Is a refletch needed?

[huntin_sparty]

I have a bitzenberger dial o fletch with the right wing clamp but didnt change to the right indexer.  I have fletched a dozen arrows and  realized my goof up they dont seem to spin but fly ok am I going to have to pull them off and refletch em!  Anyone else do this?
Thanks,

[Stumpkiller]

If they are clearing your rest OK I'd say shoot them.  Problem is they may not hit to the same point as RW with Right index.

[CG]

If they aren't wood shafts, then you can pull the nocks off and align them like you want them. If they are wood, then you can see what kind of fletching clearance you would get by shooting them "cock feather in".

Other than fletching clearance, the indexer doesn't play a pivotal role in the finished arrow.

[J. Cook]

They don't spin???  I have RW Bitz with RW indexer of course, and have fletch over 100 arrows with LW helical using the LW clamp and still using the RW indexer.  I just adjust the jig as necessary.  If their helical -- they'll spin.  You can definately adjust it enough with either indexer or either wing clamp.

If they fly okay, I wouldn't sweat it.  If your eye is used to a Left sping, you just may not be noticing it.

[huntin_sparty]

Sorry they are carbon 4x4 fletch.  J. Cook I adjusted the dial o fletch to fit on the arrow.  They seem more offset versus helical.  I should have noticed sooner than finishing a dozen arrows!

[Pepper]

with a helical clamp, you can fletch at zero index, whith straigh indexer, and you will have enough helical to spin your arrows.
If you are using them as stumpers, or target arrows, you should more than enough helical to get the job done.

[Stumpkiller]

You can also try this:  Heat a half cup of water (in a coffee cup) to boil in the microwave and then dip just the nock end in it for 20 seconds or so.  It will twist off (if you used FletchTite or Duco).  You can then let arrow and nock dry and reattach.

I recycle my nocks of broken shafts this way.      


NOTE: I am told carbon and heat don't mix.  This works for wood, probably aluminum, may be bad for carbons!

[CG]

Originally posted by huntin_sparty:
Sorry they are carbon 4x4 fletch.  

All the indexer does on the Bitz is to orient the nock to the feathers for best clearance.  With carbon shafts, you can rotate the nock to any position you want after fletching, so the fact that you used a different indexer makes no difference at all.  The only thing that matters is that you used the same "wing" clamp and feather.

With a wood shaft, the indexer actually plays a role because the nock must be oriented to the grain of the shaft, so the feathers need to go on in the right spot relative to the nock orientation for fletching clearance.

Bottom line--you won't change anything by re-fletching.  If you don't have the nock oriented to the fletching like you want it, then just turn those nocks until it is.

[CG]

Originally posted by huntin_sparty:
J. Cook I adjusted the dial o fletch to fit on the arrow.  They seem more offset versus helical.  I should have noticed sooner than finishing a dozen arrows!

The nock indexer has nothing to do with the amount of helical that you have on the feathers.

[Bjorn]

I only fletch RW and use several jigs; some have left some have right indexers, if there is a difference it is 'pearls before swine'!        

[huntin_sparty]

Thanks everyone.  CG that makes sense.  I will try to get more helical than offset next time but not refletch.

[Kip l Hoffman]

I suspect that they will impact with in your normal radius of error.  If your arrow is spined properly to your bow weight and your release, the fletch really just cleans up "poor releases".
They used to shoot them with two feathers tied on with sinew.
Feathers cock up or cock down really make no difference on impact.  Shooter error is much more of a significant factor than feather configuration or feather location.