I have been using some fletching tape for a little while now and i noticed that some of my feathers are moving around my shaft. They were all fletched dead on with my jo jan mono fletch, now they are not evenly spaced out.
Am i doing something wrong?
Anyone ever experienced this?
Are you using your thumb to press the fletching down to the shaft after it is out of the jig?
DDave
Are you placing a dab of glue on each end of the fletch? The only time I have ever noticed this with tape is when I have done Aluminum and did not clean the shaft very well. Now when I do Alum. I dip and crest.No issues
man i have the same problems, i have used tape for a number of years now.
i have tried ever way of prepping shafts, applying tape, whatever.
they always seem to slide around the shaft, glue or no glue on the tips. crest or no crest it doesnt seem to matter.
i know some folks love tape but i have mixed emotions about it.
Use acetone to clean shafts before fletching. Take your thumbnail and run it down the quill from tip to base using good pressure after they come out of the jig; I do this a couple of times. Put a drop of glue on tip and base of each feather (a tiny drop). I have arrows that have been fletched for years with tape without ever moving. It's the greatest thing since sliced bread. P.S.: I also press down on the clamp for a sec when I apply the feather in the jig, and I don't put the quill quite flush with the edge of the clamp when I place it in there. Maybe 1/16 out from the edge of clamp. I got better results this way, as sometimes I wouldn't get consistent helical or fletching would fail to get all the way down on the shaft in places with the quill seated flush with the edge of the clamp.
Are you using Bhoning brand tape?
QuoteOriginally posted by Paul_R:
Are you using Bhoning brand tape?
yes, I am using wraps as well. So there shouldn't be an issue there.
I have never had great success with using tape. Some stays, some doesn't. The ONLY reason i use it is because of the speed.
QuoteOriginally posted by damascusdave:
Are you using your thumb to press the fletching down to the shaft after it is out of the jig?
DDave
I usually just push down and hold he jig up against the shaft for a few seconds. I have tried pushing the quill down with my thumb and had a few slide on me so i quit that.
I have used Bohning fletch tape for 20 years. I always put at least one drop of fletch tite on each end of feather. But some times I run a thin bead of fletch tite glue all the way down the Quill, all my hunting arrows are done this way. I have lost arrows in the woods/swamp and found them a year or more later. The feathers will be mostly gone but the quill and Fletch tape will still be intact..
Yup... and Welcome to the great divide of tape lovers vs. not so much.
It is one of the oddest and yet most cordial debates on this site.
I have been fletching arrows for 20 years - wood, aluminum, and carbon. I have tried it...had the same issue...tried many of the fixes - they weren't... and decided to move on, because glue just works.
I use gorilla super glue and the time difference between tape and super glue is minimal and I don't have problems w/glue.
Actually if you take into account the cutting of the tape and the peeling of the tape it may be the same amount of time or at least very close.
QuoteOriginally posted by lt-m-grow:
Yup... and Welcome to the great divide of tape lovers vs. not so much.
It is one of the oddest and yet most cordial debates on this site.
I have been fletching arrows for 20 years - wood, aluminum, and carbon. I have tried it...had the same issue...tried many of the fixes - they weren't... and decided to move on, because glue just works.
I use gorilla super glue and the time difference between tape and super glue is minimal and I don't have problems w/glue.
Actually if you take into account the cutting of the tape and the peeling of the tape it may be the same amount of time or at least very close.
I think the time saved is really between the time you finish the fletching job and start shooting. I have some new arrows to do this evening so I will give it another shot. I have some arrows that turn out perfect, others look like i fletched them while intoxicated.
I'm personally not a fan. I've tried everything to keep them in place. The strength of the quill over powers the strength of the glue. The other bad part is, the residue left behind when you need to pull one off and re fletch is kind of gummy and difficult to clean off. I'll stick to good ol fletch tite.
Use Duco. Fret less.
Same problem here. Add a back quiver and 90* temps and they really slide around....... went back to glue many yeas ago now...........
I had issues with tape so stopped using it. In hot weather the taped feather lay down a little or moved slightly regardless of glue on the ends.
QuoteOriginally posted by sweeney3:
Use Duco. Fret less.
Be careful using Duco on wraps. It will not hold on some wraps.
I am a glue guy. Never used tape, but I know that trying to get the tape on, backing off with my fat fingers will likely not work very good.
