Tuning - Bare Shaft

The bare shaft or planing test allows archers to assess and optimise basic tuning on their system. It involves shooting fletched and unfletched (bare shaft) arrows at a target at around 15 - 20 yardsand looking at the relative positions of the groups of fletched and unflecthed arrows. It works because the fletchings tend to damp down any arrow oscillations caused by mistuning and this in turn leads to differences in the paths of fletched and unfletched arrows.

Reading the results

Vertical differences in groups - indicate that the nocking point on the string is eiter too high or too low. If the unfletched group is higher than the fletched group, the nocking point is too low and should be raised by increments of about 1/8" until the groups lie together.

If the unfletched group is lower than the fletched group, the nocking point is too high and should be raised by increments of about 1/8" until the groups lie together. Becareful that the nocking point does not become too low as to cause fouling or contact of the fletchings withthe rest.

Lateral differences in the groups - indicate that the shaft is either too weak or stiff for the set-up.

For a right-handed archer if the unfletched group are to the right of the fletched group, then the shafts are too weak. If this is the case you could lower the bow weight (if adjustable), decrease the pile or point weight (increases the effective stiffness of arrows) or increase the tension in the button.

For a right-handed archer if the unfletched group are to the left of the fletched group, then the shafts are too stiff. In this case you could increase the weight of the bow (if adjustable), increase the pile or point weight or decrease the tension in the button.