Archery Foam

frozenzeepy

New member
Hello All,

I am in the process of making archery targets and have found a place online to buy foam whole sale. I have my desired requirements but do not know what shore hardness would be required for the targets. Does anyone know of the shore hardness scale, and that also knows of what shore would be the best for an archery target foam block?
 
D

Deleted member 7654

Guest
I don't think is as much about shore hardness as structure. Density, cell size etc...
The suppliers of foam I've found online have still been expensive
Del
 

geoffretired

Supporter
Supporter
I have just had a look at the Shore hardness scale. Using their 00 scale( not the A or D scales) it seems to me that there is a range of hardnesses within the target foams in use in different styles of boss. I have layered foam ones that would be about 10.Very soft, like jelly babies.
I have a foam block made of a few thick layers one behind the others which is harder 60, perhaps.
I am not entirely sure, but I think the hardness/softness might not be the only measurement needed. Some foams are quite hard to compress, but very easy to puncture. The Styrofoam that we get in shaped blocks around electrical goods... the white stuff that breaks with a crack... is quite hard, but arrows will pass through with no effort.
The layered foam in the bosses that have a wooden frame top and bottom are probably around 10-20 they are very limp but stop arrows far better than the white stuff would. Then there is the stuff that is used in some chairs, it is limp but rubbery and seems to me that arrows could bounce off.
 

AndyW

Well-known member
If it's any of the usual foam suppliers they are very familiar with it's use for bosses. Just tell them it's the stuff they usually sell for archery targets - they will generally refer to them as skins as it's a waste product from when they form blocks and has to be removed from the outside.
 

albatross

Supporter
Supporter
AIUK Saviour
I have seen gym mats, which are made from a tough form of foam, used for archery targets. We use them as 'back stops' for pass through arrows on our bosses.
 

frozenzeepy

New member
Hey, thanks for the reply. What density would you think would be suitable for the targets, I use the metric system, would a value of around 80kg per m3 be suitable. I believe that is roughly 5 lb density
 

albatross

Supporter
Supporter
AIUK Saviour
Hey, thanks for the reply. What density would you think would be suitable for the targets, I use the metric system, would a value of around 80kg per m3 be suitable. I believe that is roughly 5 lb density
Sorry I don't know the answer to that. But. You could contact a gym equipment supplier and ask what the density range their mat's are available in.
 
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