Just wondering...???

[woodchucker]

Just how much fletching, do we REALLY need?????

Now I have ALWAYS, been a HUGE Fan of big,high feathers & an 11 degree helical on all of my arrows!!!!! When I first got back into this "traditional" thing, I bought my arrows from our TradGang Brother here, Joe Skipp. That was the way he made them... They flew straight & true, Spun like a Top, stabilized quickly & I NEVER had any "funky" windplaneing or arrow flight problems!!!!! I used glue on 125gr. field points for targets & 125gr. Zwickey Eskimos, mounted horizontal, for hunting. I'd change over to broadheads before hunting season & go out and shoot a few just to check thier flight... I NEVER had or saw any change in arrow flight, between my field points & broadheads.

A few years ago, my TradGang Brother Drewsbow, gave me a JoJan Multi-Fletcher with 6 straight clamps. A fellow TradGanger was looking to trade LW helical clamps for straight clamps. We made the trade, and I now had 6 LW clamps. Tyler was learning to fletch arrows, and was trying to refletch some 2016s that we had... Between problems with the FletchTite Platinum & getting the clamps & jig adjusted correctly, He was having ALOT of problems getting the feathers to completely contact the shaft end to end. When we were shooting, we were loosing feathers left & right!!! He was NOT Happy...

Last Summer... A fellow TradGanger was looking to trade straight clmps, for helicals. A few PMs later, the deal was struck. I'd send him 3 LW clamps & he'd send me 3 straight clamps... Now, I'd have 3 & 3!!! I boxed up the clamps & sent them off... I got 3 straight clamps in the mail,a few days later. However, I never heard back from him??? I PMd him & he told me he never recieved them!!! We tracked the package as far as his nearest Major City location, then nothing...??? In the mean time, just being the guy I am, I boxed up my other 3 LW clamps & sent them to him. (which he recieved!!!)

I'm now looking to get 3 more clamps for Tyler, but am unsure wether to get LW or straight clamps??? He has been fletching 5" High Shield feathers, on 11/32s 3Rivers PreFinished shafts, and they look AWESOME!!!!! (also, the 2016s he refletched straight, both look & fly WONDERFULL) He is getting good consistent feather to shaft adhesion,without any problems of feathers coming off!!!!!

Which leads me to my conundrum.....

I know it's "apples & oranges" BUT, These days, compound shooters are shooting lighter & lighter arrows, with smaller & smaller vanes, at faster & faster speeds!!!!! The vanes on most store bought arrows I have seen, are no bigger than "target" vanes!!! Then they switch to broadheads & suppossedly have arrows, that fly like bullets??? This leaves me wondering, I know how much I WANT to have... BUT, Just how much fletching do we REALLY need?????

I know that most is personal preferance. 3 fletch, 4 fletch, LW, RW, Straight, Helical, Shield, Parabolic, "Naners" LOL! I know alot of you folks out there, are much better shots than I am, Hell I couldn't hit water if I fell out of a boat!!! When I check arrow flight, I just shoot at the backstop & watch what the ARROW does!!! (Then of coarse, I shoot at the target once I know that I'm getting good arrow flight!)

Just wondering what YOUR thoughts are...?????

[macbow]

Well written question.
One important factor is the straight fletch clamps still put an offset on the feathers and the shape of the feathers still encourage spin.

On my primitive arrows I still like high profile and about  5 inch length. Just for looks.

On the carbons etc. I use shorter fletching with twist because those are the clamps I have. Using shorter fletching gives me two per full length feather when I chop or burn them.
Many studies have shown carbon arrows with high FOC require less fletch.

[Sam McMichael]

I also like fairly large feathers, but I sometimes wonder about this issue also. Many of my trad friends use small fletches with excellent results. I just like the looks of shield cut feathers, based solely on looks, but, I can't say they are necessary. Some have told me that the only real need for large feathers is to stabilize arrows that are only marginally suited to a given bow.

[njloco]

A lot depends on one's release, I have definately noticed much better arrow flight in high winds or, no wind with high FOC arrows and small feathers (3-4") and that is what I shoot now.

[ChuckC]

A lot can be discussed here.  You know Sam, there are several ways to look at the "large feather" thing.  

If you look only at the bare shaft results, then yes, your statement rings true, but if you look at the arrow as a complete unit, then it is either working or it isn't.  The "marginally suitable" aspect is really not a factor.  I always used larger fletch, 5.5" shields and parabolics.  I like the way they look, and as stated, I could shoot almost any arrow back in the day.  

I have also since been playing and went to 4" shields, first 4, then three, and I find them very adequate.  Now, throw in some rain and wet those feathers and the game may change, but then, that's where I come in and I make some decisions on the fly.  

I think the answer lies in each of us.  Practice and shoot your arrows, WITH broadheads, to make certain that they work as planned, as a system. Tweak as needed, and when they do. . . voila !

If you don't want to do that, put big fletches on the arrows and have fun anyway.
ChuckC

[Jakeemt]

If you are having trouble getting helical to work on your shafts (this is a learning experience) I recomend you start with 4 inch fletching. It is easier to get that nice pretty helical than with 5 inchers especially when we start talking skinny shafts. I would also recomend that you get a single jig jojan to go with your 6 clamp jig. That way you can really sit down and set it up the way you like and tinker. Once you have your single jig just so you can set all of the other six to match. It really just takes some experimentation to see what works.

