Fletching questions

[WoodieSC]

I've been reading some of the other bowhunting forums (archerytalk.com, tradmall, etc.) and have a couple of fletching questions. They all refer to feather fletching...

1. Helical (I understand what this is)

but...

2. Offset 4 degrees - how does this compare to a helical fletching?

3. Parabolic fletching?

4. Shield fletching?

5. Banana fletching?

Thanks.

[MC]

Here is my stab at it.

The difference between offset and helical fletch in terms of what it does to your arrow is that helical fletch will impose more spin on the arrow. Looking at helical fletched arrows vs. offset you will see the drastic difference and can see how the helical wraps around more of the shaft. Offset fletch however provides better rest clearance than helical.

Parobolic cut fletch is the rounded fletch that you see most commonly

Shield cut fletch is a squared off looking fletch with the flat edge closest to the nock.

Bannana fletch I have no idea, I think I've heard of it but I don't know what it is.

The cut of the fletch is more personal preference at least between shield and parobolic, what makes a difference is the length of the fletch. 5" provides more surface area and thus more arrow effect than 4"

[Palmetto Bug]

I think the difference between helical and offset is really a matter of degrees. If you offset a fletching more than about 4 degrees, it wraps around the shaft and becomes helical. When you fletch your own, you buy a helical clamp and use the same vanes as with offset.

I've got some straight, offset, and helical arrows that are otherwise identical. Helicals shoot best but you have to solve any clearance problems first.

Tommy

[longbow]

Go to www.gatewayfeathers.com and click on technical info. It will show the different fletching style's. MC did a good job of explaining but you can look at the pictures. The bannana fletch is most often called Maxi-fletch, its tapered on both ends like the front of regular fletching and is 5.5 inches long. If you put to much helical on Maxi-fletch it will hiss in flight like in the old Robin Hood movies, way cool if your doing an archery demo for kids, not good for hunting...critters will turn wrong side out before the arrow gets to them, been there.

[WoodieSC]

Ahhh... I see, said the blind man. [img]smile.gif[/img]

Thanks for the info and the link. I'm learning something every day. This is getting to be fun.

[OTIS]

I would like to know if you can get arrows all ready made with fletching the colors you want do you know any body that makes these ?

[WoodieSC]

The archery shop up here puts them together with any color combination requested.

[tradorion]

For the unanswered question- banana fletch tapers front and back with its highest point in the middle of the feather...

As for custom arrows- both Eders and Lancaster Archery offer custom arrows as well as another fellow i got some custom trad arrows from (dipped and crested and GORGEOUS!!) if you want his address...

R

[CWPINST]

My approach in many things tends to be that if a little bit is good, then a whole lot is a whole lot better. It works with applying lime to tomatoes but when it comes to applying helical to your fletching that axiom does NOT apply. A number of years ago I fletched some arrows with a lot of helical. The darn things corkscrewed badly. I showed them to Owen. About two seconds later he said "yep, too much helical". I backed off a bit on the helical when I refletched them and they flew like darts.

[WoodieSC]

The 2117's I've been working with have what I'd call a "slight" helical and I can see them twirl with field points as they hit the target. I'm going to put some broadheads in 3 arrows tomorrow to see how closely I've got things tuned compared to the field points.

You guys have me convinced to try some 2016's, but none of the shops around here have any in stock so I'll work with what I've got for now to get some practice. I was putting 3 out of 6 in about a 3" circle this evening while I'm trying to figure out if I'm a "gap" or "instinctive" shooter. It's the darn fliers that get me.

[Stripa Swipa]

Longbow,

I feel like I'm going to throw up. I've spent years collecting my turkey wings so I could make the "perfect" hunting arrow. Well, I bought a nanner chopper and have chopped/grinded and fletched all my ash stock in nanner w/ helical. Yep.....as you say, they whistle. I'd hoped this wouldn't turn the critters inside out, but if you say it to be true, I'm sure it is. Guess I'll strip'em and reapply some store bought sheilds for this winter. Hopefully, I'll get some turkey wing donations this spring and can start over with shields. Don't really want to buy another multi-fletcher. Damnit Beavis!

[longbow]

Swipa, DON'T TRASH YOUR FEATHERS. There are two solutions to your problem. You can take a razorblade and cut a half inch off the back of your fletching,don't square the back,just cut a half inch of qill off...it actually looks kinda neat and should quiet your arrow flight. The other option is to take about a quarter inch off the hight, you can do this free hand with a sharp pair of scissors or a feather burner if you have access. I have always felt more is better when it comes to fletching. I have shot the 5.5 inch shield and the bananna fletch a lot in the past. I started hunting with four fletch about 8 yrs. ago.

[Stripa Swipa]

OK. I was hoping you wouldn't beat me to the board with the blinding glimpse of the obvious. While I was sitting in the stand last night thinking about testing your theory on a coon, I realized a sharp pair of scissors could give me some 5" shields. I'd already cut the last half inch off before I glued'em up. That look you are referring to is what I was shooting for all along. They are still noisy, though. I'll trim them to shields and let you know how they work.

[longbow]

Swipa, I might be wrong but I think the noise comes as much from the hight of the fletch as from the length. Cutting the back is a good place to start because it is the least damageing to the arrow. Adjust your fletching jig so there is just enough angle for the fletching to make good contact with the shaft, the least amount of helical possible, and you will get all the stability you need and not very much noise when using big fletching. Big fletching isn't about making the arrow spinn it's about creating wind resistence and forcing the nock end of the arrow to line up with the point as fast as possible. Thatway, when that big buck walks under your stand and your form goes all to crap, you will still get good arrow flight. Bad arrow flight reduces penatration more than any other factor. Most hunters don't realize that in the heat of the moment their release looks like their granny pulling her panties down and the arrow gets to the deer trying to go sideways on a real close shot. By the way, I've watched two little bucks and a doe feed around my treestand the last two mornings. There are so many acorns on the ground it's like walking on marbles and the deer are eating mushrooms,leaves,ferns,moss, everything but the acorns. I realize the storms have put a lot of nuts on the ground before they were ready, but there are enough white oaks dropping right now I thought the deer would take interest.

[Stripa Swipa]

I think I'll take one with a field point this weekend and trim and shoot until the noise disappears. I'll let you know how it goes.

[Stripa Swipa]

Took one with a field point and trimmed it to match a normal shield cut. Result - whisper quiet. Then, knocked an original unmolested nanner w/ broadhead to get a comparison....result - whisper quiet? Some were making noise, while others (especially broadhead tipped) didn't. What I ended up doing was freehanding a couple of mm off of the height of the nanners while keeping same shape. Just wish my freehand was as good as the "little choppers".

[longbow]

Swipa, Glad to hear your making some headway. I used to use a spacer sometimes in my little chopper to reduce the hight of the nanners but for the life of me I can't remember what. Maybe you can come up with something next time you chop some fletch. Keep'm sharp

[OTIS]

longbow where did you get all this expert learnings

[longbow]

As I have already stated, the only thing I'm expert at is keeping my wife wondering what she ever saw in me in the first place.