problems with fletching feathers

[SEark71]

I am new at building my own recurve arrows and having difficulty fletching feathers onto aluminum arrows (at least moreso compared with flecthing plastic vanes onto aluminum arrows for my compound).  Here is the pertinent info:

--2216 Legacy shafts
--5.5" Right-wing barred shield-cut feathers from Kustom King
--Bitzenberger Dial-O-Fletch w/right wing clamp, 3-feather config
--Fletch-tite-platinum, prep shafts with acetone
 
Now here is the issue-- there seems to be NO way to align the feather within the clamp to where the spine (may not be right term?) of the feather is contacting the shaft all the way up the feather.  When I talked to the woman at Kustom King a few months ago (supposed to be technical support), she just made be sound like a dumba@@ by repeating "well its easy, I don't see how you could be having problems".

Anyone have any idea what I am going through?  For plastic vanes, which I have done for years, the spine at the middle of the vane is about 1/8" away from the clamp edge, while I pull it away a bit on both ends.  Therefore, when I place the clamp prior to gluing, it seats tight from tip to tip.  It seems that not only are feathers trickier to work with (tend to flex more), but when the back and middle it seated, only the edge of the spine is contacting the arrow on the front of the feather.    

Help?

thanks in advance

[SEark71]

...and I may not have described it very well.  I took a picture today and hope to download it at work next week, likely Wednesday

[dagwood64]

In the last issue of TBM, Tips from the Oldtimer, he had the same problem with his tapered carbons. He was told to set the jig straight, and the helical from the clamp was enough to give the spin needed. Also that there should no problem with the whole quill making contact with the arrow.
I fletch my own arrows and that sounded right to me.

Duane

[Old York]

Begging the obvious, have you loosened the
screws to turn the "dials" for lateral adjustment?

Also - verify the basics; that you do indeed
have all right wing components: the feathers, the clamp, and the indexer.

[pumatrax]

I always do a dry fit (without glue) first...I put the feather in the clamp and adjust accordingly...I hold the clamp resting on the arrow up to a light source or even use a flashlight to look for gaps..might help , might not ; Doug

[JRY309]

I too do a dry fit and adjust my Bitz until the feather lays on the shaft the best.Feathers are a natural material and made by different companies,so the quills are not as uniform as with vanes.

[SEark71]

I do a dry fit as well-- in fact, that is how I know it is not a tight, even fit all the way up and down the quill.  Again, I will post a pic on Wednesday.  Some questions:

1)  What is TBM?

2)  I guess I don't know what the "indexer" is

and 3) I have left the adjustment dials on the jig the same as doing 4" plastic vanes for several years.  Perhaps I need to monkey with those?

By the way, I think this is a great site, and thanks to all for the tips.  All great tips so far-- thanks for your patience

[Old York]

"3.) I have left the adjustment dials on the jig the same as doing 4" plastic vanes for several years. Perhaps I need to monkey with those?"

Yes, that would be a very good place to start.

Almost forgot - Scott, I've found fletching tape useful in setting up the fine tuning of fletching clamp & feather alignment. Once adhered, the feather can be carefully lifted off and re-applied if more adjusting is needed. A small hair dryer can warm the tape & thus aid the removal.

[PICKNGRIN]

Going to the longer 5 1/2" feathers should mean you need to do some fiddling with the adjustments.  What worked with shorter vanes won't necessarily work for the longer feathers.

[Nosight]

Hay, Welcome to the boards.

What Pickngrin said is dead on.

When I went from 4" vains to the longer 51/2 " feathers had to reset the fletching jig for those feather.

So if this is what you have done,going to longer feathers you will have to reset the jig.

Hope this helps....

Later....Buzz

[arky714]

had the same problem look at the adjustments,look at the arrows on them,loosen the allen screws ,turn knobs to right indicator,on adjusters they will move magnets, in or out ,try that, dry run till you get feathers to match up to a fletched arrow that is right wing helical ,that is done right,hey i,am in bonnerdale arkansas,will give cell number if you need me to talk you through it....

[Roy Steele]

Used Delo for over 30 years.ALUM.The first 6 years.

[lpcjon2]

Is the knock of the arrow not sitting in the right position? or could you add to the top part of the jig to bring the arrow up so it is not seated farther down in depth than the bottom of the shaft?

[mustoffa]

i use tape and it works great for meand its fast then you just rub a lighter or something over it and dap glue on ends

[jcar315]

Welcome!!!

1. TBM is "Traditional Bowhunter Magazine" IMO the leading magazine for traditional archery. Great resource with a wealth of info inside each issue. (When I started I bought a bunch of back issues and just went through them....really helped)

2. As someone who learned how to make arrows by using carbon and has now made about a million of wood and alum arrows on my own I learned a few things. I have used Legacy shafts quite alot and you do need to adjust the jig to make sure you have the full length contact. You will need to loosen the "allen wrench" type screw that is about 1/2 way up on the right side of the jig. It holds a rectangular piece in place. Loosen that up and play with it and move the arrow around. What worked for carbon and what works for my Legacy shafts is a big difference.

3. I too am a big fan of the fletch tape. Really like the way it works and really like the fact that after I put the feather on the shaft I can take the clamp off and use a knife and make sure I have full length contact.

Hope this helps. Careful though....arrow making is quite addictive!

[wtpops]

As you change arrow diameter you need to adjust the jig . Loosen the two allen screws on the two knobs, put in a feather in the clamp, put the clamp in the jig and turn the top and bottom knobs right or left, whet ever is nedded to get total contact with the shaft and then tighten the allen screws down.

[bowmaster12]

wtpops and others are exactly right will have to play with the alignment until you get total contact