Have a feather grinding question for you..

[MikeW]

that have lots of experience at it.
Can you just split the feathers,chop them and then grind them? I don't see the need to grind a bunch of quill you aren't going to use anyways,or am I missing something? I've done a little of this in the past by hand but yesterday I went and bought the stuff to make my own jig to speed things up. And while I'm at it why does the jig that is so popular for this purpose cost $140! It's a couple pieces of wood, a hing and a latch and yes I realize they have put some metal plates in it and you get a DVD but still, parts...$20...DVD $20?
I don't get it.

[hitman]

It's like anything else, someone gets an idea and markets it and someone buys it because of conveniance or because they don't have time to do it themselves.

[Roadkill]

I made my jig of aluminum  I trim the quill as close to the feather as I can, then apply my sander.  Trim up and use it. I dye my turkey feathers with rit dye mixed in alcohol

[Bill Sant]

to your original question.... if you chop your feather before you grind, the uneven base will effect the shape and height of the finished fletch.  If you don't want to grind a lot of extra quill cut the feather a half inch longer than your finished  chop and only grind that much of it, then chop.

[MikeW]

Originally posted by Bill Sant:
to your original question.... if you chop your feather before you grind, the uneven base will effect the shape and height of the finished fletch.  If you don't want to grind a lot of extra quill cut the feather a half inch longer than your finished  chop and only grind that much of it, then chop.

Thank you

[StanM]

What Bill said.  I split, cut, grind then chop or burn. Oh, and I made my own jig too. Simple and saves a little $$$.

[jamesh76]

Mike,

I sent you a Pm.

James