How are ACE's produced?

[7,3,miss]

Hi all

As a part of my GNAS County Coach Course I have been asked to research both ACE and X10 arrows.

I have a couple of questions which I am hoping someone could help me with.

My first question concerns how the barrelling on the shaft is produced? My initial thoughts were that the carbon was wrapped to produce a parallel shaft which was then shaped using a centreless grinder or similar. However, one of my coaching colleagues was informed that the carbon is applied as a number of layers to produce a rough barrel form which was then given a final polished shape. Which of these (if any) is correct or is there another process involved.

I am also assuming there must be a final process involving the application of decals and logos etc. What is this process and how is it achieved?

My second question concerns the actual position of the barrelling in respect to the shaft ends. Is the barrelling on an uncut shaft in the centre or more towards the front or rear of the shaft? Two archers I know claimed to have measured shafts but both have come up with different results. One claims that the barrelling is dead centre of the shaft and one says it is towards the rear. I can only assume that one person is incorrect – but which one???

Any help you can give me with this would be greatly appreciated and I thank you in advance for taking the time to answer my queries.

Regards

Andrew

[dino1300]

I think that wraps of different lengths are applied, then polished.
They are then cold-rolled by a machine that effectively bends them smaller and smaller amounts, untill they are straight. This is proably before the carbon is applied.

They are then tested by a machine for roundness, weight, etc. Not round ones are rejected, the rest are put into one of 25 (not sure, might be more) categories i.e a-e, 1-5. so the median is a c-3.

they are then decalled and put into dozens.

Have you tried e-mailing easton direct? I think they are normally quite helpfull.

[7,3,miss]

Thanks for that.

I think that the aluminium tubes are straightened before the carbon is applied. As carbon is quite hard to keep straight during manufacture and even harder to straighten afterwards, I always understood that the Ally was only there to give a straight base on which to apply the carbon. (I could be wrong though!!!)

I have e-mailed Easton but am still waiting for a reply.

Andrew

[Duss]

Originally Posted by 7,3,miss

Thanks for that.

I think that the aluminium tubes are straightened before the carbon is applied. As carbon is quite hard to keep straight during manufacture and even harder to straighten afterwards, I always understood that the Ally was only there to give a straight base on which to apply the carbon. (I could be wrong though!!!)

I have e-mailed Easton but am still waiting for a reply.

Andrew

Hope you don't wait more than your lifetime...
AD

[Desert Archer]

My experience/understanding is that Easton does not answer e-mails. Either write them a letter or call.

Dave

[jet186]

Originally Posted by 7,3,miss

Hi all

As a part of my GNAS County Coach Course I have been asked to research both ACE and X10 arrows.

I have a couple of questions which I am hoping someone could help me with.

My first question concerns how the barrelling on the shaft is produced? My initial thoughts were that the carbon was wrapped to produce a parallel shaft which was then shaped using a centreless grinder or similar. However, one of my coaching colleagues was informed that the carbon is applied as a number of layers to produce a rough barrel form which was then given a final polished shape. Which of these (if any) is correct or is there another process involved.

I am also assuming there must be a final process involving the application of decals and logos etc. What is this process and how is it achieved?

My second question concerns the actual position of the barrelling in respect to the shaft ends. Is the barrelling on an uncut shaft in the centre or more towards the front or rear of the shaft? Two archers I know claimed to have measured shafts but both have come up with different results. One claims that the barrelling is dead centre of the shaft and one says it is towards the rear. I can only assume that one person is incorrect – but which one???

Any help you can give me with this would be greatly appreciated and I thank you in advance for taking the time to answer my queries.

Regards

Andrew

If I remeber rightly there was an article in either The Glade or Bow international a few issues back about the Easton family /Factory dont know if it had specific info regarding A.C.E's though had a few piccies though. Don't know if that helps any

[Wrexham Exile]

Originally Posted by dino1300

I think that wraps of different lengths are applied, then polished.
They are then cold-rolled by a machine that effectively bends them smaller and smaller amounts, untill they are straight. This is proably before the carbon is applied.

They are then tested by a machine for roundness, weight, etc. Not round ones are rejected, the rest are put into one of 25 (not sure, might be more) categories i.e a-e, 1-5. so the median is a c-3.

they are then decalled and put into dozens.

Have you tried e-mailing easton direct? I think they are normally quite helpfull.

does that mean that an arrow labelled a-1 is better than a c-5 for example??

[buzz lite beer]

I was told when at Quicks that those lettering/numbers marked on the arrows are just die numbers telling which extrusion line line they where ran on, a reference for the manufacturer for quality process control.

[Duss]

This last december I had the opportunity to put my hands on a lot of ACEs in a large variety of spines, from the weakest through the 470s. I also made some measurements on them.

Their "local" spines can be described as such:
center section : stiffest
front section : weaker
rear section : weaker than the front section

Moreover the ratio of "weakness" between the rear and the front sections widely varies depending on the actual spine of the ACEs. Some being as much as 40% weaker in the rear and others only 12%.

That made me think that one should be very careful about cutting ACEs, because from one spine to the other their behaviours might vary differently (at unexpected rates).

[ThePinkOne]

I think Easton also have a batching system for their QC. Little dots on the arrow transfers. Similar with Easton nocks, batch nos. on bags. I haven't gone into it in detail, once I can shoot well enough for it to matter then I'll make the effort. One for a knowledgable dealer to answer I think, if I had to answer your q I would be down at Wales Archery picking Graham's brains!

Good luck

P.