks I made from 15" pieces of scrap and spliced them, just made a 30 degree slice on the cut-off saw and glued them up. Many ways to skin a cat.
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I just needed a quick half dozen to shoot in my new bow. I'll be using OS shoots when they dry.