Bohning fletching jig?

[Eric Krewson]

Gander Mt is about to close in town, I have reeled in a bunch of bargains.

They have 2 Bohning Pro fletching jigs for about $10 each but they both have straight clamps. Left or right clamps from somewhere else will cost more than the jigs so I am hoping to make due with what comes in the pack.

I don't need a fletching jig as I have 7 or 8 Bitzes at the present but a good deal that I can pass on to someone who just starting out is hard to pass up.

My question is; How much helical can you get out of one of these jigs by offsetting the straight clamp and using 5" feathers?  Can you get the feather to sit flat on the arrow shaft with this offset?
 
All us selfbow guys need a little helical in their fletching, I have never used a straight clamp on any my jigs so I just don't know.

[DC]

I'm not a good shot but I've used straight, offset and helical and never noticed a big difference if any.

[H Rhodes]

I have one of those Fletcher's with a straight clamp. Works good and I don't worry about offset or helix.  My arrows fly fine and I can use right or left wing feathers. 

[WhitefeatherFout]

I have one and it does a pretty good job.  I've mainly used it on bamboo shafts and get about 2 degrees or so before I start running into issues matching the will to the shaft.  Most of the shafts are about 5/16 on the gletching end. 

[bjrogg]

I just have a JoJan straight that my brother gave me for free. My arrows fly fine. I just got a dozen premium coustom arrows from Marshall Benifit Auction. They are beautiful and have a hexical twist, they fly great but no better than my straight that I can see. I think a well tuned arrow to its bow doesn't need much fletching as long as it's properly applied.
Bjrogg

[Pat B]

Even a straight fletched arrow will spin just because of the texture of the feathers. I've used a JoJan straight fletch for years. I do offset the clamps though. The nice thing about a JoJan straight fletch you can fletch left or right hand feathers. Not sure about the other brands.

[lebhuntfish]

I know with a bohning fletching jig with a straight fletching clamp you can do both left and right wing.  All you have to do is adjust the off set. 
You don't really get any helical with a straight fletch.  Adjust in the off set is what you have to do to get the fletchings to sit flush with arrow shaft.  My bohning fletching jig will fletch either 2,3,or 4 fletched arrows.  I love mine as long as you are careful with the glue and you don't have to scrape the clamp to much it will last for ever. 

Patrick