I do pretty well with wood arrows but recently I had a fellow ask me to fletch some aluminum shafts he had.
I cleaned the shafts with acetone and used a new bottle of Fletchtite Platinum. I'm pretty leary of gluing to a smooth surface like aluminum and my fears were justified. He emailed me yesterday to let me know that some feathers fell off the shafts when the arrows hit the target.
I know feathers and aluminum shafts can be done but I'm not sure what I need to change in my procedures or materials to make this work. Any suggestions will be appreciated.
Guy
I used to scrub the shafts with Ajax or Comet then fletch with the old white tube fletchtite..
Worked back then.
I'd skip the,acetone.
Aluminu shafts can have,some oxidation and I'd rather use a scotch brite type pad to clean them.
The acetone could effect the glue if used right away.
The only time I had he same problem was,with a tube of the original fletch tite that was bad for some reason.
Never had a problem,with platinum.
I've always done it just like you say,and never had a problem. I make sure I run more than just a little bead. It comes out on both sides a little. :dunno:
I had a set of arrows that fletch did not stick. I put on an arrow wrap to glue on the fletch and have not had another problem.
Scuff them with a scotch brite pad then wipe them down with de-natured alcohol. TonyZ.
So, it looks like my cleaning procedure needs to change. I'll give it a go when he sends them back.
Thanks!
Guy
Grey, 3M Super Strength household adhesive is the strongest glue I have ever used when fletching to aluminum. You use it and literally have to cut the fletch off. I lost an arrow up in the mountains in a heavy snow area and found it a year later. The fletch was rotten but I still had to cut it off of the shaft. It also set fairly fast and is really pliable.
In 10 years and thousands of arrows out of my pro shop I never had to replace any fletches. Its all I would use after the first time./
God bless, Steve
Sixby, you had me at "strongest."
Any idea where I can get this magical glue?
Guy
An archery shop I deal with wont sell fletch tite any more ,they used it for years to build arrows and recently ran into problems with fletching coming off customers arrows .I just fletched some aluminum arrows with fletch tite ,cleaned arrow with alcohol and have had no problems .The tube I have is about a year old.
Buy a roll of fletch tape...problem solved!
If you use denatured alcohol, make sure that it is the 99% stuff, the 70% contains some oil fillers ,not conducive to a good fletching job!
I've fletched aluminum shafts for years. I just use dish soap and warm water to clean the shafts. Seems to work pretty good. Ya gotta use good glue though. Not Fletchtight, (it gives way when real cold). Now days I use fletching tape and have not had any come off as of yet.
WoodsyDave
Sorry, gentlemen. Fletchtape is absolutely out of the question.
Guy
I bought it last time at Ace Hardware. Sometimes when I have not found it available I have gotten stores to order it for me.
I have seriously fletched thousands of arrows with it of all types and never had fletching problems even on carbon. I rub with denatured alcohol and then fletch. I have a six round fletch table and by the time I get six feathers fletched I am ready to pull the first and start another round. Always dot the ends. I did several hundred dozen a year when I had my shop and like I said , never lost a fletch using that glue.
3M Super Strength Household Adhesive.
I'm guessing you didn't rinse the shafts with hot water and dry after the acetone. Like was said, cleanser works good too.
I used FletchTite for decades with no problems. I had nothing but problems with FletchTite Platinum. I recently started using Saunders NPV with great results. Shaft prep was the same for all three glues.
I just now fletched two Gold Tips in less than 10 minutes using fletch tape. It is the best thing since they started slicing bread! I have fletched lots of aluminum's also and it has always worked real well. Some glues may have better longevity, but the fletch tape usually outlasts the feathers on my arrows...again, including aluminum! I use fletch tite platinum to dab a little on the ends of the feathers after they are taped on.
I have made alot of arrows over the years and have to say that when bohning did away with there white tube fletch tight and went to the platnum they lost me. My arrows started falling off bad no matter what I did. It was really bad when they got wet in the mist or rain. I have switched to saunders arrow mate cement and have had zero problims. It is great on aluminum shafts. I still use duco on my wood arrows. Try it I think you will be happy.
I liked the old Fletch Tite but the Premium works well for me. Then again, I crown dip using Bohning paint and Bohning to Bohning adheres the best.
