Okay gang, I need a little help. I've been using the clear hot melt for my tips and broadheads with pretty good results, until now. I've had a devil of a time keeping the tips on my ceder shafts. What does everyone use? I like the fact that with the hot melt I can take them back off, but I' tired of digging them out of my target.
Is the amber colored hot melt strong enough or do I need to go to Duco or even a 2 part epoxy?
FWIW I use two part epoxy on wood shafts.
I was using clear hot melt for a while, but I did have alot of broadheads come off in my targets.
Since I also like being able to remove the heads, I tried Ferr-L-Tite. Since then, I have not had a single broadhead come off.
Either epoxy or ferr-l-tite. Duco doesn't work.
Clean the inside of the tips with alcohol or acetone. Scrape the insides with some rough sand paper for gripping power.
Ron
If you're using craft type hot melt, it's not strong enough for points. Use FerrlTite or something designed for the purpose, or epoxy if you don't care about taking the points off again.
Duco won't work, neither will Gorilla Glue. It's strong, but brittle. Hot melt is the way to go.
How are you guys using the epoxy? Do you squirt it into a container & mix?
My brass and steel target points used to come off too. I use ferrolite. What I did was clean the points in HOT soapy water. Then put them in a strainer and rinse thoroughly. Now they stay on. I like MacBow's ideas too. I will try that next time.
Make sure your field points are hot enough to keep the hot melt glue liquid for several seconds while you center the point on your shaft. It will also allow the hot melt to absorb into the wood of the shaft some and adhere to the point instead of just sticking to the surface. I also twist the shaft on to the point holding constant pressure until the glue sets. I cannot ever remember loosing a point in a target. I also use ferr-l-tite exclusively.
Louis
Try the Kimsha hotmelt glue from 3rivers. It is more "gooey" than ferriltite or other hot melt glues, and it solved my problems with tips coming off in targets.
Thanks for the info everyone. I'll give the ferr-l-tite a try, then it's to the epoxy.
Make sure you get the insides of the field tips cleaned really well. That oily coating interfers with a good bond with the glue. I clean mine with alcohol and a q-tip until the q-tip comes out clean.
Also, if you wanna take the time and you got the tools, you can lightly thread the inside of your field tip before putting the glue on, and actually screw the tip onto the shaft.
Sounds like it's been pretty well covered but I personally don't care for the ferrule-tite as much as the industrial hot glue from the hardware stores like Lowes or Home Depot. Not the whitish/clear stuff, the yellowish brownish kind. The darker colored the glue the stronger it is but to me, the ferrule-tite (which is even darker than the hardware glue) is getting into the "brittle" category and I have lost points with it. The hardware store glue just about right and it's cheaper than most glues sold as "archery" supplies.
I use the best hardware hot melt for points. I've found over the years that when I have a good point taper they hold is better. Jawge
I use Ferr-L-Lite or JB Weld.
Here is the easiest way to attach points and keep them on wood arrows. Use a broken shaft with the point taper intact, wrap a piece of 120 grit sand paper around the taper and insert it in your point. A couple of twists and you will have bare metal inside the point, no need to use solvents to get any oil out. Tap the sanding dust out of the point.
Mix a small (dime sized) amount of two part, 5 min epoxy, dab a little on your shaft taper and install the point. I mix a small amount because it sets up very quickly and six points at a time is the most I can install before the glue starts to harden.
You can remove an epoxy glued point with heat but it takes a little more heat than hot melt.
Using epoxy, you will never loose another point in a target.
Ferr-l-tite for me. I use a candle flame when attaching points. The fire probably burns off any oil inside the point.