Short bow - Long arrows?

[Grooveski]

Worth mentioning too that you want to use feathers rather than the wee plastic fletchings. The plastic ones are for bows with rests. Shooting off the hand or a shelf they'll often cause clearance issues(fletch hits your hand or the bow and kicks out the back of the arrow).

What type are on your existing arrows? If it's plastic one's you could try changing them.

 

[Nonsuch]

Aluminium arrow shafts are good and some quite nice basic arrows can be bought off the shelf. They break far less often than woodens. Nothing more demoralising than going home with half the number of lovingly made wooden arrows that you set out with...

You can still fletch them with feathers if you want.

 

[boatman]

Many archers use wax furniture polish to dress the arrow in order to keep out damp. If you have a steady hand then you do not need a fletching jig. The same steady hand can strip flights from cheap feathers and cut self-nocks in the ends of shafts. Archery does not need to be expensive.

 

[Matt_1992]

Worth mentioning too that you want to use feathers rather than the wee plastic fletchings. The plastic ones are for bows with rests. Shooting off the hand or a shelf they'll often cause clearance issues(fletch hits your hand or the bow and kicks out the back of the arrow).

What type are on your existing arrows? If it's plastic one's you could try changing them.

The arrows I'm using have the rubbery / plastic fletchings. Though I did try cutting one down to 26 inches then re-affixing the steel pint on, its performance has increased dramatically. Though I am struggling to avoid kicking the bow out when I release, not so used to a 40 pound bow! people make it look too easy heh.

I think I'm going to perhaps purchase the same arrows and cut them down to length, keeping the larger ones for my long bow as they perform very well with that. As this would be far cheaper than 40 - 80 poonds (8 pounds for 5).

Though I may consider buying feather fletchings of the net and taking the rubber ones off as I'm shooting of the hand on the short self bow.

 

[dwardo]

Also worth noting that you dont need a dozen arrows to start off with. Four or five will get you going.
A lot of experts also recommend learning with one arrow, shoot, retrieve. This gives you time to think about your shot.

 

[Matt_1992]

Hey there again guys, so I cut the 30" arrows down to 26" but they're still flying in a very chaotic manner which is reducing the power (compared to the odd arrows that shoot straight). Can rubber fletchings really cause this much effect when shooting of the knuckle? Or am I simply shooting the bow wrong as sometimes the arrows shoot perfectly?

If it turns out I need to change the rubber flecthing for feathers, is there any places reasonably priced? as the bird feathers around here are terrible in quality and size.

Again, thanks for any replies and advice in advance!

Matt.

 

[ozzy1977]

Are the same arrows working well and the others badly or is it random?

 

[dwardo]

No expert on rubber fletch but my guess is they suit a more center shot bow. Rather than a traditional bow where they have to bend round the handle and compress some.
Your release will also have a great affect on the arrows path. If you throw the arrow left from your fingers it will tend to veer off. So make sure your loose is gentle and even.

You need to examine your arrow pass around the bow to see where your problem lies

 

[Cromm]

Check to make sure the arrow nocks are not nipping the bow string to much, you should be able to put the arrow on the string and it will stay there but if you tap the string the arrow with fall off. Again if they are staying on dip the nocks in hot water and use something to widen them until they fit.

 

[Matt_1992]

Thanks for the replies guys. The arrows are very random, some will fly straight others wont, but then on a second shooting the arrows that flew straight are chaotic. How do you know if your release is right? I use the 3 finger release and attempt to simply let go in no specific manner. The nocks are also a bit off in a sense, I widened them because they where too tight now some fit just right and others do not grip the string at all, although both correct nocked and incorrect nocked shoot straight and chaotic at the same rate.

I've also experimented with my left (right handed shooter). I read somewhere that you should relax your left hand as you release. Needles to say the arrow ended up in my neighbours' shed. With a stiff grip the arrows are more accurate, but does not resolve the wobbly issue. If I relax the hand slightly, the bow will shock down and to the right slightly which gives a straight arrow more often than other approaches. I assume this is because the rubber fletchings are perhaps missing the leather grip on the bow?

Any thoughts are appreciated,

Matt.

 

[ozzy1977]

Is ther an archery club near by you could join for a taster day?

 

[dwardo]

You are finding out how important the arrows are in the whole bow and arrow equation, more important that the boy in many ways.
You have way too many variables to try and narrow things down. What would help is getting someone with a little experience to shoot the bow for you and use them as a comparison. A good set of correctly spined and matching arrows is a must or you will just keep chasing your tail.

You buy all the components and send them to me and I will make them for you.

Also pick the best looking arrow you have and use that one only. Draw, anchor, loose then go retrieve the arrow and repeat. Also also, did you check that string bisects the handle in the middle or just favouring the arrow pass side? Pictures would help too.

 

[Big Stu 12]

You are finding out how important the arrows are in the whole bow and arrow equation, more important that the boy in many ways.
You have way too many variables to try and narrow things down. What would help is getting someone with a little experience to shoot the bow for you and use them as a comparison. A good set of correctly spined and matching arrows is a must or you will just keep chasing your tail.
.

FUnnly enough I did see the same thing at the weekend with one of the guys I was shooting with... his arrows just went were they wanted... mine were quite consistant.. he brought a kit from some one with arrows.. I know his Bow was only about 30lb, but all his arrow were different...


I brought mine with teh BOw and matched to it.. so when I missed it was my fault..lol

 

[dwardo]

I brought mine with teh BOw and matched to it.. so when I missed it was my fault..lol

Thats exactly the position you want to be in. I know I am definitely rubbish as I have various setups and can shoot consistently bad with all of them.

 

[Cromm]

Thats exactly the position you want to be in. I know I am definitely rubbish as I have various setups and can shoot consistently bad with all of them.

Hahahahahaha

 

[Big Stu 12]

Thats exactly the position you want to be in. I know I am definitely rubbish as I have various setups and can shoot consistently bad with all of them.

I would love to be that good

 

[Matt_1992]

Here are some pictures of the bow, I realize the tiller is off (Had not taken pictures before, so was 'eye balling' it), it is very hard to get the tiller right with a shorter lower limb for myself (1 1/2" shorter).

[url]http://s1092.photobucket.com/user/matthew1471/media/Shot.jpg.html?sort=3&o=1[/url]

[IMG] [url]http://s1092.photobucket.com/user/matthew1471/media/side1.jpg.html?sort=3&o=2[/url]

[IMG] [url]http://s1092.photobucket.com/user/matthew1471/media/side21.jpg.html?sort=3&o=3[/url]

[IMG] [url]http://s1092.photobucket.com/user/matthew1471/media/centre2.jpg.html?sort=3&o=4[/url]

[IMG] [url]http://s1092.photobucket.com/user/matthew1471/media/centre1.jpg.html?sort=3&o=5[/url]

I'm going to scrape some more wood off the upper limb and try to get that tiller more even, I didn't realize how poor it was.

Would the tiller be an issue in regard to the arrows' trajectory?

Also, I'm unsure of what materials to purchase in order to create arrows, what wood for instance? do I need to ensure a certain length or spine? And the feathers, nocks and points?

Cheers for any support!

Matt.

- Apologizes for the state of my room, been doing some moving around and such.