Fletching tool? Is it needed? Plus other questions

[AngelDeVille]

I found some vaned carbon shafts for my 9 year son.

I want to refletch them with feathers,  I'm sure this can be done without a fletching tool, but should I?

Also he shoots a left handed recurve. Do I need to worry about any left/right wing, or helical anything or another?

Aside from needing the feathers, I have some superglue gel, will this work?

Thanks in advance!

[John Scifres]

You can do it but I have never had it turn out as well as when I use a jig.

Left or right wing will work, just make sure you use one or the other and don't mix them on an arrow.

Superglue works but be careful about gluing your fingers to the feathers or arrow shaft     Easy to do without a jig.

[lpcjon2]

You can get the red bohning plastic fletching jig for around #30-40 dollars. And fletchtite works well on carbons. as John said you can get a stuck to the feathers and the shaft let alone your other finger.

[AngelDeVille]

Thanks, his other arrows have the plastic type feathers, should I just stick with these? Does 4" sound good?

Does left/right wing mean its helical in that direction? Or am I missing the meaning?

I'll end up needing enough feathers to refletch a dozen arrows, if anyone has a grab bag of enough to do the whole dozen let me know. I'll be posting a WTB thread once I figure out what all I need. Including a simple jig.

[Hud]

Personally, I have made arrows without a jig, but they were wood and feathers were held in place with milner head pins.

With carbon, I would use either LW or RW, with a straight clamp and 4" is great. A helical clamp is either LW or RW, not both. Helical clamps have a twist either R or L and can only be use with RW or LW feathers. A straight clamp will do either.

As said, go with Fletch Tite - Platinum (newer & improved), good with any type shaft. Clean shafts with Ajax & water, Acetone, Finger nail polish remover with acetone, or lighter fluid. Biggest problem is oil on the shaft you can't see.

Superglue gel might work, haven't tried it for arrows, because if I need to replace feathers later, I would use a debonder for the glue. It probably won't work with SG.

Look here:    http://www.kustomkingarchery.com/  
or at 3Rivers

[Night Wing]

If you want helical twist with your feathers, it's best to use a jig.

[huskyarcher]

Now that i am a fletch tape man, i never use a clamp, i get insane helical and my arrows fly wonderful. My advise: get some fletch tape, easier and cleaner either way you go.

[BOWMARKS]

The way my arms shake I do not know how it could be done with out a jig!!!

[bowslinger]

Helical does mean turns to the right (called right wing helical) or to the left (left wing helical).  I fletch right and left helical and see no difference.  I shoot right handed.  However, as mentioned above, do not mix right and left wing helical feathers on the same arrow.

If you buy a jig, be sure to match the feathers with the jig.  For instance, you do not want to glue a right wing helical feather using a left wing helical clamp, and vice versa.

Fletchtite is a brand of adhesive designed to glue feathers or vanes to arrows.  Fletch tape is a thin double-sided tape that can be used to attach feathers to arrows.  I have tried both and prefer fletchtite, but others swear by the tape.  As mentioned before, be sure to scrape all old adhesive from the arrow shafts and use a good solvent to remove all oils from the shaft.  Also, once you clean the shafts, do not hold an arrow where the fletching will be attached with your bare hands.  The oil on your skin can prevent good adhesion.

Keep a rag handy to wipe excess glue from your arrows and possibly finger tips.  It helps to have a piece of newspaper or grocery bag at hand upon which to set the tube of adhesive while placing the jig clamp on the arrow.

The standard arrow fletch length is 5 inches.   Some report getting good arrow flight with 4-inch feathers, though.  It depends in part on the length, weight, and diameter of the arrow your son is shooting.  I fletch with 5-inch feathers.

When you fletch arrows, you want a nice even bead of glue along the entire length of the feather.  Once all three feathers are attached, place a dot of fletchtite on the leading tip of each feather and on the back tip of each feather.  I find this extends the life of my fletching.

There are many videos on youtube that show the process for re-fleching arrows.

Your son is lucky to have a Mom that would make this level of effort for him.  Never feel like you are asking too many questions.  If you don't understand the answers you get or don't get answers to the questions you ask, keep asking!

[AngelDeVille]

Thanks for all the input!

A member here is setting me up with a JoJan Right helical single jig, and 50 red and black 5" RW feathers. That way I can repair my arrows as well.

I'll pick up some flech-tite, the tape sounds easier, but we don't want it to be too easy.

We are pretty much do-it-yourselfers, and youtube saves us a lot of frustration.

We have already made our own armguards, and our next project is flemish twist bowstrings for the both of us, he wants red and lime green, I'm not too sure about that. Maybe red and black.....

Ohh yeah Bowslinger I'm his Dad!!!  and born and raised in Omaha! Go Big Red!

[straitera]

JMHO, he'll not likely tell any difference at his shoot weight between vanes vs feathers. But, he'll want what dad uses pdq! Fletch jigs are easy & sure. Make up a dozen or 2 arrows & it'll pay for itself in short order. Best luck

[bowslinger]

Sorry about that Dad!!  Where did you live in Omaha?  I grew up out west (or what used to be west (around 120th and Center; darn near midtown now with all the westward growth) but live near Aksarben now.

Hoping the Huskers play a little more consistent this year.

Next thing is to get your hands on some turkey primary feathers and start making your own fletching.  I split mine and grind mine by hand; then use a chopper. I also dye mine using rit dye.  It works pretty well.  Ping me if you want some instructions on making your own fletching.  Takes a little time but they look really nice and it would be a neat project for you and your son!

[Kapellmeister]

I just saw this thread and it just happens that I bought a Bitzenburger jig a few days ago.  Works like a charm!  I never fletched an arrow before and they look perfect!  The Bitz is a little expensive but I had about $68 in Cabelas Club points saved up so that eased the pain a bit.

I refletched about a dozen Gold Tip carbon arrows with 5 1/2" feathers that I got from 3 Rivers.  They also turned me on to the Bohning fletching tape - works great!

I think this marks the end of buying pre-made arrows for me!    

[AngelDeVille]

I have never lived above 45th street! South Omaha rat here.

Yeah we are getting past getting anything pre-made, we even made a flemish twist bowstring today, but it didn't turn out useable, but at least we learned something.