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Main Boards => PowWow => Topic started by: Scott Bradford on January 20, 2010, 09:50:00 PM

Title: Will Feather fletching make a shaft stiffer?
Post by: Scott Bradford on January 20, 2010, 09:50:00 PM
Got my arrows bare shaft tuned perfect.  Tomorrow I'm getting a couple fletched and see how they fly compared to the bare shafts.
My question is will the 5" feathers I'm going to get put on the shafts make them a little stiffer?
Just curious. It took me quite some time to find the correct arrow configuration to get my bare shafts to fly straight, now I'm hoping after fletching, they will still be right on.
Thanks for any input,
Scott
Title: Re: Will Feather fletching make a shaft stiffer?
Post by: Winterhawk1960 on January 20, 2010, 10:00:00 PM
Yes, the fletching's will make your arrows act a little stiffer.

Winterhawk1960
Title: Re: Will Feather fletching make a shaft stiffer?
Post by: JRY309 on January 20, 2010, 10:05:00 PM
They can affect it alittle,when you add weight to the rear it will stiffen the spine slightly.But 3-5" feathers only way around 10-13 grs.,thats alittle weight.When I'm making and tuning some new arrows I'll have a few fletched up so I can shot them with the bare ones and check the tuning.Then I'll clean and prep them for final installing of the inserts,I do this with carbon and aluminum.
Title: Re: Will Feather fletching make a shaft stiffer?
Post by: NDTerminator on January 20, 2010, 11:12:00 PM
Feathers don't weigh all that much, but if you put on a 7" wrap that adds another 11-12 grains, then there's the weight of the nock (13 grains for Super Nocks) and the weight of a uni-bushing, if you use them. It's surprising how it all adds up, and that weight affects spine, although you probably will never be able to tell the difference...

BTW, Stu's Trad Spine Calculator is the bomb for modeling how weight affects arrow spine prior to building the arrow...
Title: Re: Will Feather fletching make a shaft stiffer?
Post by: Bjorn on January 20, 2010, 11:32:00 PM
There's no actual stiffening, there is a small weight increase; but the main thing is feathers create drag, that acts like a spine change and will make your arrow act stiffer.
Title: Re: Will Feather fletching make a shaft stiffer?
Post by: Scott Bradford on January 20, 2010, 11:38:00 PM
Thanks guys!  I'm going to just fletch one and see how it flies compared to the bare.  Then go from there.  Hopefully there won't be much difference.
Title: Re: Will Feather fletching make a shaft stiffer?
Post by: LKH on January 21, 2010, 01:22:00 AM
The shaft will actually shoot a little stiffer.  It's why when you are bareshafting you generally cut down the shaft until it shows slightly weak.