want to make my own spine tester

[TroyH]

Does anyone have instructions on making a spine tester?
Is there one in the "how to" section that I am overlooking?

[Lefty]

I made one using Jim Hill's plans.  Very easy to make and very accuate.

http://www.jamesmhill.com/Spine_Tester.html

[fyrfyter43]

Yep, I made one similar to Jim Hill's also. The only difference is that I was able to get an old dial indicator at work that allows me to put the weight on the spindle, so my dial indicator is above the shaft.

[ks_stickbow]

Me three I made one using his Jim hills plans also

[Bowmania]

PH,

I haven't done this, but it occured to me that if you know the spine for your bow and don't have to relate to anyone else you can make one with 2 nails and a magic marker and a bottle of whisky.

Pound two nails in the wall at 26 (28 Easton???) inches apart.  Place your arrow (the one that is spined for your bow) on the nails.  Draw a line horizontally underneath the arrow.  Your average bottle of whisky weights 3 pounds, the weight hung on the arrow is usually 2, so you can drink freely until you measure your first arrow.  Hang the bottle on the arrow and mark the deflection horizontally, but measure virtically.  Now, you know the deflection for your bow and any arrow that has the same deflection should shoot out of your bow.

The great thing about this idea is if you don't like whisky, you could use a bottle of scotch, vodka, brandy...  LOL This should actually work.

In fact if you didn't drink any whisky and used 3 lbs, it would probably be mor accurate than a 2 lb weight.  The more bend in the arrow the easier it is to read the deflection.

Bowmania

[ks_stickbow]

that is actualy the way I used to do it before I made the tester....cept I kept the tequila for other things, and found a weight from a cookoo clock.

works pretty good cept you don't know the range of the arrow...like a 45-55 you just know if it's close or not....it works but is crude.

[42WLA]

I made mine too from Jim's plans. Harbor Freight has cheap dial indicators.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v98/faabala/Archery/IMAG0008.jpg

[Deerstalker]

I made one of these, and it is very accurate as well. Instructions may take a couple of readings before you fully understand them ( it did for me, anyways), but a nice spine tester is the result.
Bryan
http://www.bambooarrow.com/tester.html

[TroyH]

Does anyone have the conversion chart for Jim Hills spine tester?  Presently his site seems to be down, hopefully not permanently.
You could even email it to me if you like.
Thanks

[fyrfyter43]

I don't have the chart handy, but the conversion is spine = 26/deflection.