If you think you have a clearance problem, how do you deal with it?

[Rik]

This sort of fits in with the "how do you tune?" thread. I was thinking it might be good to gather people's thoughts, on the diagnosis and correction of clearance issues.

Any anecdotal evidence of clearance problems and how they were fixed would be welcome, as would discussion of theory and rules of thumb...

[Marcus26]

Recurve
Buy arrows that are spined correctly and then tune them by adjusting poundage
If using Kurly vanes or spin wings then change to flex fletch
If still persisting is possible rest is too long, make shorter.

Compound
Move nocking point up

Smaller vanes, different spine arrows, or re-tune, if possible. Depends on where the clearance problem is and how bad it is.

[Max]

Rik - if you can, check out the Beiter video "the way to centre" - it shows perfectly how the flex of the shaft and correct tune affects the clearance on the fletchings - if you can't get the video itself, there are a few choice clips from it knocking around the internet. Have you by any chance just noticed it indoors after fitting bigger fletchings?

You also might check the position of the shaft in relation to the button - is it on centre? or could it be slipping off the top on release. You don't say if you suspect clearance problems through your grouping, or if you have seen actual marks on the riser, or arrow shelf.

[Medoc]

Rik you have had lots of good advice so far, I would also add you may need to dust the riser around the rest and shelf to check for interference from fletchings.

[Shirt]

Turn the nocks a bit and see what happens.

[joetapley]

Came across a sort of case study on this recently. Using high speed video very useful here (for those lucky enough to have access to it). The video showed the fletching (spin wings) just contacting the bow on the way past. As these fletchings are flexible no visible effect on arrow behaviour so video/powder the only way to detect this. Archer solved the clearance issue I'm told by adjusting centre shot and bracing height.

[Rik]

I ought to add that I'm not looking for advice... I was just hoping to accumulate a set of comments/methods for people to talk about/refer to.

Incidentally, having done the spray-on talc bit in the past, I was wondering if anyone knew of a *cheap* version to use? Foot powder is viciously expensive and doesn't last very long...

Some people swear by lipstick (haven't tried it) or blutack, even.

Flonite vanes can be a good way of detecting dodgy clearance (anything from marks on the vane to complete destruction...). :icon_twis

Does the location of a clearance issue tell you anything about the weakness/stiffness of the shaft? I vaguely recall reading something (several years back) which suggested that clearance issues at the rear of the shaft indicated that it was too stiff...

Max, I've had a copy of the Beiter video for some years now (it's lurking in a cupboard somewhere). Rumour has it that they deliberately used weak shafts to accentuate the bending of the arrows, but I don't know if that has any basis in fact (maybe I should ask Andreas, sometime...).

[Tarkwin]

Beiter have produced something called clearance stars that slide onto your arrow. The basic premise is that where your shaft contacts anything, the soft plastic pins will be deformed.

I don't know how much they cost, but I'll bet they're not cheap. I also can't help thinking that it won't give you much information about what it's hitting and the use of vanes that introduce spin will further muddy the waters.

T.

[Max]

Hi Tarkwin - Beiter Stars - £11.50 for a pack of 11. I wondered how they worked. Then I thought, surely no-one would rig something costing £1 a pop to their arrow and see if it self destructs when it hits their riser at 180ft/sec - would they? Jeez - I must be in the wrong business!