how do you tune

[nhbuck1]

so you look at which way the arrow impacts whittler?

I'm not trying to be rude or anything, but don't you have any experienced trad shooters in your area that can help you with this stuff. It is very hard to "get it" over the internet, and a first hand person to show you really lessens the frustration and learning curves!

Good luck getting things figured out!

Bisch

[Michael Pfander]

The question I have always had is this:  If you are a new shooter and have tuning questions where do you get the perfectly tuned fletched arrows to compare with your bare shafts.  I paper tune to get in the ball park and then check my bare shafts a 30 yds.  Then I fine tune with paper, adjusting brace and knock until I am happy.  What I like about bare shaft is the fact that I don't have to worry about rain affecting the flight.
MAP

[oldrubline]

...the comparison between bare shafts and the fletched ones of the same spine is relative.  I think that even if you are not a perfect shooter (we are all in the process of improving at this through our hunting careers hopefully!) you will still tend to shoot a certain way and can still use bare shaft tuning.  If, for example, your arrows are slightly too stiff, your bare shafts will be more to the left of the fletched ones which will always correct more in flight.  The fletched ones may still be to the left of your target though.  That doesn't matter. Just reduce spine of each arrow by sanding as I do or heavier point etc and compare again. Now, perhaps the group will be together at your intended target.  By shooting the bare shaft over days and tweaking it slowly by reducing its spine, I am able to see how the arrow flys most of the time....   You don't need perfectly tuned arrows to do this...they WILL be perfectly tuned for your individual shooting style once both the bare shaft group and fletched shoot to the same place.   That's the way I understand it anyway....  

Dan

[nhbuck1]

thanks for the intresting replies and help guys, i guess im just bored waiting for my new arrows i am out of mine, i need to get stuff so i always have it on hand to make my own

[Bowwild]

I shoot with a tab (shot with a glove for a year). Paper tuning works like a charm for me. My release is very consistent, I've chronographed it.

There would be no reason why paper tuning would require a release aid anymore than bare shaft tuning.  The reason some might think the release aid is more often paper tuned because lots of shops set up release aid "fired" compound bows by paper tuning because it is fast and very objective.

The couple times I bare shaft tuned was when I was considering cutting the shaft to tune to make sure I could use a specific weight broadhead. I didn't like it because the tune always revealed I needed longer arrows than I'm willing to shoot. So, I went back to PT and flexible weight broadhead choices.   Don't get me wrong, the tune didn't change from one method to the other, my alternatives to adjust tune did (but they didn't have to). I use this method with my son, brother, daughter, grandson, and anyone else that needs help.

A friend and gold medal olympian (team in Atlanta) doesn't use either method. He shoots groups at 50-70 meters. He doesn't care a bit how well his arrows fly, just how they group. Of course that wouldn't work for broadheads because the broadhead will overrule (plane) the fletching the first chance it gets from a wildly fish-tailing arrow.  

Yes, 6' is fine. Actually, I count the 12" tiles on my basement range 6-8' doesn't make much difference. I place the rack about 1.5 arrow lengths in front of my backstop. A quick way to make a rack is just cut out the bottom/top or sides of a good sized cardboard box. Tightly tape Christmas wrapping paper, butcher paper, etc. over the hole.  Slicker systems can be made with PVC pipe and attach a roll of paper at the top. You simply roll out fresh paper, tape it in place, and shoot.

[J-dog]

I didn't read all the posts but spent a lot of time earlier this yr tuning arrows. I used the methodology on the tuff head website(sponsors here). They use basically Ashby's method but it is explained really well there.

Luck!

[The Whittler]

Nhbuck, I watch the arrow fly to see if the nock is too the right or left as it flys to the target.

Go on the Widow site Ken Beck has a video.

[Biathlonman]

I paper tune.  Never had trouble getting bullet holes with my tab.  Helped several others do the same with no issues.

[Red Beastmaster]

First of all, I don't use carbons which require too much tinkering.

