Fletching with the spine of the arrow

[fulldraw71]

This is something I’ve never worried about but I’m going to start doing it next time I fletch some up. I’m assuming when you do this you better know exactly how your cock feather is going to align before you start because don’t you want the arrows stiff side or spine mark at 12 o clock? This pretty much shoots “rotating nocks for fletching clearance” in the foot. Is fletching this way more for broadhead flight?

 

[MT257]

I’ve done it. Seems then when I shoot those arrows with broad heads some need to have nock to be rotated still.

 

[fulldraw71]

I’ve done it. Seems then when I shoot those arrows with broad heads some need to have nock to be rotated still.

I’m in love with a finely tuned bow but I spent so much time in them last year getting wrapped up in the super tuning hype that I’m done with it. I spent so much time adjusting and messing with stuff I could have been shooting and focusing on more important stuff. That’s why I’m wondering if this makes a big difference or if it’s just something the super techy worry about?

 

[Mighty Mouse]

IMO spine aligning prior to fletching is a waste of time. Fletch them any which way you want and nock tune afterward. If you care about having consistent fletching colors/patterns, use all same-color vanes then make a mark on whichever one ends up being the cock vane when you're finished nock tuning.

 

[fulldraw71]

IMO spine aligning prior to fletching is a waste of time. Fletch them any which way you want and nock tune afterward. If you care about having consistent fletching colors/patterns, use all same-color vanes then make a mark on whichever one ends up being the cock vane when you're finished nock tuning.

My new Hoyt has tight cable clearance tolerances so fletchings have to be aligned a certain way to prevent them hitting cables depending on fletching choice of course but you see what I’m saying

 

[Mighty Mouse]

My new Hoyt has tight cable clearance tolerances so fletchings have to be aligned a certain way to prevent them hitting cables depending on fletching choice of course but you see what I’m saying

I would pay no attention to where the "stiff side" or spine line/mark falls. Rotate your arrow however is needed to get your fletching to clear the cables. Once you have that position figured out, you'll still have 3 possible orientations to choose from when nock tuning (or 4 if you're using 4 vanes). Rotate through the 3 (or 4) possibilities and choose whichever one groups best.

 

[N2TRKYS]

I don’t spine align or nock tune. Fletch them how you want and worry about something else.

 

[Billy Goat]

I use to, still needed to nock tune.



Then I started shooting stiffer shafts, and had to do even less nock tuning.

 

[Billy Goat]

Without actually having a spine tester, I'd only put so much faith in the spine marks anyways.

 

[fulldraw71]

Without actually having a spine tester, I'd only put so much faith in the spine marks anyways.

There was a guy on YouTube using a long pipe clamp

 

[Billy Goat]

There was a guy on YouTube using a long pipe clamp

You can use a bow press too.

I played with it a little, and I didn't find it to be all that repeatable.

 

[Zac]

Gillingham has tested this quite exhaustively and has always said it’s a waste of time.

 

[fulldraw71]

Gillingham has tested this quite exhaustively and has always said it’s a waste of time.

Really? Can you link me to an article? This is interesting info. I’d love to read the basis behind why he thinks this. To be honest I’d rather not waste my time.

 

[5MilesBack]

Really? Can you link me to an article? This is interesting info. I’d love to read the basis behind why he thinks this.

I've had several spine aligned arrow sets over the years, and I still always nock tune to get the best consistent flight from those arrows. Some of the arrows might end up in that spine aligned position, but most do not. So I find that spine aligning is a waste of time, but I enjoy nock tuning and all that shooting to get all the arrows shooting the same. I wouldn't say that it's mandatory, but if you're picky at all then nock tuning is just part of the process IMO. I'm going to shoot anyway, might as well do some nock tuning while I'm at it.

 

[CowboyD]

Buy Easton USA made arrows and you don't have to worry about where the spine is.

 

[mod-it]

Really? Can you link me to an article? This is interesting info. I’d love to read the basis behind why he thinks this. To be honest I’d rather not waste my time.

I believe the video is on his FB page, Hammer Archery.
Basically, he took the time to shoot 2 dozen bareshaft arrows through paper and nock tuned all of them to make the same tear. Marked them and then fletched. When they were all fletched, he shot them all through paper again. He got all kinds of different tears from them again after they were fletched.

I did the same thing on my last set of 3d arrows and got the same result. I shot them all as bareshafts through paper and nock tuned, marked them, and then fletched. Afterwards I shot them all through paper again. I did have half of them make the same tear as each other after fletching, but the other 6 were making different tears and needed the nocks rotated to another vane to get them to be the same as the others.
I built these arrows very meticulously, trimmed them to length from both ends, squared ends, and even weighed out and sorted all nocks, vanes, and tips to match up finished arrow weights. When complete they were all within 1 grain of each other.

After the above result, I decided I will always just fletch arrows with all the same color vanes and then just nock tune them afterwards.

 

[Zac]

Really? Can you link me to an article? This is interesting info. I’d love to read the basis behind why he thinks this. To be honest I’d rather not waste my time.

Last one I saw was an Insta story, it’s probably still up. You can message him on there as well. He’s really good about getting back to you.

 

[Zac]

Buy Easton USA made arrows and you don't have to worry about where the spine is.

This can be true but occasionally you’ll have to turn a nock on a pulltrusion shaft as well. Therec

Buy Easton USA made arrows and you don't have to worry about where the spine is.

this is mostly true, however there are weak spots in the build process that require it with some of them.

 

[Bergy-Bowsmith]

imo it only really benefits you if you find it on a bare shaft and shoot in every bare shaft mark them accordingly, then fletch them.

if not that way then you might as well just group tune them.

just my opinion.

 

[Billy Goat]

Buy Easton USA made arrows and you don't have to worry about where the spine is.

Even Easton aluminum shafts need to be nock tuned to shoot same hole.