Any one have any tips or can offer help on how to shape a feather burning wire without putting kinks in it?
It's driving me nuts :banghead:
Thanks,
Jerry
Jerry, first put the wire in and turn on to heat it up. It will expand. I needs "broken" in.
Then bend to the desired shape of fletch. It does take some practice! You also don't need sharp bends to make work.
I'm sure, folks with more finnesse will post!
Jerry,
It is real handy if you have a arrow fletched that has the shape and length you want to use as a model. Say you had some arrows built by someone else that fly well. Other wise there is some trial and error to get the fletching shaped to a efficient and quiet arrow. I make the curved shape at the tail of the fletch first and then use a thin flat piece of steel in a vice to make my other bends.
This is hard to explain, good luck.
Jerry,
Sorry i just took for granted you are burning a shield. Still something for a model is a great help.
I just got a feather burner at Compton and im having the same issues. Feathers are not cheap so i hope i get it figured out relatively quick. The kinks i got in the wire seemed to flatten out pretty good though using a pair of needle nose pliers.
Jerry get yourself a set of Vise Grips with the multiple heads that snap on and off .the one tip is about 3" wide it makes the long pieces real nice.for the curves I use differant size dowelling,just bend around those.With a little practice they'll be perfect.When burning feathers on Wood arrows wrap the wood shaft right up to the end of the feather with a 1/2"wide piece of real thin copper,it stops your shafts and paint from burning.
Frank good tip I didn't know about pre heating the wire. Am I correct when I put the convex side
of the wire toward the feather?
Dan you are right, I like the shield shape :D
Greg I'm a frugal archer too! :) trying this with peacock feathers.
I'll try the Vise Grips and the copper wrap Steve.....I burnt the cresting on a shaft last night.
Thanks again guys!
Jerry
When I'm sitting in front of the TV, I carve a feather shape out of 1/8" masonite. Carefully shape it to your desired feather shape then glue it to a broken arrow shaft. You now have a rigid form to shape your wire around, and it can be used to repeat shapes for new wires.
Once I finally got the shape just how I wanted.....the dang burner quit working. :banghead: Someone here told me to hook up a battery charger to the wires and it will work. It did....one time. So now I'm back to cutting them with a scisscors......
Like moebow, I make a wooden template in the feather shape I want and bend the wire around it. The wire will change a little when it's heated so I do my final adjustment with the wire on the burner. Turn it on, try a feather, notice where it needs to be moved, flattened, bowed, etc and turn off the power. Make the appropriate changes when the wire cools off and try it again. May take a feather or two to get it adjusted right, but then it's good to go for as many feathers/arrows as you want.
Island, I put the concave side of the wire toward the fletch. Makes a cleaner cut on that side, I think.
I draw the shape on a piece of paper. Then I use needlenose pliers to bend the wire. The natural springiness of the wire lends a smooth, pleasing curve to the top of the shield shape, and helps at the rear, also.
Jerry, I wish I had a source for those cinnamon colored primaries, hint, hint.
Killdeer
Jerry, I also do as the others using previous feather shapes, dowels, and needlenose pliers, but I use an old arrow to pre-check for clearance to avoid burning...the ribbon will grow when heated, so I'll try to set the gap to about 1/16" inch while the ribbon is cold...trial and error, but it is usually pretty close.
Thanks for sharing your knowledge everyone. I started making a templet and now I'm all Gung Ho to give it another try, right after I turn my ribbon around..... :) ! :thumbsup:
Jerry
Jerry, the concave side goes toward the feather.
Thanks Rick, I had it on backwards.... :knothead:
I would use my fingers....you'll take the convex shape out of the wire if you use pliers....
lay a feather out on the table...start at the front (narrow end of feather and about 1/4 of the way down the length of the wire just use your thumb as the "stop" and with your other hand push up on the wire- to get the initial bend.
The wire has a springiness to it....you are going to use that to shape the curve by hand...just coax it using the flat of your thumb until it follows the shape of the feather.
