A question only a newb would ask.

[Joe03]

Trying to figure out what arrows for my 45# recurve and there allot of great info within these pages.
My question. Making an arrow shorter increases the spine stiffness?
I was able to figure out arrows for my Sage 30#, GT 15/35's but having a heck of a time with the 45# with a spine selection.

[Manitoba Stickflinger]

Yep…shorter makes it stiffer. CX 90's would work well if you're thinking of hunting weight arrows..

[hart2hart]

35/55s.Full length.Choose your point weight.Cut off a little at a time 'til she flys good.
A little at a time..I repeat!!
Yes,,shorter is stiffer.
Mike

[Tom]

Start with full length 35/55 GT's with 125 gr. points. Will depend on your draw length and yes, cutting will increase spine stiffnes quickly. Varying point weight will help if spine is too stiff-go to heavier point weight and or use brass inserts to create more FOC. With 45# bows I use GT 55/75 with 100 gr. inserts and 145 gr. field points full length. But I draw 29.5" and tend towards arrows that weigh more, slightly more forgiveness and better penetration on game. If you do cut carbon arrows do it in 1/4" intervals as they stiffen up fast. Have fun and enjoy the journey.

[Joe03]

Thanks all, My Draw length is 28.5".  If inserts are glued in how do you change them out to try different weights?

[creekwood]

Originally posted by Joe03:
My question. Making an arrow shorter increases the spine stiffness?

Joe, Let me see if I can answer your question in a very simple way.  Cut a piece of your arrow shaft to a six inch length, now take one end of it in your left hand and the other end in your right hand and see if you can bend it.  You can't.  Now take a thirty inch length of arrow shaft and try to bend it.  You can, and that is why a shorter arrow shaft is called "stiffer".

[Rustic]

Originally posted by hart2hart:
35/55s.Full length.Choose your point weight.Cut off a little at a time 'til she flys good.
A little at a time..I repeat!!
Yes,,shorter is stiffer.
Mike

X2... Works for me.

[reddogge]

Originally posted by Joe03:
Thanks all, My Draw length is 28.5".  If inserts are glued in how do you change them out to try different weights?

I dont' glue them in rather take some Saran Wrap and put is over the endo of the shaft and push the insert into the shaft. The wrap will keep it pretty tight. I also shoot into a rolled up piece of foam so if one does come out I can retrieve it. None has ever come out though.

Or if you haven't capped and crested the shafts pull the nock out and cut from that end. Easy Peezy.

[Joe03]

It's seems when I was a youngster, many years ago and had a bow, things were so much easier. I shot what every I could find, short arrows, long arrows, all wood and had allot of fun. Never really hit anything, LMAO, but enjoyed trying. Seems so much different now, but don't think I don't enjoy it but, well you know. I do want to switch out of hunting with my compound so, time will be put into my 45#'er.  Thanks folks.

[LimBender]

Not a newb question - I suspect trial and error for a lot of us, but I agree on using things like paper/saran wrap or just hot melt to change out points. It helps to have your own arrow saw or method of cutting.  I just bare shaft till I get close.  Making arrows can be enjoyable and rewarding if you have a little time on your hands and the right stuff to work with.

[VictoryHunter]

GT 35/55

[Homebru]

Building your strike plate out from the riser will also "stiffen" your arrow.

Not trying to make it more difficult.  Just trying to point out that there are a couple of dimensions you can work with when tuning a bow AND arrow.

I spent quite a bit of time fine tuning my arrow length one year.  Got those arrows shooting like......well.......like darts.  Put on a broadhead and drew the arrow back and "clunk" my arrow fell off the rest.  I had cut it about 1/8" too short for my draw in my quest to stiffen it "just right".  I wasn't tuning just one arrow but I was only tuning one dimension.  I was cutting the whole dozen down every time I made an adjustment.  Mistake.

Anybody need a dozen ash arrows?  Go ahead and try to break them.
homebru

[Joe03]

All good information, raring to get going. Now to get the right string.

[Fattony77]

Homebru,
I thought building out the strike plate weakened the arrow.(?) Not arguing...asking.

I thought that that the harder the strike plate material or further it was built out the weaker it would make the arrow. Essentially changing the center cut of your bow.

Again, not meant to be argumentative, just trying to clarify, because I will soon be tuning a new bow/arrow set-up and want to make sure that I (as well as the original poster) are on the right track.

Thanks,
-Tony

[Flying Dutchman]

Building out the strike plate does not weaken your arrow,  it just allows you to shoot weaker arrows.

[ishoot4thrills]

Nope, Homebru has it right.

Building out your strike plate does change the center-cut of your bow. But, during the shot, the arrow bends as it goes past the shelf/strike plate of the bow. The farther the strike plate sticks out, the harder it is for the arrow to bend or "paradox" around it. Therefore, the arrow SEEMS to be stiffer or ACTS stiffer because it can't bend as much as it would if it was weaker. That's why bows that aren't cut to center need weaker spined arrows than bows that are cut to center or past center.

[Fattony77]

Thanks for the clarification, guys! I really appreciate the correction! My misunderstanding could have been potentially maddening once my tinkering began! Lol.
I apologize if I got anyone else off-track momentarily.    

[njloco]

I shoot 1535's out of all of my bows, @ 29" long, depends on many things, including your release ! I have put up to 360gr on the tip and they flew perfect, I would go with 1535's, a 50-100gr brass insert and a 125gr tip.three 4" feathers. If they don't fly well, I'll buy them from you.

Good luck

[CoilSpring]

Joe03 said..."Now to get the right string."

If you're getting a new string (say a low-stretch to replace the factory Dacron string) I'd get the new string first and shoot it in some, before I try to tune or cut arrows.

These two different strings will tune differently (prefer a longer or shorter arrow, or heavier/lighter point weight.