Helical vs. Straight Fletch

[Brad Davis]

I am in the market for a new fletcher. I have a few questions:

1.)I use a Jo-jan now, I have to tape my nocks on, fletch and the tune nocks to get cock feather to line up. This is kind of a pain plus I want to be able to alighn the grain better with the nock. Will a Bitz fletcher let me glue a nock on the shaft the way I want and then let me fletch with the feathers oriented right? Does that make sense?

2.)I was looking at some Bear cedar arrows I traded for awhile back and noticed that they were fletched with a straight fletch maybe slight offset. Will helical make that much more difference in flight or is it ok to fletch with straight and I shouldnt worry about it. Would the bitz be able to do slight off set if I went with straight fletch? Hope thats not clear as mud.

What do you guys think??    

[Pat B]

Brad, I've always used slightly offset straight fletching(5 1/2" high back shields) and with good results. I shoot mostly wood bows and hardwood shoot arrows. On high preformance bows lower profile fletching with helical might be a better option.  I'd say try some of each and see what works best for you and what you like the best.

[Problem Child]

Originally posted by Brad Davis:
I am in the market for a new fletcher. I have a few questions:

1.)I use a Jo-jan now, I have to tape my nocks on, fletch and the tune nocks to get cock feather to line up. This is kind of a pain plus I want to be able to alighn the grain better with the nock. Will a Bitz fletcher let me glue a nock on the shaft the way I want and then let me fletch with the feathers oriented right? Does that make sense?

2.)I was looking at some Bear cedar arrows I traded for awhile back and noticed that they were fletched with a straight fletch maybe slight offset. Will helical make that much more difference in flight or is it ok to fletch with straight and I shouldnt worry about it. Would the bitz be able to do slight off set if I went with straight fletch? Hope thats not clear as mud.

What do you guys think??      

Are you using the nock reciever for a TM hunter(cock feather down) on the JoJan, or are you wanting to just slightly turn your fletching for more clearance ?
I have a Bitz and I bought an adjustable nock receiver. It has an allen screw and you can adjust it 360 degrees, also the angle of the clamp is adjustable on he Bitz, so yes, you could use straight fletching and offset them.

[Wild Willie]

With the bitz you will still have to turn the nocks after you fletch unless you get a cock feather down nock reciever.You can also get different nock recievers for the jo-jan.

[Molson]

I'm not quite sure why you have to tape the nocks on the Jo-Jan to get it to line up.  As for the Bitzenburger, you can adjust both the front and rear of the feather easily with the knobs on the jig.  For me, a helical fletch provides for a more stable arrow, however, as long as you offset a straight fletch and make it spin, it'll probably work fine.

[Brad Davis]

Thanks Pat, I will experiment.

Problem Child, Im using the jo-jan. Yes turning the fletch slightly would clear the shelf better I think.

Wild Willie, would the cock feather be at 9:00 and not 6:00? I havent seen the jo-jan cock feather down receiver. Where can I find one?

Molson, Me neither. When I glue the nock on a shaft and then fletch I dont get the cock feather at 9:00 like I want. Maybe Im doing something wrong.

Thanks for the help.

[Wild Willie]

The cockfeather would be at 6:00 with the cockfeather down nock reciever.If you use the standard reciever the cockfeather will be at 9:00 like you want if you start with the dimple on top of the nock reciever up.

[Molson]

I think maybe you are doing something wrong with the Jo-Jan.  You might want to call one of the trad shops and speak with someone to talk you through it.

[sndmn11]

dont know if this will help, but with my bitz there is a different nock receiver for each clamp (left/right helical, and striaght).  i use the right helical clamp with the straight nock receiver and my cock feather is never at 9 oclock, but slightly off.  this is not a real problem for me because i use carbons and can just turn the nock, but if i used wood i would get the right helical nock receiver.  maybe jojans have seperate nock receivers for each clamp?

[Brad Davis]

The cockfeather would be at 6:00 with the cockfeather down nock reciever.If you use the standard reciever the cockfeather will be at 9:00 like you want if you start with the dimple on top of the nock reciever up.

I was looking over my jig last night and figured out the problem. Never saw the dimple on the receiver. I will also have to adjust the off set too. This should do everything I was wanting. Feel a little stupid this morning.

Thnaks for the help fella's!!

[wingnut]

Never feel stupid when you ask a question and learn something.  Stupid is never asking the question.

Sounds like you got it figured out OK.

Mike

[Wild Willie]

Don't feel stupid the only way to learn is to ask questions we all had to learn it somewhere.

[swampbuck]

I,ve got the JoJan with the standard reciever but I prefer to shoot cock-in.Just started fletching 4" 4fletch @ 60/120 by starting with the cock setting and flippin the arrow over without turning the reciever...the next 2 feathers get put on with the outside hen feather setting and clearance is not an issue.I don,t use the other side of the reciever that has 4 notchs in it already.

So many folks leave a channel for their feather's to get thru near the riser when in fact it,s no where near there when it pass's.Have ya ever watched slow motion of an arrow comeing off the bow?? It looks more like a wet noodle and if spined properly the fletched end of the shaft should be away from the riser/shelf as it pass's.

I,ve even shot 3 4" vanes with a BH up front and cock-in off the shelf.

The folks at Black widow suggest cock-up which is darn close to what I,m shooting with it set cock-in....it moves that bottom hen feather around so it lays more flat as it clears the shelf

As for taping your nocks on I never used to glue mine on when useing alum just twist it on tight and take it back off to glue differntly later.It should hold on the taper long enuff to fletch it without it moveing on ya but what ever works for ya.....Good luck!!

[woodchucker]

I shoot arrows custom made by Joe Skipp at Renegade Archery (Joe is a sponser here) I believe they have an 11 degree helical twist and they spin like a top. I do not have ANY problems with arrow flight at all.

IMHO get yourself a helical clamp and you should not have any problems