rtread

I'm wanting to get into re-fletching my arrows.....have been looking at different strippers, vanes, glues, etc. I will be re-fletching carbon practice arrows only. I read Rick James' review on Vane-tec vanes....sounds good, are they available on-line?

Any recommendations on fletching gear for a beginner would be appreciated. I anticipate refletching 10-20 arrows a month so I don't want to tie up a fortune in equipment but want to save money on the arrows I'm now buying.

BTM

As far as stripping old vanes, there's no need to buy an expensve gizmo from the archery catalogs. Those cheapo curved-blade linoleum knives work great.

I like my Bitzenburger fletching jig. It only does vane one at a time, but I'm rather picky about precise placement and don't feel confortable with trying to do all three vanes simultaneously.

Poluke

The Bitzenberger (SP?), Boehning (SP?) Grayling (I know I spelled that right) are all good jigs Grayling being the least expensive. I like my grayling as the whole jig RH clamp cost about 30 bucks through Gander Mt .

Goat tough fletching glue works well and cleans up nicely as well as Fastfletch but both are pricey at 20 bucks for a couple ounces, but you can do a lot of fletch jobs with either.

Vanes are your choice I went through a lot of brands before I settled on what I have now.

I strip old fletching with a utility knife that I filed a notch into. It works well and doesn't dig into the carbon outer layer/coating if I'm carefull.

Old glue and fletch base residue scrapes off easily but I use 300+ grit to "clean up" after all fletching is removed.

I use distilled water and a clean cotton dish towel (flour sack type) to remove dust from the fletching site. I avoid using acetones and alcohols to do this as acetone can affect certain coatings and alcohol (rubbing type) will leave oily residue which will affect bonding of the new fletching to the arrow shaft.

Hope this helps

rtread

Thanks for the good info! I ordered a Grayling jig and clamp from Cabela's....they had options of straight, RH (right helical) and LH (left helical). I ordered the straight not knowing what the h--- they were talking about. I figured straight was a safe bet. Could someone explain this option? thx

bigbulls

Helical just means that the clamp is curved and twisted to allow the vane to wrap around the shaft and make full contact. A straight clamp is just that, straight and flat so you can only offset the vanes a few degrees from parallel before they start not making contact at the ends of the vanes.

The grayling jig is a good set up especially for someone starting out fletching.

rtread

Thanks bigbulls. I'm still not sure of my choice of the straight clamp. I took a close look at the arrows I have been buying and noticed the vanes seem to go to the right slightly, looking from back of vane to front. I understand that this gives the arrow a spin.....if I start fletching straight vanes, will my arrows react differently? (Scuse my ignorance.....I'm trying to make sure of what I need before Cabela's processes my order....)

bigbulls

Most all factory fletched arrows are fletched with a straight clamp set a few degrees offset.

The jig itself is adjustable so you can offset the angle of the vanes when you fletch your arrows.

You can place an already fletched arrow in the clamp and adjust the jig so that you get the exact angle on the vanes that you have already been shooting.


I prefer a right helical clamp so that my feathers "wrap" the shaft but I shoot a drop away rest so I don't have to worry about fletching contact with the rest. If you shoot a standard two prong rest you need the straight clamp.

The safest bet is the straight clamp. That is what you have been shooting if you have been buying pre fletched arrows.

rtread

Great! Preciate the good info!

MDManiac

Big Bulls, I too would like to get into the Fletching scene....I was looking at the Grayling Jig earlier as well...

What I shoot is a WB, I want to put feathers on (carbons), shooting around 60lbs. should I get a Right Helical or Straight do you think? I just hate when the vanes i have now come off because of the WB. Thanks.

bigbulls

I have not shot feathers through a WB but I have my wife and daughter set up with WB's and they shoot right helical vanes through theirs. Seems to work well.

Personally if you are useing a rest that will allow helical, which you are, then I would use helical.