FINDING THE STATIC SPINE OF ARROWS

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paulaboutform
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FINDING THE STATIC SPINE OF ARROWS

Post by paulaboutform »

I recently watched a YouTube video of a guy testing arrows for static spine in a water bath. He put a few inches of water in a tub and added some soap to it. I'm guessing dish soap to help the arrow spin easier. He then put a plastic nock in both ends of the bare shaft and floated it in the water. He gave the shaft a little 'bump' and it spun to the heavy side down which is, theoretically, the spine stiff side. He repeated this a couple more times and the shaft spun to the same position each time. This looked very simple and makes sense to me. However, I'm curious to see how accurate this really is against shafts that have been marked out on an actual spine tester. I have shafts I'm going to check this way but none of them have been spine tested and marked already.
If any of you have shafts that came marked for spine for you, will you please check the water bath method and report back if you get the same reading. If it's the same this will be a great way for us to index our own shafts quickly and easily....and the price is right! :wink: I'll be doing mine regardless, but it'd be nice to know the actual precision of the bath method.

Paul
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ThunderXB
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Re: FINDING THE STATIC SPINE OF ARROWS

Post by ThunderXB »

I just got a dozen raw Zombie shafts, so the timing is right to eventually try this before I started fletching them.
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Carnivorous
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Re: FINDING THE STATIC SPINE OF ARROWS

Post by Carnivorous »

Good info Paul...
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xcaliber
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Re: FINDING THE STATIC SPINE OF ARROWS

Post by xcaliber »

Just use the flat nocks on both ends to keep the water out. Works great!
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W.Miguire
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Re: FINDING THE STATIC SPINE OF ARROWS

Post by W.Miguire »

Hi Paul, I have tested this and it is VERY close to spline . they won't spin in the water if you don't add any soap. you don't need much . I tried this before I built my spline tester. Oh by the way got some samples from True Flight feathers and was I surprised . all good ,check them out.
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flightattendant100
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Re: FINDING THE STATIC SPINE OF ARROWS

Post by flightattendant100 »

Paul, you have to remove paint labels and logos as well. Paint is enough to make this method off. :mrgreen: otherwise label side will be down 100% of time.
Last edited by flightattendant100 on Mon Mar 20, 2017 12:40 pm, edited 1 time in total.
paulaboutform
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Re: FINDING THE STATIC SPINE OF ARROWS

Post by paulaboutform »

quote="W.Miguire"]Hi Paul, I have tested this and it is VERY close to spline . they won't spin in the water if you don't add any soap. you don't need much . I tried this before I built my spline tester. Oh by the way got some samples from True Flight feathers and was I surprised . all good ,check them out.
W.M.[/quote]

Good to know. It seems I've added a step in my arrow building dance. :mrgreen:
Good luck with the feathers, it's still rains too much here. :shock:

Paul
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paulaboutform
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Re: FINDING THE STATIC SPINE OF ARROWS

Post by paulaboutform »

flightattendant100 wrote:Paul, you have to remove paint labels and logos as well. Paint is enough to make this method off. :mrgreen:
Good point Paul. I remove all logos as my first or second step of arrow building.

Paul
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Hi5
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Re: FINDING THE STATIC SPINE OF ARROWS

Post by Hi5 »

I removed nearly all the labeling using acetone, but some labeling defied the acetone treatment. I'm not sure how critical that weight would be to the spine measuring process, but it's there.
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paulaboutform
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Re: FINDING THE STATIC SPINE OF ARROWS

Post by paulaboutform »

Hi5 wrote:I removed nearly all the labeling using acetone, but some labeling defied the acetone treatment. I'm not sure how critical that weight would be to the spine measuring process, but it's there.
Hmmmm, I use paper towel and acetone and never had any defiant labels hang on. Perhaps you need to go heavier on the acetone.

Paul
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mreyner
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Re: FINDING THE STATIC SPINE OF ARROWS

Post by mreyner »

Was wondering if this would work, thanks.
Hi5
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Re: FINDING THE STATIC SPINE OF ARROWS

Post by Hi5 »

paulaboutform wrote:
Hi5 wrote:I removed nearly all the labeling using acetone, but some labeling defied the acetone treatment. I'm not sure how critical that weight would be to the spine measuring process, but it's there.
Hmmmm, I use paper towel and acetone and never had any defiant labels hang on. Perhaps you need to go heavier on the acetone.

Paul

It's not the "stick on" labeling that's the problem. It's printed or etched on.

If you put acetone on it and rubbed it hard till it was all gone, it would be smoking, breaking out in flames, and setting off your smoke detectors. :mrgreen: :mrgreen:
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SEW
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Re: FINDING THE STATIC SPINE OF ARROWS

Post by SEW »

Ignore the stamped on part. The soap reduces the surface tension. It acts as a surfactant.
rattlerun
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Re: FINDING THE STATIC SPINE OF ARROWS

Post by rattlerun »

I have an old slipper shaped, claw footed, cast iron, arrow tester in the back yard if anyone wants to test their arrows. I don't think the cattle will mind.
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taz3
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Re: FINDING THE STATIC SPINE OF ARROWS

Post by taz3 »

Isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol) will work to reduce the surface tension of water, about 20% should be enough to help.
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