Fletching tools...which one

[Ed Neudorf]

I figure it might be a good idea for me to get a fletching jig. My feathers tend to get a little messed up shooting gophers,and I'd like to make some Flu Flu's. I don't need anything fancy or expensive,just need to replace the odd feather and vane. Any recommendations? Also,when making Flu Flu's, is there a proper way to do this? How many feathers do you use,and do you put them on differently than regular feathers?

[Grey Taylor]

I've been really happy with Vador jigs. They're less expensive than some others but work great.
For flu-flus I generally make a 6 fletch of about 4-5" cuts from a full length feather. I do three feathers on 3-fletch and then flip the shaft 180 degrees and do another 3 feathers on 3-fletch. The feathers get a little tight on the jig but you end up with a great flu-flu.

Guy

[Shedrock]

Bitzenburger is a fine jig. I haven't tried any others. They are spendy, but worth it. Every now and then a used one comes up for sale.

As far as flu flu's, I like the spiral wrap where you take one full length feather and spiral it down and around your shaft. Look's great and works great.

[thunder1]

Blitzenberger are a good one but costly. You can do a search on powwow for fletching jigs.That should give several pages of good information.

[Ragnarok Forge]

Bitzenburger all the way.  Worth every penny.  Your great grandkids will be using it.

[Ed Neudorf]

Originally posted by Shedrock:
Bitzenburger is a fine jig. I haven't tried any others. They are spendy, but worth it. Every now and then a used one comes up for sale.

As far as flu flu's, I like the spiral wrap where you take one full length feather and spiral it down and around your shaft. Look's great and works great.

Where do you get full length feathers? If you wrap them like that, I take it you have to do it by hand,correct? Is one feather sufficient,and will this arrow shoot well off the shelf?

[NW Trad Wife]

I'm all for the Bitzenberger as well. It is expensive, but worth every penny.  I like fletching my own arrows and this jig makes it super easy!

[BowHuntingFool]

Look into the Bearpaw jig! Pretty sweet, easy switch of a button to go from 3, 4 or 6 fletch! KK has them for $50....

[Ground Hunter]

Bitz.  H

[Big-un08]

I'll chime in for the Bearpaw also. Very well constructed and very versatile.

[jcar315]

I have several Bitz jigs and they are great. I will admit I am curious about the Bearpaw jig. How easy is it to change to four fletch? Well constructed or not?

[Earthdog]

I've used a BPE for the last 10 years or so,,have used others as well,,they all work ok once you work them out.

Always wanted a Blitz, but couldn't find one second hand an I only fletch up about 4 dozen arrows a year so the BPE suits me fine.

[walkabout]

i use an el cheapo bohning jig, havent had any problems with it yet. switching from 3 to four fletch takes a tool and some disassembly but i dont shoot four fletch i shoot 3, not that it takes a long time, probably a minute. anyway it suits me just fine

[Rob DiStefano]

having owned and used far too many fletching jigs over the decades, including more than a few of the ubiquitously omnipresent and magical bitz fletchers. these dayze i find a simple polycarb fletcher such as the bohning is more than capable of perfectly and accurately fletching woodies, carbs and alums for 3 and 4 fletch patterns.  use the extra buck$ saved from not buying a bitz for more arrow shafts and other trad goodies.  if durability is an issue, a polycarb fletcher will outlast you and your grandchildren.

as to flu-flu's ... unless bird-on-the-wing or tree squirrel shooting is the game at hand, i don't want to shoot those kinda arrows.  i want to always hunt (or rove) with arrows that are the same i'll hunt with for ground based critters.  shooting the same flying arrows helps my consistency and accuracy, and there are no adjustments that are needed because the arrow will fly differently.  ymmv.

[cbCrow]

I have used a number of fletchers over the years including JoJan,Blitz, and others but my favorite is the Pro BPE, with the blitz a close second.

[684Kevin]

Bitzenburger Jig.  As for Flu-Flu's,  4 fletch will greatly reduce the distance they sail past the target as compared to the 3 fletch.  Greg Taylors post above is a great method for 6 fletch. Never shot a 6 fletch since I use small diameter Easton FMJ arrows.  I bet they would work great.

[paul11]

Bitzenburger jig and fletch tape make a great combo!

[Flinttim]

My brother in law gave me, lo these many years ago, an old Herters/Thompson fletcher. They don't get mentioned much but I find them to be a very good fletcher. Cabelas bought the rights to it and now sell under their name. Can be had in "straight" or "helical"

[Bjorn]

Bitzenberger fletch too is the way to go. For full length feathers I go to Raptorarchery.com

[walkabout]

one thing i like about the straight bohning jig is that i can set the offset as much in either direction as i see fit. that way if i acquire say a left wing from a turkey i can just adjust the offset to left and spit out left hand fletched arrows without needing to buy a diferent clamp