I have stored up a good supply of turkey feathers and have started grinding them down.  I do not have anything to make the fletching yet and would like to hear opinions on the feather burner or little chopper.

I shoot left wing parabolic feathers.  I don't anticipate fletching more than a couple dozen arrows a year, but as my kids grow older that may change.  I also have an endless supply of goose feathers so I was thinking I could make some for gifts, trade, sell or whatever.  

For those who have used one or both products, what would you recommend?  The questions I have are: Can you burn feathers not already glued on a shaft?  Which one makes a better fletching?  Can you chop left and right wing with the same chopper?  If not, why?

Any other input is appreciated.  Thanks, Sam

I prefer a burner but the feathers have to be attached to the arrow to use it. You can buy extra ribbons for extra patterns cheap($1.50 or so).

I use both. For my more primitive arrows I use the burner.
If you only need to do regular arrows a chopper might be mor practical cost wise.
So I'd suggest starting with with the chopper.
If it were a banna fletch one chopper will do both left and right . But with you would need two choppers. This is due to keeping the feather properly orientated.

I prefer a burner,but like said they have to be on a shaft.If you are not going to do a lot of arrows a chopper can be more cost effective.I bought a chopper when I first started,but was never really happy with it.Bought a burner after a couple dozen arrows.I have had my burner for about 20 years now and still works fine and new ribbons are cheap.And I can do so much more with the burner,different shapes.

I have done both. I do not burn anymore as I am challenged at shaping ribbons. Now you can buy them shaped. I have a few different choppers that 3rivers sells. Also have a Vario  I got from Herb's archery. For me anymore it is the Vario, cuts the feather cleaner and more consistly.

I do both as well...chopping is fine for basic cuts, I do prefer to burn though I'm also not the greatest at it.   I'll typically take some junk feathers and tape them on a junk shaft and burn to finalize my shape.  I typically set the ribbon bigger than I really want anyways so I could easily burn the finished arrows though I do end up burning the front/back end paint if I go at it without the test shaft or three, never fails.  I do have a template that gets me close initially so the test shaft or two is usually enough most of the time.  I made it out of hardboard.

You can build a burner easily enough, and like was said the wires are cheap.

Choppers are nice you'll still ruin feathers though and they do dull in a short period of time.  Initially they cut well, than kind of get to a ok to decent state for awhile.  They're cheap until you buy 5 of them than you might as well just buy the burner.  lol!  

For me if I had to buy just one I'd buy the burner.  

Save those cut offs for the kids arrows!

Just used my little chopper for the first time to do the wings of the turkey I shot this year and was very pleased with the way they turned out. But I never tried a burner and sounds like they work great if doing a lot of feathers. Will stick to the chopper for now. Right wing 5" shield.

I have no experience using a burner.

I bought a chopper and have no complaints. I like to make up my fletching as I want and then make arrows when I want as time allows. I'm not trying to make pieces of art just good functional arrows and I get that everytime.

Some nights I will sit, splice, chop and bag a ziplock full. Then I'm good for a year and can easily repair arrows because my replacement fletching is ready to go.

In fact, after buying it I starting getting friends to give me turkey and pheasant feathers and I starting splitting and chopping my own. Super easy to do. I only buy full length orange feathers now to add visibility. Everything else is scavenged.

I have choppers and burners. I really prefer the burner. It's easier and faster once it's set and works great for doing spliced feathers

I've had a few choppers but never liked the end results. The Young burner I have was given to me 25 years ago or more and it came from an old time archer so it was probably 20 years old or older when I got it.

I tried a burner and wasn't impressed. Prefer the chopper but agree it's still not perfect.

I tried a chopper, first, then I got a burner.  I prefer the burner.  I guess the stink aggravates me a little less than the noise I make, pounding on that chopper.

When I'm feeling really froggy, I have been known to use a pair of quality scissors....

Burner     (smell is     not) if you want all arrows the same     burner! if you want extra flechtings ahead of time chopper.

I have a burner and have never figured out how to use it.
I don't know how to bend the ribbon for a pattern I like.
I bought a chopper from Herb Haines.

I used a burner when I had a little chopper, put up the burner when I got a vario chopper.

When I use my burner I usally do a shield style burn.I used two separate ribbons to make my shape.The first ribbon I would burn the sweep and then swap out to my second ribbon to burn the shield end.With two separate ribbons I can burn 5.5",5",4.5" and 4" shield feathers with just two ribbon.And I can adjust the height of my shield burn feathers by adjusting my first ribbon.This is how I like to burn my feathers using two ribbon I can make so many different shields aand with different heights.

The little lady of the house much prefers I use choppers. Once stinking up the house was all it took.
One of my motto's is to never tick off the cook so with her blessings over the years a have half a dozen choppers to take care of my wants and needs.    

To use the burner I make wood forms (1/4 ply wood) into the shape I want. then using an old wood arrow shaft I rub/bend the wire to the shape around the form.

Never had good luck with the little choppers........much prefer my Young burner.
Darcy  

If your single get a burner,if married a chopper.