# do it yourself fletchings.



## 10yearquest (Oct 15, 2009)

I am done thinking about a new rest, the buiscut stays. My big problem with it is wrecking my fletchings. SO.. what do you guys who build your own arrows think is a good way to do it?? which fletchings hold up to wiskers the best? what kind of glue works good? Are these shrink wrap things (NAP Quikfletch) worth anything? I have never done this and I don't want to waste money on crap that doesn't work well. Thanks for your help.


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## elk22hunter (Sep 7, 2007)

*Re: do it youself fletchings.*



10yearquest said:


> I am done thinking about a new rest, the buiscut stays.
> 
> I don't want to waste money on crap that doesn't work well.


Those two statements don't go together well in my oppinion. :mrgreen:


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## 10yearquest (Oct 15, 2009)

just ignore that and give me the opinion I am asking for! Please. :mrgreen:


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## TEX-O-BOB (Sep 12, 2007)

Shoot feathers! it's the only way when your shooting fingers. And use fletching tape not glue.


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## Iron Bear (Nov 19, 2008)

You could quit fighting an up hill battle and shoot aluminum. But if you wont.
The devil is in the details. 
1. You need a high quality jig. Cant beat a "Bitz n Burger". (If that's how its spelled)
2. Super clean. Acetone and the whole bit.
3. Don't settle for a poor seat. (full straight contact)
The last is a trade secret and I wont divulge.


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## Finnegan (Sep 7, 2007)

I actually own a WB, so I'll tell you what's been working for me for the past several years.

I'm shooting carbon (Gold Tip) with no wraps. Never tried them.

1. Remove all of the glue from the old fletch. (I use an exacto knife, held lightly just behind the blade and almost flat against the shaft. A dull blade works best.)

2. Clean the shaft. (Quik-Spin Fletch Prep wipes...they're handy and do a great job.)

3. I use three 4" Duravanes on a right helical jig and Bohning Fletch Tite glue. It takes a little practice to apply the right amount of glue, not too little; not too much. If you use too much, clear away the excess with a Qtip before it sets. I hold the jig for about 30 seconds after setting the vane to be sure I have solid contact. After the glue is set and the arrow is out of the jig, apply a single drop of glue to the front of the vane at the point of contact with the shaft.

4. Critical for a WB - be absolutely sure the jig is set correctly so that both ends of the vane are set in the center of the shaft. I've seen more than a few factory and "professional" fletch jobs that failed to do this which results in inconsistent flight. With a WB, it also causes seriously wrinkled and torn vanes since they need to pass through the whiskers, not against them.

5. Tune the nock so that the "guide" vane is up, but sitting about 10 degrees left of the string. If you see wrinkles forming in the vane after the first couple shots, adjust the nock a tad more until you find the perfect set.

6. If you still get wrinkled vanes, the WB needs to be tuned.


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## TEX-O-BOB (Sep 12, 2007)

Or, you could just forgo all this nonsense and shoot feathers.

Lighter.
Stabilizes an arrow/broadhead better.
More forgiving.
Shoots good through any rest.
Easy to fletch with tape.
And they're sexy. Especially if you use real barred wild turkey feathers.


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## dkhntrdstn (Sep 7, 2007)

try AAE glue That what I use and love it. But for the rest.You will steel have problems with them getting ripped off after so many shots.


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## Bowdacious (Sep 16, 2007)

Put a little bit of glue on the ends of the fletch. This helps so that the WB doesnt' grab the end of teh fletch and lift it up.


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## Rock Pile (Jul 15, 2008)

If your whisker biscuit is destroying your fletching---------------imagine what it is doing to your arrow flight!
The cost of a couple times of refletching would pay for a good drop away.


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## Broadside_Shot (Feb 22, 2010)

+1 elk22hunter


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## 10yearquest (Oct 15, 2009)

Broadside_Shot said:


> +1 elk22hunter


thats helpful! got any tips on fletching arrows or do you know anything about nap quickwraps??

"pile" this isn't about price.

everyone else thanks for the suggestions!


