OK, I am attempting to set up my longbow that is 50# @ 28" and I draw 27.5. I hoped to tune it for 2016 aluminums. I had previously shot woods that were 28.75" and they were spined at the shop. I believe they were 45/50# shafts.
Here's what I've done so far:
I've already cut the shafts to 30" cause I don't like a real long arrow sticking out and am using 125 gr points.
Using the current nock & brace height, I shot fletched and unfletched arrows from about 8-10 yds. They both impacted the same spot but the unfletched ones were flying significantly nock right. I was shooting with the normal cant to my bow. The fletched arrow flight was nice, but not perfect.
Should I bareshaft closer or further? Am I too stiff? Do I need to shoot vertically, and get my nock & BH perfected before doing this bareshaft thing?
You are definately on the right track, and if your bareshafts are impacting with your fletched arrows, you are doing very good. Might try moving back a bit and see if you can notice differences in the groups. Nock and brace height are both a part of the tuning process right along with arrow spine.
Here is O.L.'s website with the best arrow tuning instructions I have found.
http://bowmaker.net/tuning.htm
If the bareshafts fly to the right and you are right handed the arrow is to limber, you can eather go to a stiffer shaft (spine weight) or reduce your pile weight as this will make the shaft more riged, double check your arrow length as shorter = stiffer.
Old dog (longbow archer in the UK).