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Main Boards => PowWow => Topic started by: Turkhunter on December 23, 2011, 11:39:00 AM

Title: Best feather length?
Post by: Turkhunter on December 23, 2011, 11:39:00 AM

I have some Beeman black max arrows I would like to put helical feathers on but dont know what length to use. They are the same diameter as easton axis or mfx and I have had trouble getting 4" vanes to stick from a helical clamp. What about feathers? It seems like 5" would wrap almost completley around these little shafts. Just wondering what you guys use.

Title: Re: Best feather length?
Post by: **DONOTDELETE** on December 23, 2011, 11:46:00 AM

did you try not using any offset with the helical jig? I shoot woodies and I use 4" and 5" feathers.

Title: Re: Best feather length?
Post by: 30coupe on December 23, 2011, 12:32:00 PM

I've kind of settled on 5" feathers, simply because I like the way they look. With a well tuned set-up you really don't need anything more than 3 x 4" fletching. Try Sal's suggestion. I don't see any reason either 4 or 5 inch feathers wouldn't work.

You are not trying to use right wing feathers in a left wing jig are you? I accidentally picked up a bag of right wing feathers once. Let me tell you, they don't like being bent the wrong way.    

Title: Re: Best feather length?
Post by: reddogge on December 23, 2011, 01:48:00 PM

I use 5" on carbons without any problem in the old Jo-Jan multifletcher.

Title: Re: Best feather length?
Post by: MikeW on December 23, 2011, 02:10:00 PM

Quote

Originally posted by reddogge:
I use 5" on carbons without any problem in the old Jo-Jan multifletcher.

Same here on Beman MFX but you have to back the Helical off a little to make full shaft contact. I split the difference from front to back.

Title: Re: Best feather length?
Post by: Easykeeper on December 23, 2011, 02:37:00 PM

I like 5" shield for my recurve, but 4" works pretty well too.  I don't have any trouble getting good contact with 5" feathers on my ACCs, a relatively skinny arrow.  I use a Bitz jig.

Title: Re: Best feather length?
Post by: JamesKerr on December 23, 2011, 06:43:00 PM

I like 5" parabolic cuts for my 5/16" arrows and 4" parabolic cuts for my 9/32" arrows.

Title: Re: Best feather length?
Post by: land_shark on December 23, 2011, 07:47:00 PM

I use both 4" and 5" prefering 5". On small shafts I use straight clamps with 2 degree offset. They fly great with shield cut.

Title: Re: Best feather length?
Post by: lpcjon2 on December 23, 2011, 10:33:00 PM

I have done 5" on Radial X Weaves with no problem.The diameter of the shaft is a lot bigger than it looks to the eye.Take a napkin and place the edge on the shaft and wrap it around till it touches and mark it ,then unroll it and look at the length.It will have plenty of room for helical.

Title: Re: Best feather length?
Post by: stickbowmaniac on December 24, 2011, 09:40:00 AM

I shoot Beman MFX with 4" pink parabolic cut.Fly like darts with my simmons interceptors.

Title: Re: Best feather length?
Post by: ChuckC on December 24, 2011, 10:16:00 AM

Lots of adjusting available on some jigs, including using a helical jig straight up and down the shaft.
ChuckC

Title: Re: Best feather length?
Post by: Ragnarok Forge on December 24, 2011, 11:25:00 AM

4 inch work great on carbons. I personally shoot 3 inch 4 fletch.  It gives me the same surface area as 4 inch 3 fletch.

Title: Re: Best feather length?
Post by: BrownA5 on December 25, 2011, 11:18:00 PM

5" on GTs 3555 and Carbon Express 150 shafts.  Fletching jig is a Bitz.

Title: Re: Best feather length?
Post by: chanumpa on December 26, 2011, 12:01:00 AM

Ive tried them all and like4-4".

Title: Re: Best feather length?
Post by: Desperado on December 26, 2011, 02:12:00 AM

Travis...Wow...I didn't know anyone else used Black Max but me...I love them when I'm not shooting wood.
I use 3 5" left wing shield cut feathers with my Bitzenberger helical jig and it works fine. Just need to adjust a bit. Good arrow choice.....Whitie

Title: Re: Best feather length?
Post by: Trad 4 life on December 26, 2011, 02:30:00 AM

how well tuned is you bow you can shoot 2" feathers if you like but 3 or 4" feathers will work great on those shafts.
these are beman MFX shafts with 4" feathers of my own  (http://i1138.photobucket.com/albums/n525/flatblade150/P10205502.jpg)

Title: Re: Best feather length?
Post by: Possum Head on December 26, 2011, 08:15:00 AM

If using a Bitzenberger, follow Desperado's advice,Loosen the adjustment screws just a little as a bit snug is best clamp an unglued feather, place on magnet and with gooooooood lighting start at the front of the shaft doing a visual check. The feather should be centered. Now look at the back, you should expect the same results, If not very slightly turn your adjusting knobs until you obtain contact the length of the feather be it 4 or 5". you can make either work with a little patience.

Title: Re: Best feather length?
Post by: SS Snuffer on December 26, 2011, 04:43:00 PM

I use a BPE pro RH Helical 4" on Axis arrows 17/64ths
Works good but like they said back off on the twist some.

Title: Re: Best feather length?
Post by: SS Snuffer on December 26, 2011, 04:46:00 PM

Nice arrows Ron    :notworthy:  To nice to shoot!!!

Title: Re: Best feather length?
Post by: Davesea on December 26, 2011, 05:05:00 PM

I use the same helical jig for my 11/32 woodies and the 1/4" arrows I make for youth bows.  No adjustments needed.
Dave

Title: Re: Best feather length?
Post by: Rob DiStefano on December 26, 2011, 05:20:00 PM

imo, it's not just about the length of the feather, it's about its height, effective control surface area and the alignment whence stuck on the shaft.  to understand all of this requires personal testing.

i've seen 4" feather cuts with more surface area than some 5" fletchings.  these dayze i burn my own "fat" shield-like 5.25" shape and give it the full monty helical.

Title: Re: Best feather length?
Post by: Rob DiStefano on December 26, 2011, 05:34:00 PM

oh yes, as with most stuff in life, there is no "best feather length".  however, there are less than smart feather cuts that don't belong on a trad hunting arrow and i do hope for the sake of this thread we don't go there ... please.

yes, you can do a full helical 5.25" feather fletch on a skinny beman ics 500 carbon shaft, that's what i use most ...

  (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v82/rfdee/archery/pink.jpg)

... the feathers are tape fletched, dotted with duco fore and aft and will not come off, even in a hog pass thru (4-fletch 4" offset banana feathers) ...

  (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v82/rfdee/archery/tg_arrow.jpg)

... or even after laying in the carolina woods for 3  years (4-fletch 4" offset banana feathers) ...

  (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v82/rfdee/archery/hog1arra2.jpg)

Title: Re: Best feather length?
Post by: Tajue17 on December 26, 2011, 08:11:00 PM

if your bareshaft tuned to perfection you can use a 2" feather but I opt for 5" and if I'm using woodies I like high back 5.5's just because they are wood and don't stay straight.

with that being said I have some wilderness arrows that he did with 5" and so far they are shooting very nice for me even with 2-blade broadheads.

me personally I do not and have never liked 4-fletch unless its a flu flu.