Insert Installation Tips?
- Thread starter TexAg09
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I agree. From all my testing and research, broadhead-vane alignment makes no noticeable difference in POI even for the best shooters. I’m not sure you’d even see a difference out of a machine like a hooter shooter…
Are your arrows all spine aligned and shooting bullet holes through paper? Also, Black Eagle Spartans are .003 straightness, I also shoot .003 straightness but when I get a new dozen, I always shoot them all through paper and there’s always 2-3 that won’t tear a bullet hole at the pre-fletched orientation right out of the package. You take those “bad” arrows and turn the nock to a different vane orientation, and they will typically end up tearing a bullet hole lined up with a different vane. Only a really bad arrow won’t tear at any nock orientation, and definitely make those practice only arrows. Also, you won’t have your different colored @#)(# vane up anymore, so either get used to that, or make those 2-3 “bad” arrows your practice arrows.
So what I’m saying is I’m guessing the arrows that aren’t flying well with broadheads on them, if everything else is perfectly tuned, are being affected by the straightness of the arrow or spine alignment, not the head being aligned with the fletchings. Turn the nock to a different @#)(# vane orientation and shoot the broadhead arrow again and see what happens. I’ve had to do this with arrows/broadheads in the past and it was the factor that brought my broadhead/fieldtip poi together, not aligning the broadhead with the fletchings.
Mighty Mouse
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I don't think broadhead-to-vane alignment (or lack thereof) makes a noticeable difference and don't worry about it myself, but using heat reversible glue (aka, "hot melt") to secure your inserts will allow you to tinker with alignment to your heart's content.
Most arrow manufacturers warn against using hot melt with carbon shafts, but it can be done safely if done carefully. Don't apply heat directly to the carbon (heat the insert/field point/glue stick instead) and use glue with a lower melting temperature (e.g., Bohning Cool Flex, Kimsha).
Most arrow manufacturers warn against using hot melt with carbon shafts, but it can be done safely if done carefully. Don't apply heat directly to the carbon (heat the insert/field point/glue stick instead) and use glue with a lower melting temperature (e.g., Bohning Cool Flex, Kimsha).
Sheltowee
Well-known member
Archery experts will unanimously tell you broadhead orientation to vanes does not matter for accuracy. I trust they know what they’re talking about, but I have a hard time wrapping my head around the idea that random orientation of fins (which broadheads are, in effect) on the front of the arrow relative to the vanes has no impact. Everything else in archery is about consistency— why wouldn’t consistent broadhead orientation from arrow to arrow be the same? I’d love to see a published, controlled test for this.
Also, broadheads indexed to your canes just look cooler.
Also, broadheads indexed to your canes just look cooler.
Sheltowee
Well-known member
So, in my very much not-an-aeronautical-engineer mind, it wouldn’t really matter how the broadhead blades are indexed relative to the vanes on a particular arrow, but that the broadhead blades are in the same orientation to the vanes (and probably the spine, too) across all arrows in a batch.
Would love to see Ranch Fairy or Dan Staton do a demo on this. In spite of both being enormous goofballs otherwise, they are pretty knowledgeable when it comes to optimizing slinging pointy carbon sticks downrange.
Again, total conjecture on my part.
Last edited:
Mallardsx2
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For fixed blades:
1. Make sure you have proper spine
2. Bareshaft tune
3. Determine direction of natural arrow spin
4. 4 fletch helical to keep the arrow going in its natural spin direction.
You should be good.
I’m an Archer of 35 years and this works for me. Give it a try, especially if you shoot fixed blades.
1. Make sure you have proper spine
2. Bareshaft tune
3. Determine direction of natural arrow spin
4. 4 fletch helical to keep the arrow going in its natural spin direction.
You should be good.
I’m an Archer of 35 years and this works for me. Give it a try, especially if you shoot fixed blades.
Most of this “arrow tuning” that folks do is crap. Here’s an example for you. You can stop the direction your arrow rotates in mid air and then make it spin in the opposite direction and it doesn’t do anything to effect accuracy. This is actually quite common in practice. Most folks are doing it to their arrows and don’t even know it.
I’ve never had to bare shaft, broadhead, or nock tuned any of my arrows.
Mighty Mouse
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If the arrow weren't spinning, I would be more apt to believe that inconsistent broadhead-to-vane alignment could cause noticeable flight discrepancies. But I think the fact that the arrow is rotating in flight (assuming it's fletched with some helical/offset) will smooth out any effect inconsistent alignment might have. I personally have never paid any attention to how my broadhead blades line up with my vanes and have never failed to get broadheads to group well alongside field points after tuning my bow and (occasionally) nock tuning some individual arrows. But I, too, would love to see a controlled test of this and would be happy to be proven wrong.
Mighty Mouse
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Do you do any type of tuning (paper, etc)? Or just sight in with field points then screw on broadheads and they always land right alongside FP's with no further adjustment?I’ve never had to bare shaft, broadhead, or nock tuned any of my arrows.
Sheltowee
Well-known member
That’s a fair point and probably why the experts see no value in broadhead indexing— proper vanes might generate enough drag and lift to overwhelm the proportionally smaller amount of drag and lift generated by blades.
Anyway, is it September yet?
TrumpkinTheDwarf
Well-known member
OP, you can use hot water on the end of the arrow shaft to loosen hot melt without damaging the carbon. Personally I have had the best hotmelt success with Kimsha Hot melt.
Secondly, the steering of broadheads or vanes is due to turbulence/drag. That air disruption from the broadhead smooths out before it hits the fletches. Alignment shouldn't matter. If it does, your overall arrow system is already very unstable, and will never perform well. You need to start with cam timing and paper tuning, then fine tune the broadhead system. You also may just need bigger vanes. If the overall drag of the blades is nearly the same as the fletching it will be less stable, no matter the alignment.
Secondly, the steering of broadheads or vanes is due to turbulence/drag. That air disruption from the broadhead smooths out before it hits the fletches. Alignment shouldn't matter. If it does, your overall arrow system is already very unstable, and will never perform well. You need to start with cam timing and paper tuning, then fine tune the broadhead system. You also may just need bigger vanes. If the overall drag of the blades is nearly the same as the fletching it will be less stable, no matter the alignment.
Outside of the initial bow setup, no. If I change arrows or arrow components, I never do anything to my bow tune.
My broadheads have always hit with my field tips. I’ve never had to tweak my arrow rest adjustment to get my broadheads to hit right.
However, I’m not a long distance shooter. 60-70 yards is about as far as I’ll take a shot at an animal with my broadheads.
Mighty Mouse
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Fixed blade or mechanicals?
Always shot fixed.
elevatorman
Active member
Blue glue! It's ridiculously strong. Just clean out the shafts first with contact cleaner. I shortened my arrows a few inches last year, the ONLY way to get them out of the arrow was to screw in a field point, chuck it in my lathe and turn the carbon shaft off the insert.
