Fletching jig recommendations?

[hvyhitter]

my jo-jan multi has done several hundred arrows over the past 20+ years and still works great...…. 6 arrows at a time helps...….

[76Aggie]

I've used a Bitz for a long time.  I like it just fine.  I have heard or read that Jo Jan went out of business but I cannot confirm that personally.  My son uses an Arizona.  I believe they make one jig especially for small diameter carbons.

[Whitetails2]

You made a good choice. The Bitzenburger is the most popular and the best in my opinion.

[starshooter]

Bitz works well for me . You have to fiddle with dials however. A little trial and error & it took me awhile to read and re read the instructions that came with it.
As I am not in the business of making arrows commercially the Jo Jan was not of interest.
I started out with a cheap plastic  (?) graphite(?) fletcher decades ago and it served me ,the novice, very well. Cutting and fletching arrows are blast!

[Kingstaken]

I only use Bitzenburger jig. Their clamps being metal are obviously are stronger and being so are thinner along where the glue is placed making it easier to clean compared to other plastic clamps I've tried. Easier to clean scrape with a razor and not damage the edge as happened to me with plastic.
Instead of using helical fletching have you tried putting a slight say 5 degree offset with the straight fletching and straight clamp. I found to work almost if not just as well as helical. I rotate the front end the 5 degrees. Also make sure your offset matches the fletching wing side.

[the rifleman]

I "upgraded" to a bitz awhile back---but I can't say that it does anything any better than the old $20.00 deal --I think it was a grayling that I used to have.

You don't have to break the bank to get a decent fletching jig.

[Rob DiStefano]

having been in the trad archery game for over 6 decades, and building lots of arrows since day one, i started off with a trio of bitz jigs that i used for many years.  they're great jigs, no question about it.  the downside of metal jigs is corrosion and rust. 

for the last 15 years or so i moved on to BPE, bohning, grayling and other polcarb fletchers.  they work just as well for me as the quite expensive bitz jigs or 6-gang jojans. 

using tape or super glue means only one jig is needed.  however, i use multiple jigs where each is permanently set for one task.  one jig set for woodies and another for carbons, both doing 3-fletch  5-1/2" full helical feathers, and another jig for carbons and 4-fletch 4-1/2" bananas. 

bottom line: you don't need a high dollar fletching jig to fletch excellent arrows.   

[matt steed]

I have a Bitz, Grayling and Arizona. My favorite is the Arizona EZ Fletch. It works great with 4-5 inch Feathers. It’s hard to fletch anything larger than 5 inch with it due to the arm length, but I love it for 5 inch.

[Lakerat007]

When I'm in a hurry I like the Arizona Ez fletch right helical (blue one) but my go to is the Bearpaw

[hitman]

I have been using a bitzenberger but am now using a bearpaw. Very basic to use and the dials to change from 3,4 or 6 fletch is so easy.

[Rob DiStefano]

i've always found the AZ EZ fletch to be an extremely limiting one trick pony.  most any standard fletching jig offers more versatility.

[Ray Lyon]

I gave my bitzenburger to a friend when I found bearpaw, I think it's a better mousetrap.

I did the same thing.  Bitz was very good but Bearpaw jig is more versatile

[mpd]

Right helical bitz for 25yrs and still going strong.

[Krex1010]

Question for the Bitz users.....i received it and it seems like a solid well made jig, but the directions are clear as mud to me. Especially the part about setting it up for helical fletching....I have the right helical clamp, and the instructions say basically “there is only one setting for helical clamps, see figure” and it shows a blurry picture of the dials for right and left clamps, but I can’t actually see what the dials are set at. What do you guys do? just turn both top and bottom dials all the way in the direction that says “right” or “left” and lock it down?

[trad_bowhunter1965]

I have the same two Bitz I bought 30 years ago.

[nmiller08]

Question for the Bitz users.....i received it and it seems like a solid well made jig, but the directions are clear as mud to me. Especially the part about setting it up for helical fletching....I have the right helical clamp, and the instructions say basically “there is only one setting for helical clamps, see figure” and it shows a blurry picture of the dials for right and left clamps, but I can’t actually see what the dials are set at. What do you guys do? just turn both top and bottom dials all the way in the direction that says “right” or “left” and lock it down?

Easiest way to figure it out without being there in person to explain is just to put a feather in the clamp (no glue) and an arrow in the jig.  Now loosen the dials enough where you can move them but they don't slide around too easy on their own.  Turn the dials experimenting with the top and bottom to where you get good contact from the front of the feather all along the quill base to the tail end. 

To your earlier question about helical and skinny arrows, it's just the nature of a skinny shaft that you can't get as much "wrap" of the helical around the shaft, it's too tight of a curve.  Longer feathers make it even harder.  The helical clamp only has so much curve/wrap built into it (not sure if this makes sense. . . but on one extreme picture the relatively "flat" surface of, say, a 1" wooden dowel where you have a lot more lateral surface to work with vs. some of the new ultra skinny shafts)

[Krex1010]

Question for the Bitz users.....i received it and it seems like a solid well made jig, but the directions are clear as mud to me. Especially the part about setting it up for helical fletching....I have the right helical clamp, and the instructions say basically “there is only one setting for helical clamps, see figure” and it shows a blurry picture of the dials for right and left clamps, but I can’t actually see what the dials are set at. What do you guys do? just turn both top and bottom dials all the way in the direction that says “right” or “left” and lock it down?

Easiest way to figure it out without being there in person to explain is just to put a feather in the clamp (no glue) and an arrow in the jig.  Now loosen the dials enough where you can move them but they don't slide around too easy on their own.  Turn the dials experimenting with the top and bottom to where you get good contact from the front of the feather all along the quill base to the tail end. 

To your earlier question about helical and skinny arrows, it's just the nature of a skinny shaft that you can't get as much "wrap" of the helical around the shaft, it's too tight of a curve.  Longer feathers make it even harder.  The helical clamp only has so much curve/wrap built into it (not sure if this makes sense. . . but on one extreme picture the relatively "flat" surface of, say, a 1" wooden dowel where you have a lot more lateral surface to work with vs. some of the new ultra skinny shafts)

Thanks for the detailed response. I’ll definitely do what you said, I’d like to shorten the learning curve, feathers aren’t terribly  expensive but they aren’t cheap either, I’d like to not waste too many while learning how to do this.

[scott myers]

Another vote for Bitz.  Used them for 20 years and going strong

[reddogge]

Normal carbons, ie; GT traditionals, will work fine with the Bitz. I also did some GT Entradas which are lightweight shafts of a slightly smaller diameter and it worked fine with 4" feathers. You may need to do less offset with the 5.5".

[Captain*Kirk]

You made a good choice with the Bitz IMHO.
I concur about the instructions...they suck.
You can crank in as much (or little) helical as you like, but bottom line is; how much do you need? This is based mainly on shaft diameter and length of feather. If you try to put too much helical on a short feather and/or short shaft, the quill won't sit square on the shaft. This is less of a problem with, say, aluminum shafts and super glue than with Fletch-Tite on carbon shafts, which requires a set time (albeit short). More helical increases drag also. I general use 'just enough' based on my visual perception of what looks right rather than some magic formula.
You might want to also read this month's TBM article regarding shooting arrows with no helical...much food for thought and discussion on a subject most have taken as pure fact for decades. Not saying I agree or disagree, but it bears further study.