Lay the curved wire with the initial front end bend against your feather, pick the spot that matches up with the back of the fletch where it changes direction-whatever shape- shield would be another sharp bend to change direction- a parabolic would just be a more severe curve downward- whatever- and then bend it again where it hits the shaft.
You may need to practice a little but it won't take many wires for you to master it...
"Aaaah, I love the smell of burning feathers in the morning...."
as an alternative, read this
http://tradgang.com/noncgi/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=090401
I love these sites. Just learned two things I didn't know about my burner. Thanks for the hint on the wire concave side and the copper sheet to keep the shaft or paint from burning. I have found that the wire will change shape when heated and I have to adjust it a few times to get it right. Frank
Frank,
I burned quite a few feathers while I had a custom wood arrow business in the late 80's-90's.
It was my feeling that the wire would only change shape if it wasn't getting hot enough to cleanly cut the feather.
That usually meant your unit isn't functioning properly, or you've used the wire too long.
Mind, I only used the old Young style burners and the wires that came with them and have no experience with any of the new stuff if there is anything besides the Young burner.
Hi Ray!
I think if you replace the phrase "change shape" with "expand" you will get a more accurate reading. What sits a little high at O-cool-thirty will be flush with the top of the quill when red hot.
No, a shield will not go bananas on you.
Killdeer
Thanks Ray, I'm also using an old Young Feather burner.
When burning do you rotate the shaft and feather down into the wire or do you rotate it up into the wire?
Jerry
I know this is an old thread, but I`m posting this just in case someone is researching this subject to make a homemade burner. I have made a feather burner yesterday, and used an old PC power supply, AT type, directly attached to the wire. Depending on the wire thickness and length, you can use the black and red wires (5 volts), or the black and yellow (12 Volts - only use with very thin wire). Nichrome wire has a fixed electrical resistance per unit of length, and this resistance increases with heat, unlike most metals. This is what makes nichrome good for heating elements. If the wire gets too hot it will break. Try to get a low-medium glow, not too bright. If it is too bright, extend the wire beyond the securing post and connect the voltage at the tip. The longer the wire, the higher the resistance, and the wire will be less bright and last longer. It will also be stiffer than if it were burning bright red. My wire barely glows, but cuts feathers fine. Hope this helps someone.
DF
I agree with Ray I have an old Young burner I bend the wire by hand. Been using the same wire for 20 years! I only make arrows for myself and my son but thats a long time. By the way you will only burn them in the house once if you are married! The only thing worse is to open a bottle of long distance fox lure in the house.
I use a pair of needle nose plyers that have round jaws (I believe I found them at an electronic supply store) to make the tighter bends without crimping it too much. When I bought my Young Burner 10 +/- years ago I also ordered a few spare ribbons and have yet to use one because another failed.
You can also get preshaped ribbons at 3 Rivers.
I've found the best way to make your shape without kinks is this. I draw the feather on a piece of wood about an inch thick and cut it out with a bandsaw. Bend thee wire around that form and then burnish the wire with a screwdriver thil it is smooth. I've found that the wire is so thick that if the concavity is taken out of the ribbon it makes no difference.
No, a shield will not go bananas on you.
Killdeer
Love your way with words Killie!
:biglaugh:
Sounds like most folks burn after the feather is attached. I was taught to burn the feather before attaching to shaft. I hold the feather (carefully) and bring it up to the ribbon to burn. Works for me, 20 years.
QuoteOriginally posted by Jeff Cooper:
Jerry, I also do as the others using previous feather shapes, dowels, and needlenose pliers, but I use an old arrow to pre-check for clearance to avoid burning...the ribbon will grow when heated, so I'll try to set the gap to about 1/16" inch while the ribbon is cold...trial and error, but it is usually pretty close.
Yep
I have had the same problem. I found the plastic feather profiles available from 3 rivers archery (and possible other vendors) to be a huge help in molding the wire. Just select the profile you want, lay the wire against the plastic profile and use your fingers and needle nose pliers to bend the wire to the desired shape.