Strike plate?

[the rifleman]

Jeff, I'm glad it worked for you!  The softer side plate material gives you a different reaction with the arrow--- being thicker and softer it positioned the arrow point further to the left of the riser which made you naturally move it to the right as you aimed bringing your shots onto the target.  I have found this adjustment to be a great way to get your bow to shoot where you look.

[Orion]

Hmmm.  Guess this old dog just learned a new trick.  Though I've been shooting sticks for more than 50 years, I really haven't experimented too much with side plate materials; thickness, yes, materials, no.  I've used mostly leather over the years, and switched to mostly velcro the past 10-15 years or so.

If your arrow is shooting stiff and you move the side plate out, it should shoot stiffer yet, but what you're saying is that a softer material will make it shoot weaker even if it's thicker.  

I can envision the action that would have to occur to make that happen. The arrow tip/tip area, when it's released, does momentarily press into the bow side plate as it begins its first bend.  Of course, the shaft quickly bends the other way as it moves forward such that the entire shaft clears the bow if it's spined correctly.

If the side plate material is so soft that it compresses more (than the compared material) at the initial moment of the release, the point of the arrow/arrow would be closer to the center of the bow at the side plate at release, which would require a bit more spine. Or, said another way, it would make the stiff spine shoot a little weaker, which is what happened in your case.

So, theoretically, it's possible.  I find it hard to believe though that the difference in softness between velcro and a rug rest is great enough to cause that effect.

I think rifleman's explanation might be more plausible, or maybe it's the combination of the two. Regardless, glad it works for you.

[Gordon Jabben]

Yes rifleman, I could see how that would work with a thick soft plate material.

[TexasTrad]

I went to Rick's school and he showed me how to adjust the side plate to cause the arrow to hit where you are looking.   Softer material (like Martin) moves the arrow to the right even though it is a little thicker -- The softer material provides more cushion.

It works for the rest as well.....i.e. if you put softer rug rest on, it will move arrow impact down.

Some people suggest that this is a shortcut to proper tuning but I can get bare shafts to fly almost perfectly so long as I have a shaft that is spined pretty close

It is kind of counterintuitive but it works (for me at least)

[deerhunter_w]

Texas trad. What type of rest do you need to raise your point of impact?

Thanks Jeff

[TexasTrad]

Deerhunter -- I have never tried to raise my point of impact (always trying to lower it) but I believe the harder the material the higher the arrow impact.  If I was trying to raise, I would try Velcro or some type of thin leather with not much cushion.

As a side note, I think the easiest way to raise or lower the arrow impact is to raise or lower the nocking points (I used one above and below the nock).  That is what Welch teaches.   He gets left/right correct by adjusting sideplate material and then adjusts nocking points up for lower arrow impact or down for higher arrow impact.

[deerhunter_w]

Just curious. You was talking about lowering it. Thought it may come in handy sometime down the road.

Thanks. Jeff