Feather grinding jigs....

[highpoint forge]

Where do I get info on grinding Rio Grande turkey wing feathers for s special set of Xmas arrows? I have a bunch split and ready but not ground properly for fletching. My Dad told me there's a jig that makes it much easier to do. Can anybody point me in the right direction?

Thanks!

Alex

[Fritz]

3 rivers has the jig.

[Fritz]

That's 3 Rivers Archery.  Check under the Trad Gang Sponser List at the top of the page.

[Kevin Winkler]

Here's a link to one you can make for a few dollars and it explains the process.

 http://www.bowyersedge.com/feather.html

[highpoint forge]

Nice. I am going to make one over Xmas break and since the special arrows will be for me, I can wait to give them to myself!

Can I use both LW and the RW feathers though? I can't seem to figure that one out.....although I usually use LW when I buy precuts or burn them.

[acolobowhunter]

I made my own jig out of a 2 x 4.  Put a hinge on one end and a clip on the other.  I installed the thin bar stock inside with counter sunk screws.  Works pretty good.  However after using it a few times, I found that I can just hand hold the feather against the sanding drum and do just as good.  Takes a little practice.  By sanding the sides of the heavy front end of the quill, I can get 2 fletchings out of one feather.

[snag]

I made the one Kevin talks about. It works good. If you have a table sander it would work great. I don't so I use the small drum sander attachment with a cordless drill. It is harder to make a consistant even grind.

[Aeronut]

There are several threads on feather grinding.  Here is a link to one that I posted a while back.

 http://tradgang.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=050150

Dennis

[highpoint forge]

Thanks Aero.....my confidence has been boosted seeing the explanations. I could use both LW and RW though correct? It doesn't really matter I guess....

[Aeronut]

I have arrows fletched both ways and can't see any difference.  Just don't try to use both on the same arrow.

Dennis

[Soilarch]

You use either type of wing if you use a straight clamp on your fletching jig.  Just like Aeronut though, don't try to use both types on the same arrow.

If you have a helical clamp you need to use the matching wing.  R helical clamp with RW feathers and L helical clamp with LW feathers.  Right helical rotates the arrow counterclockwise if viewed from the nock end.


NOW...warning...even with a straight clamp you need to set the offset to match the feather.  Feathers "lay down" very easy in one direction and not at all the other direction. I learned this by trying to use LW feathers with a R helical clamp. They were loud and flew poorly.

So remember, use a RW feather to rotate the arrow Counterclockwise and a LW feather to rotate the rotate the arrow clockwise.  (Like I said though you can do both with one clamp if it's a straight-clamp.)