Tuning Your Bow By Zan Christensen
Mar 12, 2008 - 6:00:59 AM
When it comes to tuning arrows for your recurve, there are various methods to get your arrows shooting beautifully. Although each employ several of the same steps, I’ll share the process that produces excellent results with the least frustration.
I prefer to bare shaft test my arrows while tuning. I make sure my bare shafts are setup point weight wise the same as my broadheads. You need to shoot a field point tipped bare shaft into a non-directional foam target at 20 yards, or you’ll get skewed results as the arrow penetrates into layered target materials. I also like to draw a big crosshair on the target to help with alignment, covering the target with butcher paper to draw the crosshair on. At 20 yards the bare shaft has ample time to get out of paradox. In shooting wood or aluminum shafts, be aware you may break or bend some if the spine is way off.
Start at 20 yards and shoot several fletched shafts at your target, holding your bow vertical. Do not cant your bow, for this will give you shot reference for later. Now shoot your bare shaft holding your bow as vertical as well.
Now, check the vertical angle entry of the bare shaft compared to your fletched shafts. In this step, we’re only going to set the string nock Ignore Right/Left nock deviations.
Note: This is for right handed shooters
If the point is high and nock is low you'll need to raise the nock point on your string.
If the point is low and nock is high you'll need to lower the nock point on your string.
It is possible to have #2 if the nock point is way to low, causing it to bounce off the shelf.
Continue to shoot and adjust string nock until you eliminate the vertical nock high or low. But don’t fret over perfection, we’re only getting our nock set close, and will make the final adjustment after the arrows have been tuned.
Now let's work to get the spine right for your bow and arrow combination, and your shooting style, since each person has a slightly unique shooting form.
Note: It is important that you are fresh and not tired when doing this part of the tuning. You'll need to be as consistant and accurate as humanly possible.
You can use several different spine bare shafts all cut to your preferred arrow length, or, you can cut longer shafts down in 1/2" increments as you adjust arrow length to achieve the same results. It takes longer this way, but it is cheaper in not having to buy several different arrows weights, and this does afford you a rest period in between adjustments so you don't get tired.
Again shoot your shafts at 20 yards until you find the proper spin shaft.
If the point is left and the nock is right your shaft isto stiff. You need to pick a lighter spine shaft, or, increase the point/broadhead weight.
If the point is right and the nock is left your shaft is under spined. You need to go to a higher spine shaft, or cut your shaft down 1/2".
Continue steps 1. or 2. until your bare arrow shaft enters the target straight on.
Once you get the spine very close you can change your brace height slightly to fine-tune it. A higher brace will stiffen the shaft, and a lower brace will weaken the shaft.
I personally like my nock point set to produce a bare shaft that hits the target slightly nock high. After bare shaft tuning is completed, fletch your shaft and move close to the target, just far enough back so the arrow clears the bow, and shoot the fletched arrow. I'm looking for feather bounce, so if the arrow nock is high and not dead straight on to the target, you're getting feather bounce. Now is when I rotate my nocks to get the arrow as close to hitting perfectly straight into the target as possible.
Once I have everything perfect, I write down the brace height and string nock settings for future reference. Now it's time to shoot your bow in your normal style and have fun. The confidence that your bow shoots arrows were you point it is not only satisfying, it will dramatically shrink your groups and increase accuracy when your arrows are tipped with broadheads.
