Raw feather to fletching build along
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- Posts: 288
- Joined: Thu Nov 07, 2002 10:31 pm
Raw feather to fletching build along
Hey folks, it's almost turkey season again( finally!!). I decided to do a little build along for anyone who might be interested in how i take raw feathers and turn them into finished fletching.
1st off you need a full length turkey wing. This one is a left wing primary. You can use either primary or secondary ones, but for hunting with i use primaries because they have more oil in them and are quiter.
Once the feather is choosen, i use the "best" 6 or 7" of the feather. You can grind full length 10/11" ones but i find you only get 2 mediocre feathers instead of one great feather.I use a 6" ruler and wire cutters to cut the feather.
Once you have the feather cut to length, it's time to split the feather down the middle. I use a sharp box cutter and carefully split the feather .
Once you have the feather cut to length and split , it's time to load it in the feather grinder. The one i am using here is made by Great Northern Bow company from Michigan. It doeas a great job, but i am looking at building a slight variation of it to grind the base and width a little finer.
I have the drum sander ( which is part of the kit) set up on my drill press along with a Shop Vac .You need the Shop Vac due to the amount of feather dust that is generated when you grind the feather at 3100 rpm. I grind the width first.
I grind the thickness second, it seems to work better for me in this order.
Once you have the width and thickness ground you can use a small piece of sand paper to eliminate the "scalloping" that may happen from the grinding process. I just rub it along the length( width and thickness) of the feather a couple strokes.
Once you have the feather ground it's time to chop them( unless you are going to dye them, which i will talk about in another thread).
Place the feather in a chopper( i choose 5" l/w shield for the photo).
Align the back and front of the feather with the bottom part of the chopper and close the chopper down onto the feather. Using a dead blow hammer , i give the the chopper a sharp blow to the top frame.
Open the top frame and you will have a newly cut feather, chopped to the desired shape and length.
You now have a feather that is ready to be glued to the shaft of your choice.
Like i mentioned before, you can dye the feathers before you chop them. It is a very easy process, and alot of fun. I will post a feather dying build a long tomorrow for those interested.
Here is a pic of a few barred feather i have dyed .
If anyone has questions please feel free to ask. I have been doing this for awhile now and it never gets old!!
Bill
1st off you need a full length turkey wing. This one is a left wing primary. You can use either primary or secondary ones, but for hunting with i use primaries because they have more oil in them and are quiter.
Once the feather is choosen, i use the "best" 6 or 7" of the feather. You can grind full length 10/11" ones but i find you only get 2 mediocre feathers instead of one great feather.I use a 6" ruler and wire cutters to cut the feather.
Once you have the feather cut to length, it's time to split the feather down the middle. I use a sharp box cutter and carefully split the feather .
Once you have the feather cut to length and split , it's time to load it in the feather grinder. The one i am using here is made by Great Northern Bow company from Michigan. It doeas a great job, but i am looking at building a slight variation of it to grind the base and width a little finer.
I have the drum sander ( which is part of the kit) set up on my drill press along with a Shop Vac .You need the Shop Vac due to the amount of feather dust that is generated when you grind the feather at 3100 rpm. I grind the width first.
I grind the thickness second, it seems to work better for me in this order.
Once you have the width and thickness ground you can use a small piece of sand paper to eliminate the "scalloping" that may happen from the grinding process. I just rub it along the length( width and thickness) of the feather a couple strokes.
Once you have the feather ground it's time to chop them( unless you are going to dye them, which i will talk about in another thread).
Place the feather in a chopper( i choose 5" l/w shield for the photo).
Align the back and front of the feather with the bottom part of the chopper and close the chopper down onto the feather. Using a dead blow hammer , i give the the chopper a sharp blow to the top frame.
Open the top frame and you will have a newly cut feather, chopped to the desired shape and length.
You now have a feather that is ready to be glued to the shaft of your choice.
Like i mentioned before, you can dye the feathers before you chop them. It is a very easy process, and alot of fun. I will post a feather dying build a long tomorrow for those interested.
Here is a pic of a few barred feather i have dyed .
If anyone has questions please feel free to ask. I have been doing this for awhile now and it never gets old!!
Bill
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- Joined: Sun Feb 06, 2011 7:02 pm
- Location: Northern B.C.
Re: Raw feather to fletching build along
Thanks for posting, always wondered how you get the feathers the exact same! Keep it coming!
Bill
Bill
Life is good, treat with respect and honour!
Re: Raw feather to fletching build along
always wondered how they do feathers now i know .good job very interesting .
Re: Raw feather to fletching build along
Very good post. Enjoyed that.
- one shot scott
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Re: Raw feather to fletching build along
Thanks for sharing that footed shaft! Very interesting.
*thumbhole vixen*original relayer*y25relayer*matrix380-
Re: Raw feather to fletching build along
Very cool and interesting...thanx for sharing...
2010 Equinox,Lumizone,munch mount,munch custom arrows,munch string..Rage 2blade
- Limbs and Sticks
- Posts: 3206
- Joined: Mon Sep 01, 2008 7:13 pm
- Location: Colonial Beach, Virginia, US
Re: Raw feather to fletching build along
footed shaft wrote:Hey folks, it's almost turkey season again( finally!!). I decided to do a little build along for anyone who might be interested in how i take raw feathers and turn them into finished fletching.
