Tuning/cutting down carbons

[TimRadke]

OK, laugh at the dumb guy with the dumb question..

I'm all ready to tune up my grizzlystiks.  I have the 75 grain insert, enough 50 grain weights to put 2 in each, and 125 grain heads.  Arrow weight (before cutting down) will be around 635 grains.  I'm shooting 49# @ 26", and hope to end up with an arrow in the high 500's, depending on how much I'm going to end up cutting.  I'm not opposed to only using a single 50 grain weight as well, so I guess I'll figure it out when I start shooting them...

SO, I'm ready to start playing around cutting down my arrow and playing with tip weight until I get the best arrow flight.  My question is this... what's the best way to install the inserts and weights so that I can remove them each time as i cut the arrow down?  I assume hot melt will wreck havoc with the carbon arrow, and other glue will make it difficult to remove...

Can someone who knows something about this fill in a guy who knows nothing about this?  I'm sure there's a simple answer...

Everyone point and laugh... OK, that's enough.

Thanks in advance.

[Ray_G]

Tim,

I think it was Snag that mentioned wrapping the insert with enough plastic wrap (like Saran), to get a tight fit in the shaft, for tuning and easy removal.  I did that initially tuning my carbons and it worked fine.  Just get enough on it that it goes in snug.  You should be able to get enough shots to determine the tune before the insert and point pull out.  I shot into straw bales.  A foam target would not be suitable with the plastic wrap - point and insert will pull out.

As far as hot melt, I ended up re-tuning with screw in weights and used hot melt.  To remove the insert, I used a 2" long brass 8-32 screw.  Heat the screw only until you can pull the insert with pliers.  I noticed no ill effects.

Good luck on your tuning.

Ray

[wounded tree]

I have had no problem using a little hot melt glue when tuning carbons and removing inserts. I just heat the point a little at a time, and do keep pulling on the tip to get the insert out as soon as the glue melts. Then cool everything off with water.

[Killdeer]

Thanks, Tim!    
I am getting ready to explore carbons, and was wondering the same thing.

Killdeer  

[TimRadke]

I'll try to hot melt... Thanks to those who responded.  I'll keep checking this thread in case anyone else has an opinion (at least one they'll share...)

[fishmerf]

I use black electrical tape. I put the insert in, screw in a point and make a tight wrap with the black tape that covers a small portion of the shaft, the entire insert and  a small portion of the arrow point. I have not lost an insert yet. It has always worked well for me.

Merf

[Charles Sorrells]

I use the black tape as well...it works fine.  Although I have never used it, I think the palstic wrap would work too though.

[ChadF]

Ok Check this out. This is what I do. I arleady know how much weight I would like to see up front. I already know how many grains per inch the arrow weighs. I already know the minimum arrow length that I can shoot. So I take ONE bare shaft, glue in the insert and weights that I want up front. Start with a full length shaft, put a nock in it and start shooting that ONE shaft. Then just cut off a half inch at a time off of the nock end of the arrow. THIS IS ASSUMING THAT THE NOCKS ARE REMOVABLE. I have not used grizzly sticks but this method works great on easton, beman, goldtip and carbon express.
 Then once I get my arrows cut to a length that shoots that bare shaft perfect, I build all of the other ones.

[ChadF]

Ok just got off of Alaska Bowhunting website. DONT USE THIS METHOD! I didnt know these are tapered shafts. Your nock might not fit properly if you start to cut off the nock end. I can only assume that the diameter will get larger as you cut. Sorry.

[amar911]

JC told me that he uses a very small drop of superglue for a temporary attachment of an insert and that it can be broken loose with some pulling pressure with pliers on a field point or by using a drill bit or metal rod inserted in the nock end to knock out the insert. I haven't tried this yet myself, but JC always seems to know a good way of doing these things.

Allan

[Slasher]

Gee... I am beginning to think I may be missing something..

I just epoxy the brass inserts into my bemans-bareshaft and cut/change fieldtip weight till impact @ 10,15,20 is close to same point... then fletch and go with it...

Think it gets it purty darn close... but then that gives me about 300 grns up front... but I like it!!!

[KrEn]

I tried this with old tips and inserts. 125gr field points and 200grs of brass inserts. ust a tiny tad of superglue.
So i shot into the local clubs Egerton 4' diameter round straw mats, they are bout 4" thick, and hard. Non compound arrows normally dont penetrate xept the mat center.
The arrow stopped in the mat, but the insert/tip assembly continued trough and stuck (standing as straight as an arrow)in hte heavy drywall wall some 10' behind

K

[Kevin Winkler]

I have had good luck so far with using Goat-Tuff glue / super glue on the inserts. Just use a small amount and if you need to remove the insert, I use a round file that will fit inside the shaft from the nock end and swing the shaft to drive the file towards the insert end. It acts as an impact driver and knocks the insert out.

[TradPaul]

Personally, I choose about where i would like to be shooting on the tip weight, and then bareshaft and cut on the knock end, that way you wont have to keep removing the inserts. I have found that i basically know where i am going to have my tip weight based on the LBS I'm shooting, but then it's just a matter of knowing the shaft your shooting which takes time. so if it were me, i would cut at the back of the arrow (knock end) and add/remove or keep your tip wieght from there. Good luck to you.


OOOPPPPSSS I just read what chad said...Well now you might have to add or remove weight, which in your case, you may or may not have enough weights to play with. I like to use weights in 10 grn incriments.

P.