# Help setting up a Bitzenburger



## estoppel101 (Dec 5, 2007)

I am looking into fletching my own arrows and have decided to get the Bitzenburger. I currently shoot arrows that have straight vanes so I figure I will get a straight Bitzenburger jig. However, I want to experiment with other types of fletching and have some extra gift cards left over.

I have several questions I was hoping to find some answers to:

1. If I buy the Bitz with a straight clamp and want to change to right or left helical eventually, do I have to get a new knock receiver to match the helical or just the clamp?

2. If I don't have to get a new knock receiver, then what the he** are the other knock receivers used for? Right Helical and Left Helical?

3. What does TM mean? I see there are Straight, Right Helical and Left Helical receivers and there are TM Straight, TM Right Helical and TM Left Helical receivers. My head is spinning and the Bitz website is not too helpful.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.


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## arrowshooters (Jun 5, 2006)

1) No, you do not need a new nock receiver. 

2) The additional nock receivers are for more options for orientation on the shaft other than the three provided for already.

3) Have no idea what "TM" means, cannot find it on their site.

Best advise I can give is to make sure that when you are adjusting for the "off-set" you get full contact between the vane and the shaft.


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## estoppel101 (Dec 5, 2007)

*Good Stuff*

Thanks, I appreciate the info which no doubt will save me some cha-change.

I did find out that TM receivers are used for TM type arrow rests which require cock vane down. I don't know what TM stands for but TM rests are shoot through, prong style rests. TM will work for me because I shoot cock vane up with my trophy taker.

Thanks again,


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## CCArrows (Mar 29, 2006)

I am sorry, but I must disagree with Arrowshooters. I have been using a Bitz for years. Doing both straight and helical fletching. My experience has been that if you do not use the matching nock receiver, the Bitzenburger cannot be adusted properly. The base of the vane or feather will not lie correctly on the arrow shaft causing gapping glue lines or poor attachment of the fletching.


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## estoppel101 (Dec 5, 2007)

*Good point*

Thanks CCArrows,

I figured that Bitz made the receivers for a particular reason but had locally heard both points of views on the issue.

I am knew to the advanced archery issues and no opinion goes unappreciated.


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## AKRuss (Jan 10, 2003)

The reason for different nock receivers is to orient the nock to the particular type of fletching (r/l helical, straight.) With press-in nocks, this is not much of an issue as you can simply rotate the nock to the desired position. I use to overcome this with aluminum arrows and glue-on nocks by simply doing a friction fit with no glue and then glueing the nocks at the desired position after they were fletched up. If you rotate the nock, you loose the ability to precisely refletch a single feather. The clamp and jig are the same whichever nock receiver you use and has no effect on the quill's orientation to the shaft. I've never seen or heard of a TM nock but then I haven't bought any new Bitzys in quite a while. Someone in another thread talked about an adjustable nock which is a neat idea but I've never seen one of them either. 

I believe you'll find that changing clamp types is no small thing as it takes a bit of tweaking to get things just right. I find helical fletching especially difficult to get the best fit. I found it easier and less frustrating to simply get jigs in the styles I prefer and have both straight left off-set and left helical. These jigs have the proper receivers and I still rotate the nocks to where I want them, LOL. They are spendy little things and I added a jig here and there over several years to get what I have. 

Lastly, if you know which jig you want, I'd buy that one and not plan to buy parts for one that appears to be a good deal as you really won't save much/any.


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## arrowshooters (Jun 5, 2006)

CCArrows said:


> I am sorry, but I must disagree with Arrowshooters. I have been using a Bitz for years. Doing both straight and helical fletching. My experience has been that if you do not use the matching nock receiver, the Bitzenburger cannot be adusted properly. The base of the vane or feather will not lie correctly on the arrow shaft causing gapping glue lines or poor attachment of the fletching.


Just to clarify, this if from the Bitz site:

Feather spacing of 3 fletch 120º, 4 fletch 75º x 105º, and 4 fletch 90º can be selected by a slight screw adjustment. Optional nock receivers available to achieve 60º x 120 º 4 fletch or 120 º 3 fletch cock vane down or up. 

As far as I now, the only way to adjust for proper contact between the base of the vane and the shaft is with the dials on top of the jig that adjust the clamp orientation. This would be true for both Straight and Helical fletching. Say if you bought a Bitz with a straight clamp and wanted to start fletching Right Helical, you would buy the proper helical clamp and need to readjust the dials for proper fit to the shaft. But then maybe I can learn something new. I've only been using my Bitz for fletching carbon arrows one way with 4" vanes then Blazers. Once I have it adjusted I don't need to touch it.


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## TN ARCHER (Jan 31, 2007)

I have a Bitz jig. I originally bought it with a straight clamp. I have since purchased a right helical clamp. I only shoot with helical fletchings. I use Predator vanes and Vanetech vanes, 2.3". 

My neighbor likes to still shoot aluminum arrows with the glue on nocks. I offered to refletch his arrows, not realizing the issue with the nocks.

So, what I found I could do is, first, fletch a hen vane/feather. Second, fletch the cock vane/feather. Third, fletch the last hen vane/feather.

The result is the cock vane/feather is oriented on the arrow for a 12 0'clock position or a 6 o'clock position. this works just as well for carbon arrows so you don't ware out your nocks twisting them into position. This of course, is for fletching 3 @ 120 deg.


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