Broadhead Alignment

Message

MIK · #1 Post by **MIK** » Mon Jan 26, 2004 12:03 am

as i am not attuned as yet to all the bits and peices that go with hunting ... maybe one day that will change

i was wondering if there was a right and wrong way to align a broadhead on an arrow

i know that the nock should be lined up across the grain of the arrow and would suggest that maybe a broadhead shold be mounted with the same basic rule .... but i have been wrong before and will be again

would this be right or is there another rule for broadheads

thanks
MIK

russ · #2 Post by **russ** » Mon Jan 26, 2004 6:31 am

hi mik, on compounds with two prong rests , most mount heads with blades facing up and down to minimize broadhead planing as our arrows are launched off the rest with our possibly less than perfect nockset alignment. alternatly a horizontally placed broadhead is likely to plane off and do its own thing when an arrow has a less than perfect start. this has always been my interpretation of why we mount our heads this way... perhaps trad bow shooters mount their heads the opposite way due to their shafts flexing around the riser???, i'm sure one of these guys will enlighten you. i wish i had internet access/free online advice when i started bowhunting 10 yrs ago, a computer could not have taught me to stalk but help with equipment would have been nice, and saved alot of time and money...........russ

ozlongbow · #3 Post by **ozlongbow** » Mon Jan 26, 2004 8:11 am

Mik
I've been told/read up and down or left and right doesn't matter a whole heap as long as them puppies spin true. For no reason I can account for I like up and down better. I'll say it makes less of a profile so it doesn't come in to my peripheral vision so I sound like I know what I am on about, but we all know better, don't we!
Eagerly await correction for the more experienced brethern of the ozbow community.

Lindsay

#4 Post by **Stickbow Hunter** » Mon Jan 26, 2004 10:43 am

MIK,

I believe LindsAy (make sure you use an 'A')

is correct. Broadhead orientation is a personal thing. You mount it whatever way you like the look of as it really has no effect on arrow flight. I like mine mounted vertical because I think it looks good.

The most important thing is that you ensure proper alignment. The broadhead must be aligned with the axis of the shaft. If it isn't then this can cause what is commonly termed wind planing. I have heard a lot of people over the years say that such and such a broadhead is no good because it wind planes. In almost every case I believe that it was improper broadhead alignment that was causing the arrow to wind plane and not the broadhead.

Probably the most common reason people have trouble with broadhead alignment is that the point taper is not 'concentric to the shaft'. If the taper is crooked then it makes the aligning of the broadhead difficult.

Hope this helps.

Jeff

ozlongbow · #5 Post by **ozlongbow** » Mon Jan 26, 2004 1:59 pm

Jeff
Hey I got one right! Yahoo!

Lindsay

MIK · #6 Post by **MIK** » Mon Jan 26, 2004 10:50 pm

thanks guys

i think i will go with the up/down version so that they can be packed in a box more easily

i agree that it looks better too... actually when i think about it all the movies have the broadheads up/down as well ... i know its only the movies but they must think it looks better as well

MIK

ozlongbow · #7 Post by **ozlongbow** » Tue Jan 27, 2004 7:44 am

Mik
Hey Hollywood never lies! Just like us newspaper guys don't either. No really, we don't. Stop laughing you b@$t@rd$!!!

Lindsay

MIK · #8 Post by **MIK** » Tue Jan 27, 2004 5:22 pm

newspapers never lie they only tell the part of the truth that they want to

ozlongbow · #9 Post by **ozlongbow** » Wed Jan 28, 2004 2:44 pm

Mik
That's not how I run a paper - but maybe we can debate it at the first ozbow.net gathering! My shout!
Lindsay

gundy · #10 Post by **gundy** » Wed Jan 28, 2004 7:36 pm

Does this mean that we are going hunting soon MIK?

The Sambar await. I will have to blind fold you however...work is slowing, I will be back on deck soon mate. Say hi to the gang for me...

