Target design

Kevin English

New member
Has anybody got any tried and tested target/backstop designs for permanent field corses, to be left out in all weathers, all info would be useful materials, maximum sizes used, how to fix them down as this is very rocky terrain. As our club has just been given some wood and scrubland to use and the plan is to make 2 x 21 target courses. Had the first meeting at the club about it tonight and the ideas ranged from cardboard boxes filled with sawdust and tied to trees, one off the members is a builder and the way he was talking each one will have shower and toilet facilities anyway please any imput will help???????

Kevin
 

proXarchery

New member
Here in the states we have companys such as beverage distributers that bale shrink wrap , this is a awesome backstop and can be used for years in all weather. We use the same bales for up to ten years.
 
Field targets.

There is a huge variety of target materials you can use but not many are weatherprodff for any length of time. If you cannot obtain thin layers of foam rubber from England,to make standard target butts, try strips of inner tube cut up and compressed into a bag. I cannot guarantee how long these will last, but it will be some time. All butts need to be held upright with wooden stakes, the usual method was to string them round with rubber inner tube bands tied into the string to make it easy to slip them over the butt and the stakes. The standard butts in England are made from foam from Plasmar, near Wolverhampton, who will sell it in bulk very cheaply but it is a long way from you unless you can find a local equivalent. And the best of luck!
 

Old Bloke

New member
Plasmar, I have been told, ceased trading two years ago. Polyforms in Bucks now do all the evazote/plastizote conversions with the skins left over which make the foam bosses you see today. There has already been a thread on this subject witht he Polyforms address attached.
 
Another possibility that comes to mind is the plastic foam block sold by archery dealers for practice butts, in white blocks that will last for a long time and are weatherproof. These, of course, are expensive unless you are a wealthy new club which is unlikely. Are there any plastics manufacturers in your region that you can approach to see if they have anything suitable and cheap? It's surprising what can be scrounged!
Years ago there used to be a sort of rubberised horsehair block material use for packing aircraft parts, engines, etc. that I always wanted to try for targets but have never found any. Maybe something like that is still available.
Does anyone know?
Additional bit to Cuddles- The Onieda bow is terrific, a great improvement
and easier to shoot. Many thanks!- and best wishes.
 

Old Bloke

New member
Sorry to keep qestioning your posts FAA, but those out there should be wary of the square white foam blocks. Yes they are waterproof, but have very limited self healing properties. The chances are that if you hit the same place twice, your arrow will pass clean through, even more so when a compound bow is used. The *plastic*(?) white foam blocks were an idea by Barnett for use with their very light draw weight plastic bows.
 

N.Vodden

New member
Ironman
i saw some of the comittee testing new target materials at Pentref and one of them was like the 'self healing' foam blocks. what i saw happen and heard them discussing was that they have decent stopping power and the holes do seal up, but repeat hits to the same area punches chunks out of the rear of the block. After 2-3 ends the spot behind the gold was blown apart.

The layered foam targets seem to be the best from what i've seen and maybe just a tarp attached to it and pegged down over the front when not in use for that extra bit of weather protection.
 

Kevin English

New member
Thank you all ! thats given some food for thought , I like the cover idea !

What ever they decide on, and the project goes forward I'll try and post some Photo's

I don't have alot of say in this project being a none native, at least I have the satisfaction that if it's some radical or bazar idea at least I get to shoot it!!!!
 

casper391

New member
Another solution wooden frame with pallet wrap

Kevin,

Good evening, I am a target maker for a Australian club, we have been trying different ideas for about a year.

We were having a large amount of problems with stramet bending arrow as it dries out in the dought currently in Australia.

Our solution is wooden framed (painted pallet boards) targets filled with pallet wrap. for our target frames we settled on 300mm deep 1300mm square. I place a half piece of strammet in the back as an additional backstop. the faces are solid cardboard covered with carpet. The fill is packed resonably tight.

Our fixed targets are 600mm deep again wooden frame with pine frame. The no bow in the club has penertrated that deep. consider placing a piece of arc mesh in the bottom of the target to allow drainage and a piece of plastic roofing sheets as a weather cover.

we are able to create each target for approximately $15 dollars.


Hope it helps

steve
 

philhoney

New member
Have you considered the M.A.C. Tuff-Shot Practice Butt as sold by Merlin.They are foam/rubber filled and covered in woven plastic material similar to the bags used to deliver bulk sand or gravel. I don't know how long they would last outside but there is nothing to rot so should be OK. They are available on Ebay at ?29-50 with free delivery but if you are buying in bulk I am sure you could negotiate some sort of discount.
Also be aware that they are advertised as being 60x60x40mm but are usually bigger than this. The one I bought was 60x60x75mm high and is a fair lump of material.
Wooden and glassfibre arrows with fit over points are not reccomended as they tear the covering material as they are pulled out.
Phil
 

Eaglearcher

New member
For laying out perminant field courses the best option by far is the layered foam butt. Over the last few years they have become the standard for Field Archery clubs.
There are a few different manufacturers and they are of varying qualities but they are the best. Weatherproof, long lasting and couple of 4inch diameter wooden stakes and some large zip ties are all that it takes to set one up on the course.
 
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