Stickbow Target Archery Forums

I've always known of arrow spine being read at 26" across the shaft/arrow, and that's how I set up the spine meter I made...<P><BR> <P><P>------------------<BR><B><I>Rob DiStefano</I></B><P><BR>

<B>Mat</B>, there were no plans, per se, for making that spinemeter, I kinda winged it as I was going along. The base is just a 6" x 30" piece of 3/4" pine, with two 3/4" x 8" (or so) dowels epoxied into holes made with a 3/4" Forstner bit, 26" apart.<P>Got the dial indicator from Penn Tool - <A>http://www.penntoolco.com/catalog/index.cfm</A> - for $8.50<P>Basically, I wanted the dial indicator to be adjustable up and down and back and forth. I finally used an adjustable edging bracket from a Black and Decker router and mounted the dial indicator to a block of wood that got screwed into the bracket. I went sorta to an extreme, you don't hafta do that. A few pieces of wood would serve just as well, although it would be more laborsome to ajdust. BTW, I've not had to adjust the dial since setting it up! So much for all my adjustability efforts!<P>I put an Easton screw-in insert from a 2016 shaft over the bearing head of the dial indicator - the bearing itself kept wobbling all over the shafts - and the flat "head" surface of the insert makes sure each shaft gets read corectly. It's IMPORTANT to take readings by slowly turning the shaft so you can mark the absolute stiff side. BTW, if you've got stiff shafts, spin the shaft 'til you get a weaker reading that matches the current shaft you wanna duplicate and mark that as the "stiff" side - it works!<P>I calibrate the spine meter by using known good shafts, take a few readings, then look to match those readings when testing new shafts. After awhile, you build up a library of spine readings for your different shaft spine requirements. All shafts are typically tested raw, sans fletchings, nocks and points, and always across the full 26" span. Archery is a game of consistancy and even more so is the spine meter. <P>Hope this helps!<BR><P>------------------<BR><B><I>Rob DiStefano</I></B><P><BR>

We (referring to myself and my old archery cronies from back in the 60's) never regarded grain <B>when using a spine tester</B>. Why? Because sometimes the stiffest side of the shaft may not be the edge grain and/or the stiffest side may NOT be what you're looking for.<P>The idea is to slowly roll the shaft on the spine meter and take the heaviest reading. Again, using this principle, you may choose NOT to use the stiffest side, but instead select a "side" (there are 360 degrees worth of "sides" to choose from, theoretically) that best <B>matches the set</B> you're working on. Some folks cut and weigh the shafts first, then spine to a certain stiffness. (This is typically what I usually do, and I prefer to make up shafts in groups of 6, not 12).<P>Without a spine meter, you'd look to pick one edge grain side to stick on yer cock feather. The other edge grain side should then be against the arrow plate.<P>Another consideration, as I mentioned before: I don't have my spine meter setup with calibrated known spine numbers. I pretested the meter using known stiffness/spined shafts (besides woodies, alums and carbons, too!) and recorded the meter deflection. Now, there's no guesswork on any shaft's spine. The only remaining issue is how the point and fletchings will weaken and stiffen the spine, and I test that with the bow.<P>Hope this helps.<BR><P>------------------<BR><B><I>Rob DiStefano</I></B><P><BR>