What size fletching is recomended for youth arrows? I have some 4 inchers, but I'm afraid they will be too long. What about cutting the 4's down to 3"?
Depends a little on the size/length of the arrow. 4-inch might be a little long for 24-inch arrows, but the extra length doesn't hurt anything. I normally use 4-inch feathers on 26-inch arrows, but 3 inches would work there as well. I'm using 5/16 shafts. If you use 1/4 inch shafts, 3 inches would probably be best, particularly if you put any helical on the feather.
I use turkey feathers and cut them to about 4 inches. I leave them a little tall also. Kind of like a mini flu flu. They loose a little speed but are a lot easier to find.
I just built some on 1/4" shafts, 18.5" lg and 21.5" lg and used 3" fletching. Seemed about right.
Little kids bows (especially the long bows) have a short brace height. Make sure, whatever length feather you use, that it clears the shelf so they can mount the arrow easily.
If you are using precut feathers, just cut an inch from the back. It makes an interesting shape, and will be about the right size for the kids.
Thanks for the advice gang. I'll let you know how they turn out.
Well, they're done. Had a bear of a time getting the jig set up correctly for the small dia shafts.
I'll post some pics when they get them Christams morn.
What I do is place a piece of tape for a guide on my 5" chopper that will let me chop about a 3" feather. I put the quill against the tape and chop out the feathers. I don't readjust my bitz for the smaller feathers and shafts, just pick a different reference point for placing the feather in the clamp.
Here is my taped chopper.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v181/ekrewson/bow%20making/featherchoppertaped.jpg)
And a blurry picture of some 1/4" ramin wood dowel arrows with 3" chopped feathers I just finished to go with a little bamboo osage bow I made for one of my step daughters friends little five year old girl.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v181/ekrewson/bow%20making/smallarrows.jpg)
http://git-r-donearchery.com/
Dennis has Kids fletches 2 1/2" for under $10.00 per hundred last time I asked. They are not on his site, you need to ask about them.
He has kids 1/4" 5/15 ramin, points and nocks also.