different size vanes

[Missin]

Pretty easy question but a search wont reveal it.

What are the different size vanes for, if i remember correctly one is for accuracy and one is for speed, but which it which?

[bdog]

smaller vane would be faster large vane slower and then there is a lot more variables for accuracy,broad head,FOC,weight of arrow,lenght or arrow....

[bkisel]

I beg to differ, not an easy question. Length, height, shape , texture, offset/helical, placement (distance from the nock) and I'm sure a couple of other things I've not now thought of come into play. Generally speaking the more 'steering' the fletching is giving to the arrow the slower the arrow will be but the more accurate - for a given/fixed distance.

Bill K.

[OkXbowHunter]

In the past, most people would tell you that the 2" vanes were great for target and 3D practice. But technology has caught up and now we have such great components such as shafts, broadheads and vanes.

Here's a pic of my latest test with GT Laser II's, 2" Twister QuikFletch vanes and Carbon Express QuadPro 100 grain broadheads at 50 yards. Do you think this is accurate enough for hunting I can tell you it's plenty fast enough!



If you do shoot smaller vanes to gain speed, broadhead selection becomes much more important for accuracy. I have little trouble stabilizing most broadheads from aluminum arrows with 4 and 5 inch vanes. It's when I go to the small ones that I have to spend more time working up just the right combination of broadhead and vane. *sigh* It's a tough job but someone has to do it!

[Missin]

This might sound really really really stupid but.....i didnt think a xbow arrow spun whilst in flight becuase the vanes arnt helical. A local broadhead maker was telling me that becuase you cannot helical the vanes i need to use 3 blade broadheads to make up for it, 2 blades will make POI not the same consistanly. I did believe him becuase it meant i had to stop buying his BH's as he only made 2 blades.

Before we get to technical i think the easier question might be: I want to get the vanes best for accuracy, speed is much less a concern. So would i be best in buying the 4 inch vanes which im currently using or switching over to the 2 1/2inch blazer vane?

[masboy]

iv,e tried lots of vanes can,t beat 2 inch blazers with 3 or 4 degree off set with broadheads or field points

[OkXbowHunter]

Well, all arrows spin in flight. If you don't believe it, then make notice which way your cock feather (vane) is positioned (assuming you're shooting a straight fletched arrow) before you shoot and then see if it's still in the same position in the target.

The goal then is to get one that spins fast enough to stabilize a broadhead tipped arrow. As I said earlier, the 4 and 5 inch vanes are easier for me to get good broadhead flight out of. It's easier still if they have helical or offset flething, but even the straight fletching will keep them flying straight most of the time.

When you go to smallwe vanes, it's harder for them to stabilize a large broadhead that catches a lot of air. Especially out of fast crossbows. That's one reason you see so many low-profile/compact crossbow broadheads.

Most arrows people think a lot of crossbow arrows are fletched straight. But reality is that they are actually fletched with a little bit of offset. Just enough offset to get them to spin faster than a straight fletched arrow.

I believe you can find an accurate set up with just about any broadhead if you use 4 or 5 inch vanes fletched offset or helical. You'll lose a few fps, but overall you should be accurate, especially at hunting ranges.

[bkisel]

This might sound really really really stupid but.....i didnt think a xbow arrow spun whilst in flight becuase the vanes arnt helical. A local broadhead maker was telling me that becuase you cannot helical the vanes i need to use 3 blade broadheads to make up for it, 2 blades will make POI not the same consistanly. I did believe him becuase it meant i had to stop buying his BH's as he only made 2 blades.

Before we get to technical i think the easier question might be: I want to get the vanes best for accuracy, speed is much less a concern. So would i be best in buying the 4 inch vanes which im currently using or switching over to the 2 1/2inch blazer vane?

No! No! No! In the first place you don't need helical to get spin, offset vanes like the built arrows you get from Dan Miller give spin to the arrow. Secondly, you were misinformed about not being able to helical vanes. I've got a lot of helical on the vanes I have on my arrows, I'll try to take pictures tomorrow and post. Thirdly, without hurting my head I know of two other ways to get the fletching to give you spin. You can make rough one side of the vane. You can also have tabed vanes, think Quick Spin vanes, that will give spin to the arrow.

Take care...

[bob1961]

i shoot arrows with 2" blazers fletched straight with slick trick mag 125gr, but i also have my FOC at 21.4% too using brass inserts w/50gr of added weight....thinkg of going to the xbow tricks at 175gr to eliminate the two 25gr screw in weights i'm using now that will get me the same FOC of 21.4%....i also use trimmed down alum inserts that are only 7gr compaired to the 25gr stock weight of them too....i took as much weight from the rear of my arrows as i could without having to add more to the front to get over 20% FOC....three 4" vanes weigh 27gr, three 2" blazers weigh 18gr there is 9 gr loss right there....alum insert weighs 25gr and mine weigh 7gr so there is another 18gr loss of 27gr total from the rear of my arrows....my arrow setup shooting from my 08 exocet 200 gives me POA out to 50 yds with those 125gr mag tricks i use..........bob

....

[Missin]

But with helical or offset vanes wont the vanes be touching the groove in the rail, not in a good way?

[Missin]

went and got some 5inch vanes and a fletching jig now im doing my own arrows Ive put quite an offset on them but it seems to be alright in the rail. Might post a pic soon/

[Missin]

Heres a pic of the fletching, hope its alright becuase ive already done 5.

And yes that is the insert i am using as the nock, i will use the proper flat nocks on the next set of arrows but will have to get a bag from the US. It messed up the FOC abit but there still good!

[wabi]

Not trying to offend you, but you need to learn to reduce picture size.
I can't tell much from that pic.

I've done some experimenting with fletching length & angle.
I use 2" blazers now, but with longer vanes of feathers the angle can create problems.
BJ taught me a good bit when he was an active member, and he said 7° was the maximum he used with 4" fletching. I tried a set of 8° arms on my Arizona E-Z Fletch tool and could use 4" feathers, but they were barely clearing the channel in the rail. They did give much better groups using SlickTricks (finally got them to group with field points with those arrows), so in that case, at least, the angle DID make a difference.
I finally decided to use Blazers, simply because I look the looks of them better.
I now use the 4° arms on my E-Z Fletch, and have no accuracy problems with my arrows and the current broadheads I'm using (Wac'Em Exit 100 gr).
Since the Wac'em broadheads are getting hard to find, I'm going to go back to testing new models, so the 8° arms may go back on the E-Z Fletch soon.

[Missin]

Hrm, would be good if my fletcher had degree marking on it! Im guessing it should be fine then, i guess there 5 degrees or less.

Sorry bout the pic, im not pic posting savvy. I just like looking at them

[strum]

I have used a jo jan multifletch since 95 and its fairly easy to get an offset..the tthing i like is i got a bolt adaptor and the arrow fits snug into it so no need to glue a nock on a tip or screw..
usualy if im using AAE elite i follow the dirrections..
it says if using Fastset do not wipe the base of the vane with anything and no chemical on the shaft,,only use a abrasive cleaner such as ajax,, then it says if using fletch- tite to wipe the vanes with acetone.
I have fletched a zillion (not realy, but a lot) arows this way and never have vanes come off,,
That Fastset is good stuff and it holds blazers equaly as well..I have always been very carful to not touch the cleaned shafts ,it just stands to reason that oil of my hands will mess up the bond..
call me cheap but anything to help lower the cost and works is my goal..
does the gorilla super glue expande?..i didnt think it would but yall should know..