I am trying to set up my fletching tool and have ruined a few feathers. They say a picture is worth a thousand words. Would you guys posts some close up pictures of what the fletching should look like.
Thanks
Go to the how to section on the main page and they have arrow build alongs with pics.Tim
Saving him the trouble! Hope this helps, I didn't watch the whole thing as it was taking forever to load for me.
http://tradgang.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=2;t=000120
Are you using the right feathers for the jig? Need to use right wing feathers in a RW jig, likewise left wing feathers in a left wing jig.
Then, if you're going to spiral or offset the feather, need to offset or spiral the front of the feather to the left if it's a left wing feather, to the right if it's a right wing feather. Need to have the right clamp to do this as well. A spiral clamp is used to spiral the fletching, a straight clamp is used to offset the fletch. Can use left or right wing feathers in a straight clamp, but must offset them in the correct direction.
The skinnier the shaft, the less you are able to offset or spiral the jig clamp/feather. Best to dry fit and adjust the clamp until you get good feather contact along its entire length with the arrow.
I have seen that video and still need help
I am using right wing feathers and jig.
I would like to see where the feather starts and stops on the shaft
Do a dry run first with the feather.
Put the feather in the clamp and set into jig, then look at the feather to see if the entire feather is on the shaft.
If not then you adjust the clamp to get your feather ( the whole length) to set on the arrow.
Where your feather starts that's up to you. You can leave .5", 1", 1.5" or more from your arrow nock. You will need to leave enough room for your fingers when you grab your arrow to draw it back, it's up to you how much space.
Just make sure the full base of your feather is down on the arrow. Hope this helps.
I ment to say put your arrow in the jig then feather in clamp then set feather on arrow.
Once you get it, its really not that difficult, but unfortunately. . getting to that point sometimes is.
Read thru what was said above. That is most of it.
Arrow shaft in jig. All that I know of require there be a nock on the shaft. You CAN use just a teeny bit of glue or wax to hold the nock in place temporarily or just glue them down well first. The jig has a knob to turn the shaft after each feather is applied. Figure out which position is the cock feather and go get em. Turn it towards you after each feather is applied.
Mark the clamp where the back (rear) of the fletch is gonna end up. Put the feather in all the way up to the quill (but not the quill), apply glue or tape, put the clamp into the jig so the back end touches the jig and do it the same for all of them.
With a Bitzenberger (and some others) jig, you are are able to adjust the angle that the clamp meets the arrow shaft. Adjust it so that the whole feather touches well. As said above, skinny shafts give you less room for this.
Read Orions words. He is good at this.
Good luck
Chuck
Here are a couple of pics I have that I took to show something else. Orion and Chuck have described the set up well. You will likely have to glue on a few before you get the jig set where you want it, but once set it is there.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v450/Fletcher610/RvsLindex.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v450/Fletcher610/RvsLindex2.jpg)
Fletcher
Thank you, that is exactly what I was looking for, I wanted to see the feather from that angle.
I wanted to see where it stared and finished.