Any downsides on increasing nock weight?

[Flying Dutchman]

I was wondering, if you increase nockweight, are there any downsides? I do so for making the shaft somewhat stiffer, adding weight and get the FOC I want. I add 17 grains nockweight on a GT 1535, resulting in a total nockweight of 28.5 grains.

[ChuckC]

I have a brain fart whenever someone says adding weight to the back makes the shaft "stiffer".  I don't get it (not saying you are wrong. . . I just don't get it).

It seems to me that by adding weight to either (or both) ends you make that shaft flex or bend more upon release.  Both ends go back and forth and both ends can be manipulated with more (or less) weight.  

Not computing

ChuckC

[gringol]

in theory, adding weight to the nock will make the arrow "stiffer" because you are slowing the arrow down, making the bow appear "lighter" to the arrow.  I'm not sure I would actually be able to see the difference in 17 grains though...

[McDave]

No downside that I'm aware of. GT designs them to be tuned from the front, back, or both, and I've successfully tuned them that way for years. As far as "why" it works, I'm not completely sure of the physics involved, but you can certainly tell the effect on a bare shaft as you add weight to the back: it increases the dynamic spine. If you imagine a very heavy weight attached to the front of the arrow, the arrow has to push it from behind which will cause more flex. If you imagine a very heavy weight attached to the back of the arrow, the weight is holding the arrow back, which straightens the arrow out.

Curious as to how you got the 17 grains.  I thought the standard GT insert weights were 20 grains?

[Nativestranger]

None that i can think of.  Does FOC make that much of a difference to arrow drop?  Why not just go up an arrow spine?

[Flying Dutchman]

Originally posted by McDave:
Curious as to how you got the 17 grains.  I thought the standard GT insert weights were 20 grains?

Thanks for the answer. I glue a little screw in the hollow GT nock with contruction-glue. It doesn't cost much and is easy to do.

If you want to I can show a pic of the screws I use  

[John146]

What McDave said. I went to G.Fred Asbells Clinic at Black Widow years ago and watched Ken Beck shoot absolute darts at 40 yards bareshaft using the weight system and Gold Tips. Went moose hunting years ago and just added weight nock end and point end to get the weight I wanted. It really does work.

[McDave]

Originally posted by Flying Dutchman:
 

Originally posted by McDave:
Curious as to how you got the 17 grains.  I thought the standard GT insert weights were 20 grains?

Thanks for the answer. I glue a little screw in the hollow GT nock with contruction-glue. It doesn't cost much and is easy to do.

If you want to I can show a pic of the screws I use    [/b]

If you want to add more weight, GT makes nock inserts and screw-in weights in 20 and 50 grain increments that you can stack, and then glue into the shaft. The nock insert takes a slightly shorter nock than the nocks you put directly into the shaft. The nock insert itself adds a bit of weight to the back, and thereby stiffens the shaft. When I want just a tiny bit stiffer shaft, sometimes I will use a nock insert with no weights.

As the nock itself is only designed to hold it's own weight, and has various forward and backward forces acting on it during the shot, it is possible that it could be more susceptible to popping out if something is glued directly into the back of it.  You'll have to let us know if anything unexpected happens, and whether the screw stays glued to the nock after many shots.

[BowDiddle]

No down side whatsoever as long as you can keep your FOC within an acceptable (to you) range, and you need a little stiffer acting arrow on the shot.

Yes, adding the weight at the rear of the arrow has the same outcome as adding weight to the string. It slows the string speed down, which reduces the amount of force being applied to the arrow resulting in a stiffer shooting arrow.

You can get the same results by adding more string silencers.

A good friend & string builder (who's name is forbidden) taught me that about a year ago. My tuning & shooting have improved a lot just from this knowledge.

Pat

[Flying Dutchman]

Ok, this is the screw I use. I shot already 100's of arrows with it and no nocks popping out.The head has the same diameter as the nock. This means the head doesn't fit in the nock, but does fit into the hollow shaft. It also seems to protect against destroyed shafts due to Robin Hoods. Though the nock will be destroyed  


   

[McDave]

That's nice to know.  I have always regretted the huge number of arrows I have destroyed through Robin Hoods, and now I know of a possible solution!  

[Flying Dutchman]

There is another solution, but we all know that one    

Here is the baddest case I had since using screws. Only the wrapping was damaged; the carbon itself not. The screw dissapeared... I just sawed 0.1 inch of the back end, and re-inserted the nock; good to go again.

   

[Flying Dutchman]

And up.....