Test arrows

[DC]

I saw that Three Rivers has a set of test arrows. I like the idea so I'm going to make some. I thought that maybe leaving them unfletched might be an option. Any opinions or suggestions?

[Tree_Ninja]

I never tried the test arrows, but I purchased 50#  port orford spined shafts, (hi-vis) dyed feathers, nocks, and target tips from 3rivers for my glass recurve.   They fly great, really accurate.  I left them full length and they are still accurate. Fletching without a jig is a choir. A large pencil sharpener "works" for a taper tool.

I painted them and made patterns for visibility.  Sealed them with polyu.
I've tried them on all my bows, even on different draw weights.  Nothing too high tho.
The test arrows are a good idea if you have a bunch of bows with different draw weights. (or unsure of best spine)  I might have been just lucky. 

I think all in I paid $45. I made a dozen arrows. I haven't weighed them, and I wasn't even careful with measuring the length of thread for fletching.

Port orford smells so much nicer than the cypress we have.

[JackCrafty]

A friend of mine brought over a carbon arrow test kit he bought from 3 Rivers and they didn't have spine or deflection values anywhere on the arrows. So we had to spine them on the tester ourselves.  They ranged from 45# to 100#.  I think there were 4 arrows with spines of 45#, 60#, 85#, and 100#.  He ended up using the 45# arrow on his 50# bow.

[Knoll]

I bought the wood arrow test kit from 3R.  They used different color fletching on each arrow to indicate spine, but if ya lose the color chart . . . . . 

[DC]

We had a color code for wire at work, blue, orange, green, brown, slate(gray). I plan on making the arrows 25#, 30# , 35#, 40# and 45#. So I'll make blue be 25# etc. I've been retired 12 years now and still remember the color code so I'm OK there. If I ever get so I can pull a 50# bow I can make some more. Any comments on fletched vs unfletched.

[JackCrafty]

Unfletched work for me when I'm trying to find the right spine weight.  There is a technique for using fletched shafts but I've never used it.

[Pappy]

I also prefer un fletched to start with 28 inches. 125 grain point , I can add to or take away to fine tune. When you get that to fly it is amazing how good they do when you fletch them. It takes a little time but well worth the effort I think to have a very good flying arrow that hits where you point. I also have the kit from 3 Rivers someone gave me and it will get me in the ball park very quick then I can go from there to dial them in. I have a lot of new people in and out at TwinOaks so it helps to be able to get close in a hurry and the kit help's in doing that. I had a kit un fletched made up years ago DC just like you are talking about, it was un fletched in different splines and lengths, worked great. I had them set up in a rack with the different splines and length so you could just go from one to the other and kept them in order, I saw Ken Beck with Black Widow with a set up like that years ago to help beginners to get set up and thought how cool and made one for myself, over the years it has got lost need to make up another. Sorry for the long winded response.
   
   Pappy

[DC]

I will proceed as planned then. I sounds like I was on the right track