Cutting those turkey feathers! ??

[kevinnator11]

I ordered and have a turkey wing waiting on me at the post office.  I've only used pre cut feathers so I've got some work to do.  The youtube videos make the cutting and sanding part fairly simple but after that I have to trim them I would think.  I hate to use the trueflight ones I have as a template.  Seems like that would cheapen them.  Is it ok to just wing it?  pardon the expression and come up with my own design and if so what is the best way of cutting them?  i.e. what tool?  Scissors, razor knife?  Thanks for any help you can provide.

[Bevan R.]

Sharp scissors will work. Saxton Pope's book show using a cardboard template and cutting around that to keep the fletch even.
You can make your own feather burner if you are a little handy. I much perfer the burner over the choppers (I have both).

good luck.

[sadiejane]

i use sharp scissors
used to cut em after attaching to shaft
now i cut em all first. get better more consistent results doing beforehand

heres an old post that i keep meaning to follow.
http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,23329.15.htmlsa
i have one of my pops old soldering irons...
just havent gotten roundtuit

[bubby]

i posted plans for a feather burner a while ago, i'll see if i can find it, and copying your commercial feather's wouldn't cheapen them in my book, Bub

[kevinnator11]

heres an old post that i keep meaning to follow.
http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,23329.15.htmlsa
i have one of my pops old soldering irons...
just havent gotten roundtuit

Now that looks awesome.  I'm always see those soldering guns in the pawn shops.  So the template isn't as important?  I had a guy sell me a fletching jig when I started this "journey" and it's too small and straight fletching.  I do use it to keep things lined up but it doesn't work well.  I'm thinking of coming up with some kind of homemade jig to fletch. 

[sadiejane]

right at the top of the arrow page you will find this:
http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,24583.0.html
simple but effective

[bubby]

http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,28966.msg384081.html#msg38408
here it is, Bub

[kevinnator11]

http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,28966.msg384081.html#msg38408
here it is, Bub

Thanks, looks perfect and I get to hit up the hardware store.  Needed a hinge anyways for sanding.

[bubby]

kevin i just hook up mine to a battery charger on 6v, Bub

[JW_Halverson]

Cheapening them would be making them outa duct tape and magic marker!

[1000000volts]

just use scissors ,cut em about 5 or 7 " long and about 2 or 3"high,its no big deal ,,make sure you use all right wing feathers or all left wing.and thats it.,......

[Cameroo]

Cheapening them would be making them outa duct tape and magic marker!

Hey, that's thrifty, not cheap

[osage outlaw]

Home made feather burners work great and are easy to build.  As far as cutting the feather I use a razor knife to split the quill.  Then I have two scrap pieces of 1x board hinged together that I put the arrow in and lightly run it across the belt sander for a second or two.  It gives you a nice flat glueing surface.

[Josh B]

just use scissors ,cut em about 5 or 7 " long and about 2 or 3"high,its no big deal ,,make sure you use all right wing feathers or all left wing.and thats it.,......

Are those dimensions for flu-flu's?  . Or was that a typo?  2 or 3" is pretty high.  What kinda bird would have feathers that big?  .  Josh

[Ifrit617]

just use scissors ,cut em about 5 or 7 " long and about 2 or 3"high,its no big deal ,,make sure you use all right wing feathers or all left wing.and thats it.,......

Are those dimensions for flu-flu's?  . Or was that a typo?  2 or 3" is pretty high.  What kinda bird would have feathers that big?  .  Josh

haha I was wondering the same thing... 1/2 to 5/8 inch is where I usually cut mine... sometimes 3/4" high..