Cane arrow spine

[Jojotater]

I'm exploring the idea of trying to make a self bow and cane arrows.  I was wondering if everyone checked the spine on their arrows before they built or just kept the ones that shoot right. Maybe some just cut them long, and trim them shorter until they hit the mark. What do you do?

[beetlebailey1977]

I am planning on making some also.  I plan to self nock them and install points then bare shaft them.  Don't have spine tester and don't plan to buy one.  Several people have recommended this to me.

[hillbilly61]

I'm straightening the shafts first then placing on the spin tester. Kinda hard to test spine on an uneven shaft. I move the shaft up and down the tester till I get  to the spine weight I'm wanting. Don't know if this is the right way, but this is the way I've done the last batch. Seems to be working good

[aero86]

hillbilly's way is the way i do mine.  also, cane has a strong side and a weak side too.  saves you a lot of guessing.  once you find the proper side, cut a nock, then bare shaft them.  doing it that way can prevent some waste..

[Pat B]

Put the stiffest side against the bow.   Cane can be shot from a range of bow weights and still fly well. I pull 26" but cut all my cane and hardwood shoot arrows to 29". With it's natural taper you can reduce the static spine weight by 10# and for eack 1" over 28" long you can reduce another 5# per inch. So if you have a cane arrow that spines 65# and is 29" long it should shoot like a 50# spined arrow but can also be shot from a heavier bow also.
  With cane and hardwood shoots I find the stiff side with a spine tester and set up my arrows to that but rarely spine test the arrow for spine weight.

[Jojotater]

How do you know which side is the stiff side?

[Pat B]

Spine tester!   ...or you can do it by feel. Hold the cane by one end and place the other end on a table. With your other hand press down in the middle, rotate 1/4 turn and press again and so forth until you check all four sides. Be sure the sides with the nodes are tested. The nodes will probably be in an up or down orentation for the arrow.
  When you are done with your arrows and one or two don't fly well, flip them over(cock feather in) and try again. Many times this will fix their flight. If it doesn't make fluflus with them. 

[hillbilly61]

   "  If it doesn't make fluflus with them. "

  Got a few of those

[Tom Leemans]

Lots of good advice here. I've noticed that my cane arrows that measure on, or pretty close to 3/8 at the fat end all shoot great out of all of my bows that range from 45-60#. Spine testing didn't seem to make a difference, other than to mark the stiff side. I have some beefier shafts that are way over 100# according to the tester. Those will be squirrel arras.