Ok so I am trying to tune some aluminum arrows for my Martin savannah my bow is 55#@28" I draw to about 28.5". I tried some 2016 arrows and even with the lightest point and shortest arrow they were still to weak so I got some 2117 arrows and with a 125gr point and a full length arrow it is slightly weak which is ok because when i am cold I am bad about short drawing. My question is how far from the target should I bareshaft tune? I have been trying it from about 15ft. From this far I am getting slightly weak but if I go back farther say to 10 yds or more it shows that the shaft is very stiff. What am I doing wrong?
http://bowmaker.net/tuning.htm
I think I would try at least 10 yards and then move back progressively farther.
But if my arrow shaft is showing weak up to 15ft should it be showing stiff past that?
Kind of makes me wonder if your getting a false read due to your target up close. A 2016 spines out at 63lbs. A 2117 is 81. Significant difference in spine.
My guess is you are stiff.
There's nothing to correct the arrows flight until it hits the target.
The farther you work out distance wise the more precise you and your tuning has to be. Or you'll bust arrows. Question u need to ask yourself, How much of a perfectionist are you? ;) . The better u tune the better the shot you'll be IMHO.
I would suggest shooting the bare shaft with your fletched arrows. Start at 10 yards and see where your group is then shoot your bare shaft arrows. If your bare shafts are weak they will be to the right of the fletched group (reduce point weight). If they are stiff they'll be to the left (add point weight). If your bare shafts are high raise your nock up on your string, go the other way if your arrow is low. A well tuned bare shaft will hit the target well for a good distance.
I'm guessing that you're looking at the position of the bare shaft nock and judjing from there. I cannot see an arrow being weak then stiff due to the fact the futher back you shoot the more evidence of a weak or stiff shaft will be apparent. Good luck and stick with it, once you get some well tuned arrows the shooting sessions get to be way more fun!!!
second http://bowmaker.net/tuning.htm
I really do like that version of tuning. but I have to bring up one thing about it. (Mind you before the remarks commence, I do advocate using this method to come to final tune, but I dont starting out).
Until you get an arrow thats not flying sideways (IE shooting what everyone thinks SHOULD be shot from the bow which works for the majority most of the time but not for all), its a royal pain in the rear end when you're one of those guys, or you find one of those bows thats out side of the box. Its not impossible but it does make it more difficult and you'll need more shafts to do this. So why not buy a test pack of bare shafts before dumping money on a couple dozen only to find out down the road you'll need more?
My side job I see guys coming in buying shaft after shaft after shaft trying to find the right one, just doesnt make sense unless you've got money to burn...or have a stash or access to shafts someone else has that you can use. I've advocated our shop get set up with a bunch of different length shafts and a box of different weight heads to help guys walk out the door once with the right arrows... they wont do it and I can only speculate as to why.
Once you get close bareshafting thats when the group testing he's talking about works very well to fine tune things, or basically pick which group is spot on instead of close. you not only have a better idea of a window to pick/order from when youre buying in half dozen lots or more, you're almost confirming things by the planing method..and final tweaking to things like braceheight, silencers and pressurepoints when needed.
There's no wrong method to coming to final tune. It the path that gets us there that is a little different lol. Maybe I'm just cheap LOL....but bareshafting to start is vary simple....
ps....on my first post, I should say, My guess is you're stiff on the 2117s.
Ok the reason I got some 2117's is the 2016s were very weak, I was getting a 11" tear at 15ft. The stu miller calculator showed that a full length 2117 with 125gr point would be weak so I got some of them. Could the problem be from a too low a nocking point? I noticed when I shot just a few minutes ago the arrows fly pretty good when I shot at 15 yards until the last 5ft of flight then they drift nock right and slightly down
Been using 1916 and 2016 for my 45 to 53lbs bows.
Arrow lenght between 27.25 & 27.5 (26" draw at best)... can run up to 170 175 up front.
Now I only bare shaft for knock point. I find this works for me.
Rich Kramer
This is why carbons are so convenient and many have gone to them. They're just easy....you can buy two packs and have a complete test set of 55-75 and if need be the 2nd pakc of 35-55. Cut each one at 1" lengths and be done with it.
Aluminums are a pain. The old shop I grew up in did it right. They had shafts...lots of shafts in all spines they sold in 1" increments. They were big on paper tuning back than. had a target behind the counter the shot was 5' or so (guessing its been over 20 years lol). you looked at whatever chart suited your needs, back than everyone basically used the easton charts...grabbed hand ful of shafts that 'SHOULD' work and spend the next 15-20 minutes finding the one that did. Than you walked out and bought the shafts that worked. You walked out of the store ready to go to the range and practice.
I shot wood back than, tried aluminum and carbon, it was fun, but I always liked wood. They'd let anyone use this mini tuning range. Something I'd wish more shops would incoorperate.
Anyways, not that I'm off that high horse lol....
Somethings you'll need to ask your self....do you want to shoot a full length shaft? Do you want X amount hanging over for gap/point on method of aiming. If so finding the right aluminum will take some time. Some other spines in the ball park I'd grab if you can find one or two would be.... (and this will depend on what you decide for arrow lenght here so I'm throwing out spines and shafts to ponder over you'll have to make the ulitmate decision which route you head).
2018 70lb spine
2020 80lb
2115 also 70lb spine
2216 84lb spine
You may or may not be able to find one or two laying around in someones basement or talk to the bowshop owners, they usually have a few arrows laying around that will suffice for this testing.
ps, I'm still a wood guy, though this last bow gave me some crazy fit. I havent penned the name on her yet, but she's now called 'redheaded stepchild' ;) . Great shooting bow just picky in spine.