Some ACE questions ;)

LionOfNarnia

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Yes, I trawled the first 3 pages on this board and saw no mention of what I'm about to ask.

I'm hoping to score some 2nd hand A/C/E's by the weekend. They are 28 3/4" 470 spine with 100 gr points. I'm going to re-sock/re-fletch them to my usual colour scheme with 1.5" Bohning Shield X-Vanes & replace the G-nocks with pins....

1) How do you decide what distance to use between the nock-end & the start of the vane?

- is it purely down to personal preference or is there a 'magic formula'? Or at least a recommended min/max?

A 470 spine is perhaps just a wee bit stiff for right now, but it's indoor season (X-Busters & 36# limbs) so by the spring I'll have my 44# limbs screwed up to (close to) max if not actually using 46# or 48# so I'm guessing I'll be roughly a hair under 50# OTF by then which should be close to OK. But in case I do some 'iceman' outdoor shoots over the winter....

2) What point-weight would 'soften' the spine closer to 520? Is 120 gr enough? That seems to be the max in Easton points but I have seen 150 (& heavier!) on the 'bay, they're 4.2 mm is that compatible? (Even the Easton website doesn't give the diameter)

Well what did you expect from me, easy questions? ;)
 

Timid Toad

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Ironman
If you're going to do all this stuff I suggest you invest in a Verniers scale. Makes life so much easier.
Those 470s are going to be wildly stiff unless you can get your bow over 48lbs.
You can get heavier points *but* they won't soften the arrow a great deal, for 70m+ you'll loose accuracy, in my experience unless they are extremely well matched points (got to Top Hat and get tungsten), and really, the shafts were not designed for points heavier than 120gn.

To give you a rough idea on spine, I'm shooting a 30" arrow, 120gn point, 500 or 450 spine, 44lbs otf, and these are very high energy Border limbs - usually needing a spine up on the charts. I'd sell the 470s and look at a 570 if I were you.
 

ThomVis

Active member
1) How do you decide what distance to use between the nock-end & the start of the vane?
- is it purely down to personal preference or is there a 'magic formula'? Or at least a recommended min/max?
The magical formula is that the vanes should be as close as possible to the nock (more stabilizing impact) and not touch your fingers on release.

2) What point-weight would 'soften' the spine closer to 520? Is 120 gr enough?
Stop thinking grains, start thinking ounces. :p Playing with point weight is just that, getting an acceptable tune out of an almost good enough spine. 470 is the wrong spine. Period.

Well what did you expect from me, easy questions? ;)
Well what did you expect from me, easy answers?
 

LionOfNarnia

Supporter
Supporter
Thank you people :)

It just so happens that there are a set of 520's being auctioned too, ending on Sunday. From what y'all said it would seem to make sense to concentrate on those instead.

The Top Hat site 'suggests' that ACE points should be 0.166", which converts to 4.21 mm. Funnily enough, there is a metric vernier caliper in the depths of my toolbox. I was a half-decent engineer before FMS forced early retirement.

- No way I can afford tungstens in the foreseeable though, nor is my shooting yet deserving of them, so good ol' steel will have to suffice.
 

Rik

Supporter
Supporter
I'd echo the points (ho ho) about pile weight, with a practical observation. I went from 100 grain to 120 grain points on a set of ACEs without it measurably affecting the dynamic spine. No adjustment needed to the button.
Point weight juggling really only makes sense in edgy setups, or when (as I was) you're preparing to move to a heavier/lighter shaft and want to see, in general terms what the effect will be on sightmarks.
 

LionOfNarnia

Supporter
Supporter
Well, as anyone following my diary thread already knows, I did win the auction for the A/C/Es.

- for under £90 posted.

I've ordered the socks, pins, vanes etc - and a new hybrid bow stand as a reward for keeping £30 below my budget.

If I do need to re-point them before Easter, it'll be with Top Hat 'protectors', but I don't need to worry about that yet.

Nor am I worrying about the spine. I'm confident that by the time I need to use them 'competitively', they'll be bang-on for my length & weight.

So thanks for the insights, people. I know what I have to do :)
 
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