Archery Target - Foam

[TeeDee]

My Straw archery target has given up the ghost - I have however just picked up some ( 16 to be precise ) Hard Foam martial arts mats - each measuring 1m x 1m x 30mm deep.

I'm asking the more seasoned archers out there - I want to make this into a Foam target that can be left out.

I guess there are a couple of options - I can have them flat facing me , with 3/4/5 (?) or I can cut them down into 25cm strips and the glue/compress them together into a large sandwich - that seems a lot of work and I'm not overly convinced its going to make a more durable target ( Although others seem to have done this )


So am I over thinking it ? Should I just stack them 4 at a time ?

 

[Broch]

Duno, but let me know how you get on as I need to build a new target as well

(Sorry)

 

[TeeDee]

Duno, but let me know how you get on as I need to build a new target as well

(Sorry)

The other thing I've seen done is going to the local carpet shop and cutting a remnant down and then compressing the whole thing into a layer-cake.

 

[Tony]

Trim the edges, glue them on their flats?
My Gym mats are rubber but I imagine the foam ones that you've got will be ok. Have you shot an arrow into one yet?

 

[Broch]

The other thing I've seen done is going to the local carpet shop and cutting a remnant down and then compressing the whole thing into a layer-cake.

Oooh, that's an idea. I have an old carpet in the loft; if I cut it into 100mm strips and roll them up it could make a reasonable target (maybe) - but I couldn't leave it out.

I've had a look at the marshal arts/gym mats; they vary hugely in price! Most of them seem to be about 60cm x 20mm not 1m x 30mm as well. Can you give me an idea of how much you paid and where you got them from please? (not sure about the pink though )

 

[TeeDee]

Oooh, that's an idea. I have an old carpet in the loft; if I cut it into 100mm strips and roll them up it could make a reasonable target (maybe) - but I couldn't leave it out.

I've had a look at the marshal arts/gym mats; they vary hugely in price! Most of them seem to be about 60cm x 20mm not 1m x 30mm as well. Can you give me an idea of how much you paid and where you got them from please? (not sure about the pink though )

2nd hand - FleaFace Market place - £100

 

[TeeDee]

Oooh, that's an idea. I have an old carpet in the loft; if I cut it into 100mm strips and roll them up it could make a reasonable target (maybe) - but I couldn't leave it out.

I've had a look at the marshal arts/gym mats; they vary hugely in price! Most of them seem to be about 60cm x 20mm not 1m x 30mm as well. Can you give me an idea of how much you paid and where you got them from please? (not sure about the pink though )

Don't know if rolling it up is going to better than sandwiching them and compressing them with some timber.

 

[TeeDee]

Trim the edges, glue them on their flats?
My Gym mats are rubber but I imagine the foam ones that you've got will be ok. Have you shot an arrow into one yet?

Not yet, will do this weekend. i need to make it strong enough to withstand bows, crossbows and air bows,

 

[bobnewboy]

I can’t see that rolling would work as well as compressing strips. It’s also far more likely to come undone as the material starts to wear.

Commercial backstops are usually made of strips of foam up to 30cm/12” across, reinforced with wooden top and bottom frames, and then compressed (very tightly) and bound with steel or nylon tapes. To be honest, the width of the strips very much depends upon what kind and draw weight bow you would be shooting at the target, and how tightly you can bind the strips.

If you intend to use a compound bow or a cross bow then the wider strips are better to absorb the higher energy of the arrows. If longbow or other wooden bow you’d likely be fine with 4-6” width strips. Also, unless you have a lot of safe ground for an overshoot or pass through, an archery safety net is a good idea.

 

[TeeDee]

It may work,. distance


Ii

 

[TeeDee]

 

[TeeDee]

I may aswell share the back drop of the newly created fern garden whilst I'm down here - stills needs a season or two to mature and bush out but the bones are all there.

 

[Mesquite]

You've got a lovely garden in a great location TD. Do you have access to the woods as well?

 

[TeeDee]

You've got a lovely garden in a great location TD. Do you have access to the woods as well?

