Apple shoot arrows and a question

[jeffp51]

I just finished up this set of 5 arrows made from apple shoots pruned from my own tree. They all weigh within a gram of each other (still no grain scale).  The feathers are from Sleek and Patrick (Lebhuntfish--thanks guys)  several of them had a nice iridescence to them, so I made them my cockfeathers.  I like how they turned out.  the spine might be a bit soft--at least they are not as stiff as my bamboo arrows. 

So here is my question:  When I shot with the bow vertical,  they were hitting off to the left with a pretty serious nock-right impact.  but then I canted the bow about 30 degrees--something I never do-- and the group moved to what you see here, with pretty much straight impacts.  Having a group of 3 with only two fliers is pretty good for me.  Should I be teaching myself to shoot canted?  Not only did they hit better, but they seemed to flop around in the air less with the canted bow.  I had always thought it made little difference with good arrows matched to the bow.

[Pat B]

Nice arrows. Good use of resources.

[Pappy]

Man them are nice looking arrows, if the arrows are spline right to the bow canting shouldn't effect the arrow flight itself, but if the rest is above the hand a little and the bow isn't center shot it will hit left if held straight up and it will move right as you cant the bow, if the arrow is right on top of you hand it shouldn't matter. Arrow tail right into the target indicates to stiff
of an arrow for a right handed shooter and tail left in the target indicates to weak. I test arrows at about 10 to 15 feet to determine stiff or weak.  again beautiful arrow set.
  Pappy

[TimBo]

It sounds like they are a bit too stiff to me also.  Not sure about the canting unless the rest is higher like Pappy said, or if you somehow have a longer draw when canting.  If you didn't have those awesome points installed, I would say to try a heavier point.  If you are sure they are too stiff, the easiest thing would be to hit the center with sandpaper a wee bit at a time. 

[jeffp51]

I should tell you, I have been experimenting with the points.  I actually inserted a brass tube and tapped it to 8/32, so the points are removable.  I am not sure how to make them much heavier, though.  I could add another nut, but it won't add much weight.I could make the shaft longer, but the tap only reaches about an inch, so I am not sure how to get them much deeper-- maybe make a longer tap out of a 3 inch screw.

The handle is not high at all, but if you look close, you can see the leather strikeplate is getting torn up pretty good as the arrows hit it--by the scuff marks on the arrows it is happening right in front of the fletching.  If I sand down the middle of the shaft that will reduce spine too, right?  I am surprised these act so stiff, since they bend more than my boo arrows.

[lebhuntfish]

Those arrows turned out great Jeff! I have a light weight bow that I shoot any arrow I pick up. I found that if I can't it more than I normally do then the heavier spine arrow will shoot pretty good through it. You could try  putting a heavier head on. That should make the shaft flex more. Patrick

[JoJoDapyro]

One gram is 15.4323584 grains

Here is a link to the chart.

http://www.asknumbers.com/GramsToGrains.aspx

[Aaron H]

Those are some mighty fine looking arrows you got there

[jeffp51]

One gram is 15.4323584 grains

Here is a link to the chart.

http://www.asknumbers.com/GramsToGrains.aspx

I have used that before.  How many grains does it usually take to affect the spine of an arrow?

[JoJoDapyro]

At the tip would matter. Not necessarily the total arrow weight.

[jeffp51]

right--so do you have to add 25 grain to the tip, or 50, or how much before I would see an effect on the flexiness of the shaft?

[sleek]

Another idea would be to file the rest in some more until the arrows fly straight.

[Pappy]

25 grans should weaken the shaft by about 5 lbs spline and yes sanding/scraping the middle 1/3 will weaken the spline also, you just have to go slow, like making a bow you can't put it wood back on ,but if you did get them to light spline you can always shorten them, each inch under 28 inches will increase spline by  about 5 lbs. each inch over 28 inches will weaken it by about 5. I always make my shoot shafts 1 at a time and bare shaft each one starting long and working from there.  Some will wind  up different lengths but who cares as long as they fly good.
 Pappy