There are quite a few ways to add weight to your carbon arrows. One of the easiest, and most consistent, is to use weed whip cord. These arrows started out at about 580g a pretty good weight from a 53# bow, but we're going to make them some heavy hog killers by adding about 150 grains.
(http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w49/molson410/before.jpg)
Weed whip cord weighs about 15 grain per foot. We're going to add three pieces, about 7' total to a 28" Heritage 150. The cord alone will add about 100 grains to a 28" arrow. Cut three pieces of cord longer than you need and shove them up evenly until they hit the insert.
(http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w49/molson410/addweight.jpg)
Cut the rear of the cords with the rear of the shaft and then trim the cords up until the nock just pushes on the cord when inserted. You don't want the cords too short or they will move up and down in the shaft, too long and they can push your nock out.... Not a good thing!
Once trimmed, the cords can be left as is but they can be made much better by wrapping with yarn. The yarn really makes for a quiet, solid feeling shaft.
Hold or tape the cords together and wrap the front four or so inches with yarn. Make the front thick enough for a slightly more than snug fit inside the shaft. You can then wrap the whole way down the cords, making a snug fit in front, middle, and end, or just tie off the yarn in the front, wrap it in the middle, then wrap the end. In either case, your goal is to have a slightly more than snug fit in the front, middle, and rear of the shaft.
(http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w49/molson410/wrap.jpg)
Once completed you will have added between 100 and 150 grains easily to your shaft. If you'd like to front load the shaft, simply wrap the front of the cord with lead trolling line, or to add more weight to the whole shaft, run the lead trolling line the length of the cord then wrap with yarn.
(http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w49/molson410/after.jpg)
735g!! Now these are some real heavy hog killers. Let's put them to the test...
(http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w49/molson410/WinterHog.jpg)
A complete pass-thru on an early hog!!!! :archer:
Thats great info. Thanks.
Great info Tim and nice hog. He probably couldn't see very well see how it was his first day out of his winter hole. :laughing:
How does this affect arrow spine?
There is no affect on static spine. Any dynamic spine change will usually show as slightly weaker.
When wrapping with yarn how do you regulate the weight and stay consistent? I know yarn doesn't weigh that much but how do you keep the weight distributed equally and keep the additional weight the same arrow to arrow?
I'm going to keep an eye on this to see what his responce is because this may be a good alternative.
The purpose of the yarn really is just to make a nice snug fit and deaden any sound. The slightest amount of practice will have you wrapping evenly enough. It does add weight but only about 25 grains or so per 10 feet of yarn. The weight really comes from the whip line, although I did wrap these a little tighter to add about 50 grains. To wrap the three sections of line completely for a 28" arrow uses about 15-20' or so of yarn and pretty much fits perfectly in a Heritage. It only takes a couple feet you're just gonna wrap in the front, middle, and rear. I usually don't bother to measure the yarn. I just wrap it right on and my arrows come out within about 6 grains of each other. I suppose you could get precise and measure the amount of yarn if you wanted. I don't think it's possible to add too much weight to just one section of the arrow with yarn. It would be too thick and wouldn't fit in the shaft.
This is really just a little different technique for adding weight and can be adapted to use what you have. I've used electrical tape and medical tape to wrap the whip line too. Yarn is a bit more work, but I like it because it gives, and it really just makes the arrow feel and sound solid. Using tape to snug up the fit is simple and every bit as effective, but to me it just doesn't have the same feel. Kinda hard to explain. Experiment with it and have some fun.
Thank you great post :)
Ive been thinking of trying para cord for the same thing. My concern is also with a spine change. Your post has motivated me to move forward with the experiment.
I just did 6 arrows with the weed eater cord and yarn . I don't have a scale so I don't know what they way but they feel really heavy. They fly great and my bow is a lot quieter. They penetrate my block fusion target about 2-3" deeper than the exact same arrow with no weight added. Thanks for the idea Molson.
3 Rivers sells carbon weight tubes for this exact purpose.
You have motivated me to try this with my Axis arrows. Thanks for the idea!
Good thread,thanks for sharing.