fletching own arrows

1903 Views 24 Replies 18 Participants Last post by Hobbshunter, Aug 13, 2008

rntquackaholic

Discussion Starter · Jul 27, 2008

Ok I have a question. I was going to buy something to fletch our arrows. I noticed in the archery catalog it had a choice of straight or right twist or something like that, I don't remember the exact terminology used. What do you do for the ones that fletch your own? What type of fletching jig or whatever do you have and everything. All opinions welcome and thanks. :up:

Angela

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MichaelT.

· #2 · Jul 27, 2008

What you get depends on what you are going to use to build your arrows... The term you are looking for is Helical ....

There are straight , left helical , and right Helical , and offset.

I use easton a/c/c shafts and 2 " blazer vanes ... mine are 3 deg. offset / right helical. ...

Jo Jan is one of the better jigs...Bitzenburger is great and more $$$.

Shorter vanes are harder to get glued solidly on a shaft in a strong helical twist. Thats why they are usually just offset 2-3 degrees. Longer vanes of course can be set stronger, since you have more backing of the vane in contact with the shaft. Like I said, it kind of depends on what you plan to build your arrows with....

And are you cutting your own shafts and putting in the inserts .... etc.....

MET

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bowtime

· #3 · Jul 27, 2008

I have used a grayling jig for years and never had one problem with it.I shoot blazers and fletch em straight.I also put wraps on my shafts.They are easier to see and the glue sticks to the wraps really good....

SR4

· #4 · Jul 27, 2008

A bitzenburger fletching jig is by the far the best you can get. It'll cost you more up front, but worth it. I've had mine for 20 years and it still works great. Right helical (or left helical) and straight will be your clamp choices. Most common is the right helical and in my opinion is the one to have. Some guys like a straight slightly offset. Helical means it puts twist in the vane or feather making the arrow spin. Its kinda like throwing a football and getting a perfect spiral. It stabilizes and flies faster and farther. Kinda that same concept. Straight offset can accomplish the same thing but not with the same effect. Hope this helps.

fredbear

· #5 · Jul 28, 2008

Go ahead and spend the money to get a good jig. I use the Jo Jan but that ain't the only good one. I used my dad's cheap jig for several years and it was difficult to get full contact between the shaft and fletch.

Not many people shoot a true straight fletch.....and right helical, or right wing, is easier to find. I shoot left wing and I usually have to order mine.

possum

· #6 · Jul 28, 2008

off-set or left helical for me. I shoot vanes so I don't have to order like you do fred. But yeah a jig is worth the money, I've got one of each that I mentioned to begin. They're both single arrow jigs but I like it that way because each vane is the same because I seen to many multi-arrow jigs where the clamps aren't setup the same.

dirtdart

· #7 · Jul 28, 2008

I bought 6 Bitzenberger "Dial a fletch" jigs back when they were $39 each. Cheapest I coulld find them recently were from a guy from Georgia on ebay for $64. I love them. When I shot a TM style rest i used a helical type clamp. Now that I shoot a biscuit I use a straight clamp. Bitzenberger's are made so you can put whatever offset you wish or run from a standard to a radical helical. I love mine and wouldn't think of using another.

Hobbshunter

· #8 · Jul 28, 2008

I bought a Bitzenberger jig in March. I havent had to use it yet, but the time has come. I think I'm going to try to fletch some blazers with it sometime this week. I'll let you know how that goes from a beginner's perspective. I've never fletched my own arrows, but now there's not really any archery shops around.
I might have some questions for you guys who already use one too.

fredbear

· #9 · Jul 28, 2008

possum said:
I shoot vanes so I don't have to order like you do fred.

I keep for getting that vanes aren't LW/RW/Strait specific. That being said, is it just me or are vanes easier to fletch?

Also, I think the fletching sticks better to arrow wraps.......I am not saying that they don't stick good to the shaft, I don't use wraps, I just think they stick better.

Hoytjunkie

· #10 · Jul 28, 2008

You may look into the shrink fletch stuff from Extreme Archery. I used them last year and they worked great for me. Their web site is down right now but the online store is up. I have always fletched my own and the Dial o Fletch is by far the best out there, but you can get a dozen arrows fletched up with the shrinkfletch in a 1/4 of the time it takes to use a jig.:biggrin: I bought a pack of blazers and a pack of the 2" quick spins and havent had an issue yet!

lowellarcher

· #11 · Jul 28, 2008

I use a bitzenberger also. Very easy to use and works really well with blazers too. I also use arrow wraps but it doesn't matter if you use them or not if you use a good glue. What I have noticed is that I see no difference whatsoever if I use a slight offset or helical on my arrows. They impact the same to me. I guess in theory it sounds like the more helical the better the flight is but I just dont see it in my shooting. I shot several arrows with helical fletched and straight offset out to 60 yards and they impacted the same so I dont mess with the helical anymore.

Willy-Bob

· #12 · Jul 29, 2008

I tried shooting right helical fletched arrows but kept making contact with my arrow rest if you use a prong style rest an offset might better easier to shoot
without adjusting everything. I had nothing but headaches. :banghead:

2dogs

· #13 · Jul 29, 2008

I bought the idiot proof Arizona EZ fletcher. I haven't had a problem with it. Since I shoot through a whisker biscuit I did have some blazers pop off, but someone (maybe from this board) told me about putting a drop of super glue on the leading edge to fix the problem. It worked.

rntquackaholic

Discussion Starter · #14 · Jul 29, 2008

I use a whisker bisquit and shoot blazer vanes. The ones I have are carbon express, came fletched and they look like they are fletched straight. Thanks for everything so far:up:

F B

· #15 · Jul 30, 2008

I also use the Arizona EZ Fletch.

It works really well for me.

Its easy, fast, and simple.

N2DP

· #16 · Jul 30, 2008

F B said:
I also use the Arizona EZ Fletch.

It works really well for me.

Its easy, fast, and simple.

Same here. I am using Blazer vanes.

10pointman

· #17 · Jul 30, 2008

I saw an ad for a vane/wrap combo, slip it on the shaft stick it in hot water and your done.

dartonmav60

· #18 · Jul 31, 2008

I sold all my fleching jigs,vanes,feathers,glue on e-bay.I now use FOB's and could't be happery,they are awesome!:thumb:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v204/mav_rc/hunting/IMG_0816.jpg

MO HUNTER

· #19 · Jul 31, 2008

I have just recently moved to the blazer vanes myself, I have access to two sets of 6 jigs. We can fletch right helical, offset, straight or what ever you want. If you use blazer vanes in a Jo Jan, I suggest putting one where you need the actual vane to hit the shaft, and the other a little higher in the clamp.( only put glue on the one that you want to be set in place, the other is just there to support the clamp and not raise the back end of the blazer with glue) The clamp itself is a little long and it will raise up in the back because there is less surface area of the blazer touching the shaft. The clamp will be a little heavy in the front and raise the rear. My suggestion, is for blazer vanes, to buy a jig that is made for blazers. They have them at Bass Pro. Sorry, I know some of you dont like BP. But you can also use cabelas if you prefer. But you cant go wrong with a Jo Jan. That way you can also fletch long vanes also, you wont just limit yourself to blazers. Very simple process actually, and if you shoot the biscuit put a little dab of glue on the front of the vane to help it hold up when it goes through the whiskers.

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fredbear

· #20 · Aug 1, 2008

I haven't had any trouble fletching blazers with my jo jan. I haven't fletched that many, about 4 or 5 dozen, but I have only had one vane with an 'air gap'.

Also I fletch them with left helical 'cause those are the only clamps that I have. That may be the difference.

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