Trad Gang

Hi,

ive sometimes had problems with fletching falling of the arrow for some reasons and as i want my gear to be as reliable as possible i started winding them down.
I made a little pictorial about it as i thought perhaps someone might be interested. I dont say its the best way to do it, but it works very good and fast.
Anyway, hers how i do it(Big apologies for the blurry pics, i used a selftimer and sometimes the focus was off):

1. Materials needed: Dental Floss, Superglue
   (http://i711.photobucket.com/albums/ww119/g_reiner/DSCF4742.jpg)
 
2. put a small dab of superglue on the shaft just underneath a feather:
   (http://i711.photobucket.com/albums/ww119/g_reiner/DSCF4743.jpg)  

3. Take a piece of dental floss (ap. 3-4 feet) and glue it on:
   (http://i711.photobucket.com/albums/ww119/g_reiner/DSCF4744.jpg)  

4. start winding till the first part of the quill is held down.
   (http://i711.photobucket.com/albums/ww119/g_reiner/DSCF4745.jpg)  

5. Take another small piece of dental floss, form a loop and place along the shaft over the winding and start winding back towards the tip of the arrow. Its easier if you stick the end of the loop-floss into a feather. (the "Loop-Floss" is made black in the pic):
   (http://i711.photobucket.com/albums/ww119/g_reiner/DSCF4747.jpg)

Then pull the end of the "Winding-floss" undernath the winding and the first part is finished.

6. Start winding down the feather, this works best for me if i place the nock against my chest and spin the arrow. Make sure the beard of the feather doesb easily close again after the winding is in. If not the angle will be to steep or to little:
  (http://i711.photobucket.com/albums/ww119/g_reiner/DSCF4749.jpg)  

7. Finish off the same way with the loop method as in "5.":
  (http://i711.photobucket.com/albums/ww119/g_reiner/DSCF4751.jpg)
  (http://i711.photobucket.com/albums/ww119/g_reiner/DSCF4752.jpg)  

Cut off the excess and if you want secure everything with a little glue.

Finished products:
  (http://i711.photobucket.com/albums/ww119/g_reiner/DSCF4754.jpg)  

Hope its understadable and usefull for someone.

Thx for looking
Axel

Thanks for your tutorial Axel,but fortunatly I have never lost a single feather.

Well, ive glued with fletch tite once and went to a 3D course, i went in with 6 arrows and out with 6 bare shafts  
Even thouh i havent lost one lately (i use arrow cement now) it kind of traumatised me   :rolleyes:   and now i do it with all arrows.

And i think it looks good   ;)

It looks very traditional and for sure it is a safe way to fletch when the feathers haven't enough ground base like it looks to happen with the last productions;or when you buy full lenght feathers and you want to utilise the lenght for more cuts.

Practical...yes. Looks pretty darn cool...absolutely

On my dowell arrows, i do the same thing with leg sinew. Works well!

I'm seriously thinking of doing this because one arrow has a feather coming loose & it has been the pain in my well you know because it's done it twice so far, same arrow.

I can't keep fletching on my wife's skinny knitting-needle aluminum arrows--I might try this!  Thanks Saumensch! --and very cool looking.