Does the fletching tape like 3Rivers archery sells work very well? I need a easy cheap system to refletch damaged feathers at home and was looking at a single clamp system and the feather tape. I would only be using it a few arrows at a time not very often. Also I shoot feathers only with carbon shafts no vanes. Anything tips on a Jig brand also?
tape is all i use now .you can fletch a dozen arrows in 30 min.i put a drop of glue on bothends of the feather
that's all I use. I do put a drop of glue on both ends of the feather.
I have used nothing but the tape for years. I don't always dab glue on the ends but I have in the past. Never had a problem, never lost a feather. I do clean the shafts fairly well prior to attaching it with rubbing alcohol or acetone and I make sure that I don't touch the portion of the shaft that the feather will attach to until after the feather is applied.
As soon as you attach your fletch, use your thumb nail and push the tape onto your shaft by running your thumb nail with the direction of the feather. Be careful not to push the feather away from the orientation that your jig created. I think that some of the problems that others have had with fletch tape was because they didn't push the feather onto the shaft after attaching the feather. Some jigs don't allow a full mating surface with the shaft and a small portion of the tape never sticks, jmho.
I use a Bitz jig, others work also.
-Scott
The Bohning fletch tape is excellent and all I use. As mentioned, a tiny drop of fletching cement fore and aft of each fletch for insurance.
Get one of the JoJan fletchers and I use the tape also, love it....
Keep your Tape in the refrigerator....
I just tried fletch tape for the first time awhile back...MAn did I get my eyes opened in a hurry! BEst thing I ever saw for fletching...Dab some glue at end of feathers for insurance and go shoot. No muss-no fuss! No drippy glue tubes and gummed up clamps.Good Stuff!!MHO....
Will the Bohning fletch tape work on non-Bohning paints?
I use flething tape, along with a Bitzenburg Fletcher....now I have 5 extra Fletchers!!!!!
I spray paint my capwraps with what ever's on sale. Never had a problem. I've found arrows buried under the grass for over a year and the quill is still on good. i never glue the front and back. DB
I use tape only. I splice the cock feathers on all my arrows. Splicing and tape are a natural fit. I do put a drop of glue at the base of each splice.
The tape works amazingly good, Two thumbs way up. Glue drop like others.
Hi All,
Tape is what I have my Boy Scouts use when we're making arrows. The arrows either get broken or lost before the feathers come off!!
Well you talked me into it I ordered a JoJan mono fletcher and tape should be here mid next week.
I used fletching tape this evening for the first time on my Grizzly Stik Sitkas. I had to try it after reading the positive comments made here.
It is amazing and very easy to use. The only slight negative, and I do mean slight, is trying to get the film off of the tape once it is on the feather.
But I do have clumsy fingers and not so great eyes.
It really is easy to use and I don't see using glue anytime soon.
Anyone want to buy a tube of Fletch Tite Platinum?
John
I had a hard time getting that backing film off at first, but I figured out that I was cutting the tail of the tape at the end of the feather a little too long. Cut it just a 1/16 past the quill, and then when you push down on the tape the "tail" will stick to the feather and the film will pop back up. Makes it easy to grab. It says that in the instructions, but who am I to read instructions!
Tape is definitely the way to go. :D
I have been using it for years and recommend it
I use the tip of my scissors to get ahold of the film. Fletch tape is the only way to go ;)
Either use a razor blade or an Xacto knife to get the backing started.
You guys are terrible. Guess what I'm going to the store to pick up today...
:coffee:
One word... Duco Household Cement. ;) (that's for everytime someone has posted a fletching glue question and several guys pop off suggesting tape instead. ) :banghead:
i have a problem with it "drifting" if not secured with a drop of glue on each end, sometimes...
i guess i'm "old school" but...i think i prefer glue for the biggest part. i'm still in the process of 'thinking' about it...
Charlie,
What do you think is bad about the tape? I assume you have had problems. Any problems with Duco? Does it go on easy and clean up easy if you get it on the fletching jigs? How long does it take to set up?
Thanks,
Allan
if you use a vinyl wrap the beauty of fletch tape is you just pop off the old fletch and use your thumb too "rub" off the old tape and refletch, you don't have to keep removing the wrap every time you refletch. I've had arrows stuck in my target all winter and the fletch is still stuck in the spring. Takes a little time to get used to using, but once mastered it awesome. ron
Allan... I was just poking a little fun at the tape guys. I don't have any experience with the stuff and the bad things I've heard have been minimal.
Usually with glue (either Duco or FletchTite) set time is about 15 minutes). Keeping the feather clamp clean isn't a problem either. Careful application of the glue helps and any excess scrapes off easilly when it dries.
I take a blow dryer and heat it a bit and it'll pull right off when i'm ready to refletch. to get the backing off, I put the feather in the clamp and then the clamp upside down in a small vise. i then rub one end a few times with my thumb nail and use a hat pin to pop up the backing. DB
I'm going to go against the flow and give fletching tape the thumbs down. It tends not to stick the feathers on straight for me, but follows the natural curve of the feather, which bugs me. Also, it tends to get gummy in hot weather and the fletching can move around a bit, glue dot or no (we get serious hot weather around here).
I prefer gel superglue because it's cheaper, easy to find nearly anywhere, glues the fletching on nice and straight, is super durable and sets in about 20 seconds. Of course if you make a mistake, repairs are a mess!
S.
And here I am, huffing glue like a sucker!
:banghead:
I'll chime in in favor of tape too. However, I've not tried re-fletching a shaft that had tape on it in the first place. I'll be trying that tonight though!
You can pull off the old taped fletch and refletch.
Not certain if I can articulate this... for those having trouble with removing the backing.
Stick the tape to anything. Pick up the backing so the tape separates. Now, cut the tape, but not the backing. Leave a 1" (or more)tag of the backing with no tape. You can see thru the backing to where the tape ends so placement on the next feather is not a problem.
Put feather in clamp, apply tape to feather and, using 4 hands, ( I lay the clamp between my knees) pick up the tag end and pull it away from the tape until just past the end of the feather. Cut the tape.. but not the backing, and then cut the backing, again, leaving 1". After you do it two or three times, you get a feel for it and it is easy.
ChuckC
sendero,
if you cut the tape just slightly longer than your feather ( 1/8-1/4"), you canpush the tape back and most of the time, the film will seperate off the edge.
Fletch tape is all I've used since i started archery and found that I didn't have teh patience to wait for glue to dry with a single fletcher :archer:
Ben
Thanks Ben,
I'll make sure I try that tonight, I was cutting the tape to close to the ends of the feather. I just got more feathers today to refletch some 2018s.
I finished fletching my Grizzly Stiks using fyrfyter's advice of using an exacto knife (actually a scalpal) to lift the backing.
Thanks fyrfyter, it works!
John
Dang it... now I gotta buy some fletching tape!
-ZA
Quick update to my earlier post..
The old fletching came off with no problem. I just slipped the Xacto blade under the leading edge of the tape and pulled the fletch off. Came off nice and clean.
Don't know if it makes sense,but for something that holds it on as nicely as it does, it comes off much cleaner than I've experienced with Duco or FletchTite.