Fine Tuning Your Bow After completing the basic setup procedures, you are now ready to fine tune your setup for the best accuracy possible. There are four tuning methods described in this section. Some of these methods may not apply to certain styles of shooting. Read the introduction to each method carefully to make sure it applies to your shooting style.  BARE SHAFT PLANING TEST The Bare Shaft Planing method of tuning works best when using a finger release. To begin the Bare Shaft Planing test you will need three fletched arrows and one or two bare shafts. You will also need a target that will catch the arrows without allowing the arrow to kick as it stops in the target. This test will help you establish the correct nock and rest position, and it will tell you if your arrow is the correct spine. Porpoising and Fish Tailing describe the different flight disturbances you will encounter while tuning. Porpoising Porpoising is identified by an up and down kick during arrow flight and relates to the nock point adjustment. It is important to correct porpoising first because small left and right disturbances could be nock point related. Start at about ten to fifteen yards and shoot three fletched arrows into your target. Using the same aiming point, follow them up with a bare shaft. After you get the shafts to impact with the fletched shafts, you may want to try shooting them at a longer distance for a finer indication of arrow flight.  If the bare shafts impact below the fletched arrows, your nock point is too high. Move your nocking point down in small increments until the bare shaft strikes with the fletched shafts. If the bare shafts impact above your fletched arrows, your nock point is too low. Lower your nock point in small increments until your fletched arrows and your bare shaft impact together. Repeat the above steps from a longer distance to make sure you have completely corrected the nock point. Shooting from a longer distance will make minor disturbances more apparent.   Fishtailing Fishtailing relates to the arrow rest adjustment and the stiffness of your arrow. Just as before, start at about ten to fifteen yards and shoot three fletched arrows into your target. Using the same aiming point, follow them up with a bare shaft. After you get the shafts to impact with the fletched shafts, you may want to try shooting them at a longer distance for a finer indication of arrow flight. If your unfletched shafts impact to the left of your fletched shafts, your arrow is too stiff. There are several things that you can do to correct this problem; you can select a weaker arrow, you can decrease the cushion plunger tension. Increasing the peak weight of your bow or increasing your point weight will also make your arrow act a bit more limber. If your unfletched shafts impact to the right of your fletched shafts, your arrow is too limber. There are several methods you can try that will correct this problem; you can select a stiffer arrow, you can increase the cushion plunger tension. Decreasing the peak weight of your bow or decreasing your point weight will also make your arrow act a bit more stiff.  To further fine tune your setup, step back to twenty or thirty yards and repeat the above procedures. Small flight disturbances will show up better as you get farther from the target. Your Martin bow is essentially tuned when your bare shafts hit together with your fletched shafts. Keep in mind that if you continue and complete the super fine tuning methods in this manual, it is not uncommon for your bare shaft impact to change. Your bow will be shooting its best and it is common for a perfectly tuned bow to shoot a bare shaft a bit low and right or low and left. Perfect arrow groups are the goal when completing these exercises.    PAPER TUNING Paper tuning will work for all styles of shooting. As you are going through these steps keep in mind that paper tuning is not chiseled in stone as the law of archery. It is a guideline for clean arrow flight. Many shooters find that their setup groups best when achieving less than perfect tuning results. For example, some target shooters set their bows to tear slightly high through the paper. They feel this makes their arrow flight less likely to be influenced by outside variables like wind or rain and helps arrow clearance when using a shoot-around type rest such as a blade or pan type launcher. To begin paper tuning, set up a frame or rack with paper suspended from the frame. Position the frame far enough away from your backstop so the arrow can completely clear the paper. Stand about ten feet from the paper and make sure your arrow is level as it flies through the paper. Fire a test shot and read the results. Compare the holes you have made in the paper to the diagrams below. Procedures for correcting the tear are listed next to each diagram. Please note that tuning procedures recommended for finger shooting often differ from those used for release shooting. You will find that the arrow spine reaction is different for fingers and release, therefore, the procedures for correcting the different disturbances vary. Follow the instructions carefully for your particular shooting style.   High Tear (fletching tears above point)  This tear may signal: -Nocking point too high.  Lower the nocking point. -Improper vane clearance.  See if arrow fletching is hitting the rest. -Launcher is too stiff (release shooters).  Weaken spring tension or use a more limber launcher. -Wheels may be out of time.  Check wheel timing. -Arrow may be too limber  Select a stiffer arrow shaft. -Tiller adjustment may be incorrect.  See basic setup section page 7. -Irregular or inconsistent shooting form.  See a qualified archery coach or professional and have them check your technique.   Low Tear (fletching tears below point)  This tear may signal: -Nocking point too low.  Raise the nocking point. -Wheels may be out of time.  Check wheel timing. -Tiller adjustment may be incorrect.  See basic setup section on page 7. -Irregular or inconsistent shooting form.  See a qualified archery coach or professional and have them check your technique.   Right Tear (fletching tears to the right of point) This tear may signal: Note: If you are left handed follow these instructions in reverse. FINGERS: -Stiff arrow. This problem is cured using the following methods:  a. Increase peak weight.  b. Use a heavier point.  c. Select a more limber arrow.  d. Lighten cushion plunger tension, or use a weaker spring on shoot around rests.  e. Make small incremental rest adjustments towards the bow. RELEASE: -Arrow rest is too far to the right.  Move arrow rest to the left. EITHER STYLE: -Too much pressure on the cable guard.  Rotate cable guard for minimum fletching clearance. -Irregular or inconsistent shooting form.  See a qualified archery coach or professional and have them check your technique. -Clearance problem.  See that arrow has adequate fletching clearance.   Left Tear (fletching tears left of point) This tear may signal: Note: If you are left handed follow these instructions in reverse. FINGERS: -Weak arrow or a clearance problem.  This problem is cured using these methods:  a. Reduce bow weight.  b. Use a lighter point.  c. Select a stiffer arrow.  d. Increase cushion plunger tension or use a stiffer spring on shoot around rests.  e. Make small incremental rest adjustments away from the bow . RELEASE: -Arrow rest is too far to the left.  Move the arrow rest to the right. -Arrow is too stiff.  Decrease bow weight or select a weaker arrow. EITHER STYLE: -Arrow is not properly clearing cables.  Rotate cable guard for minimum fletching clearance. -Irregular or inconsistent shooting form.  See a qualified archery coach or professional and have them check your technique. -Clearance Problem.  See that arrow has adequate fletching clearance.   Multidirectional Tear This tear may signal: -More than one problem with accessory adjustment. Move nock adjustment first until the tear is horizontal and follow instructions for horizontal tear. -Clearance Problem. See that the arrow has adequate fletching clearance. -Wheels may be out of time. Check wheel timing. -Irregular or inconsistent shooting form. See a qualified archery coach or professional and have them check your technique.   Perfect Hole This pattern shows clean arrow flight. The point and fletching impacted the same location. Your bow is now ready to shoot or you may want to continue and try some of the super fine tuning methods.   After Adjusting After you have completed these steps and have achieved good paper test results, it is best to try it at fifteen and twenty feet just to make sure you did not get a false reading. A good rule to go by when paper tuning is to move your nock point or arrow rest opposite the tear when using a release. In some rare cases if this does not clear up your tear you may need to move your accessories in the same direction as the tear.

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