Question is if anyone out there matches arrows to their bows without the use of spine testers? I have a surplus of maple, red oak, cherry, poplar and hickory and was wondering if any of you have methods for getting in the ballpark of the spine you need? I shoot 50# reflex deflex long bow and 55# hickory bow.

I use a spine tester, but if you want to see if your bows will accommodate the shafts you have, just shoot them and watch the impact and arrow flight. Pretty easy to pick out the arrows that are flying true.

Another way is to take an arrow that shoots good for your bow and suspend it between two points 26 inches apart (Nails in a wall, for example) (or a similar distance) and hang a (2#)weight on its center. Mark/measure how much the arrow deflects. Then put your other shafts through the same test, keeping those that yield the same amount of deflection.

The 2# weight and 26-inch supports will give you results compatible with a spine tester, but if your only concern is finding other shafts that spine the same as the one that works for you, the length between posts and amount of weight really doesn't make any difference, as long as it's consistent from one shaft to the next.

The method that Orion mentions works every time. Another thing you can do is take a bare shaft and go shoot it. It lands left of the line it's too stiff. Sand the middle. Shoot again. Sand if needed. keep doing that until you get the arrow landed on the vertical line. Then make all the rest to match that one using the first one hanging between 2 points like Orion described as the "master" arrow.

Will will need a soft target to shoot in to.

Watch grain direction when spining wood shafts

The rift (>>>s in the shaft) should be perpendicular to the applied weight. If the weight is applied from the top, the rift should be on the side, with parallel grain running down the center of the top of the arrow.

If you have already registered, please

sign in now

For new registrations

Click Here