Feather Burner suggestion......

[Pete Patterson]

I've used a burner for a good while now.  But, I've always used it for the "traditional feather" which does not taper all the way down to the shaft at either end.  

Since creating some parabolics with the burner, I've noticed I actually burn the cedar shaft way too often.  That technical adjustment seems out of my reach.  So how do you folks avoid the black marks on the shaft?  Do you just back it away and then cut the last part with a pair of scissors?  Do you leave the element almost touching the shaft and put a strip of aluminum foil between the shaft and the element?  Or do you do something else.

I'll hang up and listen!

[pointy sticks]

I tend to have the ribbon just slightly above the shaft. That way when adjusted correctly you can burn the feathers without harming the shaft. Try this on a couple on feathers glued to an old shaft first.

  You will get brown marks on the shafts from the burning process but, they will rub off with a little water on a rag. Also you can trim down the fathers before you burn them. This will allow you to rotate the shaft a little quicker and NOT have as much waste feather in the way creating smoke and stains on the shafts.

  Hope this is of some help to you. Good luck.

[JRY309]

I have used a burner for a few years and love it.I always keep a bare shaft and check the clearence before I burn.Because the ribbon will sometimes move alittle after the ribbon heats up.I adjust it close to the shaft but not to burn the quill of the feather and I'll trim the last part of the feather with an exacto knife.I have been using two ribbons to burn my shield cuts.The first ribbon I use is to burn from the front to the back the sweep of the feather.Then I'll take that ribbon out and the second ribbon I use to trim the tail end of the feather.It sounds like more trouble but I can burn shield feathers 3",4",4.5" or 5" & 5.5" with just two ribbons.And with two ribbons I can make the shield any height I want also.Or one ribbon works alone for a pope&young burn.Instead of a ribbon for each feather length.I have found this easier then trying to make a ribbon to burn a complete shape,because then the feather needs to be the exact same length and you have to worry about two ends touching th shaft.If you use gasket lacquer touch the shaft with a hot ribbon will light up the shaft like a match.

[Pat B]

I burn most of my fletching and use fletching tape. I wrap the front and back of the fletchings so I leave about 1/2" of bare quill, fore and aft, then wrap after burning. This keeps the ribbon above the shaft and should prevent scorching. You can always trim the excess quill off. I scorch my arrow shafts for camo so a little char wouldn't be noticeable anyway.    Pat

[Pete Patterson]

Thanks folks.

[Mint Hill Mule]

I burn the feather before I glue it on the shaft. I can get 2  4" shield cut out of a full lenght feather. Then trim with scissors.

[Roadkill]

masking tape or foil also helps if burning traditional way

[Ray Hammond]

I used that blue painter's tape