Weight tubes

[zinndl]

I would like to hear some opinions on the use of weight tubes in carbon arrows, according to what I read they do not affect the arrow spine. I shoot gold tip 3555 with a 125 grain tip; my total arrow weight is about 380gn. I want to shoot about a 500 gn arrow but I still
wantto use 125gn tips beacuse they are carried by all my local shops. I was thinking about trying a 3gn tube and a 50gn brass insert which would put me right around 500gn. What are your opinions on this? I figure it would be alot cheaper than buying new shafts...if it would work.

[daveycrockett]

I use 'em. But I did my tuning with the tubes in place. Got my 70 lb bow arrows to 700 grains and a 67 lb bow arrows to 640 grains.

[Diamond Paul]

I have tried them; I can't say for sure about the spine issue, but they did seem to make my arrows slightly stiffer.  I also started coating them with a bit of fletching glue when I inserted them, as they tended to make the nocks on Gold Tips blow off when they hit without glue, indicating that they were moving back and forth inside the shaft.  Perhaps I didn't have them cut to the proper length, though.  Paul.

[R H Clark]

I've usd 2 and 3 grain tubes.They will make an arrow show slightly stiffer.The 2 and 3 grain tubes didn't make enough difference though to re tune.

I think the 50 grn insert would cause you to have to shorten the shaft,if you have enough length.

If you cut the tubes to EXACT length so that they are tight against the inside of the nock when they are in the shaft,you won't have any problem with nocks blowing off.If the tube can't move inside the shaft at impact it won't have enough force to blow the nock off.

[AllenR]

I tried some a couple of years ago and got huge weight variations - as much as 30 grains.  This variation was present, even when they are cut  precisely the same length.

Then I used weed trimmer line (3 strands) and the weight consistency was much better.  There is no problem with nocks coming off and a lot cheaper.

[R H Clark]

Just curious Allen,..did you weigh the arrows without the tubes,or just the tubes, to make sure the variation was in the tubes?

[AllenR]

RH,

Yes, I weighted everything separately and together to track down the source of the problem.  It definitely was the weight tubes.  

Mixing and matching heavier and lighter components didn't work because the tubes were just too far out.

Using the trimmer line to boost weight, I was able get six arrows within two grains.  They tuned great and are more accurate than I can shoot.

These are some Beman ICS 400's that I used to build heavy weight arrows along Dr Ashby's guidelines.  I was surprised at how straight and consistent they were.  They measured better than advertised tolerances.  

I don't remember what size trimmer line that I used.  If I really worked at it I could force four strands into the arrows, but three was a much better fit and plenty heavy enough.

I'm obsesive compulsive about arrows and take all the steps available to build them to match as closely as possible.  Probably a waste of time for most situations, but I enjoy it and it gives me confidence in my equipment.

Hope this helps,
Allen

[zinndl]

Thanks for the opinions, I have already ordered weight tubes but if I find them inconsistant I will definitly try the weed trimmer line. I tried to think of substitutes, I even thought of straws but the trimmer line...now that is a good one!

[R H Clark]

Allen,
Sometime ago CX stopped making their original weight tubes.3Rivers picked up another supplier.I remember because Sipsey River really stocked up when CX announced they were cutting the tubes from production.I had no inconsistency issues with the original tubes.Not sure if you got a bad batch or the new supplier had issues.

I think Sipsey River still has some of the original CX 2 and 3 grain tubes.I haven't used any of the new ones.

[KentuckyTJ]

Why don't you just use 100 grain brass inserts instead? Then you'll be at 480 total. Is that close enough?

[zinndl]

Originally posted by KentuckyTJ:
Why don't you just use 100 grain brass inserts instead? Then you'll be at 480 total. Is that close enough?

The gold tip 3555's I use are 8.6gpi I was afraid with 100g inserts I might have too much weight FOC??? Either way, along with the tubes I ordered both 50 and 100g inserts so I can try different combinations.
FOC is something I don't know much about other than what little I've seen on here. How important is the FOC weight?

[BEN]

I tried using the tubes and also using weed trimmer line. Both options work to add weight and raise spine slightly.However......If you are at all like me, and miss your target on occasion, or shoot at a hard target like at some courses, it wont take too many hits and your nocks will get popped out. I tried adding some glue, squeezing the trimmer line as tight as possible, you name it, but once the nocks started coming loose, there was no stopping them from then on. I had to quit using some of my carbons because a nock wouldn't stay in and I didn't have enough room to trim the shafts down ......of course, this is just my experience  

[AllenR]

Ben,

Have you tried using very thin plastic to improve the nock tightness?

Most of my carbon arrows seem to develop loose nocks because I keep messing with them. I can tighten them up by wrapping the base of the nock in the very thin plastic that comes from many sources.  One source is the plastic that the laundry uses to cover my dress shirts.  Another is the plastic wrapping for plastic spoons from fast food restaurants.

If one wrap around the base of the nock doesn't do it, it's cheap enough to use more.  

[BEN]

AllenR,
No, I never tried the plastic.  I'll give it a try though on some of my loose-nocked carbons I still have siting around. I've just went ahead and got used to shooting the lighter arrows. Also, I tried another brand of arrow with a weight-forward design: I went up in spine and length to get teh weight I was trying to get----they fly great.
thanks!