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Author Topic: Weird tuning.  (Read 941 times)

Offline Petrichor

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Weird tuning.
« on: October 31, 2019, 09:24:41 PM »
So I have been building my own wood arrows for almost five years now and I am getting a weird read with a new bow. Bow is 52 pounds at my draw of 26 inches. I have a similarly weighted camo bow that is 56 pounds at 28 inches. When I got the new bow, I shot the arrows that had been tuned to camo bow which flew perfectly. They were 55/60 spruce arrows with 125 grain head. The new bow was a sinch to setup and I found a great nock height and brace height that seemed perfect.  It should be noted both bows are cut to center.  The new bow is visibly faster than the camo bow so when I ordered new shafts I ordered 60/65 spruce shafts.

To my surprise they flew extremely stiff. Bare shaft was landing far to left (I'm right handed, well actually ambidextrous but these are both right handed bows). So I increased to 160 up front. Still reading stiff with full length shafts.  So I increased to 190 and still it flew stiff. 

For giggles I strung up camo bow and shot new arrows and they were weak landing far to right of fletched shafts, which is what I expected them to do. Since the new bow shot the camo bows arrows so well i started tuning to camo bow again and got the arrows flying well by shortening them some.  Now the fletched shafts are flying really good out of the new bow. And the bare shaft is still showing stiff but less than before. The camo bow has a pretty thick leather rest off the shelf and the new bow was using a similarly thick calf hair rest. So I thinned the rest by changing the new bow to some super pad, which is about as thin as it gets.  Still stiff from bare shaft. Nocking point for new bow is 1/2 inch and brace is 71/4 (both are hybrid longbows). 

Heres the kicker. So I was determined to get a weak reading on the new bow so I grabbed a 40/45 pound bareshaft with 160 up front which should be so weak it's not funny.  Nope it too flies stiff.  What in the world could be causing this. The new bow shoots superb but I do not want to have to tune with another bow to get these arrows adjusted. I was going to buy some 55/60 shafts for it but am not going to spend any money on new shafts when I cant even get super weak shafts that fly perfect out of my 42 pound at 28 inch recurve to fly weak of a 52 lb hydrid longbow. 

With a nock that high I wouldn't expect I'm hitting the shelf in any way that is out of the ordinary.  Perhaps changing to an elevated rest? Turkey feather or something?  I honestly havent a clue.  Is it possible that the arrows are so weak I'm getting a false stiff reading? Never been unable to get a good read before and never seen anything like this. Help is appreciated.  The only big difference between the new bow and camo bow is that the camo bow is 66 inches long and the new bow is 52 inches long. If any other details are needed let me know.
« Last Edit: October 31, 2019, 09:39:20 PM by dahyer »
Nothing clears a troubled mind like shooting a bow.
Fred Bear

Offline Captain*Kirk

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Re: Weird tuning.
« Reply #1 on: October 31, 2019, 10:47:56 PM »
Dave, it might be a function of a short bow. My K-Mag likes arrows much stiffer than my other Bears for some reason.
Aim small,miss small

Offline Petrichor

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Re: Weird tuning.
« Reply #2 on: October 31, 2019, 11:03:18 PM »
Hmm that's what I thought too kirk but if likes stiffer arrows why wouldn't they be showing too weak then. I originally tried the new 60/65 shafts with the 125 grain head and they flew stiff so I increased point weight which should weaken the dynamic spine but that didnt seem to help at all which is weird.  Now when the arrow does hit the target the arrow wobbles quiet a bit from the impact. Is there such a thing as a false stiff reading because the arrow is way too weak??  I have clearance to buy more shafts from the wife but I want to figure out this mystery first. I guess I can always cut these down some more because I have such a short draw and if I mess them up they can go into the stumping bin.
« Last Edit: October 31, 2019, 11:17:17 PM by dahyer »
Nothing clears a troubled mind like shooting a bow.
Fred Bear

Offline Petrichor

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Re: Weird tuning.
« Reply #3 on: October 31, 2019, 11:44:17 PM »
I think I just figured it out... bottom line is I'm an idiot... I'll test tomorrow and let you all know...
Nothing clears a troubled mind like shooting a bow.
Fred Bear

Online McDave

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Re: Weird tuning.
« Reply #4 on: November 01, 2019, 11:41:23 AM »
I think I just figured it out... bottom line is I'm an idiot... I'll test tomorrow and let you all know...

I can't wait to read what you found out.  I love these tricky tuning issues.
TGMM Family of the Bow

Technology....the knack of arranging the world so that we don't have to experience it.

Offline Petrichor

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Re: Weird tuning.
« Reply #5 on: November 03, 2019, 03:26:45 PM »
I think I just figured it out... bottom line is I'm an idiot... I'll test tomorrow and let you all know...

I can't wait to read what you found out.  I love these tricky tuning issues.

As it turns out I am both an idiot and I was having an actual issue but it has been solved.

The idiot portion:

When tuning bareshaft one is supposed to shoot vertical otherwise a cant will confuse readings. I normally choot with a 45 degree cant. A cant will cause a nock high reading to appear stiff.....

That's one issue down.  Then when switching to a vertical bow the nock was still showing super freaking height even though I was only at a 1/2 inch. I decided to pull the arrow across my rest by hand to see if I was getting drag or anything as my super pad had already gotten a small hole worn in it on the rest portion which is pretty atypical of the material. Normally it lasts me a year or more before needing replacement. As I pulled the arrow across the fetching caught hard right where the hole was. So i pulled off the super pad rest portion and installed a Turkey feather rest and re adjusted the nocking point accordingly. Pretty good flight with the arrows that had been shortened a bit.  Then I noticed undo wear on the super pad strike plate.  Pulled that off and replaced to felt... arrow flight and bareshaft was perfectly straight out to 30 yards.  I cut down the other arrows to match the test group and shot a 15 yard group. Very happy with that I shot at 25. Very happy with that i stopped and am considering the arrows tuned. First pic is 15 then next two are the very next groups at 25. Happy camper.
Nothing clears a troubled mind like shooting a bow.
Fred Bear

Offline fujimo

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Re: Weird tuning.
« Reply #6 on: November 03, 2019, 03:43:48 PM »
i always found that when i was forced to shoot perfectly vertical, my form over many shots suffered- it felt unnatural- a few shots was ok.
 so i had someone stand behind me and match the vertical line on my target to the natural cant of my bow, and then i can shoot at the target in my most natural and easily repeatable position. then i get no false readings from the target.
for those of you that shooting vertical is a non- issue then this is a moot point ;).

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