Centershot is a crucial factor...

[Mudd]

Wow! I understood almost all the names of those who posted but much beyond that and I was pretty much.. well lost!


God bless,Mudd

[Blackstick]

If you go to the instructions for using the Dynamic Spine Calculator at:

 http://www.heilakka.com/stumiller/Dynamic%20Spine%20Calculator%20Instructions%2011-22-09.pdf

Stu Miller explains how to do the measuring and has a picture example.

[Bruce Martin]

Stu's diagram is most helpful and is the concept I was trying to describe. Thanks, Blackstick!

[Rob DiStefano]

imo, arrow plates that are cut closer to, or past the center of the bow's centeline are an added advantage.

key words, 'added advantage'.

makes for arrow tuning lots easier.

still, higher or lower spined arrows for a given stick bow holding weight can still be made to fly well from bow shelfs not cut to center or even cut lots before center, albeit with some understanding and some efforts.  and in this case, aiming the arra and front end loading are you and yer arra's best friends.

[Blackstick]

Here is another of Stu’s pictures. For some reason I thought it was in the instructions.

 

[robtattoo]

Hmmmmm. Won't let me edit a post. Wierd.

Anyway, what I was trying to say was;

Y'all are talking about centre CUT & not centre SHOT

It may sound like petty semantics to you, but the two things are totally different. Centre SHOT would require a bow to be cut PAST centre.

[George D. Stout]

robtattoo....I think most people here understand the difference.  The terms are noticeably different to those who have been in archery any length of time.

I much prefer a bow that is cut close to center, but not past.  Less fiddlin' and mostly less finicky.

[Jason R. Wesbrock]

Not only is centershot (not dead center while shooting with fingers, obviously) a crucial factor in arrow spine selection, it can make a significant difference in the shooting qualities of the bow, i.e. forgiveness.

[Jerry Wald]

So Jason - is past center more forgiving or is close to center more forgiving?

My bow is 3/16 past center and I will put a hair plate on it making it 1/4" past center

Then I will be trying safari's and AD which are tapered.

jer Bear

[Rob DiStefano]

Originally posted by robtattoo:
Hmmmmm. Won't let me edit a post. Wierd.

Anyway, what I was trying to say was;

Y'all are talking about centre CUT & not centre SHOT

It may sound like petty semantics to you, but the two things are totally different. Centre SHOT would require a bow to be cut PAST centre.

GLAD you made this post, rob, as there are newbies out there who do need to understand those differences you've outlined.    

[raideranch]

Mudd
If you can tune your arrows for perfect flight without understanding center shot you will be alright but if you learn the concept you could tune them more easily.

[Rob DiStefano]

for those trying to understand this bow/arrow centershot gobbledeegook, look at it thisaway ...

assuming the limbs are well tillered and not crooked, the center of the bowstring will be directly over the centerline of the bow, as that line is drawn down the entire belly of the bow.  

for a true 5/16" diameter arrow to be used and shot as TRUE centershot, the bow's riser arrow shelf plate would need to be cut 5/32" (half the diameter of the arrow) past the bow's centerline, plus at least another 1/16" to account for the arrow plate protective material (leather, velcro, teflon, etc).  imo, that's plain silly and not needed.  in fact, i believe most archers would have a tough time shooting such a bow.

there will always be arrow flight issues with any stick bow - if not due to how the shelf is cut, then the arrow spine and the fact that finger shooters torque the string and add arrow pressure to the arrow plate.  

a stick bow's shelf that's cut and protected to allow a resting arrow's *side* to measure 1/8+" off center is just fine for all archers.  and that's how the vast majority of bows are crafted today.

ymmv.

[Jerry Wald]

SO Rob - What about tapered shafts then....when pulled they are at the most off center and as they move to the shelf the diameter gets smaller.

Is this the reason they shoot well too.

Just asking...I used to just take and arrow and tune it to the bow...took a bit of playing bu tmostly doable if you weren't concerned with tip weight and FOC.

But now that I have leraned about the FOC and EFOC I am trying to get the tip weight up to help with penetration.

I have read all the Ashby reports and followed along on most of the posts here on the subject, but when I read that Terry shoots his AD's with all different combos of tip weights I am curious to why.

Is it the make up of the tapered shaft. then I read where some ppl were having trouble getting the Alaskans and the safari's to tune in their bows.

Anyway I will be interested in your response.

thanks Jer Bear

[Rob DiStefano]

no question jerry, my tapered ad trads shoot great out of most bows - in fact, any bow.  i'm sure it's all about the taper, but the archer plays an important role, too, as does with any kinda arrow.

for a better insight into ad trads and tradlites, just look at the  ad spine charts  ... just look at the enormous latitude of arrow lengths and bow weights for ONE arrow spine!!!  you'd never see that with an alum or woodie spine chart!!!  that's enuf to have ya scratchin' yer head for a good while.   :D  

it's been said lotsa times before, and it's sure worth saying again - aside from using the highest holding stick bow weight you can *master*, your arrows must fly well, your broadheads must be razor sharp and you must be able to put that arra in the right spot consistently.

with the above in mind, gpp, foc and efoc are things, tools of a sort, that can possibly add to the highlighted text above.  imo, terry is an excellent trad bowhunter who has hunted and killed LOTS of very worthy critters.   he has an intimate understanding of what tools get the job done for him, not for me or you.

so, all the gpp, foc, efoc, lmnop, skinny strings, etc stuff needs to be put in context with what are the the main priorities of a trad bowhunter.

we are all experiments of one, and each of us needs to use the tools that work best for us.

me?  i'll take the gpp and efoc and skinny string advantages any day - i need all the help i can get!    :D

[Jason R. Wesbrock]

Originally posted by Jerry Wald:
So Jason - is past center more forgiving or is close to center more forgiving?

My bow is 3/16 past center and I will put a hair plate on it making it 1/4" past center

Then I will be trying safari's and AD which are tapered.

jer Bear

For finger shooting, you don't want the arrow perfectly in line with the string. Ideally, when you nock an arrow and visually line up the string with the center of the bow's limbs, the tip of the arrow should be pointing just a little to the left of the string (right-handed shooter).

The further to the left your arrow points, the further from centershot the bow, and generally speaking, the less forgiving it will be.