Alternative to feather fletch?

[zenmonkeyman]

I was wondering about squirrel, skunk, fox, etc. tails skinned out and glued raw around the back of an arrow to stabilize its flight.  Anybody try this?

[Pat B]

Anything that adds resistance to the airflow will work as fletching.

[shikari]

Parchment was used by turkish  archers in the flight arrows.

[HoBow]

I've read somewhere, maybe here, about leather being used, but I always thought that would be heavy.  Can't say for sure as I have never tried it though. 

[bowkee]

I always wondered about thin leather and a 2 fletch.Phillip

[Pappy]

There was an article a couple of issues back in PA,about leather fletch.Seemed to work fine.  :)Pappy

[KenH]

Real parchment is leather, not pounded vegetable matter (paper).  It can be readily stiffened with glue.

[zenmonkeyman]

The problem with anything planar that ISNT feather, is that it won't collapse parallel to the direction of travel without jutting out excessively sideways, slowing and altering the course of the arrow.  Leather that is too soft will deform as it clears the bow and stay deformed, leather that is too stiff will bounce as it clears the bow and not fly true.  The reason I'm intrigued by squirrel tails, is the fur will flatten and stay that way as long as the arrow flies true.  If it starts off course, only the fur on the lee side will lift, creating drag to correct the flight.  Does this ring true to anybody?  Or is my hypothesis flawed?

[Sparrow]

When in doubt, Try it out !  '  Frank

[LEGIONNAIRE]

I would say, try something like what is put behind a dart. A dart is stable right? so why wouldnt an arrow be, just make it proportional. the squirrel tail sounds interesting, maybe wrapped around to make the hairs pop out and spiral it down a couple of inches.

[bowkee]

long as the hair is pointed backwards unless ya want a flu flu

[zenmonkeyman]

A squirrel-tail flu-flu would be perfect for hunting squirrels! 

[karrow]

theres only one way to find out might be on to sumthin

[zenmonkeyman]

Just waitin on acquiring some dead squirrels.  I'll report back when/if I learn anything.

[Orkraider]

I have a non primitive solution that I've been using whilst I try to find a cheap local source of feathers: clear packing tape. I had a bunch of rolls I got for free from work, and it works slicker than I thought it would.  The tape's about 1 7/8" wide. I started off doing 2 vane fletches. I'd lay one piece of tape on the shaft, rotate the shaft 180 degrees and apply another piece. They stick together, and to the shaft. Cut to shape, trim up, and bang, done.

I then made a very simple jig, with 2 block of wood set at a 120 degree angle to eachother, and more wood on the end with holes drilled to hold the arrow. I put the shaft through the holes, and put a 1" by 4" piece of paper resting on the block on either side of the shaft. Apply one piece of tape that hits the shaft in the center, and just about covers each piece of paper. take out, rotate 120 degrees, repeat, and once more, and bang, 3 vaned fletch for a cost of about zero, no glue or fletching tape needed.

I thought this would only hold up for a couple shots, but the fletching lasts longer than the arrows; I either break the arrow when I shoot something hard, or lose it in the bush.

Riley's cheap fletching method mark 3 will involve making a simple die cutter so I can cut nice parabolic profiles on my cheapie vanes; also, I plan on making a pivoting cut through a couple pieces of wood so that I'll be able to automatically work in a 5 degree offset.

I'll post pictures of what I've got if I can ever find my camera.  cheers!