I have not shot or made any flu-flu's, but plan on making some for aerial target shooting this spring.
I have full length TrueFlight feathers and a few questions.
- Are most flu-flu's 4 fletch?
- What length should the fletching be for a 45# bow?
- Is a regular or spiral flu-flu better?
Love to see photos of your flu-flu's.
Thanks guys,
Dave
Will be watching this thread. Would like to make up a few also.
I made some that are 5.5" shield cut 6 fletch.
I think spirals slow down the quickest. Done some four fletch and six fletch, six fletch seemed to slow down quicker. Don't think one is necessarily better. The idea is not to have to chase them too far. Standard lengths are fine, bow poundage has nothing to do with fletch length IMO.
Go over to trueflightfeathers . com...
They have a excellent article on spiral flu flu's. Plan on doing a dozen for this spring too!! Post some up if anyone has any!
twin full length spiral fletching is the slowest and travels the least.
my fave is a six fletch with 4" to 6" feathers that are not shaped, and use lotsa helical.
(http://i.imgur.com/9bbYjfp.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/hoZDBGR.jpg)
you can also trim the height of the feather to speed up flight no matter what type of feather style you use.
I prefer spirals. They are lound so most things will here them coming.
But they can me trimmed to different shapes.
I prefer trimming them like a banana or magnum cut.
I hunt geese (or try to) so you need some oomph out to 30 yards. I'm shooting 4x90 degrees helical 4" uncut feathers and they carry 100 yards. Spiral will not carry that far so it depends on your usage.
I prefer spiral. Good out to about 30yrd. I use the softer flu flu featers from 3 rivers.
(http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f196/jjeffer/Spiralfluflu2_zps4830a56e.jpg) (http://s47.photobucket.com/user/jjeffer/media/Spiralfluflu2_zps4830a56e.jpg.html)
We have white spiral fluflu feathers in stock.
Terry
I personally am not a fan of spiral wrapped flu flu's. As said above, they only go about 30 yards and really slow down before hitting anything. I've hit a foam target with a spiral before and had it bounce off. You don't have to go very far to chase em though!
I usually do mine 4 fletched with 4 inch full length feathers. They usually go about 70 yards or so. They still smoke a target (whether foam or an animal), but you don't have to go too far to chase them.
I'll try and post some pictures up later once I'm home from work.
Thanks guys for the opinions and pictures. I have about 15 acres of hay right now on one part of my farm that I have at least 1300ft to shoot.
I would rather have a little more umph and speed to get the arrow where it needs to be. If it flies 70 yards that is not a big deal as I have the space and my field has not one rock that I have ever seen. I have actually done some flight shooting in this field, that is fun.
Like I mentioned in my op, I want these for aerial shooting at foam disks, so I would think the extra speed would be nice.
Do the 4-4" flu-flu's come pretty much straight down and stick in the ground vertical? Will they do this even when shot fairly horizontal to the ground?
Thanks
Dave
QuoteOriginally posted by Archer Dave:
...
Do the 4-4" flu-flu's come pretty much straight down and stick in the ground vertical? Will they do this even when shot fairly horizontal to the ground?
Thanks
Dave
all depends on distance and trajectory angle. it'll take a near 45 degree angle for any arrow to come down vertical. i mostly shoot 4" full vanes and full helical, as a 6-fletch because those are the local archery golf rules. i also shoot them on the muzzy course to 45 yards, what a blast. they're great for bunny hunting, too.
you need to make up a buncha flu-flu arrows, each with a different fletch configuration, so you can see what'll work best for ..... You.
Rob-
Thanks. Maybe I will just start off with some 4"-4 fletch flu-flu's to give it a try. I probably could get two 4" feathers from a full length TrueFlight.
I am curious about the 6 fletch, but that is a lot of feathers to be using.
I just use the full profile feathers fletched with three helical, but 5"
I would rather have the extra travel distance but they still slow down pretty quickly past shooting distances.
