Fieldmouse

shott, bottom line it doesn't pay to do it. Why would those guys show you their doing nothing to center that arrow on the crosshairs? Short of designing and building a device to clamp on to a bow, basic engineering is all that's required. I've gone down the road of patents a few times and it takes a lot of money to obtain one and a lot to bring it to market. I'm sure I could build a better mouse trap but I'm not positive I could make back enough money to make it worth my while. One bow shop I remember had a laser that mounted to the top bolt holding the limb to the main part of the bow. I saw that and and the way it tracked the centerline of the arrow and thought it was the you know what. Forget it. It wasn't worth crap. Who is to say the limb, the washer, the bolt was manufactured to true? There are three variables that could effect the truenest of my arrow shot. FYI, it didn't.

For those who are following this thread, think about what I have posted. I'm not declaring what I came up with is the best. What I'm declaring is what I posted will put to rest in your mind if your local bow shop truely tuned your bow properly. What I posted will ensure your arrow is coming off your bow both vertically true as well as horizontally.
What I posted should allow some of you novice not to be afraid of customizing your bow on your own.

Happy hunting!

danr1

Yea that's part of the problem, they set the rest height so the arrow is covering the hole in the riser, set its center shot with a gauge, set the tiller even or +1/8" at the top and set the nock a 1/8" high with a square. Then hand it to you, here ya go, like its done.

Its not done, all that gets you to is a starting point. Now and then you come across one get lucky and it may be fine like that. More often then not they need "fine tuned" from that point so its perfect.

What you use for a tru center gauge doesn't really matter no, as long as the arrow is very near the bows tru center as a starting point.
The only reason I suggested it is because one is cheap and easy to use, rather then using 4 devices to do the same thing. Heck yea if one was say a 100 bucks? I'd bulk at it too!

Fieldmouse

dan, I just want to see the specs. I'm not saying it doesn't work. I'm just saying I'm not convinced. The bow square is taken from centuries old design. The caliper is also and confirms percision. The levels were a must only because I couldn't think of a house hold item I had that gave me a truer straight edge. A wood edge can't do it over time. A flat piece of metal won't suffice. However, a level is desigend to be straight even after the basic abuse people will do to it. So I only ask, please post some specs. Thats not the only device I've seen out there on the market.

WVCritter

I usually eyeball mine and then shoot a bare shaft to fine tune it. I've only had to do it once though. I did find this on youtube for what it's worth. About halfway through he uses the center shot gauge. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTTd3jYEd_Q

danr1

I just want to see the specs

Not sure there is any specs, no need for any, but I can give a "brief how to use it".

Loosen the lock ring and set the arm thats bent to 90deg reaches from a flat area of the riser, like the sight mounting area, opposite side of riser as the arrow rest. Can be used with the sight mounted in place, just put the gauge on the site's mount where its screwed to the riser, as long as the mount is even thickness in that area (don't recall ever seeing one that wasn't in the mounting area).

With the round brass block held on the flat area of the riser with rod with the 90deg bend toward the string, with that 90deg short arm pointing between the string and riser, slide the long section of rod out until the short 90deg section is just behind the string, tighten the rods locking ring, now hold the block firmly "flat" in place against the riser and slide the little yellow rubber ring until its dead even with the center of the string at/near the nock.

Now nock a arrow and set it in the rest, flip the gauge over placing the block flat in the same area of the riser you had it before but now with it so the arm bent to 90deg with the rubber ring on it is out in front of the riser, now adjust the arrow rest until the arrow sitting on it is directly centered under that little yellow rubber ring.
Flip the gauge back and forth to double check your work, if it lines up both ways, the center line of the bow has been established.



Not sure if you can see it in the picture, I can take more detailed shots if you like, the long arm with the block has a flat surface to keep the block indexed when locked.

Its not a supper high precision instrument no, but the task it performs doesn't require it to be either. It is more then adequate for the job.

WVCritter

danr1, that's the same one in the video. Looks very easy to use.

danr1

Yup it very easy to use, I just watched that video, wish i'd seen it posted first would have saved me trying to explain it!

I like them nocking levels he had there to, hadn't seen them yet, gotta get me a set. I like that even better then the nocking square I been using for years.

chas0218

Don't know if anyone does this still but a good paper tune goes a long way. I got my bow with the nock point all setup with string loop. I then had to put my own drop away on it. I used paper tuning to get my arrows as true as possible and my broadheads followed the same hole in the target. Here are a couple of diagrams i have used in the past.


1 more thing is that if you can get your rest eye balled you can use that guide to get you spot on.

Fieldmouse

WV, I liked the video. That device as I suspected was only for your horizontal shot. It's very simple. Dan, thanks for the info. However, the vertical plane as he shows was done with levels. Crossed my mind as possibly the best way however, without a set up vice leveled to hold the bow vertical, how would a novice do such a thing? The bow square and caliper does take all that into account, however a properly gauged level and vice is a little better.

FYI, for those who watched it and may not have relised it, he set the knock 1/8 inch high to compensate for the single grab release. I use a dual grab release to hold the string above and below the arrow in order to give it balance from both sides. No need other than level to be a straight shot.

c_str

Yes thanks fieldmouse I sent a private message as well.

I have evolved my own bow tuning up as well, due to the same situation - it seems that most of the bow shops only do the bare minimum to get you out the door. I had a problem once where my arrows were going to the right and couldn't figure it out, even went to another pro shop and offered to pay to have him help me figure it out - he just told me my stance, grip etc was messed up. So I download that awesome Easton bow tuning guide, set up paper tuning, shot some arrows and analyzed the fletching holes in the paper, figured out that the archery rest was set a little too close to the cable, causing the fletching to hit the cable (or some piece of bow, can't remember which) just enough to make the arrows go off. Move that slightly over and problem solved!
But I had to do this out of necessity, even after offering to pay to help solve this - what a pain.

I will say one thing that has helped me tremendously is fletching my own arrows - what a lifesaver that is. The pro shops around here usually are backlogged. Not only that, but now I helical fletch using blazers and my lethal zone is out to 35 yards - a 10 yard difference!

Thanks again!