Trad Gang
Main Boards => PowWow => Topic started by: the rifleman on July 16, 2016, 09:14:00 PM
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i am grinding challenged--- I have a hard time getting the quill even and true. I have pealed the membrane on a couple feathers just to try it, but it seemed to produce a flimsy feather. Has anyone here pealed and fletched w them? How do they perform and hold up?
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I know a guy that does it that way and the glue will hold them in place . But honestly I've not done it myself .
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As you've found by doing this you now have a very thin base to glue to the shaft. They are a pain to work with. But it can be done and they hold up just fine. I have made flu-flus this way.
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Maybe try a straight fletching clamp and 220 sand paper. If you take your time with the razor knife, there shouldn't be a ton of grinding or in this case sanding......but start slow until you get the feel. It's not hard.
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I've done it successfully, but the thinness makes them hard to control in the jig.
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fwiw, here's how i make fletchings ...
Topic: From Raw Feather to Completed Arrow Fletch (http://tradgang.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=2;t=000111)
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I have never considered peeling them. Thin bases equal hard to work with, along with a very short life span.
When I got an almost never ending supplier of turkey feathers I made a homemade jig. After that jig I improved the jig until I finally paid for the Great Northern grinding jig. The GH jig is the ticket if you're going to grind a bunch of feathers.
Good luck, and let us know what you end up doing. :thumbsup:
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Thank you all for the help. I've been putting them in straight clamp and use a drum sander followed by a belt sander. They are getting better, but no where near as nice as Rob's. Will keep at it and save the pealing for the potatoes.
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I split them with "Craftsman Handi Cut " cutters. Put them in a bitz straight clamp and sand them with a palm sander. It takes a 3 min to get a feather ready to glue. I have several turkey hunting friends who help supply my feathers.