Ok...fletching lw..im getting a gap under the center of the feather like its not touching. The ends are down and centered nicely, but the middle isn't going down and the quill is sticking up.
How do I set this thing right?
Tj are you using tape or glue?
Did it just start? I guess you could make sure the clamp is in good order. Maybe it's just that batch of feathers?
Glue. Been using tape in a jojan and had a get that would lay over and then I got a bitz and only used glue so far.
Having had the same problem, I am interested in any suggestions. The only fix I have found is to run a finger nail between the clamp and the feather to create a 1/8"gap between the quill & the clamp. When the placing the feather onto the arrow, the ends still touch first and the center is forced down onto the arrow as the clamp is pressed onto the arrow. Fletch tape, at least for me, works better using this method then glue.
I do the same as Walt, some times I use a razor blade to push the feather to meet the shaft and then hold it up against a light source to see if I can see any light between the shaft and feather. I believe the directions state you are to leave an 1/8 inch showing from the clamp to begin with.
Making sure the arrow is properly seated in the nock index. Sometimes the arrow may shift up or down creating the problem of the center of the fletch not to seat properly.
Not all bases on feathers are created equal. I place the feather in place before gluing to insure the seat is solid. sometimes it's necessary to lower the feather a tad from the clamp to get an even set.
I do what joe skipp does but that is a known problem that crops up once in a while. I adjusted the base of the clamp with a file and some sanding. Not a big deal to fix the gap was really annoying-works great now.
Adjust the jig to get the maximum helical contact and look at the gap with a light source behind it. Take a 6 or 8 inch half-round bastard file and take the contact points down a LITTLE BIT and place it back on the shaft. "Eyeball" it and continue the process checking often, the clamp files down easily and quickly will come to the proper contour.
I do this and have seperate clamps for 11/32" wood and Beman MFX "skinny carbons".
Good advice here. Like stated start with the best contact by moving knobs around to get good contact. Then place the feather in the clamp with about a 1/16" high or out of the clamp. When you glue the base and slide it down onto the shaft it will push the feather areas that are high down into the clamp more and allow the other areas (mid-section) to come into good contact.
Not sure i it makes a difference in this matter, but are you using a left nock receiver with your left clamp? Archery shops sometimes sell both LW and RW clamp jigs with straight nock receivers. A leftwing clamp should have a left nock receiver. A left NR is marked with a L and a right NR with a R. A straight NR is not marked. Bue--.
Finally, make sure all the screws are snug... Especially on the magnet! Don't ask me how I know :rolleyes: ..
what bjorn said. Had the same problem awhile back. The base of the clamp was not flat and square. I believe this happened from me scraping it with a knife to remove dried glue. Simply file the base of the clamp until it is flat and square all the way across. When I say flat, I guess it isnt really flat as it is angled up toward the center.
To check, place the clamp down with the base on a flat surface. If there is a gap in the center, you know you need to file
I do the same as snag .. no issues, dont push down to hard or the glue presses out. been useing this thing so long I don't even think about it , in fact I have had this same Bitz for 40 years or so.
Scott
Im gonna try it again in a little bit. I will trying and leave a gap between the feather and the clamp and try again.
You need to dry fit the clamp to the shaft. You can ajust the gap out of the center.Jmho
Listen to Gray Buffalo. If you put too much helical on your settings, the feather will not make contact with the arrow shaft in the center of the clamp area. Back off on the helical a bit (you will still have a lot of helical) and you will get good feather contact with the shaft along the entire clamp. The skinnier the arrow, the more you are likely to run into this problem, but the fix is the same regardless.
Leave some feather proud of the bottom of the clamp so it can compress to follow the arrow.
When using glue, line your clamps with painters tape, you won't have to scrape the glue off the clamp and they come off/release from the feather easily.
I fletch 100s of arrows a week on a 24 jig LW bitz table and never have an issue with a gap in the center of the feathers. On my table the only way I can intensionally put a gap in the center of the feather is to adjust the adjustment at bottom to the left. My guess is that setting has to be adjusted a bit to move the clamp to the right at that end.
I was re-reading an old archery book(1960) and they suggested to use a pin inserted between the clamp and the quill to bring the feather down to contact. Simple but not permanent as filing. Have fun.
I had the same problem. Thought it might be the nock receiver so I called and talked to the folks at Bitz. They explained to me that a straight indexer will work for both LW and RW fletch and that L and R indexers are only to reorient the position of the fletch on the shaft. They told me to do the same thing that Dino has done and now I have no issues.
What Walt said.
I "fine tuned" my clamp by filing the bottom ends with a mill bastard file, as mentioned above. This removes the "highs" and brings the middle of the clamp closer to the shaft. Adjusting the off-set through the clamp will bring you closer to perfect as well. Also, as mentioned, run your thumb nail (or other) between the quill and clamp before you apply glue (after with tape) so there is a gap that can compress as you bring the clamp to bare against the shaft. Always check the fletch to shaft contact before allowing to fully dry. Because each quill has a different thickness, you'll have to tinker with each fletch to get it "just right". Some fletches will not lend themselves to contacting perfectly. It's an art.
Good luck!
Kris