Anyone else ever tried one of these? I picked one up it was super easy to use and seemed to do the job. I am a total newbie, but I thought doing my own fletching would be a fun way to add some personal flavor to my arrows. Also it's easier to find bare shafts or vane fletched shafts around here and now I can just put my own feathers on.
Some guys like em some guys dont. I had one for years but I didnt like the "slop" in the wings so I upgraded to a bitz and like that better.
Maybe Im just not coordinated enough to do 3 fletches at a time or maybe Im too picky????
I'm glad to know the thing has potential. I have one, but it was tough going for me with the plastic clamp and curve of the feathers I bought (would not hold completely flush). So I didn't have the same experience, but I also don't know what I'm doing and it could have been a feather issue.
Never could get mine to set the feathers as percise or as even as I wanted. I always seemed to have one feather scewed from all the rest.
It took about 6 arrows before I got the hang of it. You have to go real slowly I mean REAL slowly and only use a small amount of glue. It definitely doesn't look like the factory fletching as it isn't perfectly set, but I thought the job looked ok for a home rig.
imho, the worst fletcher i've ever used. a cheap $30 bohning pro fletcher is world's better in every way.
Been using one for about 10 years. They work ok, just work out a routine for working it and it gets the job done. Use a small amount of glue, just snug down the plastic cap, and gently squeeze with your hand about halfway down the arms and it should seat the feathers completely. make sure to scrape excess glue off the arms between arrows, if you don't the following arrows won't have feathers seated right. But, like others have said it's not as precise as a bitz.
Mine works fine, just have to clean the excess glue off once in awhile. There are better systems out there but it works.
I started with one and switched to the Bitzenberger later.
I like mine. I've fletched dozens of dozens with it. course I'm by no means a perfectionist.
Larry
I had one years ago, worked fine, i now use a bitz, i like the versatility, differant clamps, differant angles and so on. Nothing wrong with the arizona its a good product.
I like mine too. Never had a problem with it and never notice that my fletchings weren't on right.
Imo for vanes only. It is the ticket for plastic but feathers will make you curse.
I agree with kbetts, works ok for vanes, never tried feathers in one. Been using one of those cheap bohnings Rob mentioned above for feathers.
Will be buying a Bitz soon.
I find it's a decent cheap solution. It's the only fletcher I have and I find it works just fine if you're not too picky and you use just a small amount of glue. If the feathers are too stiff and aren't cut just right, the tend to pop up a bit. I've had only a few do that though.
Rusty
This fletcher worked well with stripped feathers, I had difficulty gluing stripped feathers with the others. One drawback is that its problematic with the hefty natural feathers, but works fine with the farmed turkey ones.
Its not my primary fletcher, its an option for a specific use.
I have one. Works fine. If you have trouble getting the feather to set right in the arms, take some string wax and run it up and down the groove.
Hap
They worked well with vanes but I don't like them for feathers. Some feathers where able to slip through the arms leaving a poorly glued feather.
Yeah, some of the feathers are very stiff and don't want to stay in. I found if I go really slow, one at a time it works better. Thanks for the tip about the string wax, that will come in handy!
Spend a bit more and get a 6 jig set up... Maybe a Jo Jan. Split the extra $50 by the number of arrow making years you have left and the price difference is hopefully pretty small.
When you can make up a dozen arrows in 2 hours your whole outlook on arrow building changes for the better.
If not... Jo Jan, Blitzenburger and PSE all make excellent single jigs that are very adjustable. For about the same price as the EZ.
Really??? I love mine.
I have been using one for the last 19 years and have done hundreds of arrows in that time.
I have done 3, 4 and 6 fletches, no problem.
2.5", 4", 5", 5.5" fletches, no problem.
Vanes, no problem.
Natural turkey feathers, no problem.
"Production" turkey feathers, no problem. Spliced feathers, no problem.
Carbon, Aluminium (all but the skinnest size), Wood (5/16", 11/32", 23/64", parelell and tapered), no problem!!
Quick, clean and compact to store.
The only consideration is you CANNOT do RW feathers in a LW jig (and visa versa).
I would highly recommend one!
I have one of the originals from when they first came out.
It is a right hand offset (no helical), and I had fits with it at first when fletching with feathers.
After some trial and error, I slightly sanded out the fletch slots, and it has worked perfectly ever since with right wing feathers, and still works just as well for vanes.
I still prefer my JoJan though.
I've heard that the new AZEFs are way better than the old ones. I may have to buy a new one, and give it a whirl.
I've used them all and I love the AZ Easy Fletch. Remember that there are two versions though... One for skinny carbon shafts and the other for the thicker aluminums and woodies.
Had a JoJan and hated it big time!
I had one for about 1 month , I fletched 12 arrows , stripped them and refletched them again with my Bitz . Did not like it at all , inconsistant and just not pleased with the results .
Arizona with fletch tape is sooooo easy. No waiting for the glue to dry, and you can fletch a dozen in a half hour or so.
use one for vanes on my wifes compound but use a Bitz on my feathers, tried it on feathers but did not like it.
I had one. Didn't like the job it did. Bought myself a Jo Jan Mono Fletcher. Jo Jan is so much better IMHO.
Had one, got rid of it and bought a Martin.
Had one, didn't like it. My personal favorite is the JoJan