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Fletching

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nanook

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Hi. I'm new to bowhunting this year and looking for advice on replacing arrow vanes and/or fletching. What do you guys do? Thanks.
 
Nanook, Are you wanting to know what is better or how to fletch them yourself? I personally use a Jojan Multi Fletch. It does 6 arrows at a time. When I got it, I was using Fletch Tite glue and it took a while for the arrows to dry so haveing a multi setup was handy. Now I use AAE Fastset Gel. It's a super glue type adhesive and sets up in 5 seconds and works equally well on carbon or aluminum shafts. All that to say, if you use the Fastset Gel, (you can get it at Wal-Mart in the sporting goods when they have there hunting stuff out)you can use a single Fletch setup and still do a half dozen arrows in a few minutes. (I use an 11 degree right helical fletcher.) As far as Vanes vs. feathers go, vanes are much cheaper and in my opinion are a much easier to work with. My personal preference are the Tru-Flight 4". Another advantage to vanes is they do better in wet weather as oppossed to feathers that can get a little soggy. Feathers are supposed to be easier to tune and if your shooting a recurve off a "shelf" then they are a must. Feathers are lighter in weight than a vane too, and in theory should shoot faster, but they don't because of the wind drag on them that the vanes don't have. I've shot identicle grain weight arrows, half with feathers and the others with vanes and the vanes shot consistantly higher groups, about 2" higher at 25 yards. It all boils down to personal preference though so you'll have to see what works best for you. I hope this is what you wanted to know, if not, I got to practice my typing. Good Luck!!!
 
I only use feathers. The main reason is cold weather hunting. When I first began hunting the late bow season I noticed that the vanes I was using turned very stiff and often caused the arrow to "dogtail" in flight. But then again, I don't shoot a "shoot through" rest, so there is always some contact between the feathers and the rest, which some may not have. As far as feathers getting "soggy" when wet, I've hunted in torrential downpours and never had that experience. They seem to shed the water pretty well. They are a bit more of a pain to work with when fletching, however. I use the Arizona EZ fletch and it is very much idiot proof (good thing). It can only do one arrow at a time, but with the fast drying adhesives it only takes a short time to fletch a dozen arrows. Good luck!

NWBuck
 
How do you get the old feathers off the shaft with out damaging the shaft? I use carbon shafts. How do I tell the helical or degree of curve to the fletching on the shaft now? I need to refletch my shafts and don't know how to get started.

Thanks

The Bonker
 
I struggled with my Jojan single arrow fletcher using Fletch Tite glue. I got an Arizona EZ Fletch and it works like a charm, using the same glue. You can do all three fletches in one fell swoop.

I have used both feathers and plastic vanes over the years and ended up preferring the feathers. They can get wet, but there is a spray that you can apply that sheds the moisture and if you "flick" your arrow every now and then, rain really doesn't build up on them.

Experienced deer hunters I know seem to really prefer the feathers over the vanes. The thinking is that the feathers "correct" the arrow flight more than vanes. I think the comment about vanes in cold weather being stiff would make sense to me too.
 
I use a Bitzenberger and love it. You can only do one at a time, but you have alot of options on degree of helical. You can pick em up cheap on ebay.
 
Bonker-

When I re-fletch my carbon shafts I use a box cutter and be VERY careful. I get what I can get off without even touching the shaft and then use the cutter in a 90 degree angle to the shaft and go slowly. Once you get almost to the shaft I use some fine grit sand paper until it's smooth. Then use some electrical cleaner to clean up the shaft, it evaporates and does a bang up job of cleaning. To put the vanes or feathers on I use a normal old super glue type stuff, but be careful that you don't glue the feather to your fletching jig! If you don't have your own jig I'd go to a sporting goods store in your area and ask so you get what you need. Hopefully you have a down home type of store to go or one that has a pro staff there to answer your questions. I don't know what type of fletcher I have, it only does one at a time and for me that's okay, I'm behind in my bowhunter magazines most of the time anyway.

As for feathers or vanes I switched to vanes as the rain would get to my feathers. After switching to a prong style rest I had no problem with the vanes. Of course my mind wanders and I'll probably switch back in a few years just for the change. =)
 
I just started shooting carbons this year due to an upgrade in bow. My friend showed me something I thought was awesome. They have a tape out there for fletching, instead of using glue. I can now fletch a dozen arrows in about an hour or so. Beats the heck out of all the time with a jig and 6 arrows at a time, waiting for glue to set. Here I just do one arrow at a time now cause it is so fast. No more need for the multiple jig, you only need one slot. NWBuck were you talking about that two sided tape as well.
 
I was undecided on the choice until one day I made an effort to see if there was a differance between the two in noise produced during flight. I hid behind a huge cottonwood and listened while a buddy shot at a target about 20 feet past the tree. It was surprising how much quieter the vanes were than the feathers.The feathers produced a loud whistling noise. Feathers that were even the least chewed up really stood out.The vanes made a soft wooshing sound that did not seem to very much arrow to arrow.I would have to think that this would offer an advantage on jumpy deer. Has anyone else tried this somewhat subjective comparison?
 
I use the arizonia EZ fletch with AAE fastset Gel. Dries real fast and holds. The fletcher is great, you can do all 3 vanes at once and can do a dozen arrows in no time at all.
I prefer vanes over feathers because I believe the are more durable and like mentioned above, more quite. If you do get a tear they do get a little niosy though.But I never use an arrow with a torn vane for hunting.
I use a fletch stripper I got at gander mountain.It has a curved blade to fit the shaft and a stopper so you cant put the blade at a bad angle and gouge the shaft. Rip the vane off then I stick the end of the shaft in acitone then the rest of the vane and glue allmost falls off.
 
OLETOM:
Nope...I was referring to a fast drying glue. I'm still a stubborn aluminum user, so I don't imagine that two-sided tape will work on an aluminum arrow...will it???

sam:
You've brought up an excellent point which I hadn't thought of. Maybe it's time to have a few of each in a person's arsenal. Thanks.

NWBuck
 
Sam
I had the same experience with noise only I wasn't trying to find out on purpose. (that takes some guts tree or no tree!) I was at a 3d tourny and one of the shots was a little close to the last shots target!! A guy in the group behind us had a definitly louder arrow then the rest of his pals. Turned out he shot feathers, the rest vanes.
Frank
 
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