I have managed a couple of decent board bows from hickory and now trying some arrows from river can and dowels.Have 2 sets of Turkey feathers as it is in season here in SC. I have fletched a couple by hand with thread and glue.
Question is looking at fletching jigs do I have to get left and right clamps or can you get straight and offset left or right. I have left and right wings. Kind of confusing. Also any recommendations on decent 1st flether.
Thanks
You need left and right HELICAL clamps to match with your feathers, but you can use either wing with a straight clamp. Don't know for sure about the offset, but I suspect that would also work OK. Don't mix right and left wing feathers on one shaft, though. Bitzenberger is the Cadillac of fletching jigs. You can't go wrong with it. Jo-Jan would be second (IMO) and others after that. Personally, I would not buy a plastic one. Wouldn't trust it to not get glued to the arrow!!
I started with a Bitzenburger with straight clamps and just adjusted the angle, now I have a left and a right hilex clamps.
A new store opened in the town I work. I paid them a vist the other day just to look around. They had plastic BCA fletching jigs for $20 so I purchased the straight fletch with offset either left or right. The plastic is made from a matreial the glue will not stick to. The instruction state you can coat the edge of the clamp with bow or candle wax if you choose. The clamp is held in place with a strong magnet for the 3 to 5 minutes it take the glue to dry.
Prior to buying this jig I had used a Arazona EZfletch. Wow, what a difference. The EZ now cost about $50 and the quality of fletching you get are pretty poor with feathers. It works okay for veines. I much say the little $20 plastic BCA jig does a great job on both left and right wing feathers and the fletching come out as clost to perfect as one could expect. I was very surprised.
With that said, if you have the money buy the best metal jig you can find. I think the real difference is going to be how long the rotating components last. I plan on fletching a ton of arrows so ask me again in a year if the plastic held up and I'll be more than happy to report back an honest answer.
I own a Bitzenburger and plan to pick up a couple more.My kids and grandkids will be using those jigs.nuff said
The Bitz base of coarse will never wear out. I have however had two bitz. clamps wear through where the ball bearing pivot is inside the clamp. When that happens it no longer holds the fletch correctly.
I liked the BPE clamps mainly because of the glue not sticking. These clamps will fit the Bitz. base.
I now use the JO JAN multifletch and like it a lot.
They all work quite well.
Ron
just keep tying 'em on by hand. get some sinew and use that to tie on the fletching. trt some 2 fletch arrows...they are really easy and cool. (http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s217/rocinante64/2fletch2.jpg)
(http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s217/rocinante64/ebayforsale001.jpg)
Man, you guys are quick. Thanks for the info. I will probably get the jo-jan with left and right as it is 1/2 the price and hopefully adequate. Probably get a chopper as well as I am looking at the 3Rivers catalog. First one with scissors was not bad but looking at all the craftsmanship on here I need to get much better. Still working on pic posting.
If your just just starting out forget about the bitzenwhatever. They are good fletchers, but they do the same thing the graylings, aae, and bohnings do. They put vanes or feathers on your arrows. I use graylings. Work just as good as the bitz and are about 30-40 dollars cheaper. Got them screwed down into a 2x6 board. Just make sure your feather is getting good contact with the shaft.
(http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u250/pdubyas/100_0624.jpg)
Here is the first rough arrow I did. Also first bow and string. Learned it all from here.
Sorry Like a dumba__ I thought I sized under 600 pixels. Working on it.
You can resize it at your Photobucket album. Just click Edit and follow the instructions.
You have my hearty admiration for learning your equipment from the ground up! That will be some sweet hunting this fall with all the tools made by your own hand. :wavey:
Thank you very much. It is turkey season here now the month of April. My buddy killed two opening day and gave me the wings.
(http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u250/pdubyas/100_0615.jpg)
I started with a grayling clamp with a rt. helical. THis worked fine until I received a gift of a jo-jan (my father bought an old browning bow at a yard sale for 5.00---the guy says oh by the way you can have this too---in a box was a brand new jo-jan)--seems my dad found a good deal. If I had to buy one, I would reccommend a jo-jan.
You have plenty of feathers there--you will need a good burner also.
This site is so cool. It would take forever to learn this stuff without this " inernet merchine " Anyway I have yet to buy modern supplies and have done my 2nd arrow with an office depot clip and scissors and dowel. Not great but (http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u250/pdubyas/100_3036.jpg%5B/%5BIMG%5Dhttp://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u250/pdubyas/100_3039.jpg)IMG]decent. All this info is great. (http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u250/pdubyas/100_3042.jpg) (http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u250/pdubyas/100_3050.jpg)
(http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u250/pdubyas/100_3036.jpg)