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## ut1031 (Sep 13, 2007)

10,
The NAP quicks are a wrap/fletching in one. The stuff is heat activated in boiling water.....pretty cool! Another really good vane is the Vanetec. Their HP is like a Blazer, but adhere's very well. As mentioned, it will take you a few tries to get the glue amount right. Be sure to put a dab of glue on the front of the fletch where it attaches to the arrow shaft.
kth


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## 10yearquest (Oct 15, 2009)

I will try the quickfletchs. It cant hurt, as is the arrows I am going to put them on are not worth much.

Finnegan. What can be done to tune a WB? I paper tune my bow so is there more to it?


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## Broadside_Shot (Feb 22, 2010)

10, Sorry about the comment it just struck me funny when I read elks post.

I have helped a freind fletch his arrows for whisker biscuit. What worked for him was the 3" Vanetec Vanes, the low profile ones. Vanetecs are very strong and with the lower profile they there is less contact. we set them as straight as we possibly could and used Fast Fletch glue. One key to remember is pratice on an old arrow until you get them straight and get a perfect fit from your vane to the shaft. I have had vanes come off with all types of glues and it was beacause the jig wasn't set right for the perfect seal. I have heard of people thinning out the whiskers and getting better results also.


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## Finnegan (Sep 7, 2007)

10yearquest said:


> Finnegan. What can be done to tune a WB? I paper tune my bow so is there more to it?


I'm not a fan of paper tuning, but even the guys who swear by it seem to agree that paper tuning is for mechanical releases.

Walk back tuning is better, especially for a capture rest like the WB:
http://www.archery.org.au/lib/pdf/walkback.pdf

[youtube:23tm89vy]http://www.youtube.com/v/UggySBM6CWw&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x234900&color2=0x4e9e00&border=1[/youtube:23tm89vy]

Meanwhile, here's an unbiased review of the WB worth reading:
http://www.archeryworld.com/bows/testtune/whisker.nmpl


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## swbuckmaster (Sep 14, 2007)

Tex do you shoot a whisker biscuit or a cooter on your traditional gig?


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## swbuckmaster (Sep 14, 2007)

*Re: do it youself fletchings.*



elk22hunter said:


> 10yearquest said:
> 
> 
> > I am done thinking about a new rest, the buiscut stays.
> ...


10year

elk is correct. I help coach 30-50 kids almost every Friday. shooting with fingers out a whisker biscuit is a recipe for failure. I honestly cant see a worse way of handicapping a shooting style. That is a totally a truthful opinion without any BS. You would be more accurate with a re curve and feathers like tex shoots.

If you still are set then I will try and help you out. You dont want to shoot feathers threw a biscuit unless you have lots of money and like to replace them. Do what broadside suggested in the post above.


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## team-A&S (Feb 1, 2010)

aae max hunters, fusion vanes, and blazer vanes all work great and are a little stiffer than the other vanes. Will last longer if you just put a bead of glue on the front and back of the vanes


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## team-A&S (Feb 1, 2010)

Randy Ulmer once said if you can tune the bow you have then throw a biscuit on it i will tune for sure. if a man that high in the archery world says that about anything then it has to be good. if you don' like it then that is your opinion but don't nock a guy for having one when it isn't even what he is asking for help with.


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## 10yearquest (Oct 15, 2009)

swbuckmaster said:


> elk22hunter said:
> 
> 
> > 10yearquest said:
> ...


Thing is I already bought the biscuit along time ago. So his statement was not relavent to my question. As to yours about accuracy you do not know anything about my accuracy. My only problem is fletching wear and FINNS link has given me good info on that. Thanks anyway.


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## team-A&S (Feb 1, 2010)

welcome to archery. were my bows better than your bow. your rest is horrible and mine the stuff. your arrows are made in California mine are from Mexico. my broadhead cuts a 1/16" bigger hole than yours.my bow shoots 2fps faster than yours. welcome again to the club lolololol :lol: :lol: :mrgreen:


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