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bitzenburger jigs- questions and price check?

Iron_llama said:
You could mount them on a lazy Susan and have a convenient production station. But the bow shop I go to has a dozen mounted to chunk of MDF shelving - using double-stick duct tape - so he can knock out dozen-shaft orders at a go, so I guess a lazy Suzan isn't really necessary unless you have space considerations.
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If you use tape there is no reason to have more than 1 jig. There's no down time waiting for glue to dry/cure. Tape a fletch, then immediately tape the next and so on. I've come to really like tape.
Plus, it's a lot easier to repair or refletch with tape on carbons. Glue makes it a little sketchy to scrape the old stuff off. Not an issue with aluminum shafts but carbons can be damaged trying to clean up the old fletch and glue.
 
Allegheny Tom said:
If you use tape there is no reason to have more than 1 jig. There's no down time waiting for glue to dry/cure. Tape a fletch, then immediately tape the next and so on. I've come to really like tape.
Plus, it's a lot easier to repair or refletch with tape on carbons. Glue makes it a little sketchy to scrape the old stuff off. Not an issue with aluminum shafts but carbons can be damaged trying to clean up the old fletch and glue.
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I'm using wraps for the same reason. I've got a couple of different adhesives I'm playing with but to my inexperienced mind, the benefits of a novice using wraps outweigh the FOC penalty.
 
Iron_llama said:
I'm using wraps for the same reason. I've got a couple of different adhesives I'm playing with but to my inexperienced mind, the benefits of a novice using wraps outweigh the FOC penalty.
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I used to use wraps but I don't know if it was the brand or maybe how I was trying to remove them, but I couldnt get them off very easily. I ended up destroying the wrap and still had crap stuck on the shaft.
Tape is great. I can fletch an arrow in about 5 minutes and it's ready to shoot. Not waiting for glue to dry. And if a fletch needs replaced, it easy off and easy back on in a couple of minutes.
 
Allegheny Tom said:
I used to use wraps but I don't know if it was the brand or maybe how I was trying to remove them, but I couldnt get them off very easily. I ended up destroying the wrap and still had crap stuck on the shaft.
Tape is great. I can fletch an arrow in about 5 minutes and it's ready to shoot. Not waiting for glue to dry. And if a fletch needs replaced, it easy off and easy back on in a couple of minutes.
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I am not a big fan of wraps either. It makes replacing fletching more difficult. I go thru too many fletching to have to deal with replacing wraps. I could see someone using wraps on arrows that are set aside just for hunting but for practice arrows, there is no need.
 
Allegheny Tom said:
If you use tape there is no reason to have more than 1 jig. There's no down time waiting for glue to dry/cure. Tape a fletch, then immediately tape the next and so on. I've come to really like tape.
Plus, it's a lot easier to repair or refletch with tape on carbons. Glue makes it a little sketchy to scrape the old stuff off. Not an issue with aluminum shafts but carbons can be damaged trying to clean up the old fletch and glue.
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I started making arrows last summer, jumped right to tape with a drop of Duco cement on either end. Wood shafts sealed with gasket lacquer. I haven’t lost a fletch yet despite hunting in the snow and the rain. I can fletch a dozen in an hour, I don’t see any reason to mess with glue.
 
I am a tape fan also for all the above stated reasons. No need for additional clamps with zero wait time for drying and I have never lost a fletch. The only downside is that I often have a hard time getting the backing off the tape once applied to the feather and that adds time. If I could eliminate that one con I would have nothing negative to say about tape (I have seen the little dispenser but haven't tried it and have seen mixed reviews). I will not be returning to glue any time soon.
 
tree_top said:
I am a tape fan also for all the above stated reasons. No need for additional clamps with zero wait time for drying and I have never lost a fletch. The only downside is that I often have a hard time getting the backing off the tape once applied to the feather and that adds time. If I could eliminate that one con I would have nothing negative to say about tape (I have seen the little dispenser but haven't tried it and have seen mixed reviews). I will not be returning to glue any time soon.
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The dispenser doesn’t help, it was a pain in the butt for me.

For me, key to getting the backing off, cut it a bit long, put it on the fletch, pushing the taped down and around the back edge of the feather. The tail just needs to be as out 1/16 to 1/8” long. It will stick down and the bend will separate the backing. Also an exacto knife can be helpful too.
 
