Side plate and arrow weight!

[ALDO]

I shoot a 58" Centaur 52# @ 26", I draw just short of 26".  My arrows are Easton Axis 500 cut to 26.5" with 250gr up front for a total arrow weight of 485gr.  I am trying to up the weight of the arrow.  I have been playing with Stu Millers Spine Calculator.  The shelf on the Centaur is cut just past center, if I change the side plate material I can get it to +1/8" and this would allow me to add weight to the front of arrow and get to about 535gr.  Are there negatives to buidling out the side plate?  Any differences in shooting accuracy?  Any feedback would be appreciated.
Thanks
ALDO

[rastaman]

I haven't used the Spine Calculator, but i'm a little confused.  If you have your bow tuned with the 485gr arrow already, adding more weight is going to further weaken the spine, correct?  Building out the side plate will weaken the spine also, correct?  So the net effect would be you have an arrow that is now too weak in spine for your setup.  i would think you would have to go to a 400 shaft if your current setup is already in tune.  Maybe some of the other guys and girls will jump in.  

[Bruce Martin]

I think Aldo has it right. Adding the weight would decrease the dynamic spine and should result in the arrow hitting further right vs the lighter setup. Building out the side plate would bring the arrow left. Guess I would want to bare shaft the setup to make sure you still get good arrow flight. If you can't get good bare shaft flight then perhaps the spine would need to be increased. Assuming a carbon arrow here. Another thing he could do if he has room is to slightly shorten the arrow. Slightly is the word, go slow only about 1/4 inch at a time with carbons.

[rastaman]

My bad Aldo...building the sideplate out does "stiffen" the spine and i had a total brain lapse!  Merry Christmas!
Thanks Bruce!

[JRY309]

Sometimes carbon arrows can have the reverse effect on bows not cut to center by bouncing off the riser instead of flexing around it.I bought some used carbons that were 1" longer then my draw and showing stiff.So I added weight upfront to weaken the spine and they got worse the more weight I added.The more weight I added were making them show stiffer and not weaker.Carbon arrows recover much faster.On bows not cut to center a longer carbon seems easier to tune.If your arrows are flying ok,they may get worse by building out the side plate.One way to tell for sure is to strip one bare and shoot it with the heavier head and see how they fly.

[Big Sneaky]

If you are having good arrow flight with the arrows you are shooting, another good way to increase total arrow weight is weight tubes.  3 Rivers sells them that fit the Axis.

[ALDO]

Thanks for the input guys.  I will bareshaft to be sure.  I have a lot of the Axis in 500 and really like the arrow, didn't want to change arrow but wanted to try more weight for a hog hunt in March and moose in Sept.  I will give he side plate a shot and bare shaft to see what happens.
Merry Christmas to All
ALDO

[Bruce Martin]

Be sure to let us know how it goes! Good luck on the hogs in the future. Merry Christmas.