I recently started using the tape and I noticed the same thing but only when I apply pressure. I put super glue on both ends of the feather and have not seen any bad results. I do like the easy application of the tape.
I have never used Gorilla Super Glue on feathers and carbon arrows before, I may give that a try. Although I can honestly say that I have never had any issues with Fletch Tite Platinum. I simply ran out of Fletch Tite and had some fletching tape that a buddy gave me so I tried it.
There's nothing worse than having a feather fly off the shaft while shooting. I really enjoy threads like this, there's always something else to learn. :thumbsup:
I started using tape last year. My feathers were not quite seated on the shaft after application. I press the quill down with my thumb also. Gentle pressure, nothing excessive. I had one or two pop loose after shooting through my layered target.
I now apply a drop of Duco to the leading and trailing portion of the feather.
I just shot through a deer Tuesday night with a taped, fletched, arrow. Complete pass through, got my arrow back in one piece. I washed, dryed and steamed the feathers back to good condition. Still attached...
I was having issues using glue. They seemed to let loose in the cold Illinois temps. I'm sold on the tape until I see otherwise.
-Jeremy
P.S. My arrows are finished with polyurethane also. Not sure if that makes a difference.
I gave up on the tape also. It might take a little longer but my feathers stay where I where want them with Fletch-Tite.
I no longer fletch my own arrows...my arrow supplier is so good with tape that he guarantees his fletching will stay put and he has never had a return...I imagine he has some things he does differently that he learned by trial and error...sometimes people will share their secrets like that and sometimes not...part of the price we pay for freedom of choice
DDave
There is almost no time between cutting and peeling. If you get a technique going it is very fast to do, by far the longest thing is arranging the feather in the clamp.
I had them move before, Now, I
a) always use a wrap
b) always use relatively recent vintage tape (it gets old)
c) always run my fingernail down the quil after removing the clamp
d) always put a small spot of glue on front and back AND run a quick bead down the length of one side of the feather.
They don't move and I am done with a dozen in a jiffy.
ChuckC
I have always used glue when building up arrows. Now this was building arrows for my compound bows and carbon arrows with plastic vanes. Now I'm still using carbon arrows but feathers and Bohning tape. I clean the shaft with alcohol and let it dry. A drop of fletch tite at the leading and trailing edges and my feathers stay put. I doubt I'll be going back to any type of glue.
It's all in the surface prep in my opinion.
Ditto what Diamond Paul and ChuckC said. I love tape on aluminum shsfts. Definitely gotta run your thumbnail down the quill, pressing the feather onto the shaft once you take it out of the clamp, and finish with a drop of glue at each end.
With Duco or Fletch-tite platinum on aluminum shafts, I had several feathers come loose if the arrow got in the damp grass and got wet. No issues with tape on aluminum. There's probably something to the advice on using fresh tape. I've also read that some guys keep it in a plastic bag in the fridge to keep it fresh.
The bases of your feathers do need to be ground fairly consistently (consistent angle). Tape doesn't fill gaps like glue-- if the feathers are ground inconsistently, they'll lie on the shaft at different angles (viewed from behind the arrow). Whereas with glue, the feathers will lie pretty much as the clamp held them to the shaft-- the glue fills the gaps if the bases are ground inconsistently.
Never had a problem with tape, especially since I went to OneStringer's wraps on all my arrows. I always run a Dollar coin down the quill to press them down real good to the shaft.
I forgot a step: when I put the tape on the quill, and cut it, I then run my thumb up and down the quill and firmly adhere the tape to the quill before I peel the backing off the tape. This does help fill the gaps and makes sure that tape becomes one with the quill, so to speak.
I prep the shafts thoroughly and put a few drops of glue along both sides of the quill as well as front an back. So far so good. Been using it for 5-6 yrs I guess without difficulty
I've gone back to glue after years of varied success with tape.
Man, I can't believe people are having problems with tape. I must have gotten a good batch. So much easier than glue. Never had a feather come loose. In fact, they are damn hard to scrape off.
I too gave up on tape a long time ago. Got one bad roll.
I now use super glue and spray fast set. The fastest way to fletch and they stay put.
I use Bohning blazer bond, it's a very fast drying glue that only takes about 1 minute to set but I let each feather set in place for around 5 minutes before moving my clamps. I also have the 6 arrow multi fletcher from JoJan and using this glue and these fletch I can have 6 arrows done in around 30 minutes. I gave up on tape, seems like it doesn't like the Louisiana heat.