The only suggestion is clean the shaft with Fletch Lac Thinner but I like Isopropyl 90% and that works well. If all else fails, thin out some Bohning Supercoat and dip the shaft 8" down. The glue will adhere to this well also.
I've seen several discussions on this subject and I've personally spoken to Bohning and Easton at the ATA show on this subject. Bohning is convinced Easton changed their process but Easton denies it. Here are several options
-Clear arrow wraps. We stock a 6" clear wrap just for this purpose.
-SSR shaft conditioner from Bohning. We have used it for 10 years with good results.
-Scrub with something abrasive (0000 steel wool, Scotch Brite, cleanser such as Ajax) Be sure to rinse clean with HOT water
-Change glue. I've heard good things about NPV. You have other suggestions above.
We use the SSR route. I've had two customers mention an arrow losing feathers so we increased the soak time.
Hope all this helps.
Grey Taylor, I have used the same glue Sixby uses since the 70's, Scotch 3 M super strength, It comes in a red and white tube and can be found at Hobby Lobby, walgreens and Joann Fabrics.
I use 120 grit sand paper and place it on the crest end of the arrow and with a back and forth motion pull the nock end thru the sand paper. This abrades the feather end. I use rubbing alchohol to clean and then glue the feathers onto the shaft. Some on here will say NO to rubbing alcohol but I have used it of 30 plus years and never had a feather problem.
I sure appreciate everyone's help on this. There isn't anything like finding out the feathers you fletched are falling off the shafts.
Based on the advice I've received here I've decided to go with cleaning the shaft with an abrasive cleaner and an abrasive pad, rinse with clean hot water and then clean again with denatured alcohol. I'll fletch with the 3M glue. I would have considered the Saunders glue but I only have one archery shop locally and he doesn't carry it. I do have Joanne's, Hobby Lobby, Walgreens, and Ace Hardware somewhat close to me. Someone's got to have that 3M glue on the shelf.
Some of the other suggestions for wraps, prep products, dipping, etc. make good sense but this is the only set of aluminum shafts I intend to do and then it's back to wood. I'd just as soon not get a bunch of products that I'll only use once.
Thanks again, Guy
Been a while since Ive shot aluminum, but I use to dip mine in clear....just the fletch end, up to the crest graphic. The glue then sticks nicely to the clear. The fast route would be wraps.
Cleaning and prep is everything. ScotchBrite pad, BonAmi powdered cleanser, hot water rinse and air dry. That's it. The slight buffing of the pad, and the cleanser that doesn't leave any real residuals behind, make for a good bond.
I seem to be in the minority, but I do like wraps. I clean with de-natured alcohol before I fletch.
I use Platinum Fletch Tite with no problems. Like mentioned above, whether acetone or alcohol is used the surface needs to be rubbed down until it is dry and makes a squeaking sound, then it is ready to glue to.
fletch tape
I have found that alcohol is not as good because there seems to be a residue, although invisible, left behind. This is the same stuff that makes isopropyl alcohol burn dirty in alcohol stoves.
A cleanser like BonAmi is natural and leaves no residue.
I spray all my shafts with Bull Dog Adhesive Promoter and never have any problem with any fletching glue.
I spray all my shafts with Bull Dog Adhesive Promoter and never have any problem with any fletching glue.
I did some without wraps all I did was clean the shaft with a scotch brite pad with acetone on it. I have shot those shafts hundreds of times with no feather loss. Used Fletch tite platinum glue.
Glue wise give NPV by Saunders a try,been using it for years and never had a problem with it. Also as mentioned before scrub shafts with Ajax, it's a winning combo to keep feathers on.
QuoteOriginally posted by Stone Knife:
I did some without wraps all I did was clean the shaft with a scotch brite pad with acetone on it. I have shot those shafts hundreds of times with no feather loss. Used Fletch tite platinum glue.
Same for me as well. I also use the blue top Gorilla brand super glue but, although it dries quickly, it is a problem to remove fletching for re-fletching. I have just decided to go back to the Platinum and allow extra drying time.
Sixby,
Is this it?
