Is a spine tester necessary

[Jakeemt]

I have been itching to build another set of woodies. I like mine from surewoods but, I have never bothered to construct or purchase a spine tester. I hear sure woods is very very consistent but, I wonder should I spine test them or do you think they are close enough?

[Orion]

I wouldn't build a set of arrows without a spine tester.  I've had spines vary by as much as 20# or more from some vendors.  That being said, those I bought from Surewood a while back were all within the spine range specified, very straight grain and close weight matching as well. In short, as close as I would match them myself.  But with a spine tester, I can check to make sure.

Of course, folks do build wood arrows without a spine tester. Just never sure you know what you have that way.  If you go that route, shoot all the arrows a few times.  Cut from the team any arrows that don't consistently group with the others.  Good luck.

[Kelly]

If you are getting your shafts from Surewood or Hildebrand and a couple others that hand(key word-not machine)spine the shafts they sell there is no need for a spine tester.

That said, one equipment is capable of far better accuracy than the archer and most archer/equipment combos are capable  of shooting 15-20# variation in spine, maybe even more.

[Ray Lyon]

I use the Ace wall mount one.  It's very reasonable and hangs out of the way. I like shafts from Surewood (doug fir) and Wapiti (cedar). While the spines from these two fall within the marked spined group, I can sometimes find a 5-6# spine swing on the same arrow, depending on where it's placed on the meter. Therefore, with the spine tester, I spin the shaft until I get the tight grain and most uniform reading and mark the spot with a marker. Then I orient my nock accordingly. This way, I'm getting the most consistent spine for a dozen arrows.  My last batch of 50-55 spined arrows had 5@51, 3@52, 4@53. Had I randomly placed nocks on grain, I could have had from 47-58#.

[grayfeather]

I use a spine tester .very important when looking for the stiff side of the shaft ,to place the cock feather  .also arrow weight within 5 grains .

[Surewood Steve]

Thanks for all the comments about our spine groupings, but I must caution you on two thing, and that is all wood is not the same and we are human.  I have seen shafts that are stiffer on the flat grain than on the edge grain, we always spine on the edge.  But in most cases we only spine on one side, because with the number that we hand spine it would be too time consuming to measure all shafts on both sides of the edge grain.  As far as being human, I do most of shafts that I spine in my shop at a table with the TV on.  If I have "Duck Dynasty" or "Monday Night Football" on and they pan to the "bearded boys" wives or the cheerleaders in the case of football, I get distracted, and I put the 50/55# in the 60/65# bin.  I agree with Kelly the key word is "hand" spined.  With all that being said we are usually right about 98% of the time, but there could be errors.  I owned a spine tester long before I started with Surewood.  One other point, all three partners at Surewood use three different Ace spine testers as does "Snag" at Wilderness Custom Arrows and I have tested the same 2016 aluminum on all four and all were with in one pound of each other.  Our spine group labels are marked when the shaft is parallel and if one does a back taper to 5/16" that can change the spine one or two pounds in the ones that I have re-spined.  That is all I have for now!!!

[Hud]

If you hand straighten they shafts first, they won't turn in the process, or affect the results. Don't put rubber bands around the ends of tapered shafts. Mark the side and end used to get the spine reading for the nock & cock feather. Seal the shafts, or wrap with clear wrap if you won't use them for awhile.

[Jon Stewart]

Dad always laid his wood shafts in a bin and told me to never stand them up or lean them against something.  I got a bunch of cardboard carpet tubing and cut it up to 24" lengths and lay the
shafts in the tubes according to spine.

Any thoughts on laying shafts instead of standing.

[Matty]

I have a tester but for my own sanity or insanity for that matter. Of the few HUNDRED I bought from sure wood there were maybe 3-4 outside the marked range. And that's by a pound. Not a huge swing. Surewood is top notch. I would think and hope if you pay for a premium shaft and ask/pay for hand spine and weight you get what you pay for. It takes a few seconds to weigh and spine test an arrow.
The arrows I've made with my batches from surewood are within 5 grains and 2 lbs spine.

[Tim Finley]

I have my own spine tester and I have about 300 old cedars shafts and arrows and I check them all. But my best are still surewoods they fly like laser beams from my favorite bow . Steve must have checked mine on a Wednesday no football or duck women they are close.

[Bjorn]

If you are only making woodies now and again and your shafts always come from vendors mentioned here you are likely OK; but you are missing part of the process and some of the fun. I would never spend time on a shaft that I did not personally test-no matter where it came from.
There are plans on the internet to help you build a very accurate tester-I made one a few years ago..........or put one on your wife's Xmas list?

[PEARL DRUMS]

I've never owned one and haven't found a reason to. I think its a niche thing. I hang in the primitive circle and don't believe any of my friends own one either. And no, our arrows don't wag like a dogs tail all the way to the targets. And no, we aren't ignorant to arrow flight and energy. And no, "good enough" isn't good enough for us either. There are just several ways to make great arrows from shoots, turned or split shafts without one.

[SCATTERSHOT]

If you buy good shafts (and it looks like you are) then a spine tester isn't really necessary.

[jwhitetail]

I got into building wood arrows two years ago and thought that the manufacturer, electronic spine testing was fine... I did'nt worry about it.  However, I got curious after watching some of my arrows fly and got my hands on a spine tester... sure enough, some are off by a few lbs.  Now I am spining them so that I can group them a bit closer... not a big deal but just lets you get a bit better performance out of your set up IMO.
JW

[eidsvolling]

Every time I think about using my spine tester on the Surewood shafts that I've bought, I go lie down until the feeling goes away.

That "usually right about 98% of the time" is an unjustifiably conservative estimate, IMO.

[ranger 3]

LOL eids

[ChuckC]

To answer..... necessary ?   No   You can shoot arrows that are way different from each other and have fun.   It is a tool.  It helps you make better equipment which gives you the opportunity to excel.  

But... remember, although a super accurate tester will give you lots of info, even a cheap homemade version could give you all the info you need.  

Find an arrow that works well on your bow, test it and mark the deflection.  Who cares what it means.  Now find shafts that are close to that deflection and you are in the game.

Like many hobbies, you can get in for cheap and dally, or you can go in way over your head and tread water.  You choice, and that choice can ( and likely will) change over time.
ChuckC

[Cyclic-Rivers]

If you are only building a dozen or two sets of arrows per year, Buy from some of the aforementioned sponsors and save your money.

If you are making your own shafts and buying in bulk, then it may be worth investing or building a spine tester.

[David Mitchell]

Gosh, I never owned a spine tester until a couple of years ago when the family of a friend who had died gave me his.  So I managed to get good arrow performance for somewhere around 40 years without one.  I doubt our native American brethren ever saw such a thing, though I figure they may have had some sort of way to estimate the bending quality of their arrows.

[slowbowjoe]

I agree with most of what's been said: premium hand spend shafts from Surewood, Wapiti, or Hildebrand will be within the range asked for, and weights will be close as well.

Spin testing these shafts as you straighten will go a lot further in crafting your arrows.