Your opinion on spine aligning arrows

[Eastonsgrandpa]

I know this can be a highly debatable topic. I have heard arguments that spine aligning arrows is crucial so all of your arrows leave the bow in the same way among other reasons that we have all heard of if you have researched this topic. I’ve also heard and seen some videos that most archers aren’t actually good enough of a shot to notice a difference of a spine aligned arrow group vs a group of arrows that aren’t spine aligned. I can’t decide for myself which side of the discussion I agree with. I actually agree with both. The last arrow build I did was with victory shafts so they have the spine aligned mark (which I have learned that the spine aligned mark is usually off by a few degrees) so I went ahead and did my fletchings based on the spine aligned mark. I know you can put your arrow in that fancy device that finds it for you but none of my local archery shops have one. I know others claim you can spine align your arrows through knock tuning which looks incredibly tedious and very time consuming. But maybe it’s worth it? For the sake of trying to build the best possible flying arrow my bank account will allow me to build, I actually will probably do this eventually. I do like the idea of all my arrows leaving my bow the same way. It seems to me like this would allow you to get your bow tuned very well and possibly have a more consistent arrow flight between them all. But then I wonder if I’m even a good enough shot to notice any difference and if all that work is kinda a waste of time. I’m curious as to what everyone’s opinion on this is, and if they have done any testing personally. Thanks

I used to. But I went with Victory RIP TKO and I have yet to have a single arrow not fly right. Many people balked at their spine alignment marks, but I’ve built several dozen and have yet to find an arrow not do what it’s supposed to, as long as I’ve fletched it correctly and fully squared my cuts (I cut half what I’m removing from each end).

 

[5MilesBack]

it’s easy and is going to continue to be a step I take just for my own OCD sanity.

Having wet arrow shafts inside and out that would have to be dried would drive my OCD crazy.

 

[madgrad02]

Having wet arrow shafts inside and out that would have to be dried would drive my OCD crazy.

You plug the ends with inserts so it floats... heavy side will be on the bottom. Mark topside and should all be indexed similarly.

 

[Hoythews71]

You plug the ends with inserts so it floats... heavy side will be on the bottom. Mark topside and should all be indexed similarly.

Yep, exactly. I plug both ends with a nock to keep weight down so there’s minimal influence from anything but the shaft itself. Mark the lighter top sides with a silver Sharpie.

Have never dealt with water getting into the shaft when they’re plugged with nocks, but if you float after cutting, a quick blast from the air compressor would get all the carbon dust and water out.


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[VaBruiser]

Regardless if you spine align or not, is it beneficial in any way to glue your insert in the arrow so that the blades on your broadhead sit a certain way when you're shooting. I hope that makes sense. Like if you're shooting a fixed two blade, should the blades be perfectly up and down or flat, side to side, or does it matter?

 

[KBC]

I doubt which way the blades sit matters.

Regarding spine aligning, I just nock tune before fletching. When I was getting into arrow building I read a lot of people still had to tweak nocks after spine aligning them so I just went straight to nock tuning.

I might be doing it wrong but I just try to get the best matching tear from each arrow. There's always a couple that will do bullet holes and a couple that won't so I just try to match them so all the arrows are tearing the same, then I tune the bow/yokes/rest/etc. so I get bullet holes with all of them.

 

[dony]

FMJs seem extra hard to index. Used a 36" clamp to test "dynamic" spine and FMJs it's very inconsistent. Using a spine deflection tool, also inconsistent. On pure carbon arrows, only about 50% of them have a very distinct spine through these tests. The rest are inconsistent meaning they'll bend any which way. I build fishing rods too so finding spine on those is something I do regularly.

Here's a hot take. It doesn't matter until 60+ yards with a broadhead. Use a Sharpie, number your arrows, Shoot a group with broadheads 60 yards. Mark outliers. Do again to confirm suspicions. Rotate outlier's nock 90 or 120 degrees (4 vs 3 fletch). Watch as the outlier magically groups with your other arrows. Done. We get so caught up in details sometimes we forget that the broadhead just needs to hit the target. Go the extra mile and tune your rest or cams so broadheads hit with field points and you're golden.

 

[mod-it]

I personally am in full agreeance with Gillingham's video, from my own personal experiences.
My very last set of arrows I put together (a set for 3d), I went the whole 9 yards on them. Weighed out all components and matched them to arrows weight wise, cut each arrow from both ends to get them to my target length, squared the ends, glued in inserts carefully, spun them all afterwards to check for wobbles from a crooked insert, shot them through paper at 8' as bareshafts and spun nocks to get them all the same, clocked them, and then fletched them accordingly (2° of left offset). The whole dozen came out within 1.2 grains of each other.

