basic bow tuning

7/27/2019 Basic Bow Tuning

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Basic Bow Tuning

Bow tuning is adjusting the bow to the archer's style of shooting toachieve the best performance and achieve the best arrow flight.Tuning the bow and arrow setup go hand in hand with the archer'sshooting style.

To get the most from bow tuning the archer's shooting style must beconsistent.

There are four main variables that effect bow performance

Bowstring MaterialBrace Height

Arrow Nocking Point

Pressure Button settings for recurve bows

Arrow Launcher settings for compound bows

1. Bowstring Material

Dacron B50 - (strength per strand = 22.5 kg. , stretch = 2.6%)because of its durability, it is used mainly on beginners equipment andcompound bows fitted with steel cables. It is easy to maintain and canlast several years.

Kevlar 7-11 - (strength per strand = 31.8 kg. , stretch = 0.8%)is a material with higher density, smaller diameter and lighter thanDacron which will give a faster arrow speed. (approx. 2 metres persecond).There are two problems with this material, the first is due to it's limitedstretch which causes increased stress in the bow limbs. Check with thebow manufacturer if a Kevlar bowstring can be used. The second problemis it's durability. The bowstring may only last 1000 shots before breakingas it tends to fatigue due to bending at the nocking point.

Fastflite - (strength per strand = 45.5 kg. , stretch = 1.0%)is one of the newer materials that can be used. It has the durability ofDacron and even greater arrow speed than Kevlar as it is lighter. As thematerial has less stretch than Dacron, it is advisable to check with thebow manufacturer, if it can be used.It is made from a polyethylene derivative giving it a 'plastic' look and feel.It is also very slippery, so the servings have to be wrapped very tightotherwise they will slide.Special serving material has been developed to help overcome thisproblem.

Fastflite S4 - (strength per strand = 73 kg. , stretch = less than 1.0%)
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is the latest material on the market. It is made from a composite of 50%Fastflite and 50% Vectran making the strands thicker. Therefore approx.half the number of strands are required as for a Fastflite string.

Always use the manufacturer's recommended number of strands in thebowstring for the draw weight of the bow. Using too few strands can over-stress the bow limbs and possibly break them.

2. Brace Height

Brace Heightis measuredfrom thecentre of thebow grip tothe bowstringat 90 degrees.Most bows

will have arecommendedbrace heightgiven by themanufacturer.If the braceheight is notknown, thena rough guidefor recurves

is:-70 inch bow =8.50 to 9.75inches,68 inch bow =8.25 to 9.50inches,66 inch bow =8.00 to 9.25

inches.64 inch bow =7.75 to 9.00inches.The idealbrace heightfor a bow isone thatproduces thequietest

release withthe least


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amount ofvibration inthe bow.

Brace Height Tuning

Step 1.Set the brace height at the bow manufacturer's recommended minimum.(A slightly longer bowstring may have to be used as the bowstring muststill have enough twists in it to keep it round.)

Step 2.Shoot a few ends of arrows at close range and note how the bow performs.

Step 3.Increase the brace height by putting 5 more twists in the bowstring.(Make sure to twist in the same direction as this will shorten thebowstring. Also check and adjust the nocking point position.)

Step 4.Shoot another few ends of arrows and note how the bow performs.

Step 5.Repeat these steps until the recommended maximum brace height isreached.

Step 6.Somewhere between the minimum and maximum heights, the bow shouldperform at its quietest and with least vibration. Where it does this, is the

ideal brace height for the bow with this particular type of bowstring.Keep a record of this brace height for future reference.

To help your shooting, the brace height must remain consistent. Anyvariation in distance will effect the arrow flight, so always check thebrace height before shooting.Bowstrings stretch over time or broken strands can lower the braceheight.

Back to Top

3. Arrow Nocking Point


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To obtaincorrect arrowflight, a pointon thebowstringmust befound atwhich theforce from

the bowstringacts directlyinline withthe arrow.A startingpoint isgenerallysomewherebetween 3 to10mm (1/8thto 3/8thinches) above90 degrees tothe arrowrest.This positionis due tousing twofingers below

the arrow andone fingerabove thearrow to pullthe bowstringand seekingto find thebalance pointof the forceson the

bowstring.

Nocking Point Tuning

Step 1.


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The quickestway I havefound to tunea NockingPoint locationis to use the'PaperTuning'method.

A frame isplaced about2 metres (6feet) in frontof the target.A sheet ofpaper isplaced tauntover theframe.The archerthen standsabout 2metres ( 6feet) in frontof the frameand shootsthe arrowsthrough the

paper.Check andadjust yourdistance fromthe paperframe toensure thearrow ispassingthrough the

paper at itsmaximumbend and notat one of itsrecoveryoscillations.( Try 2.5 to 3arrow lengthsaway fromthe paperframe.)


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From thedirection ofthe tear inthe paper,the nockingpoint can beadjusted.

The papertear on theleft indicatesthat thenocking pointis too high.The papertear on therightindicates thatthe nocking

point is toolow.

Step 2.

