More newbie fletching questions

[dan d]

After a year of reading and studying trad archery here, I had made up my mind of using a four fletch cedar arrow. I realize this is not the most popular route, but enough seem to use this setup and I liked the thought of keeping my fletchings all one color and no thinking about how to nock up an arrow. I am still debating length of fletch but that's for another day.

Anyways, it just entered my Mellon the fact of orienteering the wood grain, so much for my great four fletch theory, correct ?  I don't want to stick a snapped off arrow thru my hand like I see in TJ Conrads book the traditional bowhunters handbook.

Dan

[NoCams]

Heh Dan,
You orient the grain when you glue the nock on bud. When viewed from the nock end make sure you have the nock glued on so that the string is perpendicular to the wood grain. This will keep the string forces from trying to split the wood along the grain like a wedge does firewood. The nock position determines this , not the fletching. When your arrow is on the string  you should be able to see the rifts on the top or bottom of the arrow and they will look like this......<<<<<<< or....... >>>>>>> . Get your nocks glued on correctly, then four fletch away bud ! Most use 4" fletch when using 4 fletch. Good luck !

[portugeejn]

Hi Dan,

Since you install the nock oriented so the string cuts across the grain before you fletch, you will only be able to nock the arrow with the string at right angles with the grain.

If you set it up correctly to begin with you put the arrow on the string one way, and it is at right angles with the grain.  Or if you turn it 180 degrees-the string has to fit into the slot with it still cutting across the grain.

I find making arrows very relaxing.  Hope you enjoy it!

RonP    
 nock alignment

[Grey Taylor]

I would guess that you're thinking of how the grain rifts are pointing.
Typically, we want the rifts pointing to the tip of the arrow on the top of the arrow.
So if you're using 4 fletch, that means you have a 50/50 chance of putting the arrow on "upside down" and risking impalement, dismembermant, and death on your bow hand... right?
A few months ago I posed a question here about how important that rift orientation is. The consensus on the thread was that most of us wood arrow makers follow that nock/rift orientation. However, none of us had ever seen an arrow break along those rift lines and head either up and away from the bow hand, or down into it.
The decision seemed to be that it probably doesn't make any practical difference, but we'll still do it just for the sake of uniformity, if nothing else.

Now, to further confuse you... if you use an index nock like the Bohning Classic, you can easily have the arrow oriented properly for the string before it fully leaves your quiver. I have a whole bunch of arrows with no obvious cock feather and it's no trouble at all to put the arrow on the string correctly without even looking at the arrow.
Also... if you nock a 3 fletch arrow backwards, go ahead and shoot it. Some bows actually like that better and even if that's not the case it's rare that you'll really see poor flight with the cock feather in.
Not that there's anything wrong with a 4 fletch arrow, if that's what you like.

Guy  

Guy

[Stumpkiller]

I've seen two wood arrows break.  One was an archer who overdrew and the point was on the back of the riser when he released.  The other was an arrow that likely was already split and it flew apart when released.  The owner was more concerned with what might have happened to the bow.

You don't have to use different colored fletch with a three feather arrangement.  Even with four you'll have to look to see whether the nock is horizontal or vertical or feel the nock.  Three would work as well.

I have been told the "V"s (runouts) should point towards the nock on the top side of the arrow when on the rest.  If you're lucky, and have a good batch of shafts, it's hard to spot the grain runouts.

[dan d]

Thanks for the replies !
   I had been confused on figuring / finding the correct grain orientation for a while now. Last week I was at a trad archery shop north of Grand Rapids Mi and that's where I learned to point the rift (>>>>>>>>) to the top. I had read it here  before, but I guess I'm a visual learner, and it made more sense when I physically saw it. Before I was trying to find the actual grain lines and that was tough, I can spot the rift easily.

So it don't matter if the rift ends up pointing down ? I will still get some of them index nocks, but I was concerned that if I get flinging arrows the rift could end up on the down side.

Thanks again for all the different explanations !  I have fletched arrows (aluminums) 20 years ago and enjoyed that, I will really enjoy fletching the real deal (wood) I was just nervous about getting a broken arrow in my hand.
Dan

[Grey Taylor]

I fletch so the rift lines are on top of the arrow and pointing towards the tip.
I do it for the sake of uniformity and because the people I make arrows for expect it.
But as I mentioned above, it doesn't look like it actually makes any practical difference.
Perhaps, ultimately, this is another traditional archery urban legend; just like the right wing/left wing myth. An old book or an out of date video says it, and the next thing you know it's confusing everyone.

Guy