Learning from your 1st time bare shaft tuning

[Rustic]

Sorry for the redundant post. I have been reading many of the bare shaft posts here and have learned alot.
Got my GT5575s in the mail today. I intend to bare shaft tune them but I'm not in a rush because my cutoff saw has'nt come in.
Anyway, after your 1st time bare shaft tuning, is there anything you would have done differntly?
I'm kinda working backwards from my chosen broadhead, so I think a 50gr brass insert is a good start. Sorry for being so windy but thats how I roll. Also, my Bear signature is my draw weight today. Thanks again.

[Killdeer]

What I learned from my first time bare shaft tuning is that my release is not good enough to bare shaft tune with.

Killdeer  

[Encino Man]

I guess I misunderstood the whole bare shaft testing thing. So I guess the next time I'll wear clothes.    

[3arrows]

Work with only one arrow until you are sure of the right lenght.Very hard to make a shaft longer.

[JamesKerr]

I would have started with full length shafts. Personally,I think you are going to be overspined unless you put a ton of weight up front with that shaft. The 5575 is a .400 spine shaft. I shoot a 400 spine shaft cut to 29.5" with a 100 grain brass adapter and 175 grain points off of a 55 pound longbow.

[Prairie Drifter]

Originally posted by JamesKerr:
I would have started with full length shafts. Personally,I think you are going to be overspined unless you put a ton of weight up front with that shaft. The 5575 is a .400 spine shaft. I shoot a 400 spine shaft cut to 29.5" with a 100 grain brass adapter and 175 grain points off of a 55 pound longbow.

I agree, too stiff

[Night Wing]

Originally posted by Killdeer:
What I learned from my first time bare shaft tuning is that my release is not good enough to bare shaft tune with.

Killdeer      

When I first tried bare shaft tuning, it gave me nothing but aggravation and frustration.            This gave me a severe dislike for bare shaft tuning that carries over to this day.

Luckily, Stu Miller came along and all is well with my world.     :D

[bowslinger]

Bareshaft tuning works very well, when all other factors are under control.

When I first tried bare shaft tuning, I made sure I had access to an arrow cut-off saw, several different point weights, and a target from which I could easily retrieve arrows that had inserts held by plastic wrap.  Things went fairly well and I thought I had found a very good setup for my bow.

Unfortunately (or fortunately), I read about a training tool called a form master.  I found instructions to make my own, and long story short, I was short drawing by 1 to 1.5 inches.  If I had to do over, I would make sure I had good form before bareshaft tuning.  I have about 3 dozen arrows cut too short!  Before you start chopping arrows, make sure you have solid form and are not short drawing.

Also, don't stand more than 10 yards from a large bale target until you know how your bare shafts will fly.  It is amazing how far left or right a bare shaft will travel in 20 yards when way underspined or overspined.

Good Luck!

[don_h]

Yep, wish I didn't take so much arrow set up advice and bare shafted sooner. Put whatever your desired inserts and point weight, broad head or field tips, on a full length shaft and get to it, if you are facing the target, the nock will tell you what to do, it will be pointing at your weak arm if your spine is weak, and your strong arm if it is too stiff. A little nock high is fine, as long as your spine is the same, the same setup will work with any combo, I.e. 75 gr insert 125 point, 200 gr point standard 20 gr insert, 5 to 15 grains won't make a "noticeable" difference. Good luck, let your bow tell you, not the Internet. Ol Adcock is a great reference as to what your looking for.

[saumensch]

The biggest lesson ive learned while bareshafting is that you should do what the arrow tells you to. My mind was already set on a special combination but that didnt work, instead of doing what the arrow told me i started trying all kinds if things to get the combination i wanted instead of just flowing along and taking the one that worked.

Second biggest lesson is, you cant beat a good setup thats been tested and true.

[Rustic]

All of your input is greatly appreciated.
I think I'll test one arrow with more weight up front and full length.
Thanks again,

[Rick Richard]

The thing I learned about bareshaft tuning is "you are never done"

[JimB]

It took me quite awhile the first time but after that,it went a lot quicker.I use OL's planing method exclusively and it has worked well.

1.I learned not to get locked into a specific broadhead or point weight before tuning.Not that it can't be done but it complicates the process.
 
2.OL talks about verifying changes with point weight before doing any cutting.For this reason,I keep a wide variety of points on hand from 100 grs to 350 grs.About the biggest gap between point weights is 25 grs.

3.I use the screw-in point system as it makes changing points quicker and later,after tuning,I can switch between field points,blunts and broadheads.

4.Once I narrow it down to the nearest 25 grs of point weight,I play with 1,2 or 3,five grain weight washers.When I think I've about got it,I drop point weight just enough till it shows slightly stiff and then go just enough the other way till it shows slightly weak.I can then figure a weight right in the middle.

5.I used to do some shaft cutting after verifying with point weight but these days I don't change bow weights much and know what deflection I need in a shaft so I order them all cut 30",as I draw 29" and much longer than 30",the nock ends of the arrows stick out past my lower limb tip when the arrows are in the bow quiver.

This means all tuning is done with point weight.That makes the process go really fast.

6.After all the tuning is done with field points,I make up a couple broadheads to match the point weight that shot the best and then shoot the broadheads from 15 to 30 yds.If there are no surprises,I'm ready to make up and mount my broadheads.

7.I start by actually weighing the best shooting field point,rather than assuming it weighs what the manufacturer says.I use glue-on broadheads as I can really fine tune the weight by using different weight adapters and can further fine tune with a little lead shot if I need to.

I first sharpen the broadheads,then weigh them before glueing to adapters.I try to get them as close to exactly the same weight as possible.That may be a little over-kill but I only have to build these once and consistency won't hurt anything.I also know that over time,some broadheads will need touched up or resharpened and then,the point weights will start to vary some.If they start off,very close to the same weight,later they may not vary as much.

8.I've played with insert weights and various weights in the shaft and they just don't suit me.It is just easier for me to install a screw in insert of the appropriate weight and add the appropriate weight adapter and broadhead.

Choosing that broadhead is one of the last things I do.There are plenty of good ones to choose from.

9.I should also add that because of the screw-in point system,one of my sets of arrows will work for 4 different bows,just by using 2 different point weights.

[champ38]

I like to take a full lenth bare shft, add enough wt to the front to get a weak reading. I then cut 1/4" at a time from the back until arrow flies straight or slightly weak out to 35-40 yards.

[Dimondback]

Make sure to have your form/technique down first. Many off the bare shaft tuning issues I had was due to my own release/draw issues rather than the arrow. I am starting to believe you can shoot any arrow (within reason of course) with excellent form more accurately than you can shoot a perfectly tuned system with sloppy form.

[wtpops]

I learned dont base changes off of two shots. My form and release are not good enough for that. I use a number of shots and get a good idea of what is happening. Dont bear shaft when tired. If i change point weight and dont see a change i keep going until i do. One change at a time. Large up or down point weight change can effect nock point position.

I use bare shafting and shooting with fetched field points to get close then switch to fetched field point and fetched broad to get finale tune. When my fetched field points and broad heads hit the same spot and where im looking im done.

[adamgti]

Killdeer X2

It made me a raving lunatic hahaha

but then magically they flew great with huge shield cuts on the back hahah

I should video myself trying to bare shaft, it would likely cause a few laughs.

[rraming]

I would not bare shaft with a string that has not been broken in yet, they perform better after a little bit.
I would not start to far away from the target at first.
I would make sure everything on the bow, silencers, string thread count, silencer position were all going to stay in the same spot.
I would leave one shaft bare for future tuning of the bow.