# Which Jig is better?



## hoytshooter15 (Aug 13, 2012)

My Birthday is next week and my parents said they could get my a fletching jig. Now, I have used a Bitzenburger before at the shop and it's certainly the best I'v used to date. However, I hear good things about this Jig:

http://www.lancasterarchery.com/fivics-ez-fletching-jig.html

Someone give me a tie breaker. Bitzenburger VS. Fivics EZ. and why


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## TargetOz (Jan 16, 2013)

Hi shooter, 

I actually use a Jo Jans the reason being I had a Bohning jig which uses a magnet to locate the fletch to the arrow, not sure if these 2 brands do the same but it drove me nuts! With the Jo the arrow is in place the fletch clamp slots in its predetermined place and all done. Just my 2c worth.


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## hoytshooter15 (Aug 13, 2012)

TargetOz said:


> Hi shooter,
> 
> I actually use a Jo Jans the reason being I had a Bohning jig which uses a magnet to locate the fletch to the arrow, not sure if these 2 brands do the same but it drove me nuts! With the Jo the arrow is in place the fletch clamp slots in its predetermined place and all done. Just my 2c worth.


Link to this Jig?


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## indebtmd (Dec 21, 2013)

What do you fletch your vanes with? Spin wings? Plastic Vanes? Feathers? If you're using spin wings or any other curled performance vane, spending $60ish dollars on a jig might not be a great investment. If you use plastic vanes/feathers, the Bitzenburger as you've seen is solidly built and easy to use. The only change I'd make the bitzenburger is getting and attaching the separate zenith upgrade to make the fletches more consistent, but that's just a nitpicking.


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## williamskg6 (Dec 21, 2008)

hoytshooter15 said:


> Link to this Jig?


I'm sorry, hoytshooter, but you seriously can't find a single link relating to the Jo Jan? :embara: Here's a link for you: http://bit.ly/1qdH7n7

I think that Fivics looks interesting, but it sure takes up a lot of table space. I personally use a Bearpaw jig, which is pretty good for the money. I think it's very difficult to challenge the tried and true Bitz though.

-Kent W.


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## Beastmaster (Jan 20, 2009)

Best all around out there will be the Bitz. People have been raving over the LCA Vane Master Pro, but I haven't played with it a lot.


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## TargetOz (Jan 16, 2013)

hoytshooter15 said:


> Link to this Jig?


Hi again, 

This link to the single mono fletch is what I use. ...

http://www.lancasterarchery.com/jojan-f-80-standard-mono-fletcher.html

Hope it helps. 

P.s. I use 600 spine arrows and wav aae vanes and have no probs fletching with this jig.


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## Arsi (May 14, 2011)

My vote is for the Bitz. Its literally bulletproof and you have such a wide range of adjustability. Ive fletched X10s, Nano Pro Xtremes and 2212/2314 aluminums without any issues.

I would stay away from jigs with plastic in them. Fletching glue tends to get all over the place and being able to take something like a knife or fletching stripper to clear off the clamp of superglue is pretty important and if you have plastic in the mix, you might just end up ruining your clamp.


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## hoytshooter15 (Aug 13, 2012)

Arsi said:


> My vote is for the Bitz. Its literally bulletproof and you have such a wide range of adjustability. Ive fletched X10s, Nano Pro Xtremes and 2212/2314 aluminums without any issues.
> 
> I would stay away from jigs with plastic in them. Fletching glue tends to get all over the place and being able to take something like a knife or fletching stripper to clear off the clamp of superglue is pretty important and if you have plastic in the mix, you might just end up ruining your clamp.


Ya I normally would never use a plastic jig but that Fivics Jig appears to be full metal. So idk.


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## hoytshooter15 (Aug 13, 2012)

Beastmaster said:


> Best all around out there will be the Bitz. People have been raving over the LCA Vane Master Pro, but I haven't played with it a lot.


Raving?? LCA appears to have a pretty bad wrap on lancaster. Nobody seems to like it.


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## grantmac (May 31, 2007)

Bitz, that is all.


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## dchan (Jun 29, 2004)

BPE is basically a plastic version of the bitz. Not a bad less expensive option. We use some of them as loaners for the club.

In fact I use my bitz clamps on the bpe. I like the metal clamp better..


