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Author Topic: Just how small?  (Read 5542 times)

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Offline PEARL DRUMS

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Just how small?
« on: May 19, 2012, 09:53:53 am »
I used 5" or 5 1/2" feathers forever, thats all I used. I shoot 29" arrows and have been experimenting with various feather lengths to see where the threshhold is. Im down to a 3-fletch 3 1/2" x 1/2" feather and my arrows fly exactly the same, but faster and more quiet for certain. Anybody else ever mess with feather size? I plan to shoot all summer at the shoots and wrap on some bheads to see what they change, if anything at all. It sure is nice getting three feathers from a primary rather than one or sometimes two.
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Offline Pat B

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Re: Just how small?
« Reply #1 on: May 19, 2012, 10:18:40 am »
Pearlie, as you know feathers steer an arrow by adding drag to the back end. Ideally you want the least amount of drag as possible and smaller feathers give less drag. My fletching has been getting a bit smaller over the years  but I want all my arrows to shoot like my hunting arrows so my brain doesn't have to compensate for different arrow make up.
  Are you testing your arrows with broadheads?
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Offline PEARL DRUMS

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Re: Just how small?
« Reply #2 on: May 19, 2012, 11:07:47 am »
Not yet Pat. Just using field tips so far. If I can get away with it, I certainly will. My feathers dont hit my mouth at draw, they are quieter in flight, and my draw hand doesnt rub my feathers when I draw. Overall Im loving it. Broadheads will tell the tale for certain.
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Offline okie64

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Re: Just how small?
« Reply #3 on: May 19, 2012, 11:26:30 am »
I did kinda the same as you pd, I started out making all mine 5 and a half inches and then went down to 5 and so on. I stopped at 4" and my broadheads still fly good. Im not that good of a turkey hunter so I started makin mine shorter to get more fletches out of each feather. :)
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Offline PEARL DRUMS

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Re: Just how small?
« Reply #4 on: May 19, 2012, 11:32:06 am »
Thats good to know. I dont plan to go any smaller than I have them now. I want to toss on various types of broadheads and shoot them all summer. I want to shoot on wet days and windy days to be sure they stay stable. If this works out I can easily fletch a dozen arrows with one wing!
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Only when the last tree has died and the last river has been poisoned and the last fish has been caught will we realize we cannot eat money.

Offline Pat B

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Re: Just how small?
« Reply #5 on: May 19, 2012, 11:47:37 am »
Do you bareshaft tune your arrows? If they fly well without fletching even small feathers should improve or stabilize the arrows flight.
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Make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes!    Pat Brennan  Brevard, NC

Offline JW_Halverson

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Re: Just how small?
« Reply #6 on: May 19, 2012, 02:25:27 pm »
Quote from: Pat B on May 19, 2012, 11:47:37 am
Do you bareshaft tune your arrows? If they fly well without fletching even small feathers should improve or stabilize the arrows flight.

I have a few left from  2 dozen arrow that had 5" turkey fletch that was only 3/8" inch high at the back!  They fly like darts because each and every shaft was hand spine tuned to that bow at my draw length.  The fletch was cut straight from the 3/8" inch high back down to nothing where the sinew wrap sealed the deal.  Bare shaft testing can get you very close to perfect flight and then all you need is a whisp of fletch to add spin.  If you intend to shoot broadheads, you can always leave them a bit higher for more drag.
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Offline beetlebailey1977

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Re: Just how small?
« Reply #7 on: May 20, 2012, 12:52:11 pm »
I can shoot 4" festhers with some of my setups.....smaller is better if they fly true.  Some of those big ol honkin feathers are like flu flus....loud and slow.  LOL
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Offline crooketarrow

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Re: Just how small?
« Reply #8 on: May 21, 2012, 02:45:13 pm »
  The longer and taller your feathers. The quicker your arrow stablize's for broad heads off the bow.
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Offline PEARL DRUMS

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Re: Just how small?
« Reply #9 on: May 22, 2012, 10:26:12 am »
Quote from: Pat B on May 19, 2012, 11:47:37 am
Do you bareshaft tune your arrows? If they fly well without fletching even small feathers should improve or stabilize the arrows flight.

Heck no! I want to keep the hair I have Pat. I pay more attention to shooting form that anything else. Its what matters to me. I shot braodheads with my tiny feathers and they fine and dandy.
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Offline Pappy

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Re: Just how small?
« Reply #10 on: May 22, 2012, 11:08:05 am »
I have used 4 inch about 1/2 at the back cut to less than 1/4 at the front for a long while,if the arrows are tuned right that is all you will need,several reasons,keeps feather off the belly of the grip/get 2 feathers out of each primary
faster and quieter. No brainer for me. :) :)
   Pappy
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Offline Prarie Bowyer

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Re: Just how small?
« Reply #11 on: May 23, 2012, 01:39:29 am »
Thanks guys.  Learned alot here.  I've started making smaller "traditional" type feathers just to get more from my materials.
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kurogane_84

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Re: Just how small?
« Reply #12 on: May 27, 2012, 11:38:01 pm »
I started out with Flu Flu style sea gull feathers and i have used 4 inch feathers with the weight of the heads i use the arrows dipped too much, i am using 5 inch feathers now, and the 125 grain heads and the 125 grain glue in/ glue on adapters they work fine, i have a string with fur silencers, my bows a 60 lb at 28 draw and it fires like a shot from a rifle, in a split second it hits i dont think it makes much noise, im going to shoot it in the silence of the woods this summer and find out tho
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Offline MWirwicki

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Re: Just how small?
« Reply #13 on: May 30, 2012, 10:09:34 am »
4" parabolic for me.
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Matt Wirwicki
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Offline mississippidave

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Re: Just how small?
« Reply #14 on: May 30, 2012, 10:46:36 am »
I've tried all of the above....varied results..small= quiet/fast    large= stable/noisy/ slow  Keeping an eye on this thread......
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