A friend gave me a half dozen Easton Legacy 2018s the other day, longer than my length and already fletched and nocked. I removed the nocks (to add the color I want), cut the shafts to my length, and then I removed his feathers.
I used a box cutter to cut away the fletch and to gently scrape the shafts to get rid of as much remaining glue as possible. They feel real smooth but I was wondering how do you all prep the aluminum shaft for re-fletching?
Do you use acetone, or another chemical to clean and etch the aluminum shaft?
I have a new Bitz. fletcher and really want to try it out. I have been practicing my alignment with it on a couple of old "bent" shafts.
Thanks for the input on preparing the shafts.
John

acetone,the shaft... refletch that's it...Are you using glue or tape... tape is the fastest & easiest for first timers.

Thanks for the advice,
I haven't tried tape but maybe you can give me your opinion of two types of glue I have, one is Bohning's Instant Gel, and the other is Bohning fetch tite. These are the two I have on hand thanks to the local "compound shooters shop". I have heard a lot of good things about "goat tuff" but also that you have to work fast with it. I have a friend that uses super glue gel, any opinions on that as a fletching adhesive?
Thanks in advance for all who respond!
Love this site! Like having your own private coach and tutor all in one!
John

I like the acetone and fletchtite.

I have found you have to be careful of what you use as a finish & some glues... This is why I use the tape. Both glues You have are good for a starter....

soak in acetone, scrub with greenie, clean with denatured alcohol, and don't touch cleaned area with hands. fletchtite for alum shafts.

I've always used rubbing alcohol on paper toweling to clean the shafting. Don't touch the cleaned area after it's been scrubbed. That's all there is to it, and I've never had a problem with fletching falling off. I also use the plain-jane fletch-tite that's available most places. That's for aluminum shafting.
  For carbons, the only thing I do differently is use the Platinum glue for carbons.
  Good luck and have fun.

I've just fletched some up for my son. I used some spray poly to spray the fletching end of the shaft and then fletched with Duco. I don't expect them to fall off. Of course don't fletch with Duco unless you do spray the end with poly else they will fall off.

You can also scrub aluminum shafts with cleanser -- like Comet or Ajax -- and then just dry them with a clean towel. That always worked for me in the old days and nearly every grocery store has Ajax and Comet. And when you are done with your arrows, you can clean the kitchen sink. I have never had any problems with a feather getting loose with this method. And my sinks were always sparkling clean.
Joe

Folks, Thank you all very much for your advice!
I'll take all of it and fletch away! Luckily I have a couple of bent shafts to practic fletching on, .....don't ask how they got bent!
Thanks again,
John