I can I tell when I have the brace in the sweet spot?
IMO.....start off at the highest end of the bow mfg's recommended sweet spot, In other words, the mfg might say the zone is 6 1/4" to 6 3/4" for instance. In that example, I'd start at 6 3/4" and shoot 3 arrows. If they are straight in the target and the bow is quiet at that spot....you're done. I also bare shaft test to make sure the arrow & the point weight that I'll be hunting with are part of this fine tuning process. Experiment by twisting counter clockwise to increase brace height or clockwise to decrease until you're at the spot where the arrow flight and result look good & the bow is quiet. Get Byron Ferguson's book Become the Arrow. He really goes into fine tuning methods. Phil 4:13
Combination of things really, you're basically feeling and listening for your bow to have the least amount of vibration and noise. Start at the low end of the recommended brace height and start shooting, and twisting up the string, until you feel you have found the best brace height. How your arrows are flying can also affect your brace height, but you'll figure all this out the more you shoot.
You could also start at the high end of the recommended brace height, either way should work fine. It's funny how we all do things a touch different, lol.
when i got the bow it was set at 9". recommendations for the samick are 7 3/4 to 8 1/4. I brought to 8 1/4. then shot a hundred times and it's now at 7 3/4. I really need someone to be with me that knows the ins and outs of tuning. Paradocs lives close, we will be getting together soon.
Don't worry about it if you can't tell much difference. I've been shooting bows for years, and still just set a new bow in the middle of the recommended range and go with it. There, now we have recommendations for you to set the bow at the top, bottom, and middle of the range. Sometimes I'll notice that a bow seems different, and I'll check the brace height and it will need to be raised back up to where it was.
Your string is stretching. Keep twisting it up to your preferred brace height, it will eventually settle in and should stay at the brace height you want.
so to get back up to 8 i need to twist it counter?
You have the stock string with no silencers, right? Don't worry too much on your tuning right now; shoot up close and work on form and release. Let Allen spool you up a new string when we see him in February; he'll put on silencers and adjustable nock points for you. It'll make that bow a new animal if it's fast flight rated. Also, If you want to try a tab, I've got extras...they are Batemans designed for split finger, but you can use them just fine 3 under with the divider removed.
You should be able to look at the string and tell which way you need to twist it to add more twists to shorten the string. After you twist, measure the brace height to see if it's where you want it. If you guessed wrong, twist the other way. Nothing you do here is that critical or will damage the bow. After you shoot it for a while, if you aren't satisfied with the way it's shooting, add or take out some twists and see if you can tell any difference.
Doc, no I have a fast flight on it now. Never used the stock string. I will keep shooting each day that I can. I usually shoot from about 8 yards out to 15. Then a few at 20. But most shots stay around 10 yards. I'm finding two things. Release and anchor are the most important for me when I shoot.
I' with McDave on this.
About the only other thing I do (when needed) is use brace height along with string silencer size and location for "fine tuning".
The "fine tuning" is based on arrow impact point/flight.
Contrary to what I'm told the Ferguson book says raising the brace height will make the arrow shoot weaker and lowering it will make it shoot stiffer.
Likewise, moving string silencers closer to center or making them bigger causes the arrow to shoot stiffer and placing them further toward the limb tips or making them smaller makes the arrow shoot weaker.
I am with McDave, at this point on your trad journey set it in the middle, 8", and check it periodically and adjust. The string will stretch a little in the beginning then settle in. Once you unstring the bow and take loop off lower end twist it and see if string lossens(one way) or twists tighter(opposite way), tighter will increase brace height.
I always go about in betwixed what The Bowyer recommends. If he says say 7 1/2 to 8 I'll start around 7 3/4 you will feel and hear differences.
You can only tune as well as you can shoot. Don't get too worried about fine tuning right away. If you don't notice any extra noise or vibration, then shoot it. Your form, draw length, release, etc. are going to be changing as you develop your shooting style. Can't really fine-tune when things are changing.
Work on form an consistency--those are the key. Once you get those established, the rest will fall into place. My opinion of course.
Chad
QuoteOriginally posted by LBR:
You can only tune as well as you can shoot. Don't get too worried about fine tuning right away. If you don't notice any extra noise or vibration, then shoot it. Your form, draw length, release, etc. are going to be changing as you develop your shooting style. Can't really fine-tune when things are changing.
Work on form an consistency--those are the key. Once you get those established, the rest will fall into place. My opinion of course.
Chad [/QUOTE
This ^^^^^ is spot on! Read this post over and over!
Bisch
See I keep thinking like a compound shooter. You can't shoot well unless the BOW is tuned. Arrgg!
QuoteOriginally posted by Bisch:
QuoteOriginally posted by LBR:
You can only tune as well as you can shoot. Don't get too worried about fine tuning right away. If you don't notice any extra noise or vibration, then shoot it. Your form, draw length, release, etc. are going to be changing as you develop your shooting style. Can't really fine-tune when things are changing.
Work on form an consistency--those are the key. Once you get those established, the rest will fall into place. My opinion of course.
Chad [/QUOTE
This ^^^^^ is spot on! Read this post over and over!
Bisch [/b]
X3 Spot on...
Once you get in the groove you'll start noticing the little things a lot more....
read through this thread and it may help you understand a few more things
http://tradgang.com/noncgi/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=142201;p=3
I have been really working on anchor and form. I found that my shooting has improved majorly when I do the exact same thing each shot. The brace is about 7 3/4 right now, I will try it at 8" and see if the noise is reduced.