Arrow fletching.
 

Asking for some input from you experienced ones!! After many years of bowhunting, I want to start fletching my own arrows. I have the room, the time, and like tinkering!I have scanned all kinds of input on jigs and have made that choice. I shoot a slow to mod speed round wheel compound maybe 240fps, 29 inch carbon arrows, right handedand will not be using feathers. I use a whisker biscuit and will forever and shoot mechanical 100g broadhead. My question is: I am shooting straight vanes now, is there any great reason to go to a twisted vane??Second question: what kind of setup are most of you guys using to cut your carbons?

I do not want to bother running to the pro shop for this stuff since the closest shop is 45 minutes from me and the good one an hour. I will get more satisfaction in making my own and the freedom to experiment which I am looking forward to.

Thank you in advance.

RE: Arrow fletching.
 

Off set or helical vanes will stabilize the arrow quicker then a straight fletch specially when a broad head is attached.

As for cuttingcarbons you could spend a lot of money on an apple arrow saw or make your own with a minii cut off saw from Harbor Freightwhich is what I done;)

There are a lot of jigs out there I use the AEF but if money is no object then get several Blitz jigs and put them on a turn table like most Pro Shops have;)

RE: Arrow fletching.
 

fletching arrows is pretty simple from what i hear..putting the vanes in the jig and gluing them on the shaft. the choice is yours about straight, offset or helical. i personally like as much of a helical as i can get. better stability and accuracy. straight vanes are pretty much useless. they do nothing but add weight. your arrow will not spin at all.

good vanes for the WB are blazer vanes from what i hear..i know they are tough durable vanes..i pass them through my bag target all the time and they come out fine.

cutting carbons you need a high speed saw. some guys made jigs to use dremel tools and the like..but you need a high speed saw to prevent it from splintering..

RE: Arrow fletching.
 

Since you are shooting the WB, stay away from a hard helical. My experience has been that the two don't really get along very well. I would, however, fletch an offset to get some spin...Spin will help stabilize the arrow faster and better.

RE: Arrow fletching.
 

That is what I was worried about is how much of a degree to the twist would be bad with the biscuit.

I will start with the Arizona it seems very easy and fast. If I do not like it then the Biz but for 1/5th the price the easy will be the way for me.

I can not decide if I wanna go with the saw all set up allready for $99 or go with the $25 saw and make my own set up.

I will give the Blazer vanes a tryout.

RE: Arrow fletching.
 

Fletch,
I do not believe you will be happy w/ an Arizona E-Z Fletch. It will work great w/4 and5 inch vanes but I tried it w/ the Blazers and it does not put an offset on the vane. The Blazers are too short.
I use a Greyling fletching jig. It's fully adjustable for offset or helical and not real expensive. It will allow you to experiment w/ the correct offset angle for a WB.
Granted you put 1 vane on at a time but if you use AAE fastset gel it only takes 5-10 seconds per vane.

RE: Arrow fletching.
 

I just started fletching my own arrows and it isn't too hard. I borrowed my uncles Jo Jan Fletching jig or atleast I think thats what it is by looking on the internet. I also use blazers and a whisker biscuit. With this jig it puts a little bit of helical on it and I'm shooting good with it so I guess I can't ask for much more. I did a how to speech on fletching arrows if you want I can send it to you, but be warned before I gave my speech I had only fletched one arrow. :) I've been thinking of trying to cut my own arrows Ausie-guy what kind of a blade do you use on your cut off saw?I bought one a year ago from harbor freight bet its the same saw. Its blaze orange and silver.

RE: Arrow fletching.
 

I have alway shot helical flected arrows. I also shot a whisker biscuit and have never had any trouble other than the fletchind wear. The helical flecth give you more spin kinda like a rifle. Always made sense to me.

RE: Arrow fletching.
 

I mis-stated before that I shoot straight. I shoot store bought, they are helicle but not sure how much. I think the Arizona EZ has a right helicle but it said 6 degrees I think. If that is not too much for a biscuit I will be fine.

RE: Arrow fletching.
 

I believe you can get different degrees of offset on the Arizona.
I use one and it is called 'straight', but still has 1 degree.
I also shoot through a whisker bicuit, but I think I will have to switch to the blazer vanes. The ones I have get pretty beat up.

RE: Arrow fletching.
 

