Let's talk about shelf materials.  Not so much what is the best to use but when you apply it can you "TWEAK" it to effect arrow flight as far as left or right impact. I was talking to a guy that said you can. Have you done this or know anything about this? Thanks

Putting thicker or thinner side plate material is one way to tune to the arrow.
Also adding something like leather or a tooth pick is used for tuning.
Think of it as a adjustable plunger.

Good question. I've wondered how it works myself

Where your arrow sets on a shelf is adjustable by the strike plate thickness, and density. and....You will get different response from your arrow spine between a hard leather strike and a soft velcro.

Think about this..... some self bows do not even have a shelf... you shoot off the knuckle, and tune your arrows to flex around the bow.

On the other end of the spectrum... you have an ILF set up that is cut way past center and use a plunger to adjust the location of the arrow. With this type of set up you can shoot a wide variety of arrow spines.

lets take a bow that is cut just past center and you get your arrows tuned just right using 145 grain field tips, and then decide you are going to use 160 grain broad heads which show a bit weak when you shoot them.... by sliding a tooth pick behind the strike plate it brings it back out to center or before center just a bit more and your broadheads fly great!

Thanks for the responses guys. This makes more sense.

Use two sided carpet tape in layers to thicken side plate. By using Velcro ( neutral) leather ( left) and Martin rest (right), you can change your arrow impact to shoot where you are looking. Rick Welch method.

Ok so if 95% of my shots go left. What correction could I make to help this?

Forgot to mention the current material I have is velcro. I shoot split finger.

I personally don't buy it that strike plate makes arrows go left and right unless using sights or arrows are way out of spine range. I do agree with using strike plate material to tweak spine. I currently shoot selfbows and use leather skived thin when shooting laminated bows I use velcro.

What I actually meant is that with instinctive and gap shooting you aim the arrow not the bow all that matters as far as acuracy is spine.

I really think it as simple as anchor point for me. I feel my arrows are flying good aka tuned and spine correctly.  But I am still learning.

Yep sounds like it just work to get the nock end under your eye then keep back tension through the release.

I consider the shelf seperate from the strike plate.  So if you are asking about the shelf material, I have no idea how to change that for left and right adjustments.

The strike plate is another story.  Answers above should help you.

One way to tell how much influence strike plate thickness can have is to play around with the Stu Miller dynamic spine calculator...lots of lessons to be learned there about the variables involved in dynamic spine

DDave

If you are hitting left (right hand shooter), put a piece of Martin rest material on your side plate. This WILL move your point  of impact to the right.

Along with changing material, I bare shaft my arrows 30 yards and beyond for a couple of days.  If I can shoot a bare shaft like a bullet with no nock left or right, then the broadheads fly perfect. Everything has to be constant, brace height, anchor, etc.

What is "martin rest material"?

Martin rest material is a rug type material that is sold by Martin archery. It is real soft and durable. I will try to locate some and post. Here you go.

http://www.bowhunterssuperstore.com/advanced_search_result.php?keywords=Martin+rest&osCsid=4d07282fa47513fbe3bc80073c5dce66&x=24&y=2

For those not familiar with the Martin rest material. It is very soft and has much more "give" than velcro. If you understand plunger buttons, it is basically the same as reducing the spring tension on the plunger. It will move your point of impact and cause your arrow to act a bit weaker at the same time.

Thanks for the explanation.

I recently acquired a bow that had a very nicely applied rawhide shelf material. It was thicker and more dense than velcro. I had some trouble with arrow flight and switched the rawhide out with velcro loops and the bow tamed right down!

I'm sure it was perfect the way it was for the owner and his arrow set-up.