(http://i1139.photobucket.com/albums/n559/jeffbschulz/781acfd4-223c-47cb-9854-f5a1a1a28e9e_zps01dcf4ad.jpg) (http://s1139.photobucket.com/user/jeffbschulz/media/781acfd4-223c-47cb-9854-f5a1a1a28e9e_zps01dcf4ad.jpg.html)
NPV for aluminum. Works great!
I've been having the same problems and have used the 3M stuff but I really like the E6000 adhesive from Walmart. It doesn't get brittle and bonds very well. I occasionally use tape but if the quill of the feather is not dead nuts at a right angle to the rest of the fletch the fletch will eventually lay over.
Sorry this is so late, but Bohning confessed to a problem at the ATA show in January. They had a bad run of Platinum Fletch Tite. If you have any problem with the stuff, call Bohning and read them the code on the tube. They can tell you if the stuff will work or not.
Bull Dog adhesive promoter
I use aluminums exclusively, and have fletched my own shafts for 20+ years. I always soak them a good while in acetone, and wipe them with a paper towel (and listen for the squeak) before fletching. I then dip them in clear fletch-laq, let it dry, then fletch with Fletch-tite. My feathers never, ever fall off. I pull arrows all the way through foam bales and plastic bottles and stuff, and they don't pull loose. They get ripped and worn, but I have to scrape those quills off with a knife and soak in acetone to completely remove them when the time comes to re-fletch. I literally cannot remember the last time I had a feather just fall off.
I have not used the Fletch-tite platinum yet, and still have 3-4 tubes of the original stuff that I haven't opened yet. (The glue is aging and gelling, so I'l be switching to Platinum soon.)
I have no reason to believe (yet) that Platinum is so drastically different. My father ran an archery shop and fletched thousands of arrows himself, and did them all the same way I described above. He did not have problems with feathers falling off either.
I fletch a lot of aluminums, but I use vinyl wraps. Platinum works well with wraps.
x2 what Archie says. Every aluminum arrow I ever had was clear dipped first in fletch laq. A buddy of mine picked some up at a local shop that did not dip them, feathers fell off first day shooting them. He stripped remaining feathers, dipped and re-fletched, never lost another feather.
I don't do all that cleaning that everyone is talking about. However, I always crown dip. Using Bohning glue on Bohning paint has never produced a problem. That being said, now I use Fletch tape but I still crown dip.
Grey if you read this and have tried the Super Strength 3M give us a report on how it worked for ya.
The pic shown is the stuff.
God bless, Steve
NPV glue as others have said. Problem solved.
use cap wraps
Strongest bond
you can get them in clear if color is an issue
I just clean my aluminum shafts with denatured alcohol and use Platinum fletch tite.I haven't experience any problems with fletches falling or coming off.The only time I have had fletching fall off was when I was out of Fletch tite and used some Duco,I mainly used Duco with a polyurethane finish on wood arrows.It was all I had at the moment,but when a fletch came off I would light sand it and glue it back on with Platinum fletch tite.
Wipe off with alcohol, and use fletch tape.
Make sure you keep the tape in the fridge.
Easton use to recommended Ajax, because the aircraft industry used it to prep before painting. He was right. Wash off with water and dry with a paper towel. Don't handle and fletch soon, or crown dip. I have used this method for ever.
I have used Gorilla brand super glue, FletchTite, Platinum FletchTite, and Bohning fletching tape.
Regardless of the adhesive, I wipe the shafts and make sure they are free of any oils from your hands or what ever.
The Platinum FletchTite is my favorite but if it is an open tube there is a shelf life on it. When it starts to become thick, it does not adhere well. Same for the Gorilla glue. Tape is nice as it sticks to carbon, aluminum and woods as well. Just make sure to run a finger nail along the quill to ensure full contact and pressure on the shaft.
My 2 cents...
I know this is late , I made arrows commercially for over 15 years . Vast majority were aluminums ( roughly 3000 arrows a year ) I used alcohol as a prep then a Scotch Brite pad then REGULAR FLETCH TITE "NOT PLATINUM" In the last few years, doing it on the side I have tried the Platinum and it just does NOT work like the original Fltech Tite on Aluminum Shafts . No matter all the different preps I have tried . Recently I have tried the NPV Glue and it works very well . The 3 M glue works well also .