# Anyone have a DIY spine indexing setup?



## die_dunkelheit (Jul 29, 2016)

I recently made a 2Jays Spine Tester that is working great.. http://bambooarrow.com/tester.html


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## Russ H (Jul 28, 2016)

perfect timing. Needing to rig something up myself


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## Don Schultz (Jul 5, 2002)

Can the shaft freely rotate presenting the weak spine up? If not, it is not indexing the shaft by spine, it is only measuring spine at that orientation.


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## johnl2015 (Jul 10, 2015)

Built mine for under 45$ mounted it high enough on the wall to see the dial indicator at eye level


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## KRONIIK (Jun 3, 2014)

Don Schultz said:


> Can the shaft freely rotate presenting the weak spine up? If not, it is not indexing the shaft by spine, it is only measuring spine at that orientation.


True, but rotating the shaft slowly by hand and noting the deflection differences at various points around the circumference will accomplish the same thing.
Just adds a minute or two of time ...


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## Robert321 (Jun 25, 2013)

I read that you can float the bare shaft in water and the heavy (stiff) side will sink.
For the people that that test arrows is this a viable method? Will it work or is the dial indicators the only way to find the weak/ stiff side?


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## mlob1one (Apr 10, 2016)

Like these ideas

Sent from my SPH-L710T using Tapatalk


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## gridman (Aug 26, 2007)

Robert321 said:


> I read that you can float the bare shaft in water and the heavy (stiff) side will sink.
> For the people that that test arrows is this a viable method? Will it work or is the dial indicators the only way to find the weak/ stiff side?


I know some do this, to me, it was a huge waste of time


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## Robert321 (Jun 25, 2013)

Thanks for the input I'll cut my losses and build the right tool the first time


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## KRONIIK (Jun 3, 2014)

Robert321 said:


> I read that you can float the bare shaft in water and the heavy (stiff) side will sink.
> For the people that that test arrows is this a viable method? Will it work or is the dial indicators the only way to find the weak/ stiff side?


 That method assumes that the *heavy* side is automatically going to be *stiffer*. 
I doubt that's always (or even usually) the case. 
I'd *suspect* that the most resistance to flexing would more often be at about 90 degrees to that heavy side, to one side or the other... 

But all that is speculation on my part; I've never tried nor tested that theory.


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## die_dunkelheit (Jul 29, 2016)

Mine cost me about $30. 
Parts:
1/2 pine ply
1/8 ply for the dial
rubber washer for friction lock to zero the dial
1/4" oak dowel 
3" 10-24 machine screw
1 ny-lock nut
3 finder washers
2 regular 10-24 nuts 
and some glue/nails

Print the scale from the link I provided without scaling to fit, and make sure to get the length from the axle to the pin which rests on the arrow correct (line "A"). The rest is however you want to make it.

I've tested this with several carbon and wood arrows of known spine and it comes in exactly accurate.



Don Schultz said:


> Can the shaft freely rotate presenting the weak spine up? If not, it is not indexing the shaft by spine, it is only measuring spine at that orientation.


No, but you shouldn't spine natural arrows like that anyway. The growth rings should be oriented perpendicular to the bow when shot, thus they should be oriented vertically in the spine tester.


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## aread (Dec 25, 2009)

This is a popular subject in the DIY section. Here are a few threads on the subject:

http://www.archerytalk.com/vb/showthread.php?t=4017521&highlight=tester

http://www.archerytalk.com/vb/showthread.php?t=3753009&highlight=tester

http://www.archerytalk.com/vb/showthread.php?t=3714658&highlight=tester

http://www.archerytalk.com/vb/showthread.php?t=3488842&highlight=tester

http://www.archerytalk.com/vb/showthread.php?t=1558629&highlight=tester

http://www.archerytalk.com/vb/showthread.php?t=2413184&highlight=tester

http://www.archerytalk.com/vb/showthread.php?t=2240735&highlight=tester

http://www.archerytalk.com/vb/showthread.php?t=2237951&highlight=tester

http://www.archerytalk.com/vb/showthread.php?t=2229728&highlight=tester

http://www.archerytalk.com/vb/showthread.php?t=2142255&highlight=tester

http://www.archerytalk.com/vb/showthread.php?t=1984625&highlight=tester

http://www.archerytalk.com/vb/showthread.php?t=1805408&highlight=tester

http://www.archerytalk.com/vb/showthread.php?t=1383016&highlight=tester

http://www.archerytalk.com/vb/showthread.php?t=1558629&highlight=tester

http://www.archerytalk.com/vb/showthread.php?t=1073398&highlight=tester

Hope this helps,
Allen


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## die_dunkelheit (Jul 29, 2016)

die_dunkelheit said:


> No, but you shouldn't spine natural arrows like that anyway. The growth rings should be oriented perpendicular to the bow when shot, thus they should be oriented vertically in the spine tester.


I should have prefaced this with the fact that I shoot traditional bows and only natural arrow shafts...


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## tote (Mar 29, 2013)

Here's what I did:


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## 3 Blade Rage (Mar 17, 2010)

tote said:


> Here's what I did:


Nice job and great video!


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## Lowlevlflyer (Aug 2, 2011)

Robert321 said:


> I read that you can float the bare shaft in water and the heavy (stiff) side will sink.
> For the people that that test arrows is this a viable method? Will it work or is the dial indicators the only way to find the weak/ stiff side?


I have a business building custom arrows, and I spine index every shaft I build. Floating shafts is not an accurate way of determining where the spine is, simply because the heavy side is not always the spine. I've seen this many times on shafts that have been floated .


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## IIJSavoy (Jan 6, 2010)

Field & Stream had a DIY spine tester build a while back. Might be able to find it by searching there. Cost me maybe $25 following the instructions, think the dial indicator was the most expensive component, rest came from the scrap bin and spare parts. 

Worth the couple of bucks, even if it isn't super perfect or as accurate as the higher end stuff.


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## EnglishKev (Aug 8, 2009)

You will find some pics of mine in amongst the threads listed above, however, to save some searching, I will post them again.

I used some aluminum box section I had lying around along with some other offcuts.
The bearings are skate board ones.
I made it adjustable so I could actually spine arrows (28'' between bearings required) however, to index arrows the length is not crucial, so I can reduce that dimension to accommodate shorter arrows.
To allow for different diameter arrows, the gauge mount is also adjustable.

Kev


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## Jeremy K (Oct 16, 2013)

I've been making one slowly , one of these days I'll commit and take a day to finish it.


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## AKMusher907 (Apr 24, 2016)

Aaaand this is going on my list of DIY to-do.


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## kevinslack (Jun 8, 2016)

Here's one I made and works good.


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## Jeremy K (Oct 16, 2013)

Works really good so far.


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## die_dunkelheit (Jul 29, 2016)

Jeremy K said:


> I've been making one slowly , one of these days I'll commit and take a day to finish it.


What rail are you using there? I need to update my string jig to something with less (i.e. zero) flex and that looks perfect...


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## Jeremy K (Oct 16, 2013)

That's the T track from Rocklers wood working.


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