Stabiliser rods; eh?

Kernowlad

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Supporter
Can anyone explain the battery of rods that protrude from most modern bows? And how do you decide what is needed? And don't they add more weight?
Do you think "ooh my bow keeps leaning back, I need a 3ft Rod to balance it? Then
"Dammit my sight is making my bow tip right I need a left pointing weight..."

Are they just there so the bow sits in a stand more easily?

Or is there a more a scientific approach?!
 

bimble

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I wonder why they're called "stabilising" rods, eh?? ;)

As for what, that's all personal preference and what works best with you and your bow.
 

Kernowlad

Supporter
Supporter
I wonder why they're called "stabilising" rods, eh?? ;)

As for what, that's all personal preference and what works best with you and your bow.
Not dismissing them just wondered how one selects them?
Early days for me but I can't say I'm finding my bow unstable. Do they act as a dampener or something?
 

KidCurry

Well-known member
AIUK Saviour
And don't they add more weight?
Yep
Do you think "ooh my bow keeps leaning back, I need a 3ft Rod to balance it? Then
"Dammit my sight is making my bow tip right I need a left pointing weight..."
Yep
Are they just there so the bow sits in a stand more easily?
Again Yep

Or is there a more a scientific approach?!
Not really, you pretty much got it. Balanced (or unbalanced if you prefer it) and stable on aim is about it :) Archery is a sport often made harder by over thinking it.
 

Kernowlad

Supporter
Supporter
I wonder why they're called "stabilising" rods, eh?? ;)

As for what, that's all personal preference and what works best with you and your bow.
Yep

Yep

Again Yep

Not really, you pretty much got it. Balanced (or unbalanced if you prefer it) and stable on aim is about it :) Archery is a sport often made harder by over thinking it.
Ha ha! Thanks!!
 

dgmultimedia

Supporter
Supporter
I first started Archery back in the 70'5 - Compound bows were just getting started so majority were Recurve style - back then Stabilisers had many more exotic materials to "Take the recoil/Shock" out of the bow and improve Aiming stability...
I came back to shoot regularly just last year - nothing new - apart from all the toxic substances contained in stabiliser wieghts have disappeared.

Basically they are used for 3 reasons:-
1) Balance the bow
2) Stabilise its ability to remain still while aiming
3) reduce the Shock/recoil/Vibration at release

basic principle - add wieght improves stability - but you want the Mass to be as effective as possible without you having to become a body builder so put it as far away from the Centre of mass of the bow as possible.
Using Carbon fibre tube, as its Light but Stiff, put a mass out in front - 2 things happen - C of G moves forward and the rotational inertia increases.
as an aside the Side Rod/Weight is used to bring the C of G back to a point where the archer feels comfortable that the bow will remain static or tip forward at a speed he/she is happy with on release and can also help balance the Left/Right mass of the Sight.
With the extra mass giving higher inertia the archer should be able to aim the bow more smoothly - the difference between with and without rods is not dramatic but it does help.
ONCE you get used to the extra weight of the whole contraption....

They will do NOTHING to aim the bow for you and until you can hold the bow up at arms length for long enough and repeatedly without even knowing they are there forget them....

I shoot a MyBow Origin, a MyBow Wave Recurve and I have a Chinese Hunting Compound thats very adjustable for letting others "try out" with a compound and my favourite pick up and shoot bow is a Bear Purpleheart Kodiak Barebow - it weighs nothing compared to the others.
The 2 Mabo's have full stabilisers and the Chinese compound has a dumpy vibration reducer.

I had to exercise while sitting infant of the TV for weeks with a stretch band held at arms length and restrained vertically downward until I got it to stay out there without moving or shaking for 10 min at a time...
alternatively hold 2kg bag of sugar in your bow hand arm up position for increasing lengths of time.

Happy shooting....
 

Kernowlad

Supporter
Supporter
I wonder why they're called "stabilising" rods, eh?? ;)

As for what, that's all personal preference and what works best with you and your bow.
Yep

Yep

Again Yep

Not really, you pretty much got it. Balanced (or unbalanced if you prefer it) and stable on aim is about it :) Archery is a sport often made harder by over thinking it.
I first started Archery back in the 70'5 - Compound bows were just getting started so majority were Recurve style - back then Stabilisers had many more exotic materials to "Take the recoil/Shock" out of the bow and improve Aiming stability...
I came back to shoot regularly just last year - nothing new - apart from all the toxic substances contained in stabiliser wieghts have disappeared.

Basically they are used for 3 reasons:-
1) Balance the bow
2) Stabilise its ability to remain still while aiming
3) reduce the Shock/recoil/Vibration at release

basic principle - add wieght improves stability - but you want the Mass to be as effective as possible without you having to become a body builder so put it as far away from the Centre of mass of the bow as possible.
Using Carbon fibre tube, as its Light but Stiff, put a mass out in front - 2 things happen - C of G moves forward and the rotational inertia increases.
as an aside the Side Rod/Weight is used to bring the C of G back to a point where the archer feels comfortable that the bow will remain static or tip forward at a speed he/she is happy with on release and can also help balance the Left/Right mass of the Sight.
With the extra mass giving higher inertia the archer should be able to aim the bow more smoothly - the difference between with and without rods is not dramatic but it does help.
ONCE you get used to the extra weight of the whole contraption....

They will do NOTHING to aim the bow for you and until you can hold the bow up at arms length for long enough and repeatedly without even knowing they are there forget them....

I shoot a MyBow Origin, a MyBow Wave Recurve and I have a Chinese Hunting Compound thats very adjustable for letting others "try out" with a compound and my favourite pick up and shoot bow is a Bear Purpleheart Kodiak Barebow - it weighs nothing compared to the others.
The 2 Mabo's have full stabilisers and the Chinese compound has a dumpy vibration reducer.