I have used tape as well with mixed results. When this subject came up a few months ago one suggestion I read was cleaning the quill and the shaft. Also make sure your quills are even thickness and flat.
My concern is also high temps. Some mornings it was 90+degrees while shooting. My alum arrows would get hot in target while shooting. This was reason I asked questions before. My main interest is splicing feathers. I use the strip the feather vane method and replace with other color. Tape makes that go a whole lot easier and faster.
I do my tape a different way, which may be one of my problems.
first off, I putt the strip of tape off while it is still on the roll, and then roll it on applying pressure and then cut it off.
It is much easier to get the tape off while it is still on the roll, but that MAY be a part of the problem. I have a dozen arrows tha need to be fletched so I will try it that way again.
1. Clean shaft or surface with acetone... rub it
with a paper towel. From this point on DO NOT
TOUCH IT WITH YOUR BARE HANDS !!!!!!
2. Place feather in clamp and lightly sand bottom
surface in line with pitch. From this point on
DO NOT TOUCH IT WITH YOUR BARE HANDS !!!!!!
3. Clean bottom of feather with acetone. From
this point on DO NOT TOUCH IT WITH YOUR BARE
HANDS !!!!!!
4. from roll, stick tape to feather, cut to size
rub or "brunish" tape on feather and remove
backing. From this point on DO NOT TOUCH IT
WITH YOUR BARE HANDS !!!!!!
5. Pull quill out from clamp base about 1/16-1/8"
AS ABOVE
6. Place clamp in jig and press firmly.
7. Remove from clamp and run finger bail down
side of base with moderate pressure.
8. Done......
I have edited this post three times already but...
The one thing besides body oil that will hamper the tape sticking the way it should is dust.... Be careful about your work enviro....
I think the real trick is shaft and fletch prep. Its too easy to get body oils on these surfaces.
I have had a problem only one time and I like other who have posted here think it was an old or badly stored roll of tape. Threw it away and the next roll worked as it should. I do store mine in the fridge.
I never had a feather loosen or come off with tape but they did move. They would get a bow in the middle and some of the layed over to one side. Perhaps the spot of glue in the middle would help but I've been burned by tape too many times.
I made a dozen arrows for a friend and wound up redoing every one with glue due to this.
Have fletch taped nearly 50 dozen arrows over the years without a single incident.
Do note that I apply fletchtite at each end and drag a drop along the center.
Have wathced a guy on youtube complete an arrow in 1 1/2"s...amazing!..yet, I take pleasure and obtain much fulfillment in taking my time...my completion time is a might slow as compared to the majority....1/2 dozen ready to shoot w/i 35"s.
Try this. . I would make a video but I get stage fright).
Place feather in clamp, place clamp between knees as a support (with feather quill up).
Take roll of tape, peel the sticky stuff and cut it off maybe an inch from the end, leaving the orange stuff longer. You now have a piece of tape with the sticky portion about an inch from the end (you can see it right thru the orange if you look).
Take that tag end of orange in your left hand and lay the cut (sticky) end on the left side of the quill (do not extend beyond the quill) and push it onto the quill with your thumb.
Hold the roll with your right hand, actually with the thumb and middle finger thru the loop and your index finger guiding the tape. Pull out the needed amount and apply with right index finger.
Now, listen up, its easy to do, not easy to tell. . with left hand, grab that 1" tag section and peel it up, exposing the sticky stuff all the way to the end of the feather and then grab it with the right hand, while still holding the roll. (you can do this. . I do).
Grab a small scissors and cut the sticky stuff right at the end of the quill and then immediately cut the orange stuff about an inch away from the cut sticky, just like when you started.
No needles or anything to peel. Once you get a technique down for yourself it takes longer to put the feather in the clamp than put the tape on it.
chuckC
Quick wipe with rubbing alcohol, feather in Jo-Jan clamp, proper bead of Loc-Tite gel superglue (available at Lowe's/HD/Wallyland etc) insert into jig, apply pressure for 10 seconds, repeat...dab ends of the feathers when done with all the arrows...has always been easy and relatively quick procedure for me and have never had a feather come loose and have abused the heck out of a few arrows in the last few years. 90-100 degree days, rain, whatever. Love it and don't have to buy anything but feathers and/or shafts from the archery supplier.