Whether it's wood or aluminum I look at the chart, buy the appropriate shafts, fletch, cut for 1" BOP past my draw, add a 125gr point, and shoot a perfect flying arrow.

I don't fool around tuning bows much either. 5/8" high for the nock, brace is from my wrist to the end of middle finger. Again, the arrows fly great.

I've been doing this for long enough to know what works for me. I can be out killing critters instead of agonizing over micro tuning.

[crazynate]

Your over thinking it man. I forgot about that video from ken beck on you tube. That's also a gat video to watch. He keeps it simple and doesn't over complicate an easy process. Good luck

[nhbuck1]

so ken becks method is on how the arrows flies right? i thought it didnt mtter how bareshafts fly but how they impact with fletched

[The Whittler]

nhbuck1, it's just a different way of skinning the cat. To each their own and good luck.

[oldrubline]

This may be my lack of understand regarding paper tuning, but I have wondered how it can be depended on alone.  I know when I bare shaft tune that I can watch the flight of the shaft and see if it tends to fly stiff or weak; nock high or low, etc.  With paper tuning I was left wondering if I was catching the arrow during a correction phase or in its actual desired flight phase. That is, if the paper is at 6 feet, I release and the arrow tries to fly stiff, but the fletching catches it and swings it back in correction, I could in theory catch an image of the shaft appearing weak.  The arrow is wagging back and forth initially as it is being corrected by the fletching, how do I know if the tear is accurate?  Seems you would still want to at least double-check with bare shaft?  I would think that the paper better be very close to reveal the most accurate tear?? Am I way off?

Dan

[nhbuck1]

intresting question oldrubline, i would like to hear more about this myself, i was going to try paper tuning but this has my puzzled as well

[dnovo]

I guess I've been doing it too long myself. I only shoot wood arrows and I see all the posts about tuning carbon arrows. I make up a nice set of woodies, put some points on and go shoot.  Every once in a while I'll get a bad one, but I can tell right away if they're good. I haven't had any in the last 20 years or more that didn't fly good so I'm happy with it. I make sure the broadheads are mounted straight and shoot them to see, then I sharpen them and go hunting.  Very simple.

[slowbowjoe]

"I guess I've been doing it too long myself. I only shoot wood arrows and I see all the posts about tuning carbon arrows. I make up a nice set of woodies, put some points on and go shoot. Every once in a while I'll get a bad one, but I can tell right away if they're good. I haven't had any in the last 20 years or more that didn't fly good so I'm happy with it. I make sure the broadheads are mounted straight and shoot them to see, then I sharpen them and go hunting. Very simple."


Been thinking about suggesting wood arrows, nhbuck, and already suggested the simple approach, and tuning to your broad heads. Give it some thought.

[the rifleman]

I agree with mec lineman!

[mgf]

IMO we stick and string archers tend to spend too much time/discussion on two things. The first is aiming and the second is tuning.

Of course you have to do both but there are other things that will effect your arrow flight and where you hit much more than either...in my opinion.

[oldrubline]

If you take the time to cut the fletching from an arrow and try to shoot it at hunting distance, it will tell you plain and simple whether or not you need to tune.  I have had 'good arrow flight' with FLETCHED arrows that I picked on a spine scale for a particular bow. BUT, when actually shooting, they were going sideways by the time they flew 15-20 yards without the fletch.  It really is important in my opinion, to shoot bare shafts to see what your shafts want to do.  If they are too stiff or weak you are losing a lot of forward momentum as your fletching works to correct their flight.  It is a simple matter to bare shaft tune and see what those shafts want to do with your unique shooting style and other variables.  Then you can adjust spine up or down.  It doesn't have to be really minute and precise...just get them flying reasonably straight at 15-20 yards without fletch and I (personally) think thats enough.  No use losing valuable energy in the hunting arrow from poorly selected arrow shafting...(FINE PRINT:  this is my humble and 'take it for what its worth' opinion)

Dan

PS- Did I mention bare shafting is dang simple?!