I'm planning on buying a jig for fletching my own arrows at home. I'm curious as to what models you guys use and if they work well. I want one that's fairly user-friendly, but not of poor quality. Thanks in advance.
PBB
Pick a hair.....or a caruncle!!
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" Turkey hunting is a magical outdoor exercise in tactics, requiring split-second decisions that are almost always irreversible. It does not require the production of a dead turkey to be a success."
I have a Jo JAn and Arizona EZ Fletch. The Arizona will do 3 feathers at a time with a slight helix. The Jo Jan will do 1 at a time with a more aggressive helix. Both are easy to use and not to expensive. Blitzenburg also makes a very good fletcher. I've been refleching arrows for about 10 years with no one to show me how! It's pretty easy and will save you money and it's fun. Make sure that when you buy a flecher (either a right or left helix model) you buy the feathers to match, that is right wing for right helix etc.
I've been using a Bitzenburger for several years, and am happy with it--but they aren't cheap. I have heard a lot of good things about the BPE Pro, and have one ordered for myself--around 1/2 what a Bitz costs. Be sure to remember what CT said--right helical clamp, right wing feathers, left helical, left wing. If you get a straight clamp, you can use either, but at best you can only do a slight off-set fletch.
Chad
Long Bows Rule!
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I tried the jo jan and martin jigs and ended up with a bitzenburger.The bitz is about as good as they get IMO.The jig and clamps are made from steel and can be scraped clean from the extra glue while you are learning the art and virtually never wear out.Just my .02
I used, and very much liked, a JoJan multifletcher for years. When I discovered fletching tape, I didn't need a 6-station fletcher any more, so I sold it and went to a single.
Started out with a BPE. Decent fletcher in the beginning, but after it had been used some it got to where I had to be very careful with the one I have to get it to index properly. If I got in a hurry, I'd wind up having feathers so unevenly spaced around the shaft that I'd have to strip it and start over. I don't like tools that cost me time and money. Like LBR, I've heard good things about the BPE too, so it's possible I just got a dud.
Anyway, I got tired of babying the BPE after a year or so and finally broke down and spent the bucks for a Bitzenberger. It's like driving a Porsche after being stuck with a Yugo. Well, maybe not quite that much difference...<img src=icon_smile_wink.gif border=0 align=middle>
If I was still using Fletchtite and Duco, I'd have never sold my old JoJan. I'd still be using it.
I have a bitz and a BPE pro. I like both but mostly use the BPE. I don't get as much build up with the BPE and when I do it seems to come off better. The bitz is a great fletcher but set up is a little harder for me. The BPE pro was a little hard to get used to but my bitz mostly gathers dust now. Don
I have a bitz that I have been using for year and have nothing to compare it to. I do have to say however, that I have a little trouble with it with helicals. I can never seem to get the helical clamp to fit nice and snug around the arrow shaft no matter how I adjust it. Does anyone else have this problem. For straight or offsets, I have no trouble, but to get a decent helical it gives me fits.
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"I do not Hunt animals to Kill them. I kill animals because I Hunt." Roger Rothhaar
I'm currently using a Bitz with fletching tape. It works well. But what is really amazing is a guy at our club who fletches arrows without using a jig at all. He just "Eyes" them up and uses the tape. They may not look as pretty but they fly just fine. Go figure!
Dick
I have a handful of bitz's, a brand new BPE pro just received yesterday, and some Martin J-8's. For the money I think the BPE's are going to be the way to go. Its hard to use anything other then my bitz's though if money isnt a consideration. The martin J-8's are just junk! I took them on a good "deal" for 3 and wish I would have never seen them!