Making super low profile banana fletches from a Li'l Chopper

[Rob DiStefano]

Bummed that the Vario Clipper Hunter choppers aren't in stock and won't be for about a month or more, I started thinking about alternatives.  Li'l Chopper has a Low Profile Banana shape that produces a 5" x 3/4" feathers.  I bought one and simply added some bamboo BBQ skewers, that I flat ground down one side, to the feather base with double stick tape and she chops a neat 4" x 7/16" feather that's perfect for a four fletch.  

Still can't wait to get the Vario!!!

 

 

[Jon Stewart]

Rob,  any thoughts on how I could modify a 4" parabolic to do very small, maybe 1 1/2" feathers  to put on pencils.  I make them up and give them away at shoots and I ran out.  The ones I had I bought from a guy here on Tradgang.  I e-mailed the guy about getting somemore with no answer.

[Mr.Chuck]

I like the five and a half inch bananas, but I use a feather burner to give them a much lower profile, like I like!   I'm set up to cut the feather length to what I desire, and then burn my profile after fletching them up.   That's what works for me!  

[joel smith]

no doubt the burners work and are more versatile but that smell ....!!!!

  :eek:

[Rob DiStefano]

Originally posted by Mr.Chuck:
I like the five and a half inch bananas, but I use a feather burner to give them a much lower profile, like I like!   I'm set up to cut the feather length to what I desire, and then burn my profile after fletching them up.   That's what works for me!      

I use my old Young burner quite a bit, but have it set for a specific shape and shaft and don't wanna upset a good thing.

[Rob DiStefano]

Originally posted by Jon Stewart:
Rob,  any thoughts on how I could modify a 4" parabolic to do very small, maybe 1 1/2" feathers  to put on pencils.  I make them up and give them away at shoots and I ran out.  The ones I had I bought from a guy here on Tradgang.  I e-mailed the guy about getting somemore with no answer.

Ya just need to experiment by radically altering the chopper jig's feather base, skewing that base around until it produces a shape and length and height that works for ya.  

Here's a Li'l Chopper 4" shield that I modifed for a much lower feather profile, to be used for a four fletch.

 

[JOKER]

I have also modified the li'l choper to make low profile bananas. I used the high profile 5.5" choper to get 4.25" x .5" bananas. I have tried them on 3 fletch and they have worked ok with a good release. Then I tried JC's 4 fletch and WOW!I don't think it is posable to make an arrow fly bad with this fletch. It is quieter and stabelizes better than my 3 5" shields. It would also be better in the wind and rain with about the same surface area. Thanks JC    Steve

[LEOPARD]

That's a good idea Rob! Good job!    

[bretto]

You can also elongate Your holes and move the base plate closer and do away with the wood skewers. Changes the length of the feather so it may not work with Parabolics.

[Rob DiStefano]

Originally posted by bretto:
You can also elongate Your holes and move the base plate closer and do away with the wood skewers. Changes the length of the feather so it may not work with Parabolics.

Actually, I've done that (move the jig's feather base plate) but that base plate is too thin - a thicker plate is better, easier to keep the feather in line.  Lotsa ways to fix that.

[fyrfyter43]

Good idea, Rob!

I had thought about doing the same thing to make some low-profile nanners to try out, but I didn't have the chopper. and I really didn't want to buy one, so I just cut a few by hand.

[dosbow56]

Now ya show it after I just chopped a whole bag of 5" shields.....LOL  I'll have to give it a try.

[bgram]

Brilliant!

[drewsbow]

 

I took my little chopper and moved the holes in and and added washers under the ends of the blade to make them shorter.

[Charlie Lamb]

Necessity is a mother!      

[**DONOTDELETE**]

I like it... I use my 5.5" nana chopper and just put a 4" feather in it and chop a traditional cut kinda

[Gator1]

I hate to hijack this great thread, but I was wondering if anyone has tips, for not getting the "roll of the quill", I recently picked up a 4" LW Shield cut chopper, and have issues getting a clean cut???

[Big Dave]

I used to use nanners with the chopper and I thought they were too high so I backed the screws out and let the center screw stay out which lowered the profile. It's been a while because I went to shield cut but I think I had to waller out the holes so that I could tighten the end screws back tight , had to play with it to get it right. Never thought to put washers behind blade to keep ie tight. Any way they stayed the same length