just because (probably because I watch too many YouTube videos on archery) I wanted to try a 4 fletch. Well I shot some fletchings offs recently and had some boogered up fletchings on 3 arrows so I stripped them and am using an Arizona EZ fletch with some max hunter vanes. First time fletching myself, other than those heat shrink wrap/vanes I put on some arrows for kids bow. Also first time using max hunters. I still have a bunch of arrows with my 3 fletch blazers so Ill compare and see what I like.
You're going to love fletching your own arrows. I can't zoom in on the pic you posted enough to see the end result. I started fletching four Bohning Heat Vanes a couple years ago for two reasons. First, I would occasionally get fletching contact shooting Blazers out of a QAD UltraRest. The Heat Vanes are lower profile and eliminated that problem. Secondly, the lower profile vanes make considerably less noise moving through the air. The quieter flight is the biggest benefit to me because, as I've said on here many times over the years, I'm convinced that the vast majority of the time, when a deer "jumps the string" (as people tend to refer to it) it's not the sound of the bow but the hissing of the arrow coming in that makes them drop. There is one other minor benefit that I figured out after the fact, and that is that you can't nock your arrow upside down with four fletch.
i appear to struggle from something, I think its called lack of patience. to 4 fletch with this jig you glue 1, then turn 4 clicks glue another etc well I didnt let them set enough before closing jig for subsequent fletchings. was running low on time so did 2 arrows 3 fletch 1 4 fletch. I'll shoot those and then I have more arrows I can reflecth but need more wraps first
I 4 fletch with 2.25” bohning x vanes. Shooting 3d at long distances, I believe in the lower profile vane and wind drift juju. Set my hunting arrows up the same way because of how quiet they are. I’ve tried to go back to 3 but 4 always seems to shoot better for me. Could be in my head I dunno
If you’re trying to go to 3 X-vanes then I don’t think it’s in your head. Three Blazer vanes at .53” high would “steer” well. Three X vanes at .48” high would probably be okay but wouldn’t stabilize quite as well. The Heat vanes I fletch with are only .41” high and three of them just won’t do the job but four of them do really well.
Yeah I was running the 3” x vanes to compensate for surface area and it still didn’t do as well as 4 2.25” ones. People tell me that I’m wasting my time and money 4 fletching. I just tell them it’s one of a bunch of dumb stuff I do.
There's nothing dumb at all about fletching with four smaller profile vanes for a quieter flying arrow. Plus, like I said before, it's impossible to nock an arrow upside down with four-fletched arrows so I don't have to mess with vane orientation when I nock one.
so I did NOT end up shooting last night - too hot I did learn I used too much glue but those things I suppose are expected to happen with a learning curve. Just didn't want the opposite problem so I was heavy handed. I'll have a bunch of time Thurs Fri this week and I'll try to get a bunch of other arrows prepped and fletched I have some Easton 6.5s that might get fletched as well, they are just stock from the store factory fletched right now. Once I get started on something new I kind of dive into it.
I find it helps if you cut one end off of a q-tip and use the stick to spread a few drops of glue across the vane. The problem with the ez fletch is you can’t wipe the glue right after you clamp it shut so it oozes out and dries before you get the jig opened up again. On a bitzenburger, you have room to wipe so excess glue isn’t as much of an issue. Fletching arrows, to me, always feels like the part in a movie where they are getting all the guns and munitions rounded up right before the killin’ ensues lol.
I have a Bitz, but I saw a hack for the Arizona EZ fletch jigs for the glue. It was to put masking tape around the fletching area, and then just cut a slit in it for the vane. When the glue gets built up, simply remove the tape and do it again. Many claimed they liked it quite a bit better than soaking in acetone.
You ever do something and think, this is great then you come back to what you did and look at it and go WTH yea, so I learned i used way too much glue, but I was looking at the helical and thought that doesn't look right. Well stupid me, without thinking bought the long vane EZ Fletch instead of the mini, that means you get much less helical on a shorter vane as its designed for a longer vane. So I ordered the mini replacement arms that was a $20 mistake on the plus side I'll be able to do short and long vanes....
the correct arms for the ez fletch are supposed to get here tomorrow morning, I'll be working from home with an empty meeting schedule and no one else home. Sounds like I should get everything fletched up. I have 7 Easton Axis arrows, 6 are stripped and ready to be wrapped and fletched I ran out of the wraps I had to match so its getting a new color way and since the store was limited and I didn't want to wait and order online it'll be yellow on yellow . I'm a Ultraview sight and new string/cables away from being Chris Bee
I mostly use 4" feathers jigged on a Bitz. Sound wierd but just something "sexy" about using feathers. And yes, I DO believe they steer an arrow better and will get better penatration.
I give up trying to 4 fletch with an EZ Fletch, yes its doable but your nock cannot rotate at all within the shaft so to make sure your angles are right youve got to glue your nock in, which I don't want to do. Settling with 3 fletch
since the Mrs works all weekend and Ive the 4 kiddos and baseball this weekend I dont think Ill know for a bit there is a chance of shooting sunday evening but its been heat indexes of crazy recently here and not sure i want to shoot in 115 heat index
I shot Sunday afternoon with the new fletchings. I had to resight, I was hitting low left, now.... I didn't bow hunt or really shoot last year due to an elbow injury that required surgery so my sight might have been slightly off, I was shooting a little low before I refletched. I got it dialed in and was hitting pretty consistently everything within the 9 and 10 ring They hit hard and maybe not straight. I'm going to have to keep shooting and pay close attention to figure it out. It was about to storm and I was in a hurry to get done. I think I saw a ranchfairy episode about when you see the tail end of your arrow move horizontally pretty hard after hitting the target, thats what I think I saw. I'll keep shooting, I'll try 125gr field points, I shoot some broadheads Easton Axis 300 29.25 carbon to carbon Bowtech Carbon Knight 29.5 inch just over 64 pounds I did have a fletching hit my index finger on my left hand, that was a first for me.
I have to agree. Fletching with feathers comes with a few benefits. In my opinion feathers stabilize an arrow better than just about any other fletching option. They also make any possible fletching contact problems pretty much a non-issue. And, like you said, feather fletched arrows are kinda sexy. I used feathers for a few years. I stopped for two reasons. First, they make more noise zipping through the air than just about every other fletching option. Second is the fact that it’s tough to get blood soaked feathers looking good again.
