I have had great success fletching carbons and alumiiums with wraps. Love my onestringer wraps and double doggs. I got my wife a bow and traded for some axis carbons for bows under 40 lbs. I fletched up a dozen, but the feathers keep coming off. she does not shoot all that regularly, but enjoys it and keeps saying she wants to shoot more. With out adding the cost of wraps for her arrows what should I do to get the feathers to stick to the carbon shaft. I have been using fletch-tite Platinum and wiped the shafts down with alcohol.
Sounds like the surface is too smooth. I always scrub them with 0000 steel wool and denatured alcohol, then wipe with a dry cloth, then wipe again with alcohol rag. Recently I spoke with a fletcher who uses a cleanser such as Ajax to scrub the shafts. He rinses with water.
Either method should work. The Platinum Fletch Tite is what we use.
I use fletch tape, and have had zero issues. I do the same prep work as Larry and cleanup is a snap. Its even better when its time to refletch.
Wipe them down with alcohol and use fletching tape....add a few dots of fletch tite platinum along the base and you're all set...I never lose a feather off of a carbon
I use a Bohning product which is called SSR, an arrow shaft surface cleaner. Easy to use and I am still using the same bottle the last 5 or 6 years. For glueing fletching, I prefer using Goat Tuff adhesive. This process works well on either aluminum or carbons.
I used a green scratch pad and alcohol. I am a wood guy now to clean the shaft and then Beyond bond has a glue and a spray activator that sets the fletch quick and holds real well.
I use Duco cement on my Gold Tips and have not had any problems. I wash the shafts with soap and water prior to fletching and I buy the Duco at the dollar store. Works good for me.
" I have been using fletch-tite Platinum and wiped the shafts down with alcohol."
What type (name) of alcohol?
What carbon shafts?
Fletch-tite Platinum for aluminums and Duco for woods. These will not stay on carbons in my experience. Fletch tape and Goat Tuff as mentioned as well as many other super glue types will work. I prefer Saunders NPV Arrow Mate cement as sold by 3 rivers and Custom King.
Fletch - tape and a drop of glue on each end. Prep like the folks said above. Never had a feather come a carbon unless I did something stupid, like shoot thru a metal bucket....lol!
Fletch-tite platinum works for me, with or without wraps.
Bohning makes a super glue type as well that works awesome but is pricey, ya can buy wraps for the cost of it. Regular superglue from the dollar store works well also. Shawn
Like said you just need to prep the surface,but for me I always prefer to use wraps on carbon arrows.It just makes them so much easier to redo later if needed without having to scrap old feathers off the carbon shaft.You can buy solid color wraps so cheap or I have made some from shelving paper in the past.But I like to use some nice looking Traditional style wraps from Onestringer.I have use Fletch Tite Platinum on bare and wrapped carbons.
Try Saunders APV and you will never need another glue for any shaft surface. I dont even wipe my shafts down and NEVER
I just learned of Fletching Tape on this site in mid-summer. I have almost every fletching jig known to man. Now I only use my Bitz to hold my arrow as I apply the taped fletch. Just as was recommend above, I put a tap of fletch tite on the front ends.
To be honest, I've only tried the tape on aluminum. I'm using factory fletched MFX Classics (carbon) now but when time to refletch I hope the tape works on carbon as well.
I wipe down shafts with acetone then fletch with Fletch-tite platinum. I never have a problem with GT trads, Beman bow hunter or CE's. I have also done the Ajax and rinse with Fletch-tite with no issues. I have had some issues with glue and inserts in the GT's. They are real slick inside. I use a rat tail file to fix that.
I just found Duco at the dollar store for of course $1. I plan to try it. That is just too cheap to pass up.
I do have all kinds of problems with fletch tape no mater how I prep the shafts.
I use acetone to prep carbon shafts. If you use isopropyl alcohol, use 91%, not 70%. The 70% has an oil that may inhibit glue bonding.
I also use fletch tape, and have never had a problem fletching Grizzly Sticks or Easton Axis carbons. I've never had to "rough them up" to make the tape stick.
Good luck! I wish I could help more.
I use gateway and tru-flight feathers, if you use a different brand, you may want to use a q-tip and wipe the quill with acetone or 91% alcohol just to be sure!
John
Denatured alcohol, fletch tape, dot of glue on the front of the fletch.
Don't touch the shaft where you will fletch after you clean it.
Fast and clean. You can fletch an arrow in a short amount of time.
If you are using feathers, this is the way to go. Glue is slow and sometimes you get a bad bond or too much squeeze out from the feather. With tape, none of the above.
Besides, everyone needs denatured alcohol around the house.
This method works every time, no issues. Doesn't matter which fletcher you use. Go to the 3-Rivers website and watch Dale use the tape. It is really that easy.
PM me if you have any questions.
Good luck.
Billy
Fletch Tape & a dot of glue on the ends. Never have any problems.
take some 600 grit sandpaper to them lightly, along with alcohol, thats what I do and I never loose a feather unless the arrow goes through hell.
I listened to a Peterson's Bowhunting podcast (i tunes) with an interview of one of the founders of Carbon Express recomending their cleaner or Ajax with bleach to clean carbon shafts before fletching. Tried it and it works better for me than acetone or alcohol.
Alcohol is a pretty good cleaner, but you have to use denatured alcohol from the hardware store, NOT rubbing alcohol.
For those that are fletching carbons without a wrap, when it comes time to refletch, how are you removing the old fletches without damaging the shaft?