Thanks Mesq - there is just a woodland edge of trees between myself and the stream and then a field of moo-moo pigs.

The stream feeds itself into a small River just to the left of the target over a berm - which has a ransom strip beside it so no fishing rights also.


Its a sweet and lucky find !

 

[Stew]

I feel that shooting into a stack of strips will last longer than shooting into a sheet. I have no backup for this other than opinion.

I like the idea of rolled carpet end on and think it could be quite a quick option.

 

[dwardo]

That is a stunning backdrop chief.

I have found there is a large difference target wise between something that will stop a sub 40lb bow to something that needs to stop a 50/60lb bow, obvious math taken into account I know lol

I wonder what it would be like to shape a 3 target out of those foam mats layered but also I know the cost for decent ones. The price seemed to go nuts when Covid hit and folk trained at home, especially those that like to cuddle in pyjama`s stole em all early on

Weather will also play a big role in material choice. The 3D field shooters must have worked this all out already and figured out what works and can be bodged and make on the cheap from recyclable stuff?

In the woods I have access to we use a big straw standard type square target which is cool with the sub 40lb stuff but my Osage recurve not so much...at 60ish just flies straight through and strips the fletch right off! I have also tried those cube type ones which are cheap enough and will hold an arrow of most weights but its all shooting at a floor or very little room for missing and scary flying arrows at distance.

 

[TeeDee]

I feel that shooting into a stack of strips will last longer than shooting into a sheet. I have no backup for this other than opinion.

I like the idea of rolled carpet end on and think it could be quite a quick option.

I agree on this notion but then again have zero evidence for it.

I'm wondering if I did cut it into strips of 25cm ( thus getting 4 strips per mat = 120mm of target face , if I did that with Ten mats = 1200 ,
Then compressed that into a sort of layer cake- when the arrows strike it , due to compressive forces the target is more 'dense' when the arrow strike the target that density is disturbed/dissipated and the arrow potential slides into the strata layers. ?????/

 

[TeeDee]

That is a stunning backdrop chief.

I have found there is a large difference target wise between something that will stop a sub 40lb bow to something that needs to stop a 50/60lb bow, obvious math taken into account I know lol

I wonder what it would be like to shape a 3 target out of those foam mats layered but also I know the cost for decent ones. The price seemed to go nuts when Covid hit and folk trained at home, especially those that like to cuddle in pyjama`s stole em all early on

Weather will also play a big role in material choice. The 3D field shooters must have worked this all out already and figured out what works and can be bodged and make on the cheap from recyclable stuff?

In the woods I have access to we use a big straw standard type square target which is cool with the sub 40lb stuff but my Osage recurve not so much...at 60ish just flies straight through and strips the fletch right off! I have also tried those cube type ones which are cheap enough and will hold an arrow of most weights but its all shooting at a floor or very little room for missing and scary flying arrows at distance.

Thank you. Work in progress.

I am wondering about trying to make this target last but using cheap carpet elements in it - maybe use the foam as a back stop with a carpet layer face.

Its a shame no one makes straw type targets but using manmade raffia type material tightly bound into coils.

 

[Stew]

I agree on this notion but then again have zero evidence for it.

I'm wondering if I did cut it into strips of 25cm ( thus getting 4 strips per mat = 120mm of target face , if I did that with Ten mats = 1200 ,
Then compressed that into a sort of layer cake- when the arrows strike it , due to compressive forces the target is more 'dense' when the arrow strike the target that density is disturbed/dissipated and the arrow potential slides into the strata layers. ?????/

Yep, that’s what I was thinking.

 

[Cromm]

Hello,
Carpet works okay but does wear out quickly if shooting a lot of arrows at it and it becomes very heavy if wet. Also when strapping it down you will need a lot of it it get a good sized target, you can roll them like the Japanese straw targets, but again they will become heavy in wet weather and bits do come away from them, but if using the carpet that way make sure to strap tight to stop the gaps in-between the rolls, Not sure what poundage bow you are using and how good a shot you are ? With layered back stops you want to hold the layers in place but not over tight I have found ,that way the layers can move a bit while holding the arrows to a stop , instead of being unmovable.