Horizontal Fletching

[Oldaro]

I wonder, have you tried this? We experimented with it in our club, several colleagues tried it with vanes they bent up before they glued it on to the arrow shaft, but straight vanes seem to work well just the same.

Attached, here's the sketch of the principle, and a template for cutting the vanes out of an A4 transparency.

If you'd like to experiment with the vane size and form, try forming longer and lower vane profile. It will keep the necessary surface area while making the material less sensitive to lacerations. There are several kinds of printing transparencies, use the thicker one, and make sure it can withstand the working temperatures of your printer!

The only problems are to be expected with Whisker Biscuit rests, because the angle of the vane collides with the whiskers, which might tear off the vane, not to mention strongly influence the arrow flight. It is best to use these vanes with a fallaway rest.

[Deezlin]

I am just wondering why not use Spin Wing or Kurley's. They are both the same principal and will spin the arrow much better.

[Oldaro]

I am just wondering why not use Spin Wing or Kurley's. They are both the same principal and will spin the arrow much better.


The only reason is that you do not have to buy, but you can produce yourself. You acquire a skill, and you can experiment. When you buy, you accept what has been achieved up till the product you bought, and someone guarantees or doesn't guarantee something or other.

"Spinning the arrow much better" thus becomes obvious, and not only presumed.

I think our new archers (or generation, if you prefer) buy too much and does by themselves or experiments less and less. It is good for everyone to try and do something by themselves. And you never know - you might arrive at something worth patenting! In short, it's a differrence between money and experience that's worth the effort.

:D

[Six]

:DWow, i think that is a great idea,, and i for one, thank you for it,i am printing this out and savin it for a rainy day, and i will try it out,,,,iam no doomsdayer by anymeans, but i know a great idea when it slaps me in the face, like this one, there may come a time for whatever reason that a person can not or would not be able to purchase, or find conventual fletchings, this could literaly be a life saver, somewhere down the road, in this day and age,,,, by the way i didnt catch how or what do you use to attach these fletches on the shafts with?

Six J

[Tejas Raz]

That is SUPER Six! The making of this Tips and Tricks Forum has now paid for itself! And that big ole feller called OldAro is the reason it came to being. Pretty crafty and besides, it's fun doing these things for yourself when ya can and have the benefit of the knowlege available!

If you've got some ideas that you've come up with yourself..... Don't be bashful! Someone's bound to find them helpfull just like you have here!

Welcome aboard too! :wave: :whaasup: Bring your buddies over and join in the fun!

[Oldaro]

Six, thanks for your enthusiasm! I'm sure you'll be an expert at fletching in no time, and also knw that you'll like this way very much.

It's important to note how there are several arrow rests that might interfere: even Whiske Biscuit might not be as good as it is for the conventional fletching. But every dropaway rest will work fine, actually it's an ideal rest, in my book, for any kind of arrow, since it IS for a while, and then ISN't when things get critical!

To glue the horizontal wing to the arrow, use double-sided sticky tape, the strongest you can find. Make strips of two milimeters width, and "serve" front and back vane end, just for a precaution - like in a sketch.

The whole field of varying sizes is open for experimenting here, try different sizes if you've got time!

And here's another thing I'm thinking about; and you are welcome to analyze it with me: what yould you get if you doubled the length of the vane (the classic, vertically attached vane!), and halved its height? American Natives are known to have long, low fletching, and I'm prepared to bet if you constructed such a vane, the results would be interesting. First, I think the vane would become less flexible, also less sensitive to mechanical damaging. The doubled length would ensure the same air surface. The glued length would ensure stronger bond to the arrow. Is there more?

Enjoy!

:D