Help with testing ideas

saxman · Post by **saxman** » Mon May 07, 2007 9:14 pm

I bought a new Equinox (arrived today) and decided to do some testing.
I am looking for some good ideas for what and how to test.
I have some new excal strings and some boo strings
New factory bolts and custom bolts.
I ordered a V-Bar system from Matthias72.
I purchased a chronograph and a DB (Sound)meter.
My idea was to test the new bow FACTORY.
Then keep adding accessories and keeping track of speed and DB'S
I need more ideas.

Normous · Post by **Normous** » Mon May 07, 2007 9:27 pm

Maybe a nice comfortable chair and a homemade shooting table will help things along. A couple of folding table legs from Home Depot covered in thick or doubled plywood will easily fabricate a nice shooting table.
For 15 years I've used a sand filled double eared rabbit shooting bag to steady the Excal front end when testing bolt accuracy and chrony speeds.
Other than that, I think you have everything you need, including all that you have learned here to get started on that fine project of yours.
Have fun Sax.

eNORMous

saxman · Post by **saxman** » Mon May 07, 2007 9:55 pm

Good idea.Shooting off hand would not produce consistant results.
I will do that.
Thanks my friend

Pydpiper · Post by **Pydpiper** » Tue May 08, 2007 6:45 am

Set up a log, track time, temperature, wind and even humidity levels if you can. Number your arrows, use only one if you can for all testing. My advice would be to repeat the steps as many days as you could, at least 3 with each set up.
Keep a close eye on new strings, they creep quickly at first. I use a steel rule to keep my brace height exactly where I want it. For testing I would mark my riser with a marker for quick reference.
I would put on everything I get as fast as I got it then test the final results, I am weak like that..

Good luck, it sounds like a whole lot of fun! Keep us posted.

Matthias72 · Post by **Matthias72** » Tue May 08, 2007 7:49 am

Pay attenction: all commercial cronographs misure a different value on different light intensity and position. This error is 5%! So in a crossbow could be +-15fps! Put your chronograph on a fixed position inside your house, with an intense artificial light on a fixed position, but this position must to be correct and always the same respect the cronograph: the two photocells must to be in shade.
This is the only way to make serious tests with a cronograph, or some time you will think you are discovering some extraordinary modify and some time not!

regards

Matthias

Kenton · Post by **Kenton** » Tue May 08, 2007 10:29 am

You could try to see how wind affects POI. Into, with, and crosswinds and see wether it makes a big difference at excal speeds. Just a thought.

GREYWOLF · Post by **GREYWOLF** » Tue May 08, 2007 10:53 am

Matthias72 That is very interesting, I have often wonderd why speeds have varried so much is there a crono. you recomend without breaking the bank Thanks GREYWOLF

Normous · Post by **Normous** » Tue May 08, 2007 3:22 pm

My chrony is very fussy on overcast or cloudy days. In bright sunshine it works flawlessly. Matt is right, shooting with a consistant bright light at the same angle should shrink velocity inconsitancies due to different light variables.

Norm

saxman · Post by **saxman** » Thu May 10, 2007 7:40 pm

Thanks for all the great ideas.
I know nothing about crono's but as I read up it does talk about consistant lighting,they even make a lighting kit for the one bought.
I ordered a tripod to put it on but it came in broken.I will start testing in a couple days.

crazyfarmer · Post by **crazyfarmer** » Thu May 10, 2007 8:29 pm

saxman, definitly get some sandbags or some type of vice since you want to factor out as much shooter error as possible

im more than likely gonna try some different strings as well this season so ill have some testing to share with yours also. Its good to have 2-3 different people do the same tests and then combine the results.

comparing strings is very hard though since each string takes some break in time. As you know, you cant slap a string on and start shooting the bullseye. The brace height would have to be the same and etc. Also, like said use the same bolt on every test!

its hard to get exact data since errors will factor into every test but you can get us ballpark ideas for the real world(just keep that in mind during the test).

goodluck and keep us posted man:)