Trad Gang
Main Boards => PowWow => Topic started by: Krex1010 on February 12, 2019, 10:17:32 PM
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The more I read about fletching, the more I hear about the advantages of helical fletching, especially when shooting broadheads....so it seems that I need to start fletching my own arrows because options are limited when buying complete shafts.....id love to get some recommendations for a solid jig that can lay a helical fletch. Any other advice that could shorten my learning curve would be welcome as well.
Thank you.
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I have a JoJan Multifletch that I've used for years with good results.
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Bitzenburgers are pretty good jigs as well.
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Used the Bitz. for years and I still like it. Switched a couple years ago to the Bearpaw, well built, designed and I like it better than my Bitz. Less money spent also.
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I own several Blitzenburgers, and some of my Blitz jigs date back to the 1980's and still work great!
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I didn’t know they made any except a bitzenberger. Just kidding. I’ve used mine since the 80s too
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I'm a Jo-Jan fan, even a trained chimp can use it, even me!!!
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I have always used a Bitzenburger in my adult life and I also use the Zenith upgrade for the one I use for carbon arrows.
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You will get more answers then Carter has liver pills :-) and they all work good. I have had a right wing Jo-Jan for over 35+ years and left wing (can't remember the brand) both do what they are made for.
If I was going to buy one now I would look into the BearPaw jig. Go on YouTube and look them up it looks like a great jig. Good luck with your purchase.
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Thanks for the info everyone.....my next question is this. I looked at the jojan website and in the faq’s it says some carbon shafts are too thin to work with a helical fletch, due to them being too thin. Is this a common problem with all jigs? Does anyone know if they would be referring to most carbon shafts or just the super skinny ones. I shoot gt trad shafts and don’t want to buy something and then realize it won’t work for me.
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Bought a Bitz when I was twenty. That was 49 years ago. Works as good now as the day I bought it.
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I used a BPE for a long time with good results. I finally got an itch to buy a Bitzenburger,and liked it a lot better. The magnet is really strong,and so is the spring on the clamp.
I did have a little trouble getting some 9/32 shafts to lay on there just right,but got them done.
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I have a JoJan, and a Grayling. I bought the Grayling on a recommendation from a friend, and I now use it 90% of the time. Solid jig, easy to set up, hard poly construction makes it tight, not sloppy at the fittings. Very much like a Bitz, but less expensive. You can get the jig and an extra clamp (for helical and straight fletching) for about $40.
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Bitz
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I have used my JoJan and helical clamps to fletch the Easton Axis shafts. They are not real skinny more like what yours GT’s are. But, you may have issues finding a new JoJan jig. I read last year they stopped making them. I couldn’t find extra clamps for sale on the website either, just small parts.
I also have two old Blitz’s I got well used back in the 80’s. I can’t comment on any others as the jigs I have served me well. My recommendation is buy the best you can afford.
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They all work. I've had several. I now only own a Bitzenbarger. To me it gives the greatest amount of adjustability and precision of the bunch. It also is solid metal which makes it feel more solid which I like better than some of the plastic ones, although it isn't a tool that really needs to be overbuilt. The only two downsides to Bitzenbarger are cost and they can be slower to build with than a multi-fletch tool or multi-arrow tool.
However, I did have a part wear out on my Bitz that I bought used and continued to use for about a decade. I called Bitzenbarger about it, was honest with what happened, and they mailed me a new one after thanking me for my business! That's pretty dang fantastic customer service and with that kind of service the cost becomes increasingly affordable over a lifetime.
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I gave my bitzenburger to a friend when I found bearpaw, I think it's a better mousetrap.
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I appreciate everyone’s input....just placed an order with 3 rivers and ordered the bitzenburger....seems like it’s a tried and true design so that what I went with. I also ordered some 5” and 5.5” fletching to play with.......I’ve never shot the 5.5” feathers, I’m curious to see how they work on carbons, not sure if the thinner diameter carbon and long fletching will work well together but I guess I’ll find out!
