I mess up a lot of feathers shooting outdoors (and missing a lot). Does it pay and how do you learn to repair the feathers? What equiptment do I need?
Thanks
sam
You would need a fletching jig (left wing or right wing depending on which ones are on your current arrows), fletching tape or cement, and appropriate matching feathers.
I think it pays if you refletch often enough. I decided that for the convenience alone I would sink the money to fletch my own. I was tired of driving up to the shop and then waiting a 3-4 days during hunting season. Look at the list below and go online for deals.
Bitzenberger fletch jig (w/clamp, don't skimp on your jig, this brand is worth it's weight in gold)
Feathers
Glue (I like GoatTuff)
A fletching stripper (one of those utility thingies, it makes the job WAY faster so don't skimp on this one either; and no, I do not mean a fledgling stripper, those will only sidetrack your fletching job)
Wraps (optional; if you get these, you won't have to strip the old glue and feathers off of the arrows)
Best,
Dave
Thanks to both of you. Now to demonstrate my lack of knowledge on this. I just drop them off at the archery shop and it takes more than 3-4 days and costs a couple of bucks each time. Since I need to do this often, it's like the cleaners. I drop a few off, I pick a few up.
How do I tell the difference between left wing or right wing. And is there any advantage to either?
I shoot RH.
Thanks
sam
Second note: What's a good place for "deals"
I've got some great prices on AMG feathers...nice bright colors in parabolics...
I have Jo-Jan and a strait clamp. I can use left or right feathers in the same jig. DO NOT MIX LEFT AND RIGHT ON THE SAME ARROW. If you are losing feathers in the grass, wrap the end with unwaxed dental tape or floss and cover with glue. Bill
Look at the nock end of the arrow, if the feather and catch lip make the letter "L" it is a left wing. If it makes a backwards "L" it is right wing. Hap
Can you use wraps on wood arrows?? Never used them before and I have a dzn ramin shafts that I am getting ready to build.
HI Sam, Fletching is pretty easy. In fact, I'm doing it tonight. Dave's post pretty well covers it, altho I like Duco glue. A Bitzenburger is worth the money IMO and you can get them new or used in classifieds and the auction place. I have several. It wouldn't be hard to walk you thru it, either in person or over the phone. I'll be in touch. Rick
Thanks Rick and everyone else. Are you doing mine tonight? So get a Bitzenberger. Does this do the whole arrow at once or one feather at a time? I guess to repair, and I only want to repair really, a single would be fine. Generally only mess up one feather at a time. I checked my arrows, Hap and some go left and some go right.
Usually the matched sets go the same way at least. Is there a preference if you're a right hand or left handed shooter to what kind of wing you use? Is it the feather or the fletcher that creates the twist?
Thanks again: Sam
sam
Hey Ssamac, if you're going to use wooden arrows, check out fletch tape. You can remove that with nothing more than your fingernail. Regular flecting glue is going to be a lot harder to remove and you can end up gouging your shafts.
SuperK. I don't actually plan on making arrows, just fixing damaged fletching. I suppose I can use the fletch tape, that's the double faced stuff right, to fix, but I still have to get the original glued on stuff off when the feather gets damaged.
Do you still need a jig if you use the tape?
sam
Yes Sam, they are yours.
The Bitz does one feather at a time, which is why I have three set up identically. I use a kitchen timer to remind me that it's time to glue on another round of feathers. The jig and feather work together, but the jig is what induces most of the twist. With helical, it is important that the wing and clamp match, left or right. You can use left or right, but in general a RH shooter will do best with a left wing jig and feathers. I'd recommend a helical clamp and that the jig have a left nock indexer.
Kevin-You can use wraps on wood arrows. I have done it for several dozen that I have made. It speeds up the process rather than waiting for paint to dry after cap dipping the arrows. You can still crest the arrow after the wrap is in place. I use the Fletching tape on my feathers since it is so quick. Check the Internet specials that the sponsors may have in place for deals. Try paint sticks for your cresting. Speeds up the process even more.
Good news, Rick. How was the hunting?
Now since I'm a right hand shooter, I would do best with a left wing fletching. This means that looking from the nock the feather makes an "L" shape. Am I doing ok so far?
If I want to produce a helical left wing feather, I need both a left wing clamp and left wing feathers. Does the jig make sure you put the feather in the right place, ie, space them evenly around the shaft? Since some of my arrows are right wing and some left, I need a jig, a right wing clamp and a left wing clamp. Am I sounding smarter already? I also need both kinds of feathers. By the time I match all this stuff, I might as well fix damaged fletching by takeing all the old fletching off and starting all over again and just use one type of fletching and left wing period.