After they were fletched. I went and shot them all through paper at 5' and found 5 of them were making different tears than the rest. At 20 yards they also would hit a bit out of the group from the others, can really tell if you shoot each one a few times at a new Vegas 3 spot target. A pattern emerges pretty quickly doing that.
I was able to get them corrected to what the others were doing, but it meant that I have to shoot them with the indicator vane oriented differently than the others or strip them and refletch. Frustrating after spending the time to bareshaft nock tune all of them through paper.

From here on out I will not bother shooting them as bareshafts. I will just fletch them up with all the same color vanes and then nock/group tune them afterwards. I'm pretty used to orienting arrows off the raised portion on one side of most brands of nocks, so I don't think not having an off color vane will really bother me.

 

[Tilzbow]

I use to find the spine before building my arrows but since switching to Black Eagle X-Impact shafts about 10 years ago with a .250 spine I find it nearly impossible to find the stiff side so now I simply build my arrows with all three fletches matching then nock tune with FBBH to find the best flight for each arrow. Once that’s done I mark the top fletch with an arrow pointing up using a permanent marker, plus I use nocks with an index.

 

[Zac]

I use to find the spine before building my arrows but since switching to Black Eagle X-Impact shafts about 10 years ago with a .250 spine I find it nearly impossible to find the stiff side so now I simply build my arrows with all three fletches matching then nock tune with FBBH to find the best flight for each arrow. Once that’s done I mark the top fletch with an arrow pointing up using a permanent marker, plus I use nocks with an index.

It's amazing how consistent that shaft is. I think arrow is an acid test to whether a bow tunes or not.

 

[doverpack12]

I shoot my bareshafts through paper at 10-15 feet until they all shoot perfect bullet holes. Rotate the nock 1/8 turn at a time until they do.
Since adding that process, I don’t have arrows that randomly impact out of the group and I haven’t turned a nock to the next fletching. Fixed blade Broadheads all fly extremely well, which was often when you would start seeing a perfect spinning broadhead arrow combo consistently impact out of the group.
Prior to the nock turning bareshafts paper process, I used a spine tester and other methods and I would agree those did not produce the best or most consistent results.

I’ve also been having my friends, dad, father in law use the bareshafts through paper method and all have seen the same thing as myself.

Been 4-5 years now for me with really consistent performing arrows

 

[SloppyJ]

I'm extremely OCD when building arrows, maybe more so than reloading because you can get in the groove reloading so to speak. I too build off victory shafts and I just take their word for it on the spine location. I shoot quite a bit but when I pull a shot, my first thought is never "Oh if only I would have aligned the spine on this arrow".

I'm not out there dropping 120yd kill shots because I'm never in a hunting situation that calls for it. If I were, it might be a different conversation but I agree with the above. 99% of archers won't notice a difference IMO.

 

[D S 319]

Usually. I figure more “factors” I take out then I can only blame myself and keep practicing!

 

[Beendare]

The hack test using bar clamps is a joke, The ends aren’t perfectly aligned skewing the results.
I used to spine check then fletch back when I could shoot a compound well. I found it was better just to fletch, number the arrows and log your groups at 60y.

doing that, you will find that some arrows are consistently out in the same location. I would strip the fletchings off, turn the knock 90° and re-fletch and typically they were fine.

 

[Grechrist]

I have put the time in spine aligning, floating in water and all the tricks. I thought it helped for shooting long distances but after learning more I am not sure it helped at all. It is fun to tinker with and know it’s not a reason for failure!

 

[CapitalKing]

I posted this in one other thread, don’t want to waste a thread with what I imagine is a simple answer to a dumb question haha.

Don’t mean to thread jack but do you guys set your broadheads vertically or horizontally when the arrow is knocked?
On a couple arrows I need to leave mine an 1/8th of a turn from tight so they don’t catch the side of my bow when I draw the arrow fully back

 

[Billy Goat]

I posted this in one other thread, don’t want to waste a thread with what I imagine is a simple answer to a dumb question haha.

Don’t mean to thread jack but do you guys set your broadheads vertically or horizontally when the arrow is knocked?
On a couple arrows I need to leave mine an 1/8th of a turn from tight so they don’t catch the side of my bow when I draw the arrow fully back

Personally I pay no attention to direction of the broadhead.

I wouldn't want to shoot a BH I had to have loose to shoot. If it loosens anymore at the shot and starts to wobble in flight, who knows where it's going.

You can try a small rubber o-ring to get the broadhead tight sooner.

 

[bober90]

I spine aligned for the first time this year and I can't say if it made a noticeable impact, however, broadhead tuning this year out to 60 yards was easier than ever. Can't say whether it was due to the different arrows or whether I spine aligned them. Either way, wasn't much effort.

 

[CapitalKing]

Personally I pay no attention to direction of the broadhead.

I wouldn't want to shoot a BH I had to have loose to shoot. If it loosens anymore at the shot and starts to wobble in flight, who knows where it's going.

You can try a small rubber o-ring to get the broadhead tight sooner.

Thanks that’s a good idea