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I’ve had a Jojan for 45 years and made thousands of arrows.There was a small learning curve at first but very simple.Ive put 5 1/2” fletch on the older skinny bemans with no problem at all.One thing I like over most jigs is the fletching 6 arrows at one time.
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I suggest buy a Bitzenberger. It's very versatile and will outlast you!
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my jo-jan multi has done several hundred arrows over the past 20+ years and still works great...…. 6 arrows at a time helps...….
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I've used a Bitz for a long time. I like it just fine. I have heard or read that Jo Jan went out of business but I cannot confirm that personally. My son uses an Arizona. I believe they make one jig especially for small diameter carbons.
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You made a good choice. The Bitzenburger is the most popular and the best in my opinion.
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Bitz works well for me . You have to fiddle with dials however. A little trial and error & it took me awhile to read and re read the instructions that came with it.
As I am not in the business of making arrows commercially the Jo Jan was not of interest.
I started out with a cheap plastic (?) graphite(?) fletcher decades ago and it served me ,the novice, very well. Cutting and fletching arrows are blast!
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I only use Bitzenburger jig. Their clamps being metal are obviously are stronger and being so are thinner along where the glue is placed making it easier to clean compared to other plastic clamps I've tried. Easier to clean scrape with a razor and not damage the edge as happened to me with plastic.
Instead of using helical fletching have you tried putting a slight say 5 degree offset with the straight fletching and straight clamp. I found to work almost if not just as well as helical. I rotate the front end the 5 degrees. Also make sure your offset matches the fletching wing side.
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I "upgraded" to a bitz awhile back---but I can't say that it does anything any better than the old $20.00 deal --I think it was a grayling that I used to have.
You don't have to break the bank to get a decent fletching jig.
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having been in the trad archery game for over 6 decades, and building lots of arrows since day one, i started off with a trio of bitz jigs that i used for many years. they're great jigs, no question about it. the downside of metal jigs is corrosion and rust.
for the last 15 years or so i moved on to BPE, bohning, grayling and other polcarb fletchers. they work just as well for me as the quite expensive bitz jigs or 6-gang jojans.
using tape or super glue means only one jig is needed. however, i use multiple jigs where each is permanently set for one task. one jig set for woodies and another for carbons, both doing 3-fletch 5-1/2" full helical feathers, and another jig for carbons and 4-fletch 4-1/2" bananas.
bottom line: you don't need a high dollar fletching jig to fletch excellent arrows.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2HWpHXWpfTw
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I have a Bitz, Grayling and Arizona. My favorite is the Arizona EZ Fletch. It works great with 4-5 inch Feathers. It’s hard to fletch anything larger than 5 inch with it due to the arm length, but I love it for 5 inch.
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When I'm in a hurry I like the Arizona Ez fletch right helical (blue one) but my go to is the Bearpaw
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I have been using a bitzenberger but am now using a bearpaw. Very basic to use and the dials to change from 3,4 or 6 fletch is so easy.
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i've always found the AZ EZ fletch to be an extremely limiting one trick pony. most any standard fletching jig offers more versatility.
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I gave my bitzenburger to a friend when I found bearpaw, I think it's a better mousetrap.
I did the same thing. Bitz was very good but Bearpaw jig is more versatile
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Right helical bitz for 25yrs and still going strong.
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Question for the Bitz users.....i received it and it seems like a solid well made jig, but the directions are clear as mud to me. Especially the part about setting it up for helical fletching....I have the right helical clamp, and the instructions say basically “there is only one setting for helical clamps, see figure” and it shows a blurry picture of the dials for right and left clamps, but I can’t actually see what the dials are set at. What do you guys do? just turn both top and bottom dials all the way in the direction that says “right” or “left” and lock it down?
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I have the same two Bitz I bought 30 years ago.
