Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Flight Bows => Topic started by: superdav95 on February 07, 2026, 08:16:51 pm
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Hey guys. First flight arrow here. I’m just going to do a range of similar arrow at varying spines and then test them out locally here before flight shoot. This arrow is spruce shaft from surewood shafts in the 50-55 range. I’ve had these for a while and glad I kept them. I’ve tapered the shaft down to roughly .180” at the tip tapering to fattest section about 1-1.5” rear of center where thickness is .310”. This then tapers again towards the nock about .245”. I used antler nock and will still shape it a bit more. The fletchings will be goat skin parchment. Very thin yet tough. As it sits now the spine as at 50lbs. This is pegged at 22” not 26”. The weight is quite light at 230grains. I’ve been told by guys in the know that less spine is better to a point. Some would say that this arrow is spined correctly. I guess I show up with a bunch of arrows at varying spines and see. I’ll of course do some testing here before in a buddies field but climate and wind and other factors there cannot be entirely counted for. Any suggestions to raise the weight a bit?
https://share.icloud.com/photos/00aCz3INlZ0OVYCs1w9RANT_A
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One funny thing when you start practicing. When you are watching the flight of your arrow, you can almost be sure it wasn't a good shot if you can see the arrow. 350 yards seems to be right at the tipping point of when you can't see the arrow come out of the bow.
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Hey guys. First flight arrow here. I’m just going to do a range of similar arrow at varying spines and then test them out locally here before flight shoot. This arrow is spruce shaft from surewood shafts in the 50-55 range. I’ve had these for a while and glad I kept them. I’ve tapered the shaft down to roughly .180” at the tip tapering to fattest section about 1-1.5” rear of center where thickness is .310”. This then tapers again towards the nock about .245”. I used antler nock and will still shape it a bit more. The fletchings will be goat skin parchment. Very thin yet tough. As it sits now the spine as at 50lbs. This is pegged at 22” not 26”. The weight is quite light at 230grains. I’ve been told by guys in the know that less spine is better to a point. Some would say that this arrow is spined correctly. I guess I show up with a bunch of arrows at varying spines and see. I’ll of course do some testing here before in a buddies field but climate and wind and other factors there cannot be entirely counted for. Any suggestions to raise the weight a bit?
https://share.icloud.com/photos/00aCz3INlZ0OVYCs1w9RANT_A
Ok Arvin just reminded me that no minimum weight on arrows for flight. So I’ll take a bit more material off to get the spine down a bit more. I’ll see if I can get it closer to 35lb spine. Or .743” deflection. My next few arrows I’ll make at 1” deflection and then do one at 1/2” deflection to test em out.
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Funny seeing you post this because I’ve just started working on my arrows. I also got some surewood shafts to use. Going to start practicing on some poplar for shaping. Going to go for a Turkish style arrow. How are you going to attach the parchment? I was going to use the same gifted to me from Alan. I might try to make a jig to cut some slots into the nock end.
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I’m definitely watching this. (-P
Bjrogg
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Hey guys. First flight arrow here. I’m just going to do a range of similar arrow at varying spines and then test them out locally here before flight shoot. This arrow is spruce shaft from surewood shafts in the 50-55 range. I’ve had these for a while and glad I kept them. I’ve tapered the shaft down to roughly .180” at the tip tapering to fattest section about 1-1.5” rear of center where thickness is .310”. This then tapers again towards the nock about .245”. I used antler nock and will still shape it a bit more. The fletchings will be goat skin parchment. Very thin yet tough. As it sits now the spine as at 50lbs. This is pegged at 22” not 26”. The weight is quite light at 230grains. I’ve been told by guys in the know that less spine is better to a point. Some would say that this arrow is spined correctly. I guess I show up with a bunch of arrows at varying spines and see. I’ll of course do some testing here before in a buddies field but climate and wind and other factors there cannot be entirely counted for. Any suggestions to raise the weight a bit?
https://share.icloud.com/photos/00aCz3INlZ0OVYCs1w9RANT_A
Ok Arvin just reminded me that no minimum weight on sorrows for flight. So I’ll take a bit more material off to get the spine down a bit more. I’ll see if I can get it closer to 35lb spine. Or .743” deflection. My next few arrows I’ll make at 1” deflection and then do one at 1/2” deflection to test em out.
Just make sure its no less than 22 inches from INSIDE the nock to the point.
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Funny seeing you post this because I’ve just started working on my arrows. I also got some surewood shafts to use. Going to start practicing on some poplar for shaping. Going to go for a Turkish style arrow. How are you going to attach the parchment? I was going to use the same gifted to me from Alan. I might try to make a jig to cut some slots into the nock end.
I’ve been watching your flight bow build with the z splice thinking well he will need arrows for that bow so it’s no surprise to hear you are in arrow mode. As for the parchment fletching I was gonna just measure the placement and draw a thin magic marker line and cut into it with an exacto blade to slip the fletch down in the slot. At least that’s the plan. If I like the placement and alignment I’ll glue them down in. I’ve also got some hawk feathers from a road kill I found years ago. I may try an arrow with these feather too or goose or owl feathers maybe. A jig sounds like a good idea. I’ve been thinking on this too. I was thinking of placing a blade into my fletching jig instead of a feather and press it down a tad to make the shallow cut then rotate to the next spot and so on. I could just cut these deeper depending on how deep is needed.
