# Small and Large fletchings



## swiftninja (Aug 5, 2006)

What difference do they make?


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## spatan (Jul 10, 2006)

*spatan*

Traditionally larger fletchers were used for hunting as they have a better stabilizing effect on fixed blade broadheads in a shortest possible distance. but they are heavier and prvide for more drag. fletch clearance can also be a problem when you are trying to center you cable guide bar for that perfect balance. 

Small fletches tend to look pretty within the target setup. they are lighter so they enable the arrow to fly faster so less tragetory, they also being smaller are damaged less offen by ather arrows.

Choosing the size of fletch or vane is going to hing partly on what spine you require to produce good arrow flight out of your particular bow, (FOC is something to look into.)
and asthetics (what looks good for you). 


Spatan :cocktail:


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## swiftninja (Aug 5, 2006)

Ok thanks.


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## SonnyThomas (Sep 10, 2006)

*small and larger fletchings*

First, a correction. This comes from arrow companies; By size, feathers are lighter than vanes. Now, feathers are forgiving and do guide an arrow very well, but do have more "drag" than vanes. Large vanes with sufficent offset or helical "grab" more air and help stabilize broadheads. Small are used by Field archers for distances of 80 yards, so that stuff of "accuracy for short distances" is junk. More and more archers are trying the 2" Blazer and getting oustanding results thorughout all ranges. I have all my vanes set to 5degrees regardless of size of vane or arrow and use them for target, 3D and hunting. Hint: For 5 degree offset I pull my prong style rest off and set the prongs for equal distance between vanes. This eliminates vane/prong interference. For a full helical fletch today's drop away rests are the way to go.


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## Matatazela (Mar 1, 2005)

Big fletching corrects errors in setup. This is required because a poorly set-up bow will shoot arrows that jiggle and jive much more than those from a well set-up bow. Essentially, you are putting the brakes on the back of the arrow to pull the shaft into a reasonably straight line. Smaller vanes do this to a lesser extent, allowing longer shots because they don't sap the arrow of all it's energy. 

Big fletching can interfere with the rest. It is especially true of biscuit style containment rests. Even the smaller vanes fletched helically don't like shoot-through rests. Dropaways become necessary...as per Sonny Thomas' suggestion. 

Hunting setups where a fixed blade broadhead is used may also require additional stabilisation of the arrow and this helps to prevent planing of the broadhead as it digs into the air at an odd angle.


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## swiftninja (Aug 5, 2006)

I do target archery (im in the UK hunting is a No NO and field doesnt interest me) so does that mean large fletchings are good for shorter distances (20-30 yards) while small fletchings are good for longer distances (50 yards -100).
Also I have seen some archers use fletchings that have a little ridge on each of the fletchings to make it spin. Whas the point of making them spin?


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## Matatazela (Mar 1, 2005)

If your bow is tuned sweetly, you will not need to stabilise more for shorter distances. In theory. In reality, it will straighten arrows that leave the bow at odd angles due to shooter error, or a sticky nock or whatever... Remember Murphy is alive and well and lives at your local archery range...

The vanes you describe sound like Quikspin from NAP. A spinning projectile is inherently more accurate than one travelling with no spin, all other factors being equal. Think of a rifle bullet - oh sorry - none of those in the UK anymore either! I think it is based on angular momentum, where a spinning object has a resistance to change in orientation due to gyroscopic inertia. Basically, it keeps itself pointed in the same direction. 

The spin in normal fletching is induced by twisting the vanes around the shaft. As the air hits the vane, it causes a reaction opposite in direction to the force, but because the vanes are arranged symetrically around the shaft, the force causes the arrow to turn. This twisting of the vanes is helical or offset fletching, whereas the spin in a quikspin vane, the turning is induced by an aerodynamic foil, much like an aircraft rudder on the tailplane. The vanes can thus be smaller than normal vanes.


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