# DIY Arrow Spine Tester complete with step by step photos.



## Barry O'Regan (Nov 2, 2008)

*Second part*

You can vary which kind of parts to use, as long as they do not retract from the exact measurements.


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## Barry O'Regan (Nov 2, 2008)

*Third Part*

I went with a cantilever pivot, instead of the 2 Jays design with washers, rubber discs and the like, as it was much simpler and most of use can pretty well figure out how to make a similar style I used to connect the dial rod to. 

You may be able to make a similar cantilever design like this, or place a short length of larger metal tubing through the pivot point of the board, and then slide a slightly smaller Socket bolt with a smooth shank, with a threaded end through it, ensuring the socket bolt rotates freely. Then remove the socket bolt, drill a hole in the shank (refer to photo) to insert your metal dial pointer rod through the socket bolt and re-insert it back into the metal tube. A short section of large diameter aluminum arrow shaft could work.

The threaded end of the bolt protruding at the back end of the board will have a threaded portion long enough to put a washer on the end and a double nut to ensure you do not tighten the socket bolt too tight preventing the socket bolt from rotating freely. Once installed, there should be just a small amount of end play end to end, but the dial pointer (I used a bike spoke as a dial pointer) should move up and down freely.

Refer to the photo of a bolt you could use and see what I mean.


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## Barry O'Regan (Nov 2, 2008)

*Fourth Part*

The actual dial face pictured in Part 1, can be photocopied, and enlarged. Once enlarged take a ruler and measure the Line A, if it measured exactly 2 inches, you are good to go. If it measures less or more than 2 inches, you must reduce of enlargen the dial face more on the photocopier.

I took my dial face, laminated it, then spray glued it against of stiff cardboard, as I wanted the dial face to rotate as well as a added feature in trying to calibrate it with the dial pointer exactly.


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## Barry O'Regan (Nov 2, 2008)

*Fifth Part*

Now I was fortunate to use a large Easton arrow threaded aluminum ferrule, but if you want as I mentioned earlier in the Third Part, a short length of aluminum arrow shaft should suffice, and a slightly smaller diameter socket bolt. This section that I am showing is using my cantilever, so unless you are doing it this way, you can modify your design to suit, as long as the end result is the dial pointer moving freely, with minimum end play end to end.


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## Barry O'Regan (Nov 2, 2008)

*Sixth Part*

The nice thing about this spine tester is it can be used for wood arrows, aluminum and carbon. Though carbon and aluminum are already marked with a spine weight tolerance. But you could see if your used carbon or aluminum have decreased in spine weight, as after a few dozens shots out of your bow into a target it is said they can lose their spine somewhat, though I do not think it would be too severe to make a difference, unless you shoot competitively such as in FITA tourneys.


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## Barry O'Regan (Nov 2, 2008)

*Seventh Part*

Well that is it!

One more side note, if you need to fine tune the dial arm, take a few arrows to a pro shop that has a arrow spine tester. Test your arrows on it, write down the spine weights for each arrow and compare them to your spine tester. If your arrow spine tester is out a little bit, first check to ensure your dial pointer is straight with no bends. Then let the dial arm at rest horizontally *Hence why I added a counter weight to ensure the dial pointer is exactly at zero. If it is still out, then adjust the dial face up or down to match the dial pointer at horizontal rest till it lines up with zero. If that fails, then take the dial arm, unscrew the holding screw for the dial arm, and move it through the Socket Bolt in or out ever so slightly and it should match up perfectly.

Hope you enjoy your new Spine Tester.


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## kawabunga (Oct 21, 2009)

Very nice, great job on the pics, need to make one of these. Wonder if it spins the shaft to the stiff side too?


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## Silent stalk (Mar 19, 2013)

Oh great! Now I'm gonna need to build one! :biggrin1:

Really, great job, well thought out and easy to follow especially with all the pics. This may just be my next project.


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## Barry O'Regan (Nov 2, 2008)

You know Kawabunga, I was tempted to go that route as well, I was considering a design using a set of 4 needle bearings. Similar to what is available on existing arrow spinners.
What you can do with my design is rotate your shafts a 1/4 inch at a time and check the spine at each quarter turn.

Thanks for the question.

Regards
Barry O'Regan
Burnaby, British Columbia
Canada


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## Barry O'Regan (Nov 2, 2008)

You are welcome Silent Stalk, 
Like many of the DIY projects I have posted on Archery Talk over the years, I find photos a much better way to explain how each individual project works, including my archery product reviews. 
If you like you can check out my other projects and product reviews on Archery Talk or just google my name and add archery to find a list.