TheBlindCat said:
The dispenser doesn’t help, it was a pain in the butt for me.

For me, key to getting the backing off, cut it a bit long, put it on the fletch, pushing the taped down and around the back edge of the feather. The tail just needs to be as out 1/16 to 1/8” long. It will stick down and the bend will separate the backing. Also an exacto knife can be helpful too.
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This is pretty much how I do it too.
Cut the tape a little long, stick it tightly to the quill and rub my fingernail up and down it to make sure it's really stuck on there. Then I kinda bend the extra piece I left long over to the side of the clamp. Then take a utility knife blade to separate the tape backing, then pull it off.

I have to say it was kinda tedious at 1st. I wasn't sure that I was going to like the tape. But once I had a system down it goes easy and super fast.
I'm not going back to glue either.
 
Yes, same for me. With the feather in the clamp I run it off the front a little long, stick it to the clamp, and use a razor blade. I still fight with it probably 10-15 seconds on average. Just slightly annoying and my "old" eyes don't help any.

That said, I actually do have two bitzenburger jig setups. One is setup for left wing and carbons (longbow) and the other for right wing and aluminum (recurve). Purely for convenience and simply quicker that readjusting one jig.
 
tree_top said:
Yes, same for me. With the feather in the clamp I run it off the front a little long, stick it to the clamp, and use a razor blade. I still fight with it probably 10-15 seconds on average. Just slightly annoying and my "old" eyes don't help any.

That said, I actually do have two bitzenburger jig setups. One is setup for left wing and carbons (longbow) and the other for right wing and aluminum (recurve). Purely for convenience and simply quicker that readjusting one jig.
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The more reading i do (and learning about tape etc from you all) the more likely I will be doing something similar, since I have a variety of bows/crossbow, it likely makes sense to set one up for each arrow type/diameter and leave it once set, in stead of trying to have a production line. Or perhaps ill have to sell them to finance some those things going on, we shall see
 
Lancaster sells caliblitz tapes for the bitz too, another way to set the helical on it. I use that and just keep an index card with my #s on it for the arrows I use so it’s always the same and easy to change back to.

tbh I didn’t even know anything about this tape you’re all speaking of lol - I’ll have to do some digging but my trad arrows will be here soon and hopefully built by the weekend. Love my bitz
 
bigcat93 said:
Lancaster sells caliblitz tapes for the bitz too, another way to set the helical on it. I use that and just keep an index card with my #s on it for the arrows I use so it’s always the same and easy to change back to.

tbh I didn’t even know anything about this tape you’re all speaking of lol - I’ll have to do some digging but my trad arrows will be here soon and hopefully built by the weekend. Love my bitz
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I use Bohning tape. It's 2 sided. One side cones off the roll sticky and the other side has a strip you pull off to expose the sticky on that side.
You put the fletch in the clamp, cut the tape to length with scissors, firmly stick it to the fletch, then peel off the strip, stick it to the shaft.
One thing to be careful of...with glue you can slightly reposition the fletch even if it has made contact with the shaft. In fact, I always wiggled the shaft slightly to even-out the glue. BUT with tape, there is no room for error. Make sure the nock is fully seated in the receiver and make sure the clamp is correct before you actually contact the fletch to the shaft. Seems obvious but I occasionally goof one up if I'm not careful.
 
I use the Bohning tape as well. I find it much easier to peel the backing off if you cut the tape at an angle. The point shape makes it easy to lift the backing off with an utility knife. I've had great luck with tape. I do put glue on the feather ends prior to shooting. This helps hold everything in place in case of a target pass through. Good luck and have fun.....Bitz are a great fletching tool for sure.
 
bigcat93 said:
Lancaster sells caliblitz tapes for the bitz too, another way to set the helical on it. I use that and just keep an index card with my #s on it for the arrows I use so it’s always the same and easy to change back to.

tbh I didn’t even know anything about this tape you’re all speaking of lol - I’ll have to do some digging but my trad arrows will be here soon and hopefully built by the weekend. Love my bitz
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Master Buck Cali-Bitz Bitzenberger Jig Calibration Decals
 
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