Old bitz jig question

[Oregon Okie]

Don't know if this is the best forum for this but we'll see.
I have a handful of these OLD bitz jigs. all straight clamp unfortunately for me...
what does a guy have to do to get these ready for helical... i'm guessing more than just get a clamp??
thanks for the help.

 

[Charlie Lamb]

Fletch your arrows straight offset... works just fine. Especially with a well tuned arrow/bow combo.

Otherwise just get a helical clamp.

[ranger 3]

Boy them are old, I would say you will have to get a R or L wing helical clamp.

[Flatshooter]

I fletch straight offset. Personally, I wouldn't waste the money on R/L wing helical clamps. Your arrows should fly just as well if your bow is tuned properly.

[Bear Heart]

If you want to fletch helical you need the Clamp and Indexer.  The index knobs are offset differently.  Just call them up.

[Oregon Okie]

yeah, saw a guy on *auction site* saying he had called bitz and they didn't have index knobs for the old ones.
Any clue what these are worth...aside from the obvious "whatever someone would pay for them"  

[portugeejn]

They take different indexers.  The difference is about 1/4" between the two.  These arrows were both done with a left wing clamp.  I think the difference is where the cock feather starts out in relationship to the shaft.  If you look inside the indexer, the bar that holds the nock is at a different angle on the left indexer.

Ron

     

[Bjorn]

I have several Bitz-some newer ones and one just like yours. All you need is a clamp. I switch mine between straight and helical.

[Bjorn]

To be fair my older jig is set up for 4 fletch and the newer ones are 3 fletch so I really can't comment on Ron's point and fine picture.

[portugeejn]

I am guessing that it must have something to do with how the feather is located on the shaft.  I might do an experiment when I have time and just try the helical clamp on the old jig, shoot the arrow and see if it makes a difference.  You can tell they are different, but it doesn't seem like much.  The left wing indexer seems to locate the feathers 1/4" to the left of where the straight clamp places them.  They are both set up for 3 fletch.  

I am thinking it might make more difference with vanes instead of feathers, since feathers are more forgiving, but that is just a theory.  It seems strange they would go to the trouble of making a completely different indexer if it didn't have some affect on the finished arrow.  I doubt it would be worth it financially, but I don't know for sure.  

Ron