Tuning the bow & arrows

[fflintlock]

I was going to post this on another thread, but I did'nt want to highjack the guy's question.
 One of the problems I was having, I cant my bow when I shoot, just habit I guess. If someone is "tuning" a bow, should they always tune it in a vertical position ? I am assumming, that lets you see nock point and spine, correct ?
 Another question for you folks, just how important is bare shaft tuning ?
And, just what exactly does it do, or tell you ?
 When I was growing up , we just got a couple of arrows that were spined close to the bow weight, you know, up and down the scale a little. Selected the one that shot right, made more up and shot them, fixed on a broadhead and shot it. The only time I had problems with the broadheads, is when I did'nt get them true to the shaft. I have read and heard some folks don't suggest bare shaft tuning, but I have also read and heard some folks say it is a must. I'm not real technical savy about the archery tuning process, just tring to understand it better, I know that at 50 years of age, there's still a lot that I do not know.
Yes, I have read a few books and I have listened to what folks are saying, but just how important really is bare shaft tuning ?
Thanks,
Jerald

[shantam]

bareshaft tuning exludes improper material.
in other words wrong spined arrows for your bow and set up(bowquiver,string,silencer to name a few).
this is even more important when you shoot broadheads,they act like a plane upfront your arrow.
if you get rid of those errors,the only thing left is your shooting form.
shooting unspined arrows means you never know what
went wrong when you dont hit your target.
shooting with correct spined arrows means knowing what was wrong.
your form.
so instead of scratsch your head and wonder what might be wrong,you know it.
hope that helps.
shantam

[Pete W]

It only makes senst to tune the bow to the way you shoot it.

As for bare shaft, there are several ways and they can  work. O.L has a good guide for this at  www.bowmaker.net.

Watching the nock location can give a bad reading. The target can have soft areas that allow the shaft to give false readings, as it follows the path of least resistance.

 Shooting an arrow at longer distances and watching the flight can show you lots about how well you are tuned.  Don't be afraid to think outside the box,experiment and see what happens.

Try diferent things, move the nock point and see what happens, after all it is easy to put it back if things get worse.
 
Try a diferent point weight and see what the result is.  It is easy to change points and confirm the shaft is weak or stiff, but after it is cut it is to late to go back.

I helped a guy tune his bow one day and his flight improved greatly by using a 250 gr point.
This gave him 2 options, change point weight $3.00, BH adapters $12.00 or shorten the sahft. There was no way he would change weight, as he already had points and broadheads, and he insisted the shaft had to be the length it was. He spent $80.00 for more shafts with a diferent spine and still ended up with so so arrow flight but he had 125 gr points and a 29" arrow and spent $80.00.

 Thinking outside the box is good, and tuning is easy if we allow changes to happen. It is easy to adjust for a diferent trajectory , but there is no way to adjust for poor flight.
It is just a stick and string,nothing is complicated about it.When it doesn't work right change something and see if it gets better or worse. You can always go back to where it was.
Stick a twig behind the shelf/rest pad, move the nock, twist the string,change the points, it is all reversable and cheap or free to do.
You learn more from experimenting than by reading.

Pete

[Van/TX]

When I was growing up , we just got a couple of arrows that were spined close to the bow weight, you know, up and down the scale a little. Selected the one that shot right, made more up and shot them, fixed on a broadhead and shot it.  

That still works today      :D  ...Van

[fflintlock]

That's what I thought ! I don't reckon anyone really understood what I was talk'n bout.
 With my Bear, I can drill them arrows !!!!!
I've been shoot'n a long time really, but I've been out of it for awhile too. I was just asking a question.
Jerald

[Molson]

I tune my bows for hunting.  I always tune with fletched shafts and broadheads (usually those beautiful Snuffer 160's). 5 1/2 feathers because I hunt outdoors where it rains and snows and your shooting position is not always ideal.  I shoot canted left,  canted right, sitting down, standing, kneeling, and twisted backwards.  Which ever shaft continuously feels, looks, and hits the best is the one I fine tune in.  If I shot carbons, I would bare shaft.  For wood and aluminum, bare shaft testing would only confirm what I already know.

[AkDan]

and whats that molson?

[Danny Rowan]

Well, I am 56 and I do it just the way I alsways have. I use math in my calculations and it works. I do not bareshaft, you need a perfect release everytime with a bareshaft in my opinion. My way works for me and I have perfect arrow flight from all my bows. Lots of ways to do it, the important thing is to have the arrow tuned to your bow for the best flight possible. It is ment to be fun, not frustrating.

Danny

[flatlander37]

Danny, What kind of calculations are you using?  Maybe they would work for others.  Mark

[Kingstaken]

[Molson]

AkDan...that shafts fly better with feathers of course!    

Danny has it right.  Too many people spend too much time getting frustrated trying to bare shaft tune.  Unfortunately, most of the frustation falls on the new guys who don't really know how to read the arrow and what is and isn't caused by form errors.