Odbal, it was really all an experiment to see just what would happen and if I could have the patience to do it to the degree I did. What I was looking to do was establish some consistancy in my shafts. So yes it did give me a gain in confidence knowing that I didnt have to ask myself "how would my arrows possibly fly different if I had floated and indexed them?".
Floating finds the heaviest part of the arrow or the seam. Some argue that carbons dont have a seam, but I have found they do have a heavy side. So when I find my heavy side I mark the top with a marker and know that the heavy side is on the bottom. I'll then fletch my cock feather directly above the seam. All my shafts have the seam on the 6 o'clock postition. It doesnt matter where its at as long as all your arrows in your batch are indexed to the same location. Again i'm just looking at developing a consistancy between shafts. Now is there enough to notice a difference.....I think there is. I had a previous set of 3-49 ACC's that I didnt index the seam on and they each flew a lil more unpredictable. I number my shafts and over time I get a feel for what each shaft is going to do. I found my indexed shafts did hit a more consistant spot over the batch than did the ones that werent indexed. I will also admit I entertain the fact that manufactoring tolerances, fatigue, and concentration also played a part in my observations over time. Some days are just better than others on the line/ stake.
The closer the weight the better. In terms of just numbers alone, its cool to know that less than one grain difference over twleve shafts is pretty sweet, but I could be possibly be off as much as 6 grains and still have same point of impact at 20 yards. At 45yards the 400's have a ever so slight drop that can be compensated for. My setup puts me on the bubble of a 400 or 500 Easton shaft. I had gotten low on arrows and had a shoot comming up that I needed more arrows of a type than what I had of each 400 and 500. I shoot Lightspeed 500's at 27 1/2" with 100 grain nibs at 294. I rebuilt my 400's at 27 1/2" with 80 grain tips and they came out like 303grains. I have a 26 1/2" - 27" draw, bow is set at 56lbs with 65% let off. Both arrows shoot 279-284 fps + or - 3%. My FOC's and spine are off though, 500(correctly spined)= 14.06 and the 400(stiff)= 10.72 (archers advantage numbers). 10's are my friend. 12's and 14's are icing on the cake.
Hope I answered your question there. Feel like I may have skirted it a lil.
Wolfy
wow!
i never knew there was that much to our arrows. i generally went with what "felt" good.
i also only really shoot aluminium arrows too though.......i use drop away rests on both bows, so i put the cock vane up.
i definitly learned a LOT in those couple paragraphs though.
thanks!!
BTW....the "informal" indoor league i shoot in pa, there's about 20 to 25 of us shooting. all but 3 or 4 of us are shooting matthews........me, another lefty, and 1 or 2 others are the only hoyts.
i think it's the archer though, not the arrow, or bow.......i had a pse...didn't like at all......a martin.......liked it a lot, but wanted the camo hoyt i havew pictured, and couldn't afford to keep em both at the time.......and these 2 hoyts. i love the way they feel. the camo bow is extremely light, and good for the 3D shoots. the flamed bow is noticably heavier, but even so, i feel as if i can hold it a bit steadier for a bit longer when shooting it indoors.