[Jakeemt]

Ohh and more to your question lol sorry. I would say with a fixed blade broad head 3 4 inchers is a nice happy medium. Remember that most compound guys shooting little one inch vanes are using a release, mechanical broadheads, a stab, and a rest set perfectly at center. You can get away with the bare minimum with that kind of set up. Switch it to a a light wood bow, finger release, a riser that needs more paradox and a big fixed blad head and you need more correction. You might try ordering a few dozen of each kind from 5 1/2 inchers to 3 inchers and see what you like. Sorry I know that was a bit rambling and didn't fully answer your question but, truth is your will get 10 different response so it's best to see what works for you.

[woodchucker]

Hmmm..... I just bought about 400 5" High Shields...    :confused:      

[Bladepeek]

I don't have any answers, but I just started playing around with some EFOC arrows - 5575 shafts with 400 gr total up front out of my 46# RER longbow.

I'm not sure how far I want to go with this, but I'm having some fun and I have to say they do hit like a ton of bricks.

Anyway, back to the thread, I am shooting 2 bareshafts and 2 fletched. I have only 15 yards at home, but that's about my hunting distance anyway. The fletching is three 2 1/4" .5" high feathers. They are delta shaped with square, vertical rear edges. They are absolutely quiet, but do straighten the flight out quite well. Of course, the bareshaft is already flying pretty straight to begin with. I have not had a chance to play with broadheads yet, and I want to try some big, 2-blade 225gr heads with a heavy adapter and 100 gr inserts to match my field point weight.

My preference is 5" shields because they look so cool and overpower a lot of release errors, but I don't for one minute believe they need to be that big.

I don't know the answer, but I use 3-4" feathers and shoot an arrow with about 22%FOC, and it works great.

Bisch

[Orion]

When O L Adcock and Ed Ashby were on this site, they and a few others got into this topic in great detail several years ago.  Maybe the threads are still around.  With a well tuned high FOC arrow, about three inches of feather (with a turbulator if you like) was all that was necessary to stabilize a broad head tipped arrow shot out of a trad bow.  

Regardless, just doesn't look right to me.  I like three 5-inch shield cut feathers mounted with some helical.  Could shoot less, but don't want to.

[Cyclic-Rivers]

Chuck,

All I have is a straight fletch clamp and I use a bit of offset. I find it has good contact when trying to glue it to the shaft.

If its what you have, then use it, you and Tyler will be making more arrows soon enough if you decide to happen into more clamps.

Besides, 400 feathers will keep you busy for a  while.

[The Whittler]

As for what size fletch to use, I would think a lot has to do with how clean of a release you get.

If your bare shaft is shooting good then you should get by with smaller feathers then you are useing.

I shoot 3= 5"-5.5" most of the time but I have tried 4= 4" and 3" and still got great flight.

[woodchucker]

As for right now... Tyler is using the straight clamp, with no offset, and 3, 5" High Shield feathers. Right now, I think it's more important for him to get good feather to shaft contact, so that he's not loosing feathers. He has already completed 2 dozen arrows!!!    

Then, we have 5 of his Pop-Pop's old arrows that we're trying to refinish for his old longbow. Then... maybe we'll tackle some aluminiums again!!!   :rolleyes:  

The main reason I asked this question, was we're thinking about broadheds & arrow flight... I have never had a problem with Skipper's arrows. I was wondering how the straight fletch, with big feathers, would perform???

Anyway,only time & shooting will tell for sure...          

[old_goat2]

It's kind of like a lot of things with archery, you put together a set up for the "what ifs" and not so much for the "perfect scenario". Yeah, with my 31" draw I could get away with a lot less draw weight than I shoot if I didn't hit any heavy bones, I could use a lot smaller feathers than the 5" ones I use unless it's cold, I'm shivering and I flub a release for example. I don't normally hunt if it's raining but when your a couple miles back in the mountains elk hunting and a thunderstorm rumbles through and drenches you then clears out, I'm not going to pack it up and quit hunting so that little bit extra a big fletch gives you is a welcome nicer! My suggestion, buy a Bitzenberger, set it up so you have good mating between the feather and the shaft, lock it down and your set for life. I know a lot of guys swear by JoJans but you never hear about problems with a Bitz like you do the JoJan. This winter I cleanly took a doe that I may very well have lost otherwise because I had enough bow and enough arrow that when I shot and caught my arm guard that I still got plenty of penetration with a very poorly flying arrow, cut an artery and she went down in sight! Setup for what if, no farther than what 99% of us are willing to shoot anyways, more is better because over 20-30 yards or less the difference between a three inch to five inch fletch is unshootable by me and most people I know!

[Charlie Lamb]

I'm with David!  

[Ron LaClair]

In the early 1960's we shot small fletching on our aluminum arrows out of light weight target bows. The reason was to help eliminate drag on the arrow shooting long distances with light bows.

When we switched to our heavier hunting bows in the fall our arrows had larger fletching to help stabilize our broadheads.

Today with bows cut closer to center and carbon arrows the need for big feathers on a hunting arrow is probably not needed....but I still like em.    

[woodchucker]

I'm with you, Ron!!! I like'em too!!!!!