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## wwflake (Oct 15, 2012)

I would go with the bitz. I have that one myself and it does an excellent job. It is proven and a lot of people swear by it.


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## baller (Oct 4, 2006)

Been using the same bitz for 15 years...works


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## limbwalker (Sep 26, 2003)

Been using the same Bitz that I bought with my first paycheck from K-Mart in 1986. 28 years of reliable service, and still going strong. Now that's what I call a bargain.


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## agillator (Sep 11, 2011)

I have a BPE and I would not recommend it. Repeatability depends on a locating pin that is plastic and molded into one of the pieces of the jig. That pin can shear off as mine did. It is not something you can simply glue back on. I tried to communicate with the manufacturer to get the part replaced and received no response.

If you are using spin wings you don't need a fletching jig, just a jig to draw lines on your shafts. For that there is the Beiter Tri-liner.

If you are fletching vanes and/or feathers you need to ask yourself whether your objective is uniformity of application or adjustability. 

For adjustability the Bitz (~$90) is highly recommended though I have not used one personally. You will need to keep good records of your settings and always check that they are what you want them to be before fletching.

For uniformity of application I recommend the AAE Fletch III (~$24). The only thing you can adjust on it is the distance of the vane from the nock-end. You can still play with fletching shape, composition, and length, plenty enough variables to tweak. In the mean time it is nice to know you are applying your vanes in a uniform manner month-in and month-out.


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## dchan (Jun 29, 2004)

I've been using the BPE's, 8 of them I inherited when I bought a doz Bitz's and 2 from when I first started seriously shooting in the late 70's. The 2 I first bought are still going strong. Only one of the BPE's no longer works well and it's probably because it got dropped a few times. I have just never gotten around to re-gluing the magnet in place. 

I also own 14 Bitz's (12 on a turntable) and if you are planning on doing lots of fletching, it's the gold standard. If you are going to do an occasional doz here or there, or a quick repair, the BPE does the job.. Like I mentioned above, however, I do use my Bitz clamps on the BPE for the reason pointed out by someone else.. taking a hard edge like a knife, to clean the glue off, the metal clamp is much more durable.


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## Arsi (May 14, 2011)

limbwalker said:


> Been using the same Bitz that I bought with my first paycheck from K-Mart in 1986. 28 years of reliable service, and still going strong. Now that's what I call a bargain.


I dont know how I feel about being only one year older than your Bitz jig, John...


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## Mika Savola (Sep 2, 2008)

I bought a Bitz with helical clamp couple of years back. The darn thing was designed 19XX?!? Anyway, to cope with lacking features I made some modifications to the arrow support slot and built a base so that arrow now lies horizontal to prevent max bond from running...

Fivics EZ looks a lot like Arten Tollgate, which is the best jig ever; sturdy and accurate, has an offset possibility (I keep my bottom vane at six o'clock for rest clearance). Tollgate is now discontinued I believe but Cartel has made an exact copy, check it out also. The only good thing with Bitz is the helical clamp IMO


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## limbwalker (Sep 26, 2003)

Arsi said:


> I dont know how I feel about being only one year older than your Bitz jig, John...


Or about having a full time job when I was just 1. ha, ha.


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## SoMe0nE2tAlK2 (May 7, 2013)

I have the bohning triple tower and the fivics jig myself. I've also used the Jojan jig with the 6 clamps setup. 

While I agree that the fivics jig is an interesting design, I fletched faster with the Jojan, even with only one clamp. 

Considering the fivics was given to me, I have no regrets. But if I bought one myself it'd be a bitz or a Jojan.

Edit: also some people mentioned the build, the fivics is an all metal design.


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## Lostnthewoods (Jan 24, 2013)

Bitz and don't look back!


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## kb2yht (Apr 9, 2014)

Have used a bunch of them, they all worked fine for feathers. However with the small shafts and fine vanes my bitz is the best.


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## whiz-Oz (Jul 19, 2007)

williamskg6 said:


> I think it's very difficult to challenge the tried and true Bitz though.


Nope. 
Just a lot more expensive. 

http://www.advanced-archery-products.com/product/x2-1-fletching-jig/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2WehriPpGws&list=UUniYkc-MvREIcT9xXX0c54Q


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