Bearpaw Fletching Jig

[AlanD]

For those that have used the Bearpaw Fletching Jig does it allow for nock indexing adjustments. Meaning allowing you to fletch feathers a couple degrees offset from center of the nock.

[McDave]

My Bearpaw fletching jig does not, although it is possible that newer models may be different, as mine is a few years old.

The Martin J8 allows nock indexing adjustments.

[AlanD]

Thank you for the reply. (I was tied up a couple days) The thing that interested me with the Bearpaw was the guide for the clamp. I use fletching tap and with my BPE jig you have to get it perfect before the tape touches. So I thought the guide might help. But I do need of offset the nock/fletching.
Does the Martin J8 have a guide?

[McDave]

Both the Martin and Bearpaw have guides.  Both have plastic clamps that are held on with magnets.  My Bearpaw has an elongated arm that allows you to place fletches further up the shaft if you wish.  The Martin has a wider clamp than the Bearpaw which accomplishes somewhat the same purpose, though not with as much range as the Bearpaw arm.

The Bearpaw guide seems somewhat better suited to your purpose of precisely positioning fletching tape.  The Martin guide is really just butting the clamp against the nock receiver.  I would imagine both could be used with fletching tape, with a little practice.

[AlanD]

Thank you for your help.

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McDave,

Please, if you know on the Bearpaw jig, what is the configuration of the 4 fletch?

[grouseshooter002]

Alan,
Don't waste your money. Just buy a Bitz and be done with it. The Bitz can be set for off set on the nock end and on the front end. This is only my opinion.

Grouse

[McDave]

Bob, I haven't actually used the 4 fletch setting on the Bearpaw.  From looking at it, I can see that the cock feather is mounted in exactly the same position as the 3 fletch, which is approximately 9:00. This would mean that the other feathers are mounted at approx 12:00, 3:00, and 6:00, since the stops are 90* apart (not 120*/60*, like some other 4 fletches are).  Since 9/12/3/6 would be far from an ideal configuration for me, I wouldn't use the Bearpaw for 4 fletches unless I was using adjustable nocks, and I could twist the shaft into a configuration that provided better clearance.

Grouse, I also like the Bitz, but Alan's question was about indexing adjustments.  The Bitz allows adjustments for front and rear offset, but the only indexing adjustments are by using alternate sets of holes in the indexer.  Since none of the pre-drilled index holes suited me, I bought an indexer with a blank row, so I could drill my own holes.  Now that I have customized it, I really do like the Bitz better, but drilling your own holes in an indexer is more trouble that a lot of people would like to go to.

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Thanks McDave,

I have never been sold on the 90* set-up.  

Thanks for looking into it.

Bob