I need one. Like everything about the bitz except the price. I know it's the gold standard, but it's not in the cards for me right now.
I was looking at kustom king and 3 rivers, they have the bitz type fletchers that are made of polycarbonate, less than $30. Bohning is one, not sure of the others.
I don't fletch a bunch of arrows. Maybe a half dozen per year including repairs. Any reason why one of these type of fletchers wouldn't fit the bill for me?
I'll be using feathers with tape.
Thanks :)
Try the Jo-Jan. Single if you use tape or have a lot of time, multi if you use glue. I've used one for years and have no complaints.
Right helical, Left Helical and straight clamps will all work with the same base.
I second the Jo-Jan-
i have the Jo-Jan multifletch for the straight fletch for my wheelie bow but like the BITZ better for doing the helicals.
I had 6 Bitz and gave them to a buddy when I got the polycarbonate knockoffs...they work just as well as the bitz and cost lesss!!
Hey Rangeball - I have a Jo-Jan single gathering dust that I will give you. It works just fine, I got a Bitz in a trade last year and don't use it anymore. Pm me your contact info and I will drop it in the mail.
I use a Jo-Jan single and like it a lot. I have all three clamps and it gives me a lot of options.
I've used the Arizona EZ fletch for years. Works well.
JDS III
I've got one of the Bohnings that I've had since '95. No complaints. I've got all three clamps to make it flexible.
I might do a dozen a year and I prefer to use tape.
I have both and the Bohning and th Bitz. I think I might like the Bohning a little better. I definitely like the price better! I use tape also. I do a much better fletching job with the tape.
Thanks everyone, especially jbb. You guys are the best.
Pm sent :)
I bought the plastic bitz style Uni-Fletcher from Kustom King and I thought it worked great and is very sturdy. Granted, I've only fletched a dozen arrows so far and can't compare to anything else.
Have the same conversation with new fly tyers, why spend hundreds on top quality gear then assemble it with crap tools! Seriously guys, I get $400.00 every year to spend on hunting and that's it! If I get a $200.00 bow half the budget is gone, so I do everything on a very slim budget, but I still sprang for the Bitz. Love your Plastic knock off, lets stack fletchings side by side in 5 years, mine will still be even and uniform everytime, Yours? Well I've yet to see anything plastic maintain it's shape over time with repeated use. Not to mention that they are hard to keep clean don't hold the fletchings nearly as stable and are light and flimsy feeling to the hand. Like any other tool buy the best you can afford just don't forget to factor in the replacement cost of getting by with junk.
Flytieing vice = Renzetti
Fletching jig = Bitzenburger
You know giving six Bitz away for a plastic nockoff, is like giving six BMW's away for a volkswagon, sorry but I just couldn't resist.
Bob
Rick, I suppose it depends on how many arrows you plan to fletch. I'll probably fletch a dozen arrows every 2-3 years because I don't lose that many. For me, why spend twice as much on a fletcher when my arrows will look exactly the same as arrows coming out of a bitz. I don't believe that my Uni-Fletcher will be a worthless piece of crap in 5 years after only fletching a few dozen arrows, but I guess that's your opinion. Now if I fletched a dozen arrows every other day, I probably would have bought the bitz.
It sounds like you might be interested in those all aluminum bows that they made years ago. They were made entirely out of aluminum so they must be better than wood, epoxy, and fiber glass, lol.
Over the past few years I've done a few hundred arrows on three plastic Vador jigs. I expect to do a few hundred more in the years to come. In fact, I just purchased three more of the same jigs to make a little round table of jigs. You'd be hard pressed to convince me that I need to spend about $40 more per jig to make a good arrow.
Guy