Thanks
sam
now yer thinkin ;) as for L or R it doesnt matter; whichever you prefer
Ssamac, yes you're on the right track.
I would just buy one clamp and buy one type of feather. Keeping only one type on hands just simplifies everything. I have a jo-jan jig with only a right helical clamp. It's easy to find Left wing feathers in a pinch...Right wing feathers are much harder to find without resorting to the internet.
The jig will make sure your arrows are fletched at the right space. (e.g. exactly 120 degrees from each feather to the next) You can play around with 4 fletch also.
If you use wraps you don't have to worry about gouging the shaft when you remover the arrows, just un-peel the wrapper...but you do have to remove all 3 at once.
You'll have to find what YOU like but I hate the fletching tape. To me, it's a pain in the butt...but a lot of people think it's the best thing since sliced bread. I now use loctite's super glue GEL and have absolutely no problem. It's thicker and a little slower drying than normal super glue. (still fast enough to stick your fingers together but slow enough that if you accidentally put the feather on wrong you got 3 or 4 seconds to correct.) Only other glue I've tried was bohning's platinum...it was horrible! I'll never go back to "fletching" glues!!! NEVER had a plastic vane or feather come off using the SP gel.
Guess im just the oppisit from soilarch , love the tape, best thing i ever did for fletching, fast and easy. But whatever you use you will be glad that your doing your own arrows. Saves money and time in the long runn.
i would just like to add that some patience is required. i ruined 4 or 5 feathers before i finally got my jig adjusted and my technique right. also be sure to hold your finished arrow up to a light to make sure there isn't a gap between shaft and feather - this was a problem for me early on.
Thanks again to all. Things are getting a bit simpler now. How well does that Loctite gel come off if you have to remove a damaged fletch.
So If I get a straight clamp, I can get right or left wing feathers, (stick to one kind) and go for it. Does buying a used jig pay? There are some for sale in the classified. I also saw some plastic jigs at Cabelas last time I was there. The salesman said they were good since the glue did not stick to them. They were a lot less expensive. Thanks
Sam
Fletch tape, the better mouse trap
For good deals, here and 3rivers
Yes i think it pays for itself many times over. you can get a nice fletching jig very reasonable, you don't need a fancy bitz to start, the components are fairly inexpensive and you can make quality arrows from ramin dowels, or plain your own from square stock. I generally do things as cheap as i can, the one place i slurge though is fletch tape, i used to use duco, and it worked fine, but with the tape i can fletch a dozen arrows in 20 minutes.
Where you at in Illinois?
The initail investment is pretty steep, but after a couple hundred arrows it pays off. I even fletch for other folks, for cheap. I enjoy making my arrows from scratch and watching then fly.
Fletch tape and loctite seem to be winning out over fletching glue. So if I don't need a bitz, where do I draw the line? I was at Cabellas and they had plastic fletching jigs which were very reasonable. Like $15 if I remember correctly. Unfortunately, no one in archery that day really knew much so I could not find out much about them. So would they be too cheap?
sam
Pronghorn, I'm in Nauvoo right on the Mississippi. Where are you?
Here's a question. When the feathers come off, they have a white "base" or strip at the bottom where they meet (or used to meet) the shaft. Is that part of the feather or is that the glue?
sam
The arizona e-z fleth is what I think your talking about. You can't really put helical on the feather with those...they're intended more for the compound world. You don't have to buy a bitz. I have a jo-jan and it does just fine. I got it used for $20. It's paid for itself several times over. You can use a straight clamp with either wing feathers but you have to make sure you put the 'offset' in the right direction. For left wing feathers make the arrow rotate clockwise from nock-view. For right wing make the arrow rotate counterclockwise form nock-view.
Every feather's going to have a white 'foamy' base. When you strip the feathers off an old shaft you have still have to get the glue off the shaft also. A sharp knife held at a consistent angle makes easy work.
If you go the glue route I can guarantee you'll put too much glue on the first couple times. Less is more, just make sure it's even. I actually keep a 'junk' feather on hand. I'll put a bead of glue on the base of the feather then use an old one to wipe off all the extra glue...there aint much left on there after that but it's plenty.
If you have to choose between a straight clamp and a helical I'd suggest getting the helical. You don't need both to start with, and either will work but the helical is what you're going to want if you want that 'traditional' look.
Thanks Soilarch. I understand that the helical also puts a spin or rifling on the arrow flight which improves the flight and accuracy, so much desired. Three Rivers Archery recommends the Bohning Pro which is under $30. Anyone ever use one of those. Not sure if this jig can do a helical, however.
sam
Im over on the other side near Gurnee. When you mentioned Cabela's I thought maybe you were over this way.
No, I was on my way back from Michigan with my son who had never been to a Cabelas so we took a little detour