Plastic launcher blade

GoneBad

Member
There was a guy selling 'plastic' blades for Trophy Takers at Andoba this weekend.

Plastic = "Aerospace quality epoxy composite"

He had a little demo rig to compare it to a steel blade and photos of one being bent double without damage. Both feel the same when flexing down, but the plastic one only goes half as high above the start position as the metal one ( so should interfere with the arrow pass less?)
Only ?7 so he was doing a brisk trade. Thought I'd get one to try out.
Did anyone here buy one? we can compare notes.

It is a business so I can't really give more details without Dave's permission :eek:ptimist:
 

T101

Active member
There was a guy selling 'plastic' blades for Trophy Takers at Andoba this weekend.

Plastic = "Aerospace quality epoxy composite"

He had a little demo rig to compare it to a steel blade and photos of one being bent double without damage. Both feel the same when flexing down, but the plastic one only goes half as high above the start position as the metal one ( so should interfere with the arrow pass less?)
Only ?7 so he was doing a brisk trade. Thought I'd get one to try out.
Did anyone here buy one? we can compare notes.

It is a business so I can't really give more details without Dave's permission :eek:ptimist:

sounds interesting, but i would want to know how things like temperature effect the "NASA" plastic. pm me if he has a website or anything.
 

GoneBad

Member
The structure reminds me of a thin slice of circuit board, but in red. Doesn't sag as much when the arrow is nocked.
A good point with the temperature question. Not long until below freezing tests, but a year long wait for the hot, sunny day test.
 

Dave

Administrator
Staff member
Fonz Awardee
Ironman
American Shoot
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It is a business so I can't really give more details without Dave's permission :eek:ptimist:
No probs, so long as it's not an advert and is a genuine appraisal/review of the product :)
 
M

Moose

Guest
Dave

Talking of adverts can you turn them off on forum runner, they said it is a setting on the forum not them
 

Whitehart

Well-known member
Interesting that the Kings of plastic Beiter never went down this route or offer it as an option with their launcher - I will ask why as they have plastics that can withstand extreme temperature changes.
 

Dave

Administrator
Staff member
Fonz Awardee
Ironman
American Shoot
NOCO
Not an advert as such, just contact details
Goo on then, just this once :)

Dave

Talking of adverts can you turn them off on forum runner, they said it is a setting on the forum not them
Sorry Moose, adverts are only turned off for subscribers. Give Tapatalk a try; there's no advert setup on that.
 

geoffretired

Supporter
Supporter
I made delrin blades for my own rest. It was drop away,yet I did notice that it wore down rather like plunger buttons do.Delrin is a very hard plastic, hard enough to shape with a file.
I like the idea that it doesn't spring back so quickly. I was thinking of letting my metal blade bend down and stick to a strategically placed magnet underneath, so it didn't return until persuaded by the owner. The plastic will do that for less trouble.
 

fanio

Active member
I made delrin blades for my own rest. It was drop away,yet I did notice that it wore down rather like plunger buttons do.Delrin is a very hard plastic, hard enough to shape with a file.
I like the idea that it doesn't spring back so quickly. I was thinking of letting my metal blade bend down and stick to a strategically placed magnet underneath, so it didn't return until persuaded by the owner. The plastic will do that for less trouble.
isn't that just a drop-away rest then?
 

geoffretired

Supporter
Supporter
Hi Fanio,yes, in effect it is but there are no moving parts. It would be like TT rest but clearance of fletchings could be more certain.
The problem I had was getting the blade to bend during the power stroke, far enough to become attracted to the magnet.The slow return plastic means less fiddling and could give good clearance.
I'm going to try making a stick on version; even less to go wrong then.
 

fanio

Active member
If it is slow return plastic, will it have returned to where it should be by the time you have to shoot the next shot? How about after 130 shots during a scoring round? Will it "take a set" or gradually settle lower as it gets bent down 1000s of times?

not trying to be argumentative, just wondering, as I like the idea in principle (not least because it may be possible to shape/mould a plastic material in performance / clearance enhancing ways that are not possible/practical/economical with spring steel).
 

jerryRTD

Well-known member
You will in all probability find that the 'plastic' is in fact epoxy very similar to identical, to the type used in arrows. Trying to heat and bend this material would only lead to delamination and failure.
On a separate note this carbon composite may cause dissimilar material corrosion. I had a couple of badminton rackets that failed due to this.
 

geoffretired

Supporter
Supporter
Hi Fanio, slow return plastic, was my home made words for it. I guess it only needs to be slightly slower than steel, for it to be below the fletchings as they pass.
I don't know enough about plastics to be able to answer questions about taking a permanent bend.
For slower bending steel blades we could use longer blades.
 

Toshish

New member
If it is slow return plastic, will it have returned to where it should be by the time you have to shoot the next shot? How about after 130 shots during a scoring round? Will it "take a set" or gradually settle lower as it gets bent down 1000s of times?

not trying to be argumentative, just wondering, as I like the idea in principle (not least because it may be possible to shape/mould a plastic material in performance / clearance enhancing ways that are not possible/practical/economical with spring steel).
The material is not 'plastic' they are more alike to fibreglass, and you wouldn't expect your limbs to fail after 130 shots.
I have been using this rest for about 5 years in sun and snow and it is no different to when it was first put on.
You are quite correct when you say they will have far better clearance than spring steel.
If you want any more info you can contact me either by private message or on the details in post 9.
 

geoffretired

Supporter
Supporter

My first attempt at a plastic stick on rest turned out too clumsy; so I made a plastic stick on base and fixed a steel blade of my own into the base.
The base overhangs the arrow shelf to position the blade at roughly the same place as on a TT type body. It looks as if the V is a little high in the photo, but it is lower when the weight of the arrow is pressing on it.
 

geoffretired

Supporter
Supporter
Just a little update on the rest. I have been shooting 80y with it( max available on our field.) The groups have been good.
I took it off yesterday to measure it up for making copies.Must have put it back in the wrong place, even though I used masking tape to mark the position before removing it.Arrows today were all on the left in the blue. So I peeled it off and stuck it back on slightly right of the earlier position using the same piece of double sided tape.
Great results, and in the middle; so much for micro adjust rests.
 

wingate_52

Active member
Any updates from people using the LaunchTec blades? I use a narrow and wide 2 hole Best Blades in my TrophyTaker SS. I have made a jig from squared off lollypop sticks to line up the blades after changing arrows. 450 X 10's and 400 CE X Busters.
 

wingate_52

Active member
I bought wide and narrow 2 hole blades from LaunchTec. Next day delivery, and great packaging. Red composite blades. I installed the narrow blade, lining it up with my jig and went to shoot indoors. At 20 yards I had to raise the sight 1mm. After an hour of shooting, no burning smells, no "tings" from occasional shots. No fletch contact (never was before with the Best Blades), just a nice red blade that is probably kinder to the carbon on my 367gn 450 X10's, and the arrows still go in the gold. Result. It may be a while until I try the wide blade and my 500gn Carbon Express 450 X Busters.
 
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