Help with flu flu fletchings

[Silent footed]

Guys I been away for a while, but I haven't been neglecting you, the only one I've been neglecting is who I am.

Working on some gold finch arrows, yes. You heard that right. Those birds have motivated my cresting staining and fletching coloration scheme for the past half year.

I am preparing a dozen, with 6 of them flu flus for this spring and early summer.

Never done my own flu flus before.

Its a 69 pound bow. I will use full height feathers, 6 inch length for the flu flus. Can I get by with 3 fletch, or will 4 fletch be too much. If I need 4 fletch, how do I figure out what angles to set my fletching jig to? I'm good and ready for a 3 fletch, but have never done a 4 fletch myself. Trying to avoid problems that will only be solved by a second batch. I don't have the money for the second dozen bare shafts if you know what I mean...

[Alexander Traditional]

I did some that are the wrap type that came out good. You get full length feathers that have the quill ground thinner. Take contact cement and put it on the feather and the shaft. Wrap one on with some spacing and then wrap the second feather between the first one.

Most regular ones I've seen are four fletch. I never knew how you got that tall feather in the clamp,unless you smush it.

[Silent footed]

Hey man thanks a lot for the quick reply. I just want to say that I am not prepared to do the spiraled filter type of flu flu fletching. I have full length,  full height dyed turkey feathers. Might have to smush them. Or I could trim them a bit for the fletching jig to avoid smashing. Would a four fletch counter the height reduction? I really don't know. But I know someone on here knows.  Lol

Thanks a lot again man

[Alexander Traditional]

I didn't understand how to do them either,that's why I watched some videos and went the other route.

[Deno]

You can try Bohning Fletch tape instead of glue.   

[stillhunter]

 I have used alot of three fletch flu flus over the years. I like them for roaming and there feathers stick out better to help find them. They work fine unless you want to launch one fifty yards. Used them for rabbits and squirrels alot. I guess if you were limited on space for shooting at aerial targets you might want a four fletch. I use an old Martin fletcher that I have to change the discs inside to go to four fletch. Someone else will chime in about setup for other fletchers but I would not worry about the 3 fletch or just try one to see if it does what your after. Just smush  them done they will be fine. You can even round the points some to quiet them with a scissors. Have fun!

[Pat B]

I prefer the spiral type of fluflu, they are quick and easy, only use one feather(sometimes 2) and the height of the spiral can control the distance they shoot. Spirals stop the arrow quicker that a traditionally fletch fluflu with 3, 4 or 6 feathers.
Look down the arrow from tip to tail. With traditionally fletched fluflus you can see between the feathers. Looking down a spiral fluflu you see nothing but feather.
 Like most other aspects in archery, personal preference rules.

[Kokopelli]

I'm shooting a 60# recurve so shots at critters up in trees or flying tend to go a long ways with three fletch flu-flus.
I'm using uncut height the length of the fletching clamp. (Bitzenberger) I do the standard three fletch then remove the arrow and rotate it 180* and fletch in three more for a total of six fletches per arrow. They hit plenty hard out to about 25 yards then start to slow down. They will travel about 65 yards max.

Hat trick to try ................... 
Stand at your maximum flu-flu distance from the bales and launch one skyward toward the target. While it's enroute, whip out a regular target arrow and shoot at the same target, the two arrows arriving at the same time.
Full disclosure;.......... I still haven't perfected this shot but am getting better at it. Pretty sure that my wheel-bow buddies will NEVER be able to duplicate it when I do.
And yes, I do have too much time on my hands.

[Silent footed]

Well, guys, I'm thinking of maybe going with 4 fletch, since when I do a 3 fletch, I custom set the nock angle to mate the hen feathers to my bow shelf for a smooth pass, and a 4 fletch will allow me to use a similar strategy.

Since my fletchings are normally 6 inches long and parabolic, then using 4-fletch uncut (or minimally cut) ought to provide plenty of braking power? So, rather than stenciling out a parabolic shape, I will just leave them at full height.

4-fletched, 6 inch long, full height feathers seems like plenty of material to slow down from a 69# bow, unless someone knows something I don't...I guess I'll give it a try. But I someone knows this won't work, please tell me.

[streamguy]

I make and use full height, 4" flu flus with my 60  - 75# bows.  It seems to be a good fit, with plenty of speed to get up to squirrels in trees, but slows it down enough that I dont lose them.

[streamguy]

Forgot to add  I use 4 fletch on 75x105 spacing .

[Silent footed]

I make and use full height, 4" flu flus with my 60  - 75# bows.  It seems to be a good fit, with plenty of speed to get up to squirrels in trees, but slows it down enough that I dont lose them.

That's good to know, what would you say the farthest distance is that yours travel?

[Rob DiStefano]

I would suggest fletching an arrow each with 3 fletch and 6 fletch, see which works best for you. 

With 3 fletch, I've tried 4" and 6" full height feathers and 6" worked best - for me.

With a 6 fletch, 4" full height worked best of all, better than a 3 fletch.  This also is a bit of economy, since 2 fletches can be cut from 1 full length feather.

3 fletch are best used as full helical, but 6 fletch works just fine, if not better, straight or slight offset fletched to the shaft.

[Terry Green]

3 or 4 or wrap all will work.... 4 will save ya 40 to 60 yatds of retrieval pheasant huntin.... hold on......

[Terry Green]

I mostly used wraps on my pheasant hunts...

Hold on....

[Terry Green]

Doug was using both 4 fletch an my wraps...

HOLD ON!!!

[Terry Green]

..........

[Terry Green]

Rob has got the right idea on 6 fletch.... definitely where distance matters... like in the woods
..aka squirrels...the ones i showed are for a little more distance in the field like pheasants for speed but you got the grounds for recovery.

Make them to suit your game and terrain....

[Silent footed]

Terry,  that's some pretty good shooting. You never cease to impress. You stuck that quail with a blunt?

I've toyed around with the idea of Dove hunting with snaros, and my fear is that crafting flu-flus may lead to a new obsession.

[Silent footed]

..........

Let me ask you this too, Terry, are these fletchings actually effective at stopping an arrow from a heavy bow? Ive never seen flu flus like these.