My wife got me a arrow fletcher for xmas (thinking she go tired of me complaining about wrecking my flights all the time)

She got me a:



Never have used one of these before (or any arrow fletcher for that matter)

Are there any tips or techniques that I need to know? or is it best to just jump in and see what happens?

Well, I've never used that particular fletching jig, but the same basic principles apply. Make sure the arrow is clean. Use 99% alcohol (do NOT use acetone for carbon arrows) to clean the shaft. Actually, before you clean it, hit it with green scotch brite pad first, just to scuff it up a tad...install the fletching of your choice in the jig, and run a thin bead of glue.

That's where the real art form is, getting the right amount of glue. Too much is just as bad as not enough.....Just a thin bead.

Great, thanks.

Is there any particular glue that seems to work better than another? or can I use the kids Elmers?

How about the vanes? any brand there?

I will be getting a new bow come this spring, so I will hopefully have some old arrows to practice on shortly.

Many glues work well. Any of the cyanoacrylates (super glue) works quite well. I'm quite fond of Bohning Quantum XT, but goat tuff and pine ridge also work very well.

I (and about 90% of the people on this forum it seems) love 2" blazers, but any vane or feather or your choosing would work well. If you will be using feathers, I would recomment bohning fletching tape, not glue.

Bohning fletch-tite platinum works good holds up ok on pass through shots on targets. I have used superglue also but it seems brittle and vanes come off easier (my opinion)... vanes, I like the harder more plastic type than the rubbery type (whisker biscut rest on my bow).make sure the shaft and vane are clean like mobow said also some vanes have a oily film on them so they dont stick together in the package that needs cleaned off to make it stay put better

Awesome, thanks for the input, much appreciated.