If your looking to buy a real good jig ,go for the Bitz and save your money on buying another that you may not like .
I shoot blazer's as well as my friend's and my buddy shoot's his blazer's through a whisker bisciut ,because the blazer's are so short ,you don't get a whole lot of helical ,so I wouldn't worry too much about helical ,you'll get a bit of an off set ,but that shouldn't hurt.

nubo

RE: Arrow fletching.
 

Bought a little mini-saw on eBay few years ago to cut arrows, works good for me. As for fletch I use straight. For me it is difficult to work with a right hand twist and i have no problem with arrow flight so stick with the straight fletching.

RE: Arrow fletching.
 

I use a Bitzenburger and have a right helical clamp. I'm just learning how to. Does it mater how close or far, ( within reason) that you start the vane? I've heard that the closer to the nock the better. What do you guys think? Heres a pic of one I fletched with blazers,( Green & Yellow) and bought the other.

RE: Arrow fletching.
 

I have been flecting my arrows for a few years now. I use a Bitzenburger jig which I think is the best. I have others but I dont use them. I have gone to the Blazer vanes about 2 seasons ago and Im very happy with the results. The arrow you show in your picture are very nice. I glue my vanes about 3/4 of a inch from the base of the nock. if you look at the clamp you will see little marks, I use the next to last mark. I have a ? for you, do you have any trouble glueing your vanes with the Right Heical ? I have heard mixed opions about this. Since I started to use the blazers I have had great success out to 35 yards. i shot a Bowtech with a WB rest at 60 lbs. I wouldn't trade it for anything its the best bow I ever had and Iv had a few.

RE: Arrow fletching.
 

glockman the arrow looks good! How many was that one?After the input I am now leaning towards the Bitz. I will be trying Blazers and I am getting a right helicle. Remember I shoot a biscuit. Anyone see anything wrong with this speak up please. The only other main question is glue, I hear the Goat is the stuff but someone said gel is easier because it does not run??

RE: Arrow fletching.
 

I bought my jig through Archery Sports USA. On-Line.




BITZENBURGER JIG RIGHT, Refurbished

$46.86
As for the Rt. helical, theglue I used isFletch Tite Platinum. I'm sure there are better glues out there, but I'm just getting started. The blazers haven't shown any attement of coming off, but I shoot off a drop-away rest.and I've shot them alot. I have a 1/2 doz. Gold Tip XT hunters that I'm stripping to re-fletch with blazers.

RE: Arrow fletching.
 

Nice lead on the Bitz, was it in new shape with instructions and all?

RE: Arrow fletching.
 

Yes very good shape, like new condition, I got copy of instructions from a friend, I'm sure you can find them on-line too.

RE: Arrow fletching.
 

Just wanted to update. I tried the reconditioned one and the one I got was a piece of junk. It had gouges and chunks of metal stuck up in the clamp and the clamp was bent. The jig itself had a cob job repair trying to rebuild the top arrow holder. You got a good one. Mine went back in the box and mailed back. Will be going to Gander tonight!! They had no problems taking it back or at least said they did not. Said they would credit the card when they got it back. Oh well.

RE: Arrow fletching.
 

I bought a used Bitz on archerytalk.com, many are available on ebay also. Bitz is the only way to go. I also fletch rH helical and use a wisker bisquit with excellent results. No vane damage at all.

RE: Arrow fletching.
 

I use the WB with the Arizona EZ fletch and 4" V-Max vanes from vanetec and the work great.

RE: Arrow fletching.
 

you will never get the amount of stabilization using vanes thru a WB as you will with feathers because you cannot helical the vanes without risking dammage or even complete removal of one or more of the fletchings as it passes through the rest the wb also stops any spin that may have initally started off the string due to the the wiskers stopping the spin.
this is a major issue with me concerning the WB 100%fletch contact is completely unexceptable using either feathers or vanes. but if you choose to continue with using the WB I would suggest that you use feathers.

If you are serious about using vanes I would recomend that you buy a fallaway rest, GKF abd Cobra both makes a good affordable Fallaway. Use the Bhoning Blazers you get more speed and more maintained downrange speed and the same stabelization as a 4" vane
I could give you all the sprcs why the blazers work as well as a 4" vane but I have a feeling that this is going to turn into a debate butthat is my recomendation