Tell me about fletching...both your facts and opinions wanted

[MThuntr]

I've always bought arrows fletched with Blazer vanes. Now that I have the opportunity to start from bare shaft, it has me thinking (overthinking) about vanes. What works for you? Straight or Helical? Degrees helical twist? I'm thinking 3 vanes configuration with 1-3 degrees twist (will likely buy a Bitzenberger fletching tool to soothe unncessary gear junky needs) but I have zero idea of which vanes to pick. Likely sticking with the Magnus Stinger 125s (possibly going to a bevel 150gr if I get a wild hair to spend more money I don't have)

 

[JLS]

I've used Blazers, Flex Fletch 3 and 4", and am currently using AAE Max Hunter vanes. I'd have to do some digging, but there was some data a guy compiled on different vanes and offsets. I use a helical jig with a couple of degrees of offset as well. It's both a double edged sword that depends partly on what you're trying to accomplish. Obviously, more offset will spin the arrow faster and sooner. Both of these provide quicker stabilization of the arrow. However, it also creates more drag, and thus more drop at distance. I'm not a big distance shooter, so I'll take faster stabilization because of windy conditions in the areas I hunt. If I was more of a long range guy, I'd probably do some playing around to try and find the sweet spot between optimizing stability and minimizing drag.

 

[golfer]

I run the bitzenburger jig. I do a slight right offset. I have set my jig up to have the vane set on the shaft to best fit. You can use what ever vanes you chose. I think preferance of vane is up to the individual. Helical will also create the arrow to drop more at further distances due to velocity lost cause of more rotation. Q2i vanes do have a nice base on their vanes that seems to adheres to the shaft well. I recommend using wraps, this said because if you scrape glue off the carbon you end up reducing the shaft size, this can be prevented by using wraps since no scraping on the carbon shaft is required.

 

[Trial153]

Helical clamp on the bitz with slight off set and you cant go far wrong

 

[JFish]

I started fletching my arrows last year with a cheap Bohning jig. They turn out great and I enjoy building them over a couple days. I tried several different vanes and settled on AAE Max vanes. They are tricky to get to stick right but If you prep them they don’t come off. I do a helical but I haven’t noticed any flight difference. I do three vanes so I don’t add too much weight on the back half. I do like to use wraps though because it makes re fletching easier in my opinion.

 

[LuketheDog]

I'm in the midst of shifting from Blazers to a 3* helical 4-fletch. I tried some Flex Fletch vanes but they were extremely hard to get good adhesion with helical, plus they sounded noisy in flight. I'm now stripping those off and using Q2i Fusion X-II SL vanes, which work great in my jig and fly really nice still.

 

[Pucky Freak]

I use x3 white blazer left straight 2 degrees with a cheap boenig jig, with AAE glue. Prep with sandpaper, then acetone and 10 cotton balls. Vanes adhere much better than the same vanes pre-fletched on FMJ arrows.

 

[p_ham]

I use bohning heat vanes, 4 fletch right helical on the bitz jig. For me the blazers were very loud--that and I had clearance issues with my cables.
I'm not sure I need 4 fletch, but it's been very accurate.

 

[pre6422hornet]

Blitzenberger right helical slight offset here as well since 1997. I was shooting a recurve for a year and decided to go all in. I bought everything. Apple arrow saw, the blitzenberger, cresting machine, dip tubes, chamfering tool, etc... I went back to a compound a year later ( long story), but I still to this day fletch and crest all my arrows from bare shafts.

White crest with one fluorescent yellow @#)(# feather and two white feathers. Fluorescent yellow knock. This setup was/is the original "luminok"... haha. You can see that lite colored arrow end fly in the dark I tell you. Now it is the same color combo but with vanes.

You can't go wrong with building your own arrows. Very satifsying.

 

[Gerald Martin]

Careful. Fletching arrows can be like reloading ammunition. “ I do it to save money.”
Walks out the door with $300 of fletching supplies.
Realizes he will probably only go through three dozen arrows in the next ten years.
Chalks it up to the win column.

 

[MThuntr]

Careful. Fletching arrows can be like reloading ammunition. “ I do it to save money.”
Walks out the door with $300 of fletching supplies.
Realizes he will probably only go through three dozen arrows in the next ten years.
Chalks it up to the win column.

You know it! That's actually pretty close to the math on arrows used per year. Just discovered a friend of a friend has a fletching jig so purchase avoided...for now.
Cleaned my reloading room a little yesterday morning and yikes. I realized I have Lee case trimmers for most cartridges, Lyman trimmer & drill adapter, and a Frankford Arsenal case prep station...upgrades

 

[rustednuts]

Rule 1 determine which direction your bareshaft arrow wants to spin then. That will tell you which direction you should add helical or offset. A properly spined arrow and bow theoretically don't need much fletching or spin.

I also am a big fan of wraps, they help you see the arrow better, make refletching easier and give you a better view of blood on the arrow.

 

[MThuntr]

Rule 1 determine which direction your bareshaft arrow wants to spin then. That will tell you which direction you should add helical or offset. A properly spined arrow and bow theoretically don't need much fletching or spin.

I also am a big fan of wraps, they help you see the arrow better, make refletching easier and give you a better view of blood on the arrow.

This is very true. I probably shouldn't jump the gun on fletching until I can nock tune things.

 

[Bob-WY]

I've actually gone the other way, years ago, with 4 archers and weekly 3D shoots/spot leagues year round, I fletched LOTS of arrows. Now with just 2 of us shooting (kids grown and gone off), and mostly practice in the yard and hunt, we've both moved to FMJ and they come fletched, given the narrow arrow diamter, fletching offset became a pain in the butt to get the jib (jo jan) set and good contact full length of vane with small shaft/offset.

I can't tell flight difference between my fletch job and ordering them fletched, so one less thing for me to do! I only fletch now to repair vanes

 

[rideold]

I'm using 3" Q2i Fusion X-II in a 3 Fletch 2 deg helical. Seems to work great. I did up some spare arrows for my boy using the same Bitz jig and clamp but with blazers. That worked well too.

 

[FLS]

I’ve got Jo-Jan 6 arrow fletching jig I bought 25ish years ago. I don’t know how many arrows I’ve fletched over the years I shoot RW 4” feathers fletched with a fair amount of helical out of my compound and recurve.

 

[Elkmagnet]

Helical clamp on the bitz with slight off set and you cant go far wrong

K.i.s.s

 

[Gumbo Hunter]

I have run 4 fletch right helical with the most offset I can get on a bitz for the last 5 years or so. I've had good luck with white vanetec vmax 2.5 vanes. White is a little stiffer (and heavier) than the other colors for some reason, and I use a paint pen to color my hunting vanes flo orange. I'm currently experimenting with 3" wraps (to make refletching easier) and left helical to match the arrows natural spin.

 

[danwolf]

I did the same prefetched blazers and run have had good success running the Max Hunters in 4 fletch, helical with my blitzberger. I’m going to the Max Stealth this summer...but had great fixed blade flight with my the max hunters, might be hard to change.

 

[CB1]

Anyone use or try the 1 piece fletchings like NAP Speedfletch? Seems like an easier way to do it for someone starting out.