An old fletching jig

[Shadowhnter]

I went to visit my Daddy and Mama this past weekend. They are reaching an age, where they know their time is short. Being the servants they are, they don't want to bog us kids and family down with trying to sort through a bunch of their stuff when they are gone. Of course a will of sorts is in place, but what to do with the little things is the chore.

Ironically, I asked Dad whatever happened to his old fletching jig. He laughed and said it was in a box in the back room, and was setting out to see if id be interested in having it. I fletched arrows as a kid with this thing, and he had it a long time before I ever used it. Of course, I did want it, and brought it home feeling VERY happy and Blessed. It's fully operational with strong clamps, and would fletch an arrow this minute if I chose to do so. He also gave me a couple dozen nocks that look like Mercury Speed nock originals, a few very old field tips, and 8 modern replaceable blade broadheads that look like NAP Thunderheads. I havent weighed them but are looking like 100-125gr.

It's a jig made by Hoyt, called the "Tri-Heli_Fletch". Here is what it looks like. Helical clamps on left, straight clamps on right.

 

 

Here, you can see the springs on the outer edges, and the ball bearings the clamps pivot on.

 

 

The bottom of the bottom

 

top of the bottom. notice the clips the clamps slide into. You cant see it, but there is a nock holder in the bottom of the center hole.

 

bottom of top

 

top of the top.

 

The original piece of cedar block Dad used for a base with a hole drilled in it to hold the jig in place.

 

What it looks like in the block.

 

With a shaft in place.

 

With shaft and all three clamps in clips on jig. This is a tapered shaft, which obviously this jig and clamps were not made to fletch, so you may see some daylight.

 

[reddogge]

That is unusual. A nice piece of family history. Get one of his arrows if you can.

[Shadowhnter]

I just talked to Daddy, and he said he bought it in the late 1950's

[ron w]

Pretty cool........

[Larry m]

Neat post with an interesting fletching jig. Never seen one like it!!!  

[TRAP]

When I first got into archery in the late 70s I bought 2 Hoyt Tri-heli fletching jigs and that's what I used for the next 10 years or so.

They are very good Fletcher's and are extremely adjustable. They actually came with a round base with a female receiver to put the jig in. The block of wood serves the same purpose well.

[TRAP]

[SELFBOW19953]

I have a couple of similar design-one by Herters, the other by Ben Pearson.  The Herters first.

 
 

Notice the knobs at the top and bottom for adjusting the helical.
 

Now the Pearson.
 
 

Notice the spring clips to hold the feathers tight against the shaft.
 

[ksbowman]

That's funny! That is the same fletcher I've been using since the early 70's. I've tried 2 or 3 other fletchers but, none worked as good as this one. Wow now you make me feel old!

[Wade Phillips]

The 3-Fletch Rotary Design was one of the most popular fletcher configurations ever made. Of the nearly 100 different vintage fletching tools at the Arsenal, perhaps 25 percent are of the Rotary Design.  

Shadowhnter - The Hoyt is one of the most common old rotary type fletchers. There are three of the Hoyts here, left, right and straight.

SELFBOW19953 - The Herters was previously "The Thompson Hawkeye" and then after Herters, it became the "Cabelas". In comparing examples of each at the Arsenal, on the surface they appear to be identical, with the exception of the name in the castings.

[Amberjack]

Was just at a friends house the other day going through all of his old arrow-building gear and he pulled out a Hoyt tri-fletch just like yours!  Great little device.

Congrats on the blessing!

Jack

[crazynate]

Those older jigs are super cool. I've been looking for an older heaters one.