Fletching Woodies???

[PastorSteveHill]

Guys, what am I missing?

I usually use a Blitzenberger fletcher and have been fletching all my carbon express shafts and at the end I'll just turn the nock and I'm perfect...

Well with woodies, the nock is glued on so the grain is against the shelf, but when I fletch them, the fletching is off... It doesn't line up so the inside feather goes through the "ditch" on the inside of the shelf...

How do I get them to come out right?  

I'm afraid if I glue a nock on after I fletch them, the grain will be in the wrong position and thus weaken the spine...

Any help appriciated....

[blueslfb]

I have been fletching wood arrows for a long time and have never had this probelm.  I just glue the knock on,lined up like it is supposed to be, and fletch them (Bitzenberger) and never had a probelm.  I just finished 6 arrows last night, cut em to length and w/190grn heads they flew perfect.  I've nevr had this problem maybe someone a lot more experienced can weigh in.

[blueslfb]

Just to let you know, I do 3 fletch at 120degrees.

[longstiks]

Steve, I know what you're talking about. When I do mine I just put a very small spot of glue by the base of nock and turn it off of parallel to grain by the amount you missed your "ditch" fletsh it up then give nock a twist to break it loose and align the way you like it. If your nocks fit real tight you can do it without the spot of glue but be carefull they don't move or it really screws up your alignment.
Denny

[Stone Knife]

If you have a helical fletch wont part of the fletch miss the space anyways.

[Tom Leemans]

Yep, I just wouldn't worry about it myself.

[Matt Fowler]

With a Bitz, your first feather will be your cock feather and the flat side of the dial should be up for 3 fletch.

[PastorSteveHill]

I just thought about something... Do I need to adjust the setting on the blitzenburger for wood arrows. I have it set up for carbons... Would that bring it into alignment?

Reason I ask, is I use the cock feather as a second anchor (touching the tip of my nose) and need it in the 10 or 11 o'clock position to anchor correctly....

[Badlands]

Steve
Yes, you do.  Your carbons are probably quite a bit smaller in diameter than your woodies.  to get things to line up just right, you'll probably have to reagust it so the fletch lays flat and in the center of the shaft.

I have a really old Bitz and a new one.  The newer one does a much better job of aligning the lower hen feather with the valley of the bow shelf.  No matter how I try to adjust the old one, the lower hen feather is turned into the strike plate and the cock feather rubs the outside of the shelf.

Brad

[PastorSteveHill]

Ok!  That makes sense!!!

[Tom A]

I have been having to use the spot of glue trick with my jo-jan jig. I was of the assumption that the bitz jigs were adjustable down there and was planning on buying one for that reason. I guess I am wrong?

[Rufus]

Just put a little spot of glue on the outside of nock and arrow, just enough to keep it from slipping when you turn you jig. You can then just twist it off and glue it back on as you like. I do that because I like my nock placement just so, so. Particular maybe but so,so.

[Fletcher]

Bitzenburger makes different nock indexers for left, right and straight.  I use the left indexer with my left helical clamps and it aligns the cock feather right at 90 degrees out.  I think a straight indexer will roll the cock feather up some.  I probably have an extra if you want to try it.

 Yes, you will probably need to adjust the jig for the larger diameter shafts if fletching helical.  Straight or offset might be OK.