I had to exercise while sitting infant of the TV for weeks with a stretch band held at arms length and restrained vertically downward until I got it to stay out there without moving or shaking for 10 min at a time...
alternatively hold 2kg bag of sugar in your bow hand arm up position for increasing lengths of time.

Happy shooting....

Interesting stuff; thanks.
I might be a bit unusual as a noob in that the strength is already there from a lifetime of weights, surfing, swimming, martial arts and even gymnastics (I can do some pretty weird "stunts!") so I've got a slight head start but I need to balance that with plenty of practise and take in sound advise.

Plus my son is learning too and I need to get him stronger.
 

chimpo66

New member
Been pondering that one myself and looking at the prices of the stabilizer setup it can be as expensive as a top end riser or limbs. More excuses to spend money lol
 

chimpo66

New member
Yup then you got weights, dampers, enhancers, V blocks etc. I bought one last week and lucky it come with damper , enhancer and weights, the side bars and V block, will just cost be another arm lol
 

dgmultimedia

Supporter
Supporter
Ha ha; I had a quick check and nearly fell over when I saw rods for ?500+!!
Yes there are some exotic manufacturers marketing dreams. A basic setup is achievable for less than ?150 - and most compound shooters only use one short side/back rod with a long rod (Fivics or MyBo )


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

dgmultimedia

Supporter
Supporter
Interesting stuff; thanks.
I might be a bit unusual as a noob in that the strength is already there from a lifetime of weights, surfing, swimming, martial arts and even gymnastics (I can do some pretty weird "stunts!") so I've got a slight head start but I need to balance that with plenty of practise and take in sound advise.

Plus my son is learning too and I need to get him stronger.
Archery is quite unique - the muscles used are not usually developed with normal gym exercises. And it's not just strength it's all about subconscious control development.
Take a look at the KSL technique website.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Kernowlad

Supporter
Supporter
Archery is quite unique - the muscles used are not usually developed with normal gym exercises. And it's not just strength it's all about subconscious control development.
Take a look at the KSL technique website.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Again, interesting stuff; fear not though, I'm not some gym head who thinks he can lift a house: this is a lifetime of martial arts, a home exercise programme refined from the best bits of Pilates and yoga, a core built up from 25 years of surfing and so on.
Of course adapting is required and it's a fascinating subject; strength but controlled strength; but rather than some meathead strutting onto a range pulling maximum draw weight, I think the strength is useful. Just needs channeling correctly; and your advise is very helpful for doing that.
 
D

Deleted member 7654

Guest
AROOGAH ARROOGAH ..sarcasm and cynicism alert!
I can sell you some magic stabilizer weights which fit into your wallet to compensate for the amount of money spent on unecessary equipment in the endless search for faster arrow speed better accuracy etc.
I also have some anti target panick pills to (there is no truth in the rumour that they are re labelled anti-slice golf pills).
IMO the best way to aquire suiatble strength and control is to shoot a simple bow, the ironic thing is a simple primitive bow weighs about 1/4 of a full olympic recurve set up.
I haven't found it necessary to tie an bick onto my bow yet
Del
(tongue in cheek, trying to point out the perils of of getting sucked into an expenditure frenzy)
 

geoffretired

Supporter
Supporter
Del, I think "not getting sucked in" is a topics worth exploring. Trouble is, some want to be sucked in , so don't take much notice. Others are determined not to be sucked in so don't need the advice, heehee.
So which of us is going to start the thread?????
 

Bobc

Member
For recurve, one view is that longrods serve as a bridge between initial body alignment on the line, to the final body alignment when "aiming". The long rod gives a sense of sweep to the bow so an archer can feel where the plane of the bow is as they move it towards the target plane. In the absence of a longrod its hard to feel the bow plane and move it correctly into alignment.

The time scales for "stabilizing" a bow (ballpark less than second) are two orders of magnitude different over those involved in the release of the arrow (1 millisecond). The two are unlikely to be connected. Note also that Korean bows tend to have a fast roll compared to say the Dutch rolls. Although an important consequence of the weight of the long rod, the human body appears to be able to adjust to a wide range of rolls/weights.
 

dgmultimedia

Supporter
Supporter
Again, interesting stuff; fear not though, I'm not some gym head who thinks he can lift a house: this is a lifetime of martial arts, a home exercise programme refined from the best bits of Pilates and yoga, a core built up from 25 years of surfing and so on.
Of course adapting is required and it's a fascinating subject; strength but controlled strength; but rather than some meathead strutting onto a range pulling maximum draw weight, I think the strength is useful. Just needs channeling correctly; and your advise is very helpful for doing that.
Thats good - you understand the mental attitude thats required for Archery then - its 10% physical, 90% Mental....( at least getting several arrows to hit in a tight group is and in competitive archery its overcoming different stress to perform properly) - I am only a beginner in Competitions but from experience so far it is very stressful if you let it get to you...performance goes out the window!
The Martial Arts link is a good one - that teaches you control of your body and I suppose the subconscious linking of several different muscle groups to act in a sequence with precision rather than just brute force...
did you take a look at the KSL website?

Enjoy Shooting...
 

Kernowlad

Supporter
Supporter
Del, I think "not getting sucked in" is a topics worth exploring. Trouble is, some want to be sucked in , so don't take much notice. Others are determined not to be sucked in so don't need the advice, heehee.
So which of us is going to start the thread?????
I'd rather attempt to read advice and take a view; I've already made a couple of minor purchasing errors, I'd rather not make any more.
One thing - for field archery and/or hunting, stabilisers seem to be a lot smaller - do they still work as well?
 
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