Adjust thenocking pointlocationindicated by

the directionof the papertears above.Shoot througha new sheetof paper andcheck thedirection ofthe papertears.

Keeprepeatinguntil thesmallestpaper tearsare achieved.Acceptablepaper tearsare shown inthe picture atleft, as


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perfect papertears may notbe possibledue to otherfactors.

Step 3. Note the exact nocking point location for future reference.Always check your nocking point location before shooting.(If you can't get the paper tears to look like those above, it may

be that yourarrows are 'under-spined' - too small for the draw weight of

the bow.)

Back to Top

4. Pressure Button Tuning

Step 1.

Pressurebuttonsusually comewith threedifferentinsert springs.A soft spring,medium

spring andhard spring.For tuning, itis best tostart with themediumspring andadjusting thethread to therear of the

spring toabout halfway in.Adjust the'Centre-Shot'position ofthe arrow onthe arrowrest bywinding theplunger


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button into orout of theriser.To do this,nock thearrow on thebow, thenlooking fromthe rear of

the arrow,align thebowstringwith thecentre of thetop andbottom limbs,then checkthe alignmentof the arrow

shaft to thebowstring.For bows shotwith fingers,the correctalignmentshould be'OutsideCentre-Shot'position.Only thediameter ofthe arrow atthe pointshould be tothe left of thebowstring.The reasonfor this

position is tocounter-actthe slightsidewaysmotion of thebowstring onrelease fromthe fingers.The 'FullCentre-Shot'

positionshould only


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be used forcompoundbows shotwith releaseaids.To align 'FullCentre-Shot'on acompound

bow, alignthe bowstringwith the topand bottomwheels, thenalign thearrow shaftwith thebowstring.

Step 2.

Use the'PaperTuning' setupas shown forthe nockingpoint tuning.For a left tear

increase thepressure onthe spring bywinding theadjustingscrewinwards.If this doesnot reduce

the size ofthe papertear, thenadjust thearrow restpositionoutwards(away fromthe riser) andrepeat the

steps.If there is still


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no reductionin the size ofthe papertears, thenthe arrowsmay be'under-spined'.For a right

tear decreasethe pressureon the spring.If this doesnot reducethe size ofthe papertear, thenadjust thearrow rest

positioninwards.If there is stillno reductionin the size ofthe papertear, thenthe arrowsmay be 'over-spined'.Acceptablesize tears areas shown fornocking pointtuning.

Step 3. Note the exact settings for future reference.These notes will be useful when having to remove the pressure button forcleaning or replacing worn parts.

Back to Top

5. Arrow Launcher Tuning (Compound Bows)

Step 1.Adjust the position of the Arrow Launcher arm until the arrow is in the'Full Centre-Shot' position as shown in Step 1 of Pressure Button Tuning.

Step 2.Adjust the position of the Arrow Launcher arm until the centreline of the


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arrow shaft aligns with the centreline of the pressure button sleeve in theriser.

Step 3.Adjust the amount of spring pressure on the launcher arm until it isenough to support the weight of the arrow without deflecting downwards.

Step 4.Shoot several arrows using the 'Paper Tuning' set-up.

Adjust the nocking point location in accordance with the verticaldirection of the paper tears.Adjust the launcher arm position in accordance with the horizontaldirection of the paper tears, just the same as for Step 2 of PressureButton Tuning.The preferred shape of the paper tear is to have the position of the fletchtears slightly higher than the impact point tear of the arrow shaft.(The shape is shown in the diagram in Step 2 of Nocking Point Tuning,4th. from the right.)This particular shape tear indicates that the rear of the arrow and thefletches are clearing the position of the arrow launcher and that thearrow is bending vertically.

Depending on what type of launcher arm is used, the index fletch can bepositioned vertically to suit. On a launcher with twin prongs, the indexfletch is usually positioned down so that it will pass between the prongs.On a launcher with one arm or blade rest, the index fletch is positionedup.Due to the small diameter of carbon arrows, a twin prong launcher may

not be suitable as the gap required for the index fletch to pass throughmay not be enough for clearance.

Another excellent source of information about bow and arrow tuning canbe found at http://www.archersreference.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk

(Edition No. 5 out now. Check for up-date revisions at the site).

To record your Archery Equipment and Tuning Settings your candownload the following files;Recurve PDF Form or Recurve Excel Form

Compound PDF Form or Compound Excel Form

These Forms are currently at Version 1.0 July 2006.If you have any suggestions about improving these forms, please [email protected]

Back to Top

Author : Graeme Jeffrey
http://www.centenaryarchers.gil.com.au/images/Archery%20Equipment%20Record%20Form%20-%20Recurve.xlshttp://www.centenaryarchers.gil.com.au/images/Archery%20Equipment%20Record%20Form%20-%20Compound.xlsmailto:[email protected]:[email protected]://www.centenaryarchers.gil.com.au/images/Archery%20Equipment%20Record%20Form%20-%20Compound.xlshttp://www.centenaryarchers.gil.com.au/images/Archery%20Equipment%20Record%20Form%20-%20Recurve.xls


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Copyright Centenary Archers Club 2006

This page last revised : 09 August 2006


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