or, how to grind yer raw feathers for cheap 'n' easy.
a left wing turk feather with the ends cut off
use a sharp blade to strip the feather
stripped and ready to grind the base
resize the stripped feather to best fit yer jig
a pair of .038" thick sheet metal strips that are about 1.5" wide and 8" long
sandwich the stripped feather 'tween the sheet metal strips
leave the feather base exposed and clamp
i use a stationary sanding wheel w/120 grit abrasive to grind down the feather's base, BUT, a belt sander or some 80-100 grit glued to a flat surface works just as well
-------------------- "Molon Labe" (Come and Get Them) ~ Instinctive Archer Magazine ~ TGMM Family of the Bow ~ NRA Life Member Posts: 8857 | From: NJ | Registered: Mar 2003
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press into the abrasive, leave a thin white base line remaining
now all that's left to grind off is the excess base on the SIDE of the feather
press lightly against the abrasive
a beautious feather fletch with a perfect base, ready for chopper or burner
insert into chopper
and one good whack later
ready to fletch!
fletched!
-------------------- "Molon Labe" (Come and Get Them) ~ Instinctive Archer Magazine ~ TGMM Family of the Bow ~ NRA Life Member Posts: 8857 | From: NJ | Registered: Mar 2003
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quote:Originally posted by FerretWYO: ... did you draw a little blood on your table.
geez. sure looks that way!!!
nah, from staining a tele body 'purple haze'.
-------------------- "Molon Labe" (Come and Get Them) ~ Instinctive Archer Magazine ~ TGMM Family of the Bow ~ NRA Life Member Posts: 8857 | From: NJ | Registered: Mar 2003
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i understan the steps that you went through, my question is how do you get consistent from one fletch to the next? or is this " it took a lot of practice" to acheive good results
-------------------- " you have done well to keep your hair when so many are after it" Posts: 1560 | From: new bern,nc | Registered: Nov 2008
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-------------------- Isaiah 49:2...he made me a polished arrow and concealed me in his quiver. Wilderness Custom Arrows Posts: 6762 | From: oregon | Registered: Nov 2005
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quote:Originally posted by broketooth: i understan the steps that you went through, my question is how do you get consistent from one fletch to the next? or is this " it took a lot of practice" to acheive good results
as my dad used to preach to me, 'son, the best measuring device is a good pair of eyes'. he was right (as usual).
when you see the fat base abrade down to a thin white line, yer done. just use yer eyes, they won't lie, promise.
here's a batch i just stripped, ground and chopped for a nice set of surewood fir shafts i just completed ...
-------------------- "Molon Labe" (Come and Get Them) ~ Instinctive Archer Magazine ~ TGMM Family of the Bow ~ NRA Life Member Posts: 8857 | From: NJ | Registered: Mar 2003
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i used to grind with a fletching clamp but the risk of grinding the clamp (and sure enuf i did) told me to just use a few strips of sheet metal and a spring clamp instead.
really, it's too easy. you'll see.
-------------------- "Molon Labe" (Come and Get Them) ~ Instinctive Archer Magazine ~ TGMM Family of the Bow ~ NRA Life Member Posts: 8857 | From: NJ | Registered: Mar 2003
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I do mine full length, free hand on my belt sander.You're right,the eyes won't lie.
-------------------- The shoes,they don't make the man.. >>>>--TGMM family of the bow---> Them that don't know him won't like him and them that do sometimes won't know how to take him. Posts: 2132 | From: Wells,Vt | Registered: Oct 2008
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Rob, Is this going to get moved to the How to Forum by the mod's...LOL This is a great thread I always wanted to do this,now I know how.Thanks
-------------------- Some people live an entire lifetime and wonder if they have ever made a difference in the world, but the Marines don’t have that problem. —President Ronald Reagan Posts: 7953 | From: NJ to GA back to NJ =Lost ;) | Registered: Sep 2009
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Thanks for walkin us through it Rob! I am just settin up to do this very thing.
Eric
-------------------- "I dont want to overthrow the government, I wanna Fire'em!"- Gallagher Technolgy-The knowledge of arranging things so we dont have to actually experience them. If you want people to listen to what you have to say, dont talk so much! Posts: 2574 | From: Manton Michigan | Registered: Mar 2006
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