Ashby's Straight Fletch A&A cut

[bagada]

I have been watching some of Ashby's presentations and am interested in his method of fletching. It would save on a fletching chopper and you can tune your feathers more precisely. Im confused that he uses a straight fletch. This just seems backwards to me. Mostly everyone puts spin on the arrow with offset or helical. Im tuning to a high FOC and long arrows(33in) which is supposed to require even less fletching? Any one try this straight fletch successfully?  

[JimB]

A long steering arm requires less,I'm not sure about a long arrow.I'm not sure how high your FOC is but Ashby is using those on arrows with 30% plus FOC.I haven't used straight fletch but even with 3" fletch,you don't see much helical.

[bagada]

Thanks for the response. I ordered a BPE jig in left helical and was pondering if I might eventually want to get a straight clamp but I doubt it since most people use helical. I also got a 4 inch shield feather chopper and full length feathers. I plan to make 6 fletch FLU FLUs and Hunting arrows. Thus, the left helical clamp. HEAVY offset/helical for FLUFLUs and light heli for hunting. Just gonna experiment since thats the only REAL way to find out what works. My FOC should be somewhere over 25% depending on how much weight I add to the tip plus Building out my strike plate. Im having fun overthinking things since Im waiting for my arrows to get here. When they are here,  I shoot all day every day unless its raining. Thats why i'm tuning. Gives me a reason to shoot daily and still improve/learn. Im only 1 month new to archery so im not jaded yet. Still having fun "figuring it out".

[Scott E]

Half the fun is the tinkering and playing around with new stuff.

[Longtoke]

the shorter you can get your arrows the easier it will be to get high FOC, been pondering his aa fletch myself.

[oldgoat]

I've been useing Ashbys AA cuts for awhile now. I use a chopper for 3" shield cut feathers and cut the feather where starts to drope back down. This gives me about a 2 1/2" feather was fletching 4 now shot 3 fletched. I don't know about long arrows seems that dealing more with point on. Bare shaft,then fletch, seems to work pertty good if I get a fair release. Get a lot of heckling for my buds but just go on. FOC is around 26% I am lacking the penartion very much.

[Shadowhnter]

Do not forget the turbulator if you go with the ashby straight fletching. Another thing, you best be dang good at tuning, and release.

People tell me you cant get EFOC much with wood....dont believe it. I have in my hand, a purpleheart footed POC shaft, that is well over a 30% FOC Arrow.

[vintage archer]

SHADOWHNTER

IF YOU USE RIGHT WING FEATHERS AND A STRAIGHT FLETCH JIG THERE IS STILL A SLIGHT HELICAL FROM THE FEATHER.THIS WOULD BE TRUE IF YOU USED A LEFT WING WITH A STRAIGHT CLAMP THERE IS STILL A NATURAL HELICAL...   MOST OF THE TIME IT IS NOT NOTICEABLE BUT IT IS THERE

IMPORTANT POINT IS IF USING A STRAIGHT CLAMP WHICH ASHBY RECOMMENDS STILL MATCH YOUR BEVEL ON THE BROADHEAD TO THE FEATHER .            

JOE

[oldgoat]

X2 what shadowhunter said and has to say!!!! They know their Stuff.

[oldgoat]

Sorry, ment Joe.... H,,, to get old.

[J-dog]

I have spent the summer playing with his fletch watching his videos and the tutorials at tuff heads website.

All I have is right wing jig so mine got a right helical! lol

I like the shorter fletch, from 40 yards out (practice only) there is a difference in trajectory between these and my 4/5 inch feathers.

We will see, fun to mess around with this stuff though can get nerve wracking at times! Sometimes just out the bow down and go do something else!!

[J-dog]

Add I have never done four fletch before either but that is the way to go. like ashby said - don't have to pay attention to cock feathers just nock it and go.

[Orion]

Shadowhunter: I'd like to know how you achieved 30% FOC. Best i've been able to do is about 20%.  Would you mind describing your set up.  Length and weight of the arrow, balance point behind broad head, broad head weight, arrow spine, etc.

[J-dog]

I have yet to ever measure FOC and all?? just knew I wanted 160 grain RMS cutthroats with the long titanium adapters, cant remember the weight of those. I did just add the long aluminum footings to my arrows and hope this isnt going to throw them off too much - will be practicing with them this evening.

[JimB]

Originally posted by Orion:
Shadowhunter: I'd like to know how you achieved 30% FOC. Best i've been able to do is about 20%.  Would you mind describing your set up.  Length and weight of the arrow, balance point behind broad head, broad head weight, arrow spine, etc.

That would be interesting.I've not seen that with wood either.

[monterey]

I got one particular arrow to 26% with a pine shaft tapered the last 12 inches of the back, a teak footing, a few inches of 1/8" solder inserted into the tip and a 190 point.

Used a 5.5" three Fletch.  I didn't know anything about A&A Fletch or I would a tried it.  I'm so habitual of nocking arrows by touch with an index nock that the four Fletch would not be of any value in that regard.

All in all, I can see the way to a 30% FOC Woodie.

[Shadowhnter]

I think its a bit off topic to do my foc spreadsheet here. I'll send you a pm orion.

[Shadowhnter]

Know what? Easier to just post here instead of multiple pms. Sorry O.P.

Arrow and wood type- P.O.C. with 6" purpleheart footing. Compressed 11/32 shaft with 9.5" back taper, tapering 11/32-5/16. 60/65 spine. 12.8 gr per inch average on raw shaft.

5/16 classic nock

3x4" trueflight fletching starting at 1.250" from V.O.N.

425gr point- 125gr woodyweight /300gr tuffhead

4 coats gasket laquer

Total weight - 821.8gr
29"arrow V.O.N.- B.O.P.
Balance point- 23.250" from V.O.N.
------------------------------------------
V.O.N-B.O.P.= 29"
29÷2=14.5
B.P.from V.O.N.= 23.250
23.250-14.5= 8.75

8.75×100= 875

875÷29"= 30.1724= 30% FOC

[JimB]

Nice,Shadowhunter.You are the first I've seen get that high with wood.Maybe others stop before they get that heavy.What weight bows do you shoot those out of?

[Shadowhnter]

I guess it wouldn't really matter what lb draw my bow is,, as long as my momentum is at or hopefully above .50 pound seconds, and if I can consistently hit with them right? At present, I only have Mr Ashbys momentum chart to figure momentum and get close, because ive yet to be able to purchase a chronograph. I have no troubles making good killing shots out to 20 yards, and at times my groups are tight enough I worry. Beyond that yardage, its possible as I practice out to 25 yards,  but consistency begins to get rocky... at least by me shooting them.

What am I hunting with them? Rabbits..

Or anything else I want to hunt in North America. My bows are 45lb hard shooters, NOT cut to center.