1st off you need a full length turkey wing. This one is a left wing primary. You can use either primary or secondary ones, but for hunting with i use primaries because they have more oil in them and are quiter.
Once the feather is choosen, i use the "best" 6 or 7" of the feather. You can grind full length 10/11" ones but i find you only get 2 mediocre feathers instead of one great feather.I use a 6" ruler and wire cutters to cut the feather.
Once you have the feather cut to length, it's time to split the feather down the middle. I use a sharp box cutter and carefully split the feather .
They would sure look good on my 2114's, must have got warm up there.
Wes
Once you have the feather cut to length and split , it's time to load it in the feather grinder. The one i am using here is made by Great Northern Bow company from Michigan. It doeas a great job, but i am looking at building a slight variation of it to grind the base and width a little finer.
I have the drum sander ( which is part of the kit) set up on my drill press along with a Shop Vac .You need the Shop Vac due to the amount of feather dust that is generated when you grind the feather at 3100 rpm. I grind the width first.
I grind the thickness second, it seems to work better for me in this order.
Once you have the width and thickness ground you can use a small piece of sand paper to eliminate the "scalloping" that may happen from the grinding process. I just rub it along the length( width and thickness) of the feather a couple strokes.
Once you have the feather ground it's time to chop them( unless you are going to dye them, which i will talk about in another thread).
Place the feather in a chopper( i choose 5" l/w shield for the photo).
Align the back and front of the feather with the bottom part of the chopper and close the chopper down onto the feather. Using a dead blow hammer , i give the the chopper a sharp blow to the top frame.
Open the top frame and you will have a newly cut feather, chopped to the desired shape and length.
You now have a feather that is ready to be glued to the shaft of your choice.
Like i mentioned before, you can dye the feathers before you chop them. It is a very easy process, and alot of fun. I will post a feather dying build a long tomorrow for those interested.
Here is a pic of a few barred feather i have dyed .
If anyone has questions please feel free to ask. I have been doing this for awhile now and it never gets old!!
Bill
They sure would look good on my 2114's,just plain ol turkey
Wes
"Maxine"
1.75x5 Burris scope
Boo string
STS
Feathered easton 2020's
Magnus stingers
1.75x5 Burris scope
Boo string
STS
Feathered easton 2020's
Magnus stingers
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- Posts: 13618
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- Location: Western Ky
Re: Raw feather to fletching build along
Well done walk thru very informitive on the building feather fletching. Pic's were great, Thx
Re: Raw feather to fletching build along
LOL! Tooooo funny!Limbs and Sticks wrote: They sure would look good on my 2114's,just plain ol turkey
Wes
Some people just like stepping on rakes
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- Posts: 288
- Joined: Thu Nov 07, 2002 10:31 pm
Re: Raw feather to fletching build along
Thanks for the compliments folks. I spend alot of time in the garage cutting fethers from the wing, cutting,splitting and grinding. It's a pile of fun!
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- Joined: Thu Nov 07, 2002 10:31 pm
Re: Raw feather to fletching build along
Wes, i will be working on your feathers this week. Nice enough to be out in the garage ( with a beer) and not freeze to death. Bill
Re: Raw feather to fletching build along
Interesting stuff, thanks for sharing.
Chris Mawdsley,
2011 Exocet 200
Lumizone scope
2011 Exocet 200
Lumizone scope
- Limbs and Sticks
- Posts: 3206
- Joined: Mon Sep 01, 2008 7:13 pm
- Location: Colonial Beach, Virginia, US
Re: Raw feather to fletching build along
footed shaft wrote:Wes, i will be working on your feathers this week. Nice enough to be out in the garage ( with a beer) and not freeze to death. Bill
Still not warm enough here to drink a cool one out side
Wes
"Maxine"
1.75x5 Burris scope
Boo string
STS
Feathered easton 2020's
Magnus stingers
1.75x5 Burris scope
Boo string
STS
Feathered easton 2020's
Magnus stingers
Re: Raw feather to fletching build along
Dude, up here in the Great White North we drink 'em while ice fishing, standing out on Lake Huron*.Limbs and Sticks wrote:Still not warm enough here to drink a cool one out side
Wes
-10 Celsius with the wind howling down our backs!
By the end of the day, it's like having barley-flavoured slushies!
----
*You were lucky to have a lake! There were a hundred and fifty of us living in t' shoebox in t' middle o' road.
Chris Mawdsley,
2011 Exocet 200
Lumizone scope
2011 Exocet 200
Lumizone scope
Re: Raw feather to fletching build along
Very interesting. I never realized that a feather took that much work! Or maybe I should have said , took that much tender loving care!
2007 Phoenix
Custom Wood Stock
Gold Tip II 311 Grain
Meat Seeker, 3 blade, Mechanical 100 Grain
Boo Astroflight String
Varizone Sighting
Custom Wood Stock
Gold Tip II 311 Grain
Meat Seeker, 3 blade, Mechanical 100 Grain
Boo Astroflight String
Varizone Sighting