Well I have found myself with quite a few bare shafts, and need to get some feathers on them.

I dont have a fletching tool?  What do yall suggest?  I aint looking to break the bank either.

I also looking at fetahers and am wondering about the length.  I always assumed 5" were better, but was thinking about getting some 4" because the were cheaper.  I dont want to skip on performance because im cheap.  What length do you use?

Thanks in advance

I imagine that 5" parabolics would stabilize the arrow more quickly off the shaft. I never scrimp on my hunting arrows and I like my practice arrows to be as close to my hunting arrows as possible. Probably doesn't matter THAT much though but the difference in price isn't that much, right?

If you don't have a jig, fletching with store bought feathers will be difficult, what do you have in mind?
    Sean

Im going to buy a fletching jig.  Im just looking for suggestions before I run out and buy one.  I like the arizona ez-fletch but dont like the price

As afar as the feathers Im just curious which one performs better?  I like shield cut, and was thinking 4" but if they stink I would like to know

If I were just starting out I would go with A JOJAN mono fletcher and 5" parabolic cut.  Make sure your fletching clamp and feathers are the same helical (right or left).

I would agree with jimneye. The JoJan mono works fine and is less than $40.00. I use the straight clamp and offset it right or left and prefer parobolic. Some say they are quieter but that is all I use so I dont have an opinion there. Cheap isn't ussually best and you will get what you pay for. Be careful so you dont end up buying it twice to save a few pennys. Arrow making is addicting and you will have great pride in the quality of what you accomplish.

The Jojan would be a good first jig. Personally I like to shoot 4-4" banana cut feathers. They really do a good jobe of stabilizing an arrow.

4-inch feathers will work fine for field points, and they'll stabilize a lot of broadheads as well, but most folks use 5-inch feathers for broadheads/hunting.  Keep in mind that the arrow is the most important component of accuracy.  Arrow components and building materials are not the place to scrimp.  Good luck.

The Arizona EZ Fletch works reasonably well for plastic vanes,but not for feathers IMHO.I got one in a trade as my first fletcher & after enough agravation,traded up to a Bitz.For not a lot of money,the Jo-Jan would most likely be my next choice.I still have the EZ Fletch & if you want to try it out just shoot me a pm.It's left helical & will do 5/16" & bigger shafts.I have about equal results with 3-5" or 4-4" feathers,YMMV.

I say get a grayling or BPE..price aint bad at all and they work just as good as alot of them..only thing I dont like about the Joja is you cant seem to get a good seat on Axis shafts to fletch..thats why I dont use my multi fletcher anymore and stick with my Bpe pro class and I also use a martin J-8 jig with a bitz clamp and that works great..I have about 30 jigs of various makes but I use the J-8 and the BPE exclusively and barely ever use my Bitz jig

If you like archery, and plan on doing it for awhile , buy a Bitzenberg jig. It is well worth the cost, and they hold their resale value.

the bitz gets my vote

the bitz gets my vote too and I use 5" shield cut.