I'm looking for the best and most cost effective(cheapest) place to buy a chopper, in 5" shield...left or right(maybe both)-do I NEED both??
Any suggestions appreciated...need to have it shipped to Houlton MAine.
I bought mine from 3rivers,around 20.00 I think.You need the same as your fletching jig,either right or left.I have not noticed a difference in right helical or left,when shooting,just as long as the feathers are matched to your jig and cutter
Thanks Bodie. I got right-left and straight jigs in JO-JAN so I can go either way.
You really want to match up the feather to the chopper (right wing vs left wing). It is possible to chop a left wing in a right wing chopper, but it is a little more difficult and some of them do not cut as neat. I chop both in one chopper, but if I were chopping a lot more feathers I would buy one for each.
Kevin.
I've worn out the Little Choppers before. I hear real good things about the Vario Chopper available from Herb Haines... he's on the sponsors list.
Might cost a little more but everyone raves about the quality and variety in a single jig with exchangable cutting blades.
If you want a quick, cheap fix, do a search on here for redneck feather chopper. You can use this thing for right or left wing feathers.
Dang. Just did a search and it's not here. Shoot me a pm if interested.
Vario--best buy in the long run.
Chad
Easternarcher ,
i live 45 miles from Houlton ,30 miles east of Woodstock .
i sell the Vario Clipper and as Charlie and LBR say they are a very fine tool .
cost is $55.00 US for the base unit including the blade insert .shipping is $9.50us or less you only pay actual costs.expensive ,yes but you reall in this case get what you pay for ---- herb
I use scissors to cut my feathers. But before I cut them, I put them in one of these home made rigs for nice even cuts.
http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l282/poekoelan/clips1.jpg
http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l282/poekoelan/clips1.jpg
Only costs a few pennies to make one. Doesn't matter if it's right or left wing either.
Like Bodie said, I have not noticed much, if any performance difference between right and left helical fletch. I go with left because the feathers are a bit cheaper.
I used a feather chopper for many years. I finally broke down and bought a "Young Feather Burner". It was the best investment toward my arrow making I made since a spine tester. Yes, they cost more and smell, but I make my arrows out in the shed. You can make any shape feather you can invision, right or left and you won't have to buy anything else for it except a new ribbon every 10 years or so for $2.00.