How to Re-Fletch an Arrow By: James Chilton

Table of Contents Title Page Table of Contents Warning and Chemical information Supplies History and Terminology Vane Removal Glue Removal Final Cleaning of Arrow Shaft Fitting Arrow to the Jig Dry Fitting Vanes Dry Fitting Vanes and Jig Adjustment Arrow Wraps Arrow Wrap Installation Gluing Vanes Vane Installation Final Gluing Check for Mistakes

Read First Before Proceeding Acetone Extremely Flammable: Acetone is very flammable and should not be stored near an open flame or heat source. Vapor Harmful: This chemical should only be used in a well ventilated area or safety breathing equipment should be used. Injurious to Skin and Eyes: Avoid contact with skin and eyes. First Aid: If swallowed, induce vomiting immediately and contact poison control center or physician for instructions. In case of eye contact, flush eyes with running water for at least 15 minutes and get medical attention. In case of skin contact wash the affected area with soap and water.

Supplies (1) Bohning Helix Jig (1) Acetone (1) Fletching Remover (1) Fletching Glue (1) Mouse pad (1) Arrow Wrap (1) Razor Blade (1) Clean Rag (3) New Fletchings

History and Terminology Arrows of the past were made of wood then aluminum and have now progressed to carbon. The newest of the three is what we will be using today. On the original wooden arrow feathers from turkeys were used on the back of the arrow to stabilize it during flight. The turkey feathers work fine until they get wet and then stabilization is lost. This created a need for a more durable way to stabilize arrows in all weather conditions. These days fletchings or vanes are used, which are made of plastic. They come in all different colors, shapes and sizes. It is all up to you which you choose to use. For this application we will be using Blazer Vanes. We will also be using a Jig which is a tool that hold the arrow in place while the vanes are being glued in place. The jig we are using is the Bohning Blazer Helix Jig which is made specifically for assembling arrows with the Blazer Vanes. The term helix refers to the way the vanes are glued in place. The vanes are actually wrapped around the shaft of the arrow. This makes the arrow spin faster and smoother so that it stabilizes quicker for greater accuracy.

First you will need one carbon arrow with damaged vanes. Now you will need to remove your broad head to prevent any accidents.

Get your fletching remover. Put the blade of your fletching remover at a 45 deg. Angle to the arrow shaft and push forward so the blade slides smoothly between the shaft and the vane.

Continue the previous step until all the vanes are removed Continue the previous step until all the vanes are removed. The old vanes will leave a little material on the arrow shaft. Keep using your fletching remover to scrape the remaining plastic material off of the shaft. It should look like the picture below.

You will notice that there is still residue on the shaft left from the old fletching glue. This needs to be removed. First remove the arrow nock. Now you will need to use the acetone to remove the remaining glue. Open the acetone and make sure you are in a well ventilated area.

You will need to completely submerge the nock end of your arrow into the acetone. Let it sit for three to five minutes. Now remove your arrow and wipe the shaft with a clean cloth. Inspect the shaft for residue. It should be clean like the picture below.

Pay Close Attention Now at this point it is very important to make sure all the old glue residue is removed from the arrow shaft. If there is any glue left on the shaft re-submerge the shaft into the acetone. After the shaft is completely clean there may be a slight milky film left on the shaft from the acetone. If the film is present run warm water over the arrow for a few seconds to rinse clean. Dry the arrow with the clean cloth. Now you should have a clean dry arrow shaft. Be sure not to touch the nock end of the arrow with your hands. Oils form your skin may reduce adhesion of the arrow wrap. An arrow wrap is a thin piece of highly durable vinyl that is sticky on one side to adhere to an arrow. The other side usually has very bright colors to help archers see the arrow better during flight. The bright colors also help an archer find his arrow easier in the field after a shot on an animal.

Replace your arrow nock into the shaft Replace your arrow nock into the shaft. Place your arrow into the jig and slide the arrow all the way into the notch in the bottom of the jig. Now you need to dry fit the arrow with the vanes to make sure they fit securely. The vane should sit flat against the shaft.

Place your new vane into the vane holder part of the jig just like the picture below. Replace the vane holder back on the jig. Make sure it is pressed firmly in place, all the way down and back.

Make sure the vane is seated against the shaft with no gaps as you can see in the picture below. Gaps must be fixed before gluing. To fix gaps use the adjustment screw on the front of the jig. Unscrew the nut and move the black arrow holder up or down as needed.

After your final adjustments you are ready to install an arrow wrap After your final adjustments you are ready to install an arrow wrap. Arrow wraps add style and help in the adhesion of fletchings. The wraps come in all colors shapes and sizes. Place your mouse pad on a flat firm surface. Remove one arrow wrap from its backing and put it on your mouse pad with the sticky side up. Make sure you have the graphics in the direction you want them.

Remove the nock from your arrow again Remove the nock from your arrow again. Place your arrow on the mouse pad next to the wrap. Make sure the nock end of the arrow is parallel to the end of the wrap and the shaft is parallel to the long side. Now with clean dry hands, roll the arrow shaft across the wrap so that it wraps around the arrow. Make sure to press firmly and evenly while rolling the shaft to ensure proper adhesion of the wrap.

Use whichever vane you would like first in the vane holder Use whichever vane you would like first in the vane holder. Put a thin even line of glue down the center of the vane. After completing the wrap it should look like the one below. The seam of the two edges of the wrap should be pressed firmly together again. You can now replace your arrow nock and place your wrapped arrow back in the jig.

Now put the vane holder back on the jig just as you did earlier when dry fitting. Make sure the vane holder is pressed firmly into place. Also make sure the arrow is pressed all the way down into the jig. Wait five to seven minutes for the glue to set and then slowly remove the vane holder. Rotate the black handle on the end of the jig one click in either direction. This is preset to exactly 120 deg.

Follow the previous steps to glue on the two remaining vanes.

When all the vanes are glued in place you can remove the arrow from the jig. For your newly installed vanes to endure hundreds of shots without failure you need to add a spot of glue to the front and rear of each vane.

When looking straight down on the arrow from behind you can now see the twist or helix put into the vanes by the jig. The final product should look like the arrow below. Now let the arrow sit overnight for the glue to dry all the way through and enjoy hours of shooting fun.