New Spine Tester

[islandpiper]

I just gotta brag a little.......    Here's my new "Jim Hill Sorta" spine tester.   I need to cast a 2# test weight and it will be done. 



Mostly just leftover scrap materials except for the Dial Indicator which was contributed to the project by Ian_Johnson's dad.   (Thanks buddy!)

piper

[Kegan]

I like it !

[recurve shooter]

so when can i expect my first dozen shafts? 

[islandpiper]

Trey..........advice from an old guy:   get a job, look at your pay stub, you'll get the shaft every pay day!   

Soon as i cast the two pound weight and get to weigh it ACCURATELY i'll cut some ash shafts and plane them up.  Been a little busy caring for my wife and running a business.  I wish i had home work like you do , i'd work shorter hours. 

piper

[recurve shooter]

lol. i hear that. its just fun to poke the ole bear with a stick sometimes.

btw im lookin for a job. not exactly easy to find when your new town consists of 2 service stations and a mom and pop gorcery. 

i been wanting to learn to make cane arrows. i may be swinging in after you get it done to test some shafts.

[smokeu]

Very cool, i have been really wanting to build one like that.  I had some poc shafts given to me so i put that project on hold.  Yours looks nice. BTW they have dial indicators cheap at harbour freight tools.

Mike

[Pat B]

If you are going to be making hardwood shoot or cane arrows make one of the uprights adjustable to accomidate the irregular surface of these materials.

[JW_Halverson]

Hey 'Pipes?  Could you post the dimensions and such, I think more than a few of us would like to copy that handy li'l tool?

[islandpiper]

Hey guys, glad you like it.   Here's the link.  the inventor used lots of metal.  I have a wood shop.   Yup, my dial indicator is from Harbor Freight, a gift from Ian Johnson's dad  Our Harbor Freight is about 35 miles from here.   That's cool. 

I have the lead on hand now.   Just need some time to make up the two pound push-weight

piper

[banoch]

Trey..........advice from an old guy:   get a job, look at your pay stub, you'll get the shaft every pay day!   

 

[recurve shooter]

mr. keith, is yer link one of them new invisible ones?

[Pat B]

Piper, Here is my version of a James Hill spine tester, also made with scrap wood. As per Art Butner I used a large diameter bolt for the weight. As you can see it pushes down through eye bolts rather than pulls down like a suspended weight. I'm not sure if the direction of deflection matters or not.   Also from Art, the adjustable upright. The one on the right has a slot in the wood where the bolt goes through and a wing nut for quick adjustment. I think I got my dial indicator from Grizzly.
  The drop bolt weight has a copper plumbing sweat fitting forced over the hex head with lead  added inside to make up the 2#. I weighed the components using lead shot until I had the 2# then melted the lead shot and poured it into the copper fitting.
  I used skateboard bearings for the arrow shaft to rest on when spine testing.
I also have a suspended weight that I use. It is a small metal PVC pipe cleaner can with a cup hook in the lid. I added lead shot to it to make up the 2#.

[islandpiper]

http://www.jamesmhill.com/Spine_Tester.html

[Pat B]

I guess the bolt was Hill's idea.   I couldn't get enough washers on my bolt to make weight so I went with the copper fitting and lead shot.  Actually having the bolt come down directly over the dial indicator would give a more accurate reading than a weight that is hung off center.

[possum]

I have one similar to Pat's although I went the washers on the bolt route.  As far as adjustable I put two wood screws in the notches where the arrow rests, on both sides.  Also, because I spine unstraightened bamboo shafts I have the dial indicater on a swinging arm kinda thing in case the shaft bows out I can still move the indicator under the shaft to get a truer reading.

possum