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Question for the Bitz users.....i received it and it seems like a solid well made jig, but the directions are clear as mud to me. Especially the part about setting it up for helical fletching....I have the right helical clamp, and the instructions say basically “there is only one setting for helical clamps, see figure” and it shows a blurry picture of the dials for right and left clamps, but I can’t actually see what the dials are set at. What do you guys do? just turn both top and bottom dials all the way in the direction that says “right” or “left” and lock it down?
Easiest way to figure it out without being there in person to explain is just to put a feather in the clamp (no glue) and an arrow in the jig. Now loosen the dials enough where you can move them but they don't slide around too easy on their own. Turn the dials experimenting with the top and bottom to where you get good contact from the front of the feather all along the quill base to the tail end.
To your earlier question about helical and skinny arrows, it's just the nature of a skinny shaft that you can't get as much "wrap" of the helical around the shaft, it's too tight of a curve. Longer feathers make it even harder. The helical clamp only has so much curve/wrap built into it (not sure if this makes sense. . . but on one extreme picture the relatively "flat" surface of, say, a 1" wooden dowel where you have a lot more lateral surface to work with vs. some of the new ultra skinny shafts)
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Question for the Bitz users.....i received it and it seems like a solid well made jig, but the directions are clear as mud to me. Especially the part about setting it up for helical fletching....I have the right helical clamp, and the instructions say basically “there is only one setting for helical clamps, see figure” and it shows a blurry picture of the dials for right and left clamps, but I can’t actually see what the dials are set at. What do you guys do? just turn both top and bottom dials all the way in the direction that says “right” or “left” and lock it down?
Easiest way to figure it out without being there in person to explain is just to put a feather in the clamp (no glue) and an arrow in the jig. Now loosen the dials enough where you can move them but they don't slide around too easy on their own. Turn the dials experimenting with the top and bottom to where you get good contact from the front of the feather all along the quill base to the tail end.
To your earlier question about helical and skinny arrows, it's just the nature of a skinny shaft that you can't get as much "wrap" of the helical around the shaft, it's too tight of a curve. Longer feathers make it even harder. The helical clamp only has so much curve/wrap built into it (not sure if this makes sense. . . but on one extreme picture the relatively "flat" surface of, say, a 1" wooden dowel where you have a lot more lateral surface to work with vs. some of the new ultra skinny shafts)
Thanks for the detailed response. I’ll definitely do what you said, I’d like to shorten the learning curve, feathers aren’t terribly expensive but they aren’t cheap either, I’d like to not waste too many while learning how to do this.
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Another vote for Bitz. Used them for 20 years and going strong
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Normal carbons, ie; GT traditionals, will work fine with the Bitz. I also did some GT Entradas which are lightweight shafts of a slightly smaller diameter and it worked fine with 4" feathers. You may need to do less offset with the 5.5".
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You made a good choice with the Bitz IMHO.
I concur about the instructions...they suck.
You can crank in as much (or little) helical as you like, but bottom line is; how much do you need? This is based mainly on shaft diameter and length of feather. If you try to put too much helical on a short feather and/or short shaft, the quill won't sit square on the shaft. This is less of a problem with, say, aluminum shafts and super glue than with Fletch-Tite on carbon shafts, which requires a set time (albeit short). More helical increases drag also. I general use 'just enough' based on my visual perception of what looks right rather than some magic formula.
You might want to also read this month's TBM article regarding shooting arrows with no helical...much food for thought and discussion on a subject most have taken as pure fact for decades. Not saying I agree or disagree, but it bears further study.
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Plain ol' Bohning plastic jig. Cheap & works just fine for the dozen or so a year I fletch. I lay on a bit of wax on the clamp between arrows to avoid having glue build up.
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I’ve got 2 Bitz’s and a Jojan multifletcher. I bought my first Bitz probably 40 years ago and the 2nd one about 20 years ago when the magnet on the 1st starting getting weak. They did a great job for me. I then bought the multifletcher 6 or 8 years ago and haven’t used the Bitz since. Either one is a quality product but I don’t think the Jojan is sold anymore
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I contacted jojan with a question when I was looking and they emailed me back saying they were no longer in business.