Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Arrows => Topic started by: swimbill on January 12, 2009, 12:27:54 pm
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Hi very new to bow building have completed 2 both shoot well. I am interested in making my own arrows but confused by something. When I am looking for feathers they are advertised as left wing or right wing, do I need both and why? Any help is appreciated.
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Left wing means their from the left wing of the bird, same for right wing. Use one or the other but never mix the 2 together
on the same arrow :)
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Dito.
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As Dana said,and you might try the trading post for some.
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swimbill,
if your gonna use a fletching jig... the jig will have a clamps (or clamps if you get a multifletch jig) that hold the feather in place to while you glue it on the shaft... if you get the jig with a clamp that is a helical... it will say some where on there something like L helical or R helical or something to that effect... so if this clamp says L helical then you need to use left wing feathers with that clamp and vise versa for the R- helical clamp... if you get a straight fletch clamp with the jig than you can use either right wing or left wing with that clamp... some people say that if your right handed you should use left wing and left hand shooters use right wing... but i am right handed and fletch right wing and i see no differance than the left wing arrows i bought several yrs back... soo in my opinion it doesnt matter what feather you use to fletch just know that if you put a right wing feather on the arrow than all the feathers on that arrow need to be right wing... (in other words dont mix left wing and right wing feathers on the same arrow...)
and i personaly would keep sets of the same feather too... ex: if im building a doz or half a doz... i will use all the same wing feathers for that set... not 2 arrows done with left wing and 4 done with right wing... but that is just me... i feel if they are built the same they should fly the same.. not always soo but i think it would be closer than if done with all differant fletchings...
i use a bitzenburger fletch jig with a R- helical clamp... its a nice set up that is adjustable all kinds of ways but i think i would have bought the bohning jig that acadamy sports carries just because its about 25 bucks versas the 80 - 90 dollars i paid for the bitzenburger... and it looks to be almost the same design but the bohning is plasic and the bitzenbuger is i think aluminuim cast.
and i think the bohning might not adjust as much as the bitzenburger but then agian i havent adjusted the thing that much soo for me teh extra adjustments is not worth all the extra money i paid for it... and also if i want to by more clamps like the L-helical or straight clamp for the bitzenburger i think each extra clamp runs about 30 bucks versas the additional bohning clamps run about 10 bucks.... but i do like my bitzenbuger very much and i cant complian about its design or performance... just the cost... :D ;)
oh yea befor i forget you can also buy deco cemant at walmart for 99 cents and thats is a good fletch glue... works best for me...
hope this helps...
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dont need both and dont matter if ya use left or right. just as long as ya dont mix em up on your arrow...i learned that the hard way.
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Thanks for all the information, I am going to give it a try. Approximatley how many fletches come from a 10-12" quill? I want to have about a 5" fletch so can I get 2 fletches from each feather?
Bill
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Ideally, one fletching from each feather but I know folks that get 2. With secondary feathers theoretically 4; 2 from each side of the quill. One side will be left and the other side right...that ought to confuse you! ;D Pat
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On paper that 10-12" feather may add up to 2 5" feathers, but realistically, you'll get 1 5" and sometimes 2 on the better longer feathers.
Tracy
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I would go for one great one,instead of two okish ones if it was me.....
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Again thanks, where would anyone suggest I get turkey feathers good enough for fletching. Like I said I am very new to the primitive scene.
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Trading post here, just no mention of $ and other sites for wild or domestic feathers as well. 3 Rivers offers full length turkey feathers in lots of colors. There are many helpful and generous folks at PA that would be willing to trade.
Tracy
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Trade or the Turkey? ::)