How many of you guys cut and fletch your own arrows? Do you save money doing it that way or are you better off taking it to the pros?
I'm a big cheapo. My shop charges $4.50 per arrow. Vanes are pretty cheap and so are the adhesives. The jigs are a little pricey. Once you get the hang of it it's pretty simple. I use a masonry blade on my mitre saw. I just measure the arrow, take a piece of blue painters tape wrap it under the spot im going to cut then cut... I have a hard time paying someone to do something I know I can do.
Save a little money, but just like to do it. You can also customize your arrows and fletching.. Cresting..tune your broad heads. As for the pros there's a small handful of shop guys around locally, that you would let touch your bow. These guys are so busy, they aren't fletching arrows. Most of the time I think their wife's or shop helpers do it. I'll take mine any day over what's produced around here Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk - now Free
I didn't start building arrows to save money so much as to save time. My proshop was 2 hrs away. There's another that's only 50 minutes, but I like taking care of it all myself anyways
Have my own Jo-jan fletcher, arrow cutter, bow press, do most everything myself including cutting shafts, putting on fletchings, nocks and inserts. Saves money over the long haul, the initial cost of equipment takes a little while to catch up. You also have to take into account the price of fuel and the 30 min it takes for me to get to the pro shop. I also like doing it and knowing I put together the arrow and maintained the bow that took down my dinner.
I fletch, but don't cut (yet) as I've put off buying an arrow saw forever. That being said, it's not difficult, and it's nice to be able to customize as is, and purchase all materials as needed online.
For years my dad shot hand crafted stick bows and handmade arrows till he messed up his shoulder. I get to borrow his Bitzenberger jig whenever I need it so there was no real investment for me. Now that I think about it, his jig has been at my house for over a year now. Wow, time flies… At first I just used it to replace fletchings that got screwed up. This year I decided I wanted custom arrows so I bought a dozen shafts and some custom wraps. They look and fly great. It’s not difficult and it’s a fun way to spend a couple evenings with the ball game on in the background. I don’t cut ‘em yet but I’m sure I will one of these days.
I have a Bitz I bought long ago that I use to fletch. My local pro shop cuts any arrows I buy from him for free. If I buy them somewhere else he charges $1.50 per shaft. Cheaper than I can make or buy a cutoff saw.
I had a guy that used to own a bow shop near by, tell me the other night something that made me cringe. I told him I was hitting center but my arrows were "flying like a wounded duck" This was after I changed the string. He said to me, "it doesn't matter how they get there as long as they hit the center..." WTF? I couldn't believe he said that. I like the guy, but I wouldn't let him work on my bow.
I started making my own arrows for the simplicity of it and to make them how I want. If you have a fletching rip off or need to fix one you can do it easily and it will be the same as your other arrows, you can change helical of them and I shoot with wraps so if they get torn it's an easy fix, plus it's just fun to do.
I've got two Jo-Jan's and a bitz I prefer the Jo -jan simply because I can fletch a dozen arrows in about 30 minutes I have both strait and right helical I also have the apple arrow saw but I think I prefer a Dremel tool Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk - now Free
I've been using a bitzenberger for a long time. I used to have an Apple cut-off saw but now I have my friend (who is a pro) cut them or I have the shop where I order the shafts cut them. For me it's about the convenience of being able to fletch an arrow at home, how I want it, when I want it. :D
