Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Arrows => Topic started by: ionicmuffin on March 31, 2013, 02:54:46 pm

Title: how many use vanes
Post by: ionicmuffin on March 31, 2013, 02:54:46 pm
how many use vanes to save money on fletchings?
Title: Re: how many use vanes
Post by: Ifrit617 on March 31, 2013, 04:01:49 pm
Herasy I say!  >:D >:D

seriously though, the extra money spent on fletching is well worth it. Better arrow flight, more traditional looking, and you can shoot off your hand.

Jon
Title: Re: how many use vanes
Post by: Stefan on March 31, 2013, 04:16:12 pm
if you want to save money go and find some goose feathers, it wont be long before the are molding (spring)

plastic vanes suck for bows without the proper arrow rest
Title: Re: how many use vanes
Post by: bubby on March 31, 2013, 04:17:53 pm
vanes wont hold up, better off using feathers , find some turkey hunters and get their wing and tail feathers if you can
Title: Re: how many use vanes
Post by: ionicmuffin on March 31, 2013, 05:28:20 pm
I will try that. the only reason why im using them, is that, since im not hunting with them i dont want to spend money on feathers(around 50c per feather.) and vanes(10c per feather.) so i could pay 30$ for 300 vanes or i could pay 150$ for 300 feathers. Just in comparison.
Title: Re: how many use vanes
Post by: bowtarist on March 31, 2013, 06:01:22 pm
Some guys buy em @ the art/hobby store.  Craft feathers I think they call them.  Check out the illegal feathers thread on this page.  There is a guy in there that gives some info on that.

I've always heard that vanes jump off a hand or riser.  When I've bought them in the past, I buy one 100 count bag of full lengths and that lasts a while.  Keep your options open, 300 feathers is quite alot, you don't want to be passing them on to your grandkids.  ;) dpg
Title: Re: how many use vanes
Post by: ionicmuffin on March 31, 2013, 06:07:56 pm
oh i know i can go through 300. thats only 100 arrow worth, and i make em for the people who shoot my bows, because they go through them at around 6 per 3 months or something
Title: Re: how many use vanes
Post by: bubby on March 31, 2013, 09:06:44 pm
if you get whole feathers you can use both sides, just not on the same arrow,  learn how to strip them or cut and grind, man I don't think I go thru 300 feathers in 4 years, feathers last much longer than vanes
Title: Re: how many use vanes
Post by: Olanigw (Pekane) on March 31, 2013, 09:11:22 pm
I've got enough friends that hunt goose and/or turkey that I can get feathers year 'round for free.
Title: Re: how many use vanes
Post by: stringstretcher on March 31, 2013, 09:19:32 pm
Pekane you have two sure fire ways to not lose those arrows!!!  Don't shoot, or Don't miss....lol..  Unfortunately I do both wrong....lol
Title: Re: how many use vanes
Post by: sleek on March 31, 2013, 10:32:10 pm
I use a two fletch arrow to save featers. With proper planning and feathers, you can get two arrows fletched up with two feathers, by splitting the quill as was mentioned above. That reduces your cost by 2/3rds. Makes vanes allot less appealing....
Title: Re: how many use vanes
Post by: ncpat on March 31, 2013, 10:35:02 pm
I have only bought arrows with vanes when I had no other choice. When I make some, I will use feathers. I have a set of arrows I was given for Christmas in 1977. They have periodically had lots of use and most of the feathers are still good. 4 inch I believe, rounded parabolic style. I credit the rounded shape to helping them last so long.

I see people on Youtube making bows/arrows from various scrap materials they scrounge, survivalist sort of thing and using what you have on hand. I may do some of these ideas for a variation when I have time.
Title: Re: how many use vanes
Post by: ncpat on March 31, 2013, 10:39:23 pm
I use a two fletch arrow to save featers. With proper planning and feathers, you can get two arrows fletched up with two feathers, by splitting the quill as was mentioned above. That reduces your cost by 2/3rds. Makes vanes allot less appealing....

The only 2 fletch arrows I ever shot were little ones from toy sets as a small child, ones that also had rubber suction tips. I don't even remember how well they flew. Do you notice any difference in flight? I would be willing to try 2, just have gotten used to 3 all my life. I remember in the 70's, catalogs would often offer a 4 fletch option for a few extra dollars. I don't hear much about 4 fletch these days.
Title: Re: how many use vanes
Post by: bowtarist on March 31, 2013, 10:54:56 pm
ncpat, two fletch is good! specially when done with whole secondaries eastern woodland style.  Search some of the past posts.