QuoteOriginally posted by Archer Dave:
... I am curious about the 6 fletch, but that is a lot of feathers to be using.
at a 45 degree angle, a 6-fletch with 4" full height feathers will travel 100 yards or more with a 45-50# longbow.
We usually shoot at round foam targets thrown in the air by hand, and they always stick vertically in the ground. The spiral wrapped ones sometimes don't stick in the ground, they just bounce off and lay down.
I've found the 4-4" fletch is a good balance between good speed/distance but not too far.
Post some pictures up once you make some.
Alex
I agree with the other posts that spiral-wrap flu-flus slow down faster. But if you only do a single spiral-wrap feather per arrow, they don't slow down quite as fast, and it's about the cheapest flu-flu arrow you can make (only takes 1 full-length spiral-wrap feather).
The last bag of 100 spiral-wrap feathers I bought from 3 Rivers I think was around $25. Unless you find some crazy deal, I don't think you can get regular full-length feathers that cheap. It only takes 1 or 2 spiral-wrap feathers per arrow, depending on whether you do single or double spiral-wrap.
If you're doing regular 4-fletch flu-flus, it will take 2 (at minimum) full-length feathers; 6-fletch will probably take 3 full-length feathers.
I like both types of flu-flus. I think regular-fletch flu-flus probably fly a little better, but you can make single-wrap spiral flu-flus cheaper.
I've done a fair amount of experimenting with flu flus in attempting to develop an ideal intermediate (70-100 yard max distance) arrow. What I've settled on is described in this thread: http://tradgang.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=141646;p=1#000008
I would be happy to provide raw flight data from my testing if you would like. Heading out to hunt crows with my flu flus...
Yeah, I would be interested in what you have come up with in your testing. Thanks
As I mentioned 4-4" helicals go 100 yards for me. 3-4" helicals will go near 115-120 yards and 150-160 yards out of my friend's compound. I had some spirals and they seemed to go 40-50 yards.
Well I think I might just fletch up some 4-4" flu's. All I have is a straight clamp, and I usually use a few degrees offset which shoot very well out of this bow. Will this be ok with a flu, or should I get a helical clamp for doing flu's?
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y17/LCooper/fluflusony.jpg) (http://s2.photobucket.com/user/LCooper/media/fluflusony.jpg.html)
Here's my absolute favorite flu flu! I use standard 5' shield cut feathers glued up in standard three fletch just like you always do on the FRONT 2/3 of fletch. The final 1/3 is spiraled around. The amount you spiral is directly related to how far it flys. It will give you a whole new appreciation of how little of a spiral fletching slows a arrow down. What I like is I can make it fly 40 yards or 70 yards. Fit's in a bow quiver with zero fletch clearance problem. OUT LASTS any other flu flu. period. Only problem is it's a PIA to make. You don't turn out one of these every few minutes! LOL There's always a price to pay!
The actual pic above is ALOT of spiral and will only go about 40 yards.
I had problems getting any power out of a flu flu, haven't experimented much though. My solution was to use snaros. The 3 inch versions slow down a regular arrow fast enough, they go about 125 yards out of my 45 pound bow but still have stopping power out to about 40 yards
That is pretty cool. I have not seen that before. I might have to try that sometime, but as you say it does look like a PITA to make. :D
Average distance and notes for different types of flu flu using 48# K Mag, 29 inch 400 carbon with 250 gr head target point/broadhead (approx 600 grain total arrow weight) shot at approx 45° elevation:
4 inch 4 fletch hard helical full height-- 87 yards; loud, regardless of rear edge trimming angle; flight excellent; high wear due to shelf contact; fill up back quiver really quick
Full length (10"), full height spiral (wound into 4" space on shaft, about 3/8" gap between wraps) quill towards nock end-- 71 yards; somewhat loud, flight good/ok; feather wear due to shelf contact; feathers get mangled in back quiver but doesn't seem to affect flight
Full spiral as above but quill down (point end)-- 40 yards; very loud, very slow
Full length spiral, trimmed to 1/2" high wound into 4" of shaft, quill up-- 82 yards; quieter than full height spiral, takes about 15-20 yards to fully stabilize
Full length spiral, trimmed to 1/4" height, wound into 4" of shaft, quill up-- 96 yards; quiet, pack well in quiver; take about 25-30 yards to fully stabilize, broadheads can win the steerage battle (think bareshaft)
Hybrid flu flu (2" banana, 1/2" height 4 fletch + 4" long banana 1/2" high wound spirally quill to quill immediately behind normal 4 fletch)-- 80 yards; quiet, excellent flight.