MIK · #11 Post by **MIK** » Wed Jan 28, 2004 10:24 pm

i made a big statement at the club AGM on monday

"I will make at least 1 claim this coming year"

what i didn't tell them though was that the coming year could be 5 years down the track

and i still have to gett he broadheads on the arrows ... mind you i wont be shooting this lot until after the easter safari ... plan on putting them in the display tent

i have a couple of ash shafts also that i will be chasing some bunnies with soonish

MIK

erron · #12 Post by **erron** » Thu Jan 29, 2004 7:43 am

What easter safari MIK? Is it open to anyone?

If it's a Trad shoot, please put it in the Traditional Events forum?

erron

doninkaliphornistan · #13 Post by **doninkaliphornistan** » Thu Jan 29, 2004 8:07 am

it's very critical to good aero flite ... especially with non vented, fixed blade broadheads ...

spinning them on the tip (point) is not normally a good idea as the "point" may not be located on a centerline with the ferrule axis due to the sharpening process ...

u can use a good aero straightening device, or a "tru-spin" device or u can even make your own ...

make sure the taper of the shaft is as good and true as u can get it (if you're using wooden aeros), use a glue that will allow u to adjust as u go and spin test the entire aero while watching the ferrule/aero shaft connection, not the "point" until it looks as though it's (the broadhead) "standing still" ... (or does not appear to "wobble")

it works well for me ...

woody · #14 Post by **woody** » Thu Jan 29, 2004 5:32 pm

If axial alignment is perfectly true, I dont think it matters very much for accurate results. I do get nervous with the sharp vertical edge pointing at my hand and when shooting barebow it seems to give me a better view with a horizontal blade, but that just me.

Dennis La Varenne · #15 Post by **Dennis La Varenne** » Thu Jan 29, 2004 10:01 pm

MIK,

I tend to agree with the blokes supporting the proposition about not being so important which way the broadhead is aligned, so long as it is concentric to the shaft.

I wish I could get an arrow to windplane so I could see what it looks like. I have never been able to achieve it with any kind of broadhead. It is a bit of a mystery to me.

I use a longbow and I tend to align the upper blade with the upper bow feather and the back of the lower blade abutts my index finger for a sort of drawlength check and because I find the bulk of a blade distracts me from looking at the spot on the animal for some reason. My preference for alignment keeps minimally in view.

I can do this because I draw fairly slowly and the back of the blade is kept blunt. There is a half inch gap between my draw length and the back of the broadhead blade when mounted which means that I cut my shafts 1 1/2" longer than draw length.

Just another preference for you to consider.

Dennis La Varenne

Dennis La Varenne · #16 Post by **Dennis La Varenne** » Thu Jan 29, 2004 10:09 pm

MIK and others,

As an addendum to my post above, if anyone wants to try Woody's new heads (which have a screw in mounting system) on your woods, have a look at Jackrat's post a bit below.

You could buy one alloy and cut it up and buy as many inserts as you require and mount screw-ins on your woods. Alignment would be pretty good I would think.

It is a bit of trouble, but anyone who likes making woods goes to a bit of trouble anyway. You would also have a good re-inforcing behind the head for those rare but fragile POCs which have a terrible habit of breaking behing the head. An alloy outer sleeve would be a help.

Dennis La Varenne

MIK · #17 Post by **MIK** » Thu Jan 29, 2004 10:50 pm

thanks guys i have been thinking about adding a bit of an alloy arrow to the next set of shafts i put together for hunting ... that is if i ever go out hunting enough to destroy what i have already

i have been using 4 interlocked wheels which form a sort of a v between 2 pairs to find the center of rotation for my field points which seems to works pretty well ... i hope this makes sense - hard to describe can post a pic if you want

and i was going to use the same method for the broadheads using 5 minute areldite for glue ... any better ideas???

i have been using copperhead arrows and when i look down the shaft it seems to me that the barrel taper is on one side only ... has anyone else noticed this????

the easter safari is the Australian ABA Championships which will be held at Charleville over the Easter weekend ... shooting ABA and 3D ... there is also a Craft tent for hand crafted items which i have a couple of things to enter ... any ABA member can find details in the Archery Action magazine

i like dennis's idea about the 2 o'clock positioning of the broadhead as well although i tend to shoot the longbow on a cant anyway which would put the broadhead angle at approx 1 o'clock looking at the arrow with the blade set vertical

thanks guys ... good information in this thread

MIK