Fletching Orientation and Shelf Contact

[Roger Norris]

Yesterday afternoon I was shooting broadheads and decided to test out some  of your findings. I have been shooting "cock feather through the channel" ever since I heard Ken Beck talk about it years ago.

I'm shooting carbons, so the nocks are tune-able, 360 degrees. It was pretty amazing to watch the subtle difference in flight and impact. Cock feather through the channel for me.

[jolathe]

Just wanted to remind those shooting wood arrows that wood arrow fletching can't be rotated without stripping and reattaching the fletching.  Just rotating the nock on the shaft also rotates the grain and changes the spine.  Spine is stiffest perpendicular to wood grain.

[jolathe]

Just wanted to remind those shooting wood arrows that wood arrow fletching can't be rotated without stripping and reattaching the fletching.  Just rotating the nock on the shaft also rotates the grain and changes the spine.  Spine is stiffest perpendicular to wood grain.

[Don Stokes]

True, jolathe, but if the grain is as straight as it should be you can still turn the upside down and have the correct gain orientation.

[stack]

But if you do this Don, Will it not put the rift of the grain down instead of up as it should be?

[ChuckC]

Nothing scientific, but I just spent some time in the yard, shooting, at ranges from 8 yards out to around 35 yards.

I have always had decent flight, but not great flight.  Always some wobble visually observed by me.  This is with three and four fletch.  After reading this, I turned some of the arrows around (three fletch) and tried.  

Wow. . .   It sure made a visually observable large difference in arrow flight (for me).  I am gonna pursue this and maybe start shooting cock feather in !  I will decide after I get the chance to shoot broadheads that way as well.

Thanks for the heads up Ryan !
ChuckC

[Fletcher]

Indexers for cock feather at 12 o'clock are available.  This is what Black Widow suggested for a while and maybe still does.  I've used it with very good results.

[Fletcher]

Originally posted by M60gunner:
Guess that shoots the "arrow clears shelf before feathers get there" theory all to snot.  

With bows cut out from center, the shaft bends much more than a center shot bow.  High speed photography clearly shows the fletch will clear the riser with normal height fletch.  Center shot bows with much stiffer shafts may be much more prone to contact.

Great stuff, Ryan.  Keep these things coming.

[Fletcher]

Originally posted by stack:
Are you using wood aluminum or carbon arrows? The reason I ask is if using wood arrows and you are turning the nock 180 degrees would that not put your rift at the bottom instead of the top as it should be or is the rift thing not that important? The reason I ask is after seeing several pics of arrow pieces thru peoples hands due to the rift pointing back at them I have always made sure the rift of my woodies is pointing away from me on top.

Yeah, Stack, you have to figure out your index and fletch your woods accordingly.  I shoot woods and like 90x90 four fletch or three fletch with the cock fletch up.  It gives a similar orientation to Ryan's.

[Ryan Sanpei]

That's great news Chuck!

Rick,
Thank you for answering those questions and providing your additional insight!


Aloha!

[Diamond Paul]

Nice comparison, Ryan.  You make good vids, too.  I saw this tip on one of yours earlier.

[Ryan Sanpei]

Thank you for the kind word Paul!

[slowbowjoe]

I'm liking it. Put up a post about cock feather in , recently, myself.
I still haven's figured out how to compensate for the rift . when string the nock on a wood arrow, 3 fletch nock receiver. Gotta be simple, but my brain stalls thinking upside down &/or backwards.

[Fletcher]

Joe, just put the shaft in the fletching jig upside down and it will fletch with the rift up and cock feather in.

[slowbowjoe]

Thanks Fletcher!