Too much tinkering???

[Leinsg91]

So over the last couple years I've been constantly changing my arrow setup. Carbon to aluminum back to carbon adding more and more weight.

Why???  

With all this talk of foc, efoc, ultra  efoc, has anyone else just gotten sick of tinkering???  I mean I really don't need all this extreme penetration that everyone is pressing for, the biggest animal I hunt are whitetails not exactly a Cape buffalo.  What happened to some good old wood arrows and a 125 head and good to go?

Don't get me wrong I have nothing against shooting foc, efoc, I just like things simple. That's part of what I like about trad, it's simple.

Needless to say there's some woodies with some zwickey's calling my name that are going to find a nice comfy home in my quiver and stay there.

Sorry for the long ramble just wanted to see if anyone else was in the same boat.

I am not, and never have been much of a tinkerer! I find a setup that works, and that's what I stick with. I hate even changing out strings!

Bisch

[Sawpilot 75]

Keep it simple. That's the point of using Trad gear.

[OregonTom]

I really wanted to keep things simple when I started out on traditional archery. The arra calculator at Rose city Archery said I should shoot a 11/32" dia.,  30" long,  55-60spine  cedar arrow with a 125grain head. Field points and Eskimos fly the same.  Those specs make a really nice arrow for me and my 45" recurve.  I feel very lucky.

[Mr.Vic]

"What happened to some good old wood arrows and a 125 head and good to go?" Works for a lot of us. The forums and sites are full of tinkering this and tinkering that. Too much time spent on tinkering with equipment and specs to find the magic. And everyone has an opinion. I've tried it all over 40  years an I also agree the magic is in SIMPLE. Learn to shoot whatever you have in your hands. My opinion is,put more effort in becoming better hunter than the equipment

[Terry Lightle]

What Bisch said
Terry

[Tedd]

Tinkering is fun. And it keeps our traditional supply houses in business. I like making arrows and getting a new brand to try.
Also for the most part, for all their precision carbon arrows don't shoot as easily as they should from traditional bows. So you chase and change. You hit on something that works. Then you a few weeks later it's rubbing the side plate, so you tweak again.
I always wonder if an arrow manufacturer has tried to make a solid shaft.

[Roy from Pa]

I tinker enough to get good arrow flight when paper tuning and that's it.

[Bowwild]

I've had great luck with all carbon and carbon/aluminum combo shafts, 4" feathers, and  have been using only 1 broadhead for 7 years.

I tune for a quiet bow and arrows that fly true. I might, for fun put it through a chronograph. Except for restoring brace height (string stretch) I rarely do anything to my set-ups once I have em.

[Shadowhnter]

If you dont like to tinker, then dont tinker. If tinkering is part of the enjoyment, tinker away! Why limit what we call fun?

[Fritz]

Tinker till you find a solid system that works for you, then stop tinkering.  

[gordydog]

It's just plain fun to tinker. It's not like I throw out my tried and true setups.  I have many arrows and many bows and they all kill game and I appreciate hunting and shooting with all of them.
  Tinkering is like changing fletch color or setting up a new stand.  It keeps it fun. Ever find yourself saying " I really wanted to shoot a deer with that new hunting arrow I setup."

[Tajue17]

tinkering is fun with a new bow but once I find a arrow that matches it that's it!

I have bows that shoot aluminums, some bows shoot woods and some carbons.

as far as the whole foc thing I never payed any attention to it because if your bow and arrow set up has decent cast which basically means does the arrow fly good and hit where your looking,,, if yes then everything about that entire bow and arrow set up is perfect!   now scout hard and find Meat...

[the rifleman]

I've got to say that I really enjoy this aspect.  Bareshafting tells me much about not only my set up but my form flaws.  Shooting a longbow that is not cut anywhere near center and dropping bow weight has kept me busy searching for just the right arrow-- which I've now got.  A friend told me that once you find the right arrow ( in carbons at least), buy 5 doz as they will quit making them--- found that to be true.  I not only tinker w my gear, but have made changes to my form and style of shooting that have improved my accuracy as well.  I do spend more time than is probably necessary on this, but it keeps me out of trouble.

[KeganM]

I like tinkering but I get carried away. Trying everything out is fun but at the end of the day, the only stuff that has stuck has been that which makes me more accurate.

[Pine]

Nothing wrong with tinkering , but for me the fun part is the shooting .
Calculating and changing things shouldn't be done when you are learning to shoot .
I honestly couldn't even guess what my FOC ratio is or what the kinetic energy of my arrow is .
But nothing wrong with tinkering , just do it when your not going to be hunting soon .

[old_goat2]

Originally posted by Sawpilot 75:
Keep it simple. That's the point of using Trad gear.

Not to me;-) In my opinion, the point of using trad gear is it's fun and relies more on me than the bow!
I enjoy the tinkering part and have a plethora of arrows and inserts and can make multiple bows work. I am narrowed down to what works best overall for me for the most part, but am ready for anything and everything!

[John146]

I am not a "tinkerer" (is that a word?) BUT I do like to improve my set up when I run into information that would make what I shoot more proficient.

I have shot the same bow since 1994. Got new limbs to lower my poundage but everything else is the same. Arrows have evolved though. Started with 2013 Aluminums with 125grain Thunderheads. Killed a couple but boy did things go to another level when I went to carbon and Ultra FOC with a Cut to Point broad head.

When I read Ashby's research it was not just opinion but solid research showing what could be accomplished with the right set up when using low poundage bows.

Then I read the part about the weakness of the aluminum inserts and changed to brass. No more shattered inserts when hitting bone.

I guess tinkering depends on what is trying to be accomplished. If there is not a destiny involved I guess you can just keep going around the mountain. Guys I know that buy lots of bows and change arrows a lot just enjoy that sort of thing and I think that's cool.

[Sam McMichael]

Some like tinkering and some don't. I don't. For one thing, I am not handy with it, and secondly, I don't see a real need for most of it. Like Bisch, when I find a good combo, I stay with it.

Mostly, I hunt Georgia white tails. I found out a long time ago, that essentially any arrow that tunes well off any of my hunting bows is heavy enough and penetrative enough to cleanly take a deer. Granted, if I ever go after considerably bigger game, I may need to re-think this a little.

I do feel that many newer guys in particular fixate on "stuff" that just ain't that big a deal, when what they need more is to practice a lot with concentration on form. After the form is solidified, then let the fine tune tinkering take place. However, its hard to criticize those guys who like to fool around with their gear, and often I do find some of their findings to be quite enlightening. Its all good, and its all fun.

[forestdweller]

Yes, I HATE tinkering. It's one of the main reasons why I no longer shoot a recurve.

I would tinker with my last bow until I got a perfect bareshaft tune from 40 yards.  

You need to have limb tip pads, string silencers, brush buttons, and need to bareshaft around those things.

If one of those things fail they effect your tune and have to start over.

Drove me nuts.

Right now I just bareshaft tune for 15 yards and call it a day from there whereas I used to bareshaft tune from 40 yards and I shoot my bow with no attachments or string silencers.

Keeping it simple is what archery is all about.