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Hey guys. First flight arrow here. I’m just going to do a range of similar arrow at varying spines and then test them out locally here before flight shoot. This arrow is spruce shaft from surewood shafts in the 50-55 range. I’ve had these for a while and glad I kept them. I’ve tapered the shaft down to roughly .180” at the tip tapering to fattest section about 1-1.5” rear of center where thickness is .310”. This then tapers again towards the nock about .245”. I used antler nock and will still shape it a bit more. The fletchings will be goat skin parchment. Very thin yet tough. As it sits now the spine as at 50lbs. This is pegged at 22” not 26”. The weight is quite light at 230grains. I’ve been told by guys in the know that less spine is better to a point. Some would say that this arrow is spined correctly. I guess I show up with a bunch of arrows at varying spines and see. I’ll of course do some testing here before in a buddies field but climate and wind and other factors there cannot be entirely counted for. Any suggestions to raise the weight a bit?
https://share.icloud.com/photos/00aCz3INlZ0OVYCs1w9RANT_A
Ok Arvin just reminded me that no minimum weight on sorrows for flight. So I’ll take a bit more material off to get the spine down a bit more. I’ll see if I can get it closer to 35lb spine. Or .743” deflection. My next few arrows I’ll make at 1” deflection and then do one at 1/2” deflection to test em out.
Just make sure its no less than 22 inches from INSIDE the nock to the point.
Roger that sleek!
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As it sits now the spine as at 50lbs. This is pegged at 22” not 26”. The weight is quite light at 230grains.
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.
I’ve been told by guys in the know that less spine is better to a point.
good problem to have! max diameter can always be reduced
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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 (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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As it sits now the spine as at 50lbs. This is pegged at 22” not 26”. The weight is quite light at 230grains.
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.
I’ve been told by guys in the know that less spine is better to a point.
good problem to have! max diameter can always be reduced
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.
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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 (https://bowyersdiary.blogspot.com/2018/03/new-pb-for-distance.html)
Del
(terms and conditions apply. I reserve the right to be wrong!) ;)
Good advise del. Thanks. I’ll check out your link.
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. Right now the flexion of the shaft measures .525” on my little home made spine tester which put it’s around 50lbs.
that deflection is with a 2 lb weight?
where does the 50 come from?
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. Right now the flexion of the shaft measures .525” on my little home made spine tester which put it’s around 50lbs.
that deflection is with a 2 lb weight?
where does the 50 come from?
I have a chart that converts it for me. Amp/ata spine chart. They are available online for download.
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. Right now the flexion of the shaft measures .525” on my little home made spine tester which put it’s around 50lbs.
that deflection is with a 2 lb weight?
where does the 50 come from?
Might be worth reading this, as there are two very different ways of "measuring" spine.
https://bowyersdiary.blogspot.com/2017/10/spine-measurement.html (https://bowyersdiary.blogspot.com/2017/10/spine-measurement.html)
Del
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. Right now the flexion of the shaft measures .525” on my little home made spine tester which put it’s around 50lbs.
that deflection is with a 2 lb weight?
where does the 50 come from?
Wow thanks Del. I overlooked this important detail. Thanks for sending this. I’ll be making some adjustments.
Might be worth reading this, as there are two very different ways of "measuring" spine.
https://bowyersdiary.blogspot.com/2017/10/spine-measurement.html (https://bowyersdiary.blogspot.com/2017/10/spine-measurement.html)
Del
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Ok so after redoing my math thanks to Del btw… I now have 4 shafts ranging from 30# to 50#. This should give me a good idea what this bow likes. The weights are varied a bit range from 205grains to 233grains. I’ll get them sealed up here next few days and then get them fletched.
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On short flight arrows I have never heard of actually calling the number for spine. Most people just talk about defection because the actual spine is so low. Cutting an arrow from 30" to 25" will add about 25# spine to an arrow. That's why we measure at 22".
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So i ended up with 5 flight arrows all fletch with goat skin parchment. I used my fletch jig to position the razor blade in place of where a featther would be and drew a line and then rotated the nob on jig drew another line and so on. this gave me a line to follow for my cuts and inset the fletchings. worked well enough for my needs. i kept my fletchings very small. i fire hardened the tips and sealed them up with super thin ca glue. the Shafts are all barrel tapered and the weights range from 187grains for the 30# arrow to 228grains for the 50# spine arrow. The math the had me stumped initially on this my issue in figuring out the spine stiffness and once i got my head around that i was good. basically with a peg distance of 22" = 22 divided by the deflection in inches. for the 30# spine shaft this deflection was .725" which is pretty close to 3/4" deflection. 22/.725"= 30
my goal for these arrow is to see what shoots the cleanest and farthest with my bows. that wont likely happen till spring. I hate waiting.
(https://i.imgur.com/UjaIiKm.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/5aKp0Ii.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/b9I1nsL.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/HfsaO6X.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/KXiZVki.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/7ZAsryK.jpg)
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Can’t wait for spring Dave
Bjrogg
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I have a feeling that your 30# arrow will do best from your 50# bow. Ivar Malde has been very generous with his data on flight arrows. He is most likely the worlds top authority on wood arrows and he is suggesting 1" deflection for a 50# bow and to ignore spine calculations. An arrow with 1" deflection is what currently holds the world flight record for 50#.
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Interesting badger! This just gives me an excuse to make more or just do some more removal on these. It will be interesting to see how it goes. Was that a deflection of 1” pegged at 22”?
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Yes, 1" deflection at 22" centers. Think about it, you don't need much spine at all, you are not accelerating any real weight. If I ever went back to flight shooting I would spend 10% of my time on bows and 90% on arrows and tuning.
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Yes, 1" deflection at 22" centers. Think about it, you don't need much spine at all, you are not accelerating any real weight. If I ever went back to flight shooting I would spend 10% of my time on bows and 90% on arrows and tuning.
Ok thanks. I may make another set of lighter ones yet still. I can always reduce these ones down I guess or just keep them for the 70lb class.