paper tuning "issues"

[t0dd]

So, I am finally trying to ensure my arrow spine is matched better to my hickory selfbow. ~55lbs at 28inches. 7.5in brace (string to back of bow).

I purchased 3rivers test kit. But I have a problem... they all paper tune straight! After shooting and shooting and shooting, I have ruled out the lowest weight range... but the rest seem to shoot just fine. Even the lowest (lowest? is that the right term?) shoot reasonably well, but start to become less accurate at range.

The rest though... I see no real difference. Anyone else have the same experience?

-tawster (aka Todd)

[Canoe]

Howdy Todd,

In a recent PA mag. edition, there is an article of paper tuning a primitive (or trad.) bow.  First, I'd suggest you look over that article. 

But. I think the main "issue" you are having with your attempt at paper tuning is that three of your six arrows has to have NO feathers.  You see, the feathers help to straighten things out in flight.  In paper tuning, you are trying to tune your bow (and arrows) such that the arrows fly pretty darn well without any feathers. 

So, after stripping three of your arrows, you'll have three feathered arrows to compair their flight.

In paper tuning, you are to first check that your featherless arrows are not hitting the target above or below the feathered arrows.  (This should be corrected by adjusting your little brass knock on your string (down or up).

Then, you can make small adjustment of your brace hight, by twisting the string, to see if that improves arrow flight (or noise / vibration).

Still, you'll probably see a difference in where the feathered vs. non-feathered arrows are hitting the target (grouping left or right of the other).  This is when you can make adjustments in you tip weight to see how that affects flight when compaired to the feathered arrows.

Lastly, you can also shorten the arrow length (a little) to increase spine if necessary.

I hope this is helpful - check out that article,
Canoe 

[bigcountry]

I suggest throwing on some large diamter broadheads and moving out to 30 yards.  That usually tells the tale.

[FlintWalker]

Actually Canoe, what you're describing is called "bare shaft tuning". "Paper" tuning is when you shoot through a sheet of paper from about 8 or 10 feet to see if your arrow is coming off the bow straight. With a perfect round hole supposedly being perfect flight.
 I don't put much faith in paper tuning...it only tells you what that arrow is doing at the moment it passes through the paper and not what it's doing down range.
 Bare shaft tuning is done with identical fletched and unfletched shafts. If the bare shafts impact left of the fletched ones...the arrow is too stiff or you need to increase point weight. If they impact right of the fletched shafts...the arrow is too weak. Decrease point weight or shorten the shafts.
If the bare shafts are impacting higher than the feathered shafts, lower the nock point slightly unless  the nock point is already so low that the arrow is kicking up off the shelf.  For that reason, you should start the tuning process with the nock point set higher than normal and gradually move it down as you get closer to tuned.
 You can very slightly move the point of impact by adjusting the brace height.  To move them right, raise the brace. To move them left, lower the brace.

[Canoe]

Howdy SawFiler,

Thanks for the correction.  Yes, Bare shaft tuning is not paper tuning.

But,  I think we are in agreement that one should try the bare shaft method rather than the paper tuning.

(And, now that you mention it, I do remember trying to paper tune my ol' wheeley bow - it didn't work so well.)

Good luck shootin' fellas - safe shootin',
Canoe