Regards
Barry O'Regan
Burnaby, British Columbia
Canada


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## ben911 (Sep 3, 2012)

very nice job!
thanks :smile:


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## kawabunga (Oct 21, 2009)

Thanks Barry, thats what i was thinking also as i have four bearings from old cams sitting around. Not sure how they would work for that purpose, may try them out.


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## kawabunga (Oct 21, 2009)

Hey Barry, just one question on the pointer, reading two jays instructions, the dial can be any size as long as the back of the pointer from the pivot point to bend matches line a on the printout. So when you did your 2" bend it you were just bending the part that rest on the arrow, the 2" doesnt really matter for that right? that part got me confused. Also a counter weight is not really needed? 

Thanks in advance, James.


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## Barry O'Regan (Nov 2, 2008)

kawabunga said:


> Hey Barry, just one question on the pointer, reading two jays instructions, the dial can be any size as long as the back of the pointer from the pivot point to bend matches line a on the printout. So when you did your 2" bend it you were just bending the part that rest on the arrow, the 2" doesnt really matter for that right? that part got me confused. Also a counter weight is not really needed?
> 
> Thanks in advance, James.


The line A-B is 2 inches long when the dial face is printed off your printer. That is the only way you will know if the dial is the proper size, otherwise you dial face will be off measurement. As for the 2 inch bend on the dial rod that rests on the arrow, I do not think it matters, but followed his instructions. What does matter I find is the dial rod from the pivot point to the bend does matter and should be 2 inches for the whole thing to be accurate, though when fine tuning *(when you have a pro shop spine tester to gauge the accuracy of your spine tester versus the pro shops) moving the rod in or out just a 1/8 or so seems to ballpark you for accuracy. As for the brass balance weight on the end of the dial rod where the arrow rests on, You are correct it is not necessary to have a balance weight, I put it on more to keep the pointer rod level horizontal at zero


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## Kinkajou (Mar 2, 2013)

Very nice setup, thank you Barry, I will try to build one. It looks like a nice usefull proyect.


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## kawabunga (Oct 21, 2009)

Thanks Barry, took me a few tries to get it exactly 2", until i remembered i could use a ruler in photoshop to match the line to, duh. In his instuctions he seems to say that it can be enlarged as long as you match pivot point to bend to line A. Maybe ill try two different dials and slide the pointer to see if they match up, just curious, like to tinker, he, he. 

Thanks again for the help, ill post mine if i ever get it done, James.


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## Barry O'Regan (Nov 2, 2008)

Hey No problem.

I think the idea of the A-B being 2 inches is so when you enlarge the dial before printing is to measure the printed A-B and ensure it measures 2 inches. If it does then you know you have the Dial correct to scale


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## Barry O'Regan (Nov 2, 2008)

Also of note, I am currently refinishing 70 year old longbows to be shooters again. I have already completed and shot three longbows from the 1940s to 1950s, they perform awesome, though shooting 500 grain arrows with them through my chrono, 121 fps for a 30 # longbow, 144 fps is the average speed for 38 # longbow, and 168 fps for the 50 # longbow. I intend to post DIY photos later next month on a 1950s Indian Archery 45 # longbow I picked up from ebay for $30.00 and I will photograph the speed of the arrows, I figure about 144 fps.

What is disheartening are these vintage Longbows, once refinished, they shoot as well and as accurate out to 30 yards as my $1,000 Black Widow longbow shoots! Ain't that a kick in the Nads! 
Of course on the plus side, it goes to show the quality of workmanship these old Bowyers displayed back when quality meant something. Probably why today Longbows, Recurves made by hand by some archery manufacturers will appreciate in value.

It would be nice if everything today was North American made, using the quality workmanship entrusted to bowyers.


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## kawabunga (Oct 21, 2009)

Barry i find that interesting as i have a list of materials to order from binghams. I attempted to make a longbow years ago but my form wasnt square and had bad limbtwist so i gave up, still have it unfinished so it will be used to experiment on. This time im determined to get it right, still have the oven and parts for the form, have a router table and bandsaw too now. 

I got an old I think 1950s bear recurve, got stupid and shot it, one limb cracked, so its pretty much ruined i think. 

I also have a Widow recurve, had a longbow also, mainly hunt with compounds though.


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