Post by davewilling on Jun 20, 2009 20:53:51 GMT 12
A common means of maintenance that all archers will have to learn at some point is fletching. First you need arrows, fletches and a fletching jig. Do not skimp on the fletching jig, get a good one - Bitzenberger or AAE's are best. Cheap ones result in crap results. Use a quality glue, again cheap glue gives crap results. I personally don't like products like fletchtite etc that are popular. Loctite 401 or 406 (?) is best (comes in a small blue tube).
Finger shooter - ensure you don't set the fletches too far back on the shaft or when you release you may run the risk of your fingers flicking the fletches and having a negative impact on where your arrow winds up on the target (equally don't have them too far forward). Straight fletching does not work best (IMO), use either a helical clamp or a straight clamp with 1 degree offset.
1. Remove your nocks from the arrow shaft and clean the shaft using acetone or isopropyl alcohol using a clean rag until no more "black stuff" comes off the shaft. Acetone will severly weaken the plastic nocks if left in. Once the shafts are clean, replace the nocks.
2. Put the fletch in the clamp and clean the base of the fletch with acetone or isopropyl, again don't use dirty cloth.
3. Run a thin bead of the loctite glue all the way down the middle of the fletch (not too much, but not too little either)
4. Put your clamp in the jig and press the fletch down reasonably hard onto the arrow shaft
5. Do not immediately remove the clamp from the fletch/arrow. Leave it in place for a couple of minutes so the glue can set somewhat, this will ensure you don't move or bump the fletch when you take the clamp off.
6. Repeat
7. Once you have fletched the arrow, place a small dob of glue at the front and back end of the fletch.
If you do this properly, you should not have any issues with fletchings coming off (and should actually find it hard to remove them when you have to replace them). Of course, if you are a recurver shooting a/c arrows such as A/C/E's, X10's, Nano's, you will probably want to consider graduating to spin wings and then you have to learn how to put these on.
Finger shooter - ensure you don't set the fletches too far back on the shaft or when you release you may run the risk of your fingers flicking the fletches and having a negative impact on where your arrow winds up on the target (equally don't have them too far forward). Straight fletching does not work best (IMO), use either a helical clamp or a straight clamp with 1 degree offset.
1. Remove your nocks from the arrow shaft and clean the shaft using acetone or isopropyl alcohol using a clean rag until no more "black stuff" comes off the shaft. Acetone will severly weaken the plastic nocks if left in. Once the shafts are clean, replace the nocks.
2. Put the fletch in the clamp and clean the base of the fletch with acetone or isopropyl, again don't use dirty cloth.
3. Run a thin bead of the loctite glue all the way down the middle of the fletch (not too much, but not too little either)
4. Put your clamp in the jig and press the fletch down reasonably hard onto the arrow shaft
5. Do not immediately remove the clamp from the fletch/arrow. Leave it in place for a couple of minutes so the glue can set somewhat, this will ensure you don't move or bump the fletch when you take the clamp off.
6. Repeat
7. Once you have fletched the arrow, place a small dob of glue at the front and back end of the fletch.
If you do this properly, you should not have any issues with fletchings coming off (and should actually find it hard to remove them when you have to replace them). Of course, if you are a recurver shooting a/c arrows such as A/C/E's, X10's, Nano's, you will probably want to consider graduating to spin wings and then you have to learn how to put these on.