Sideplate materials: AKA fine tuning my bow

[Trumpkin the Dwarf]

Anyone used packing tape to get the thinnest side plate possible? Trying to get "over the hump" with some arrows that are a bit too stiff. Currently using moleskin which is quite thin itself.

I'm really trying to keep my big Simmons Tree Sharks without changing my arrow setup substantially.

[J. Cook]

Just wandering if you are that close...if you could slightly increase your brace height to slightly "weaken" the shaft in effect?  Not an answer to the side plate question, but something to consider.

[Trumpkin the Dwarf]

Just wandering if you are that close...if you could slightly increase your brace height to slightly "weaken" the shaft in effect?  Not an answer to the side plate question, but something to consider.

Everyone says that raising brace height will weaken spine. I don't understand that, when in a bow's sweet spot. It certainly doesn't work for me, even with fairly large changes.

[onemississipp]

Give us the arrow setup. Brace height to weaken spine is an interesting thought. So if you lowered it, it would stay in contact longer with arrow. This could push a weak arrow further around the bow or a stiff arrow further from the bow.

To me lowering brace would weaken an arrow..


May be worth check if you are that close.. or simply adding a bit more weight up front will help.


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[Trumpkin the Dwarf]

34" Easton Axis 5mm, .260 spine. 75 grain HIT inserts, currently 200 grain points. I draw 33" and my bow is 64 lbs at that draw length. There are no other carbons at 34" length in a .280 spine that I can find for sale.

Misc.
- nock fit is as loose as I can get it.
- I do have a spray painted cap dip on the back of the shaft (maybe 3-4 grains of weight)
- I have moleskin in the limb grooves, removing that might get me a hair more power?

[Trumpkin the Dwarf]

I really want to keep these arrows in the 10-11 gpp area, and adding more point weight will hurt that effort. If I have to use 250 grain points, so be it, but that's a last effort in my mind.

[onemississipp]

It’s possible the your side plate may need extending.. causing the arrow to bow a bit and push more right for right handed or left for left handed..like the plunger..


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[McDave]

Counterintuitively, sometimes increasing the width of the side plate will help.  Try using a side plate of Martin Rug Rest material.  It is thicker than the material you are using, but softer.  The softness of the Rug rest works like a crude plunger button: a soft rug rest is like reducing the pressure on the plunger button.

[bigbadjon]

I'd try something like medical tape or duct tape. That should protect your finish and still be all but shooting off the riser.

[TomMcDonald]

Just wandering if you are that close...if you could slightly increase your brace height to slightly "weaken" the shaft in effect?  Not an answer to the side plate question, but something to consider.

Everyone says that raising brace height will weaken spine. I don't understand that, when in a bow's sweet spot. It certainly doesn't work for me, even with fairly large changes.

Raising the brace height will stiffen the spine, lowering the brace height will weaken it.

Thinner string, moving your silencing apparatus further up towards the string nocks, and using electrical tape as a side plate is what I've done in the past. I used one layer of tape and then reinforced it on the other side of the bow so it didn't come off.

I also used thin wall brass tube as footing which seemed to stiffen the shafts a bit.

[monterey]

Shoot it with a bare window and if that works you can get away with something very thin such as the suggested tape.  If that doesn't work, go at it with a rasp.

[hybridbow hunter]

That shaft is really way too stiff for that point weight if your bow isn't cut far past center. I used that axis shaft to kill a water buff in Australia cut to 33 1/2" out of a border recurve 68# at 32" with a window cut 5/16" past center (so with a leather strike plate I was truly centershot) with...450 gr up front. Not sure 1/16" gain in strike plate thickness will bring you a solution.

[bigbadjon]

He might have some difficulty finding a weaker shaft in his required draw length. I believe if he drops to a .300 fmj the length of the shaft is 33 inches.

[hybridbow hunter]

black eagle arrows make 34" shaft in various spine

[DanielB89]

It may have been stated, but, have you tried the martin rug rest as an option yet? 

If they're not flying erratic and are just impacting to the stiff side for your hand, I can guarantee you that using a martin rug rest will adjust your arrow poi.

[bigbadjon]

If he is already to the point of shooting directly off the bow riser the rug rest material will not give the arrow a weaker reaction. It only works that way if you are replacing a material of equal thickness.

[two4hooking]

I shoot right off the wood.  no plate...

I have also used black electrical tape before.

[the rifleman]

Raising the brace height will make the arrow behave dynamically weaker.  Lower the brace height and the arrow will be dynamically stiffer.  Ive used this many times w many bows and shooters and the results are always the same.

[Trumpkin the Dwarf]

Hey all, thanks for the help. I cannot go softer in spine. The next closest arrow is the black eagle, at .350. a .09 change in deflection, and too much to keep arrow weight where I want it.

I will try raising the brace height further and see if it does anything though.

[onemississipp]

Hey all, thanks for the help. I cannot go softer in spine. The next closest arrow is the black eagle, at .350. a .09 change in deflection, and too much to keep arrow weight where I want it.

I will try raising the brace height further and see if it does anything though.

Please let us know how it goes!


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