Hybrid flu flu as above except 1/4" height on spiral wrap-- 97 yards; silent, excellent flight.
I've messed around with other types and derivations of flu flu (including the half clamped, half wound type referenced above- the PITA factor is astronomical), but these are the types I've spent the most time on.
To add to above post regarding snaros, I put a 3" snaro (300 grains) on another type of hot rod flu flu that regularly flew 125+ yards and with the snaro it flew 75 yards like a guided missile- I think those wire loops impart a ton of spin along with the frontal air resistance.
Hope this is of value. Have fun tinkering!
QuoteOriginally posted by Archer Dave:
That is pretty cool. I have not seen that before. I might have to try that sometime, but as you say it does look like a PITA to make. :D
Never made them but looking at the pic. If you used fletch tape Probably wouldnt be too bad.
1) Apply fletch tape
2) only remove the back off the first third and set the fletch using jig
3) Peel off the remaining backing and wrap by hand.
C
You will love your flu - flu's, just experiment.
I make both3, 4 and 6 fletch. I often use leftover fletch from full feathers and just splice it all together. I'm stump shooting, not really hunting. I suspect I usually do 3 or 4 fletch, usually from feathers I've cut.
On this "very used flu flu there are 2-3 splices per fletch, great way to use up scrap feather when cutting down from full length.
I carry at least two flu flu's and I have at least one judo and one blunt on each.
(http://www.smugmug.com/photos/i-n8W6rfv/0/L/i-n8W6rfv-L.jpg)
BTW, I just made a dozen flu flu's out of older, mis matched three fletched arrows. I just put three additional full height feathers on them and I expect great results.
Caleb or for anyone else wishing to try my flu flu. I'm a big believer in fletch tape but not sure it will hold well enough in this application. But who knows try it. I will say it's hard to believe HOW LITTLE spiral it takes on the rear third of the fletching to slow a arrow down. The arrow I had a picture of to post is EXTREME spiraled and it slows a arrow down too much in my experience. Haven't made one in a few years as the A they last a long time and B I don't shoot flu flus as much as I use too. But if I was going to make several of them now adays I'd buy the super duper fletching glue that set ups quick or I'd invest in super glue with a activator. Doing it that way would make it relatively easy.
With all that said once you make and use this style flu flu you'll not go back! They are awesome and hands down bet complete full fletch spiral or full fletch straight. No comparison.
(http://i1311.photobucket.com/albums/s666/sassj118/Mobile%20Uploads/20150304_124002_zpshlpwpr9x.jpg) (http://s1311.photobucket.com/user/sassj118/media/Mobile%20Uploads/20150304_124002_zpshlpwpr9x.jpg.html)
To add to the text description of types tested- From left to right in photo above: hybrid (1/4" spiral), hybrid (1/2"spiral), speed flu I haven't tested much but still tinkering with, 4" 4 fletch full height with trailing edge trimmed, full height full spiral, 1/2" height full spiral, 1/4" height full spiral
Snow Crow, I just may try some of your combo - style flu flu's.
LC,
I think you are probably right. I tried the fletch tape with a regular parabolic feather and it was pretty much a giant failure. Quick set super glue huh????
C
Caleb and LC,
Try tying in the start and end of the wound sections with those flu flus: a little dental floss, thread, or even single strands of B50 will go a long way towards locking in the fletch tape. For even stronger tie in, dab your favorite glue along the thread and especially the finishing knot(s). If you use a half hitch, make sure you pull in the same direction and not against the angle of the wound section.
This is an example of a spiral flu flu flight.
Video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yCWrzW6dBm4)