Wild Turkey Feather Spiral Flu Flu's

[ElkSlayer]

Step one, harvest said bird ! Once you get that done the rest is easy...
I removed the whole wing, took each feather off later in the year.

I split the quill with an exacto knife, in the natural crease.
http://i675.photobucket.com/albums/vv112/Liv2Hunt_Or/turkey%20feather%20flu%20flu/103_4544.jpg
Then stand it on edge, looking down at feather edge you will see the curve of growth.
Trim any extra quill away on both sides to blend quill base to match the mid portion. Keep knife parallel to feather creating a square bottom..
( be sure to trim close enough to thin quill so it will bend. I tested it by trying to make a circle with out causing any kinks in the quill ) be sure to leave a tag end on base on quill.
I used my fletching jig's stright clamp to hold feather while I sanded the bottom of quills spongey core to a thin flat layer...
keep it on the same plane .. ( I used 320 wet/ dry) be carful paper will try to grab feather so sand slow and easy..not trying to remove metal here re test with circle technique.. once your happy with it move on to step 4
http://i675.photobucket.com/albums/vv112/Liv2Hunt_Or/turkey%20feather%20flu%20flu/103_4547.jpg
I tried to apply a straight feather to an arrow and it worked out ok, but was not the best way.. Latter found if I pre wraped quill around shaft and split feather barbs to make up small sections it was easer.. either way works
http://i675.photobucket.com/albums/vv112/Liv2Hunt_Or/turkey%20feather%20flu%20flu/103_4569.jpg
First deside where you want to start at nock end. then tape tag end in place to start your wrap again ( if you did the pre wrap method)
I had the wife run the glue bead while i held tight on feather an slowly turned arrow shaft.
http://i675.photobucket.com/albums/vv112/Liv2Hunt_Or/turkey%20feather%20flu%20flu/103_4558.jpg
Once wraped up, tape the end down. set aside to dry I let 'em set a few hours then I removed tape , trimed tag ends off, added a drop of glue on each..let that dry and went shooting I'm getting 40 yds max on a leval shot out of my Fury 48lbs@ 28" but I pull 31

[alex]

Looks very good.

[ElkSlayer]

thanks alex..it was a lot of fun doing it too.. some thing i rememberd from my youth..now to get a mess of um together and have some fun... folks had a milk jug lancher..thats next on list to be built...need more arrows:cool:

[elkslayer4x5]

We used half galleon milk cartons back then. I'll be using 2 liter plastic bottles now with sand or water in them, just enought to help them fly better. Power it with surgical tubing, trigger it with any old release. :D

[ElkSlayer]

just like shooting clays with a shotgun..;) its a hoot

[ElkSlayer]

here is one i did up for the boy RW tight wrap (left pic/ blue x7)...best looking one todate ..when its time to redo mine it will be this way. I do not expect them to last forever ;) they already are showing use..wraped mine base @ nock his was tip @ nock with a tight wrap.. did another LW tip @ nock long wrap it works out to 30 alslo...

[ElkSlayer]

Any one try this yet...or in the past. this is just one of many flu flu types.. Dad did some long ago with 6 5" perabolic's
along with 5" full size. I have alot of feathers still . but with any luck next spring;) I can realy try it along with trying my hand at reguler fletching.

[alex]

I haven't tried it yet. May be around Christmas if i can get some new turkey feathers :)

[ElkSlayer]

hope it works out for you ;) that was the hard part gettin feathers...lol
i was asked if phesant would work, They are not as tall so this method may not work,but who knows untill its tried. a stright fletch would, may have to add a few more then 3, goose may work well to after all plastic vains were not around 100 years ago but archery has been for 1000's dare to dream guys/ gals

[Spiker]

Not flu-flu's, sorry, but another fun way to fletch feathers...
http://www.martinarchery.com/mtechforum/picture.php?albumid=30&pictureid=279

[elkslayer4x5]

OK Spiker, how'd you get the cock feather two differnt colors, splice it? Or bleach the back end? :confused:

[ElkSlayer]

hey spiker nice splice job... do you have better results with the fletch out closer to nock end...I see it looks like 5/16 or less? I set all mine around 7/8.. just the mark i use on my jig.

[Spiker]

Actually the back of the feather is 15/16" from the nock groove.
They are just old swaged XX75 2213's that I fletched probably 15 years ago.
Still shoot a few of them out of my old DH recurve just for fun.

[ElkSlayer]

just wonderd if there was any benefits ? since i started doing my own. I always just used the same mark on my jig..that puts end of fletch over 1"5/16 from nock grove . 7/8 from end of carbon shaft

[elkslayer4x5]

Hey, almost time to go get that next tom! :D

[ElkSlayer]

Why yes it is....waiting to get my privite property permission card..should have it end of the week...as you know Im slingin arrows to get ready so is rhino...;) tic tic tic DRT TOM'S....LOL

[elkslayer4x5]

just wonderd if there was any benefits ? since i started doing my own. I always just used the same mark on my jig..that puts end of fletch over 1"5/16 from nock grove . 7/8 from end of carbon shaft

You set them any closer, how are you gonna get them big fingers of yours on the shaft? :D

[ElkSlayer]

You set them any closer, how are you gonna get them big fingers of yours on ethe shaft? :D

as it is one of the flu flus touches the ole lip critter :) tickles
i was just wondering if setting reguler feathers closer to end would be of benefit..Other then no room for the fingers...not like it matters cause they fly pretty good

[Double S]

Pretty sweet job on the flu flu's.

[ElkSlayer]

Thanks it easy to do..if you have the feathers whip your self up a few

[SeanH]

I never used natural feathers but I used to do that exact wrap about 20 years ago....they work awesome. You have less to worry about rest/riser interference with that setup.

Let us know what you think. Go to a field with a buddy, take some tennis balls. Have your buddy toss them up from about 10 yards out...a lot of fun.

[ElkSlayer]

Made a rig that launches plastic jugs 30 feet in the air. shoot at it with rubber blunts.. I like the idea of the ball..