ps. I don't think I've ever seen a vane on a wooden arrow. ?? 
Title: Re: how many use vanes
Post by: sleek on April 01, 2013, 12:50:54 am
There is little, if any, difference in two fletch and three fletch performance. If there is any, its in favor of the two fletch. Less feather involved, less drag, faster, quiter, less weight aft, and such. If that's enough of a difference to be even measured.
Title: Re: how many use vanes
Post by: bubby on April 01, 2013, 01:29:57 am
I've got a guy that owns an archery shop here, shoots nothing but 4 fletch with his Shults longbow, don't have to think about a cock feather that way
Title: Re: how many use vanes
Post by: sleek on April 01, 2013, 04:42:32 am
You can apply the same logic with a two fletch as well Bubby, but I am in the camp of the fact that a cock feather is useless on a properly tuned arrow, and not needed. I firmly think the fletching paradoxes around the handle and never hit, and if the so hit, it will not affect performance.
Title: Re: how many use vanes
Post by: crooketarrow on April 01, 2013, 09:33:31 am
  You can't shoot plic. vanes off hand or shelf.
  I'm sure there's ponds,lakes or parks where your at. Geese molt in JUNE take some walks. I'm sure someone on here will help you out or point you in the right direction. Get on a turkey hunting form I sure someone will save or sell you there wings cheap. I use to get 100's from goose out fitters. As well as from (white and hypert turkey farms. As well as picks ups from turkey roost.
   Start turkey hunting yourself shooting and useing your own feathers has always been I've trived to do. And it's nice.
Title: Re: how many use vanes
Post by: Thesquirrelslinger on April 02, 2013, 06:25:39 pm
Some guys buy em @ the art/hobby store.  Craft feathers I think they call them.  Check out the illegal feathers thread on this page.  There is a guy in there that gives some info on that.

I've always heard that vanes jump off a hand or riser.  When I've bought them in the past, I buy one 100 count bag of full lengths and that lasts a while.  Keep your options open, 300 feathers is quite alot, you don't want to be passing them on to your grandkids.  ;) dpg
2 feather fletching is easy, and you can get 2 arrows per feather with the shorter arrows and longer feathers... I use craft store ones.
I do prefer natural feathers...
Try going to a turkey farm, they will either give you feathers or they are CHEAP.
Title: Re: how many use vanes
Post by: bubby on April 02, 2013, 07:32:27 pm
You can apply the same logic with a two fletch as well Bubby, but I am in the camp of the fact that a cock feather is useless on a properly tuned arrow, and not needed. I firmly think the fletching paradoxes around the handle and never hit, and if the so hit, it will not affect performance.


I agree sleek, two feather fletch shoot the same for me as three, Bub
Title: Re: how many use vanes
Post by: Thesquirrelslinger on April 03, 2013, 04:39:48 pm
Also, you can shoot vanes off your hand. I do.
I have some 30 inch carbon fiber arrows I got for christmas, and they have vanes. I wear the vanes out, yes.... but it takes a long time.
when the vanes wear out, I replace them with craft-store feathers...
I have found no difference between 2 fletch and 3 fletch arrows, except 2 fletch is much cheaper and easier. you can get up to 2 arrows per feather.
Title: Re: how many use vanes
Post by: Jim Davis on April 03, 2013, 09:18:11 pm
I won't use vanes and always use three feathers, but...when I lose one feather while shooting, I keep shooting that arrow and it flies just fine with two. Think of the V tail on a Beechcraft Bonanza. They fly fine two.

Jim Davis
Title: Re: how many use vanes
Post by: JW_Halverson on April 03, 2013, 10:32:37 pm
I won't use vanes and always use three feathers, but...when I lose one feather while shooting, I keep shooting that arrow and it flies just fine with two. Think of the V tail on a Beechcraft Bonanza. They fly fine two.

Jim Davis

Funny, early planes called the control stick a "tiller".   
Title: Re: how many use vanes
Post by: sleek on April 04, 2013, 03:06:22 am
Arrows and atlatls are the first objects made by man that flew...
Title: Re: how many use vanes
Post by: Ifrit617 on April 04, 2013, 10:35:16 am
Also, you can shoot vanes off your hand. I do.
I have some 30 inch carbon fiber arrows I got for christmas, and they have vanes. I wear the vanes out, yes.... but it takes a long time.
when the vanes wear out, I replace them with craft-store feathers...
I have found no difference between 2 fletch and 3 fletch arrows, except 2 fletch is much cheaper and easier. you can get up to 2 arrows per feather.

I want to see a video of you shooting those vanes off your hand 50 times in a row, and show us that your hand isn't sliced to pieces. I once tried to shoot vanes off my hand and I have the scars to prove it.

Jon
Title: Re: how many use vanes
Post by: twisted hickory on April 04, 2013, 11:54:27 am
5.50 shield cut turkey feathers. Hoping to get a gobbler here in pennsylvania so I can use wild turkey feathers.
Title: Re: how many use vanes
Post by: sleek on April 04, 2013, 01:18:54 pm
I have certainly lost my fair share of blood from shooting vanes off the hand.
Title: Re: how many use vanes
Post by: Thesquirrelslinger on April 04, 2013, 07:26:39 pm
Arrows and atlatls are the first objects made by man that flew...
Wrong, my friend. Slingstones and hand-thrown spears...
Title: Re: how many use vanes
Post by: sleek on April 04, 2013, 08:34:56 pm
Rocks don't fly.... ever hear the expression, flies like a rock? Spears a case could be made for... maybe.