Have never shot or played with carbons and was thinking about trying some when my new Tall Tines gets here.Would you recommend a good shaft and glue.Should be around 56#.Thanks

Firstly I would put a wrap on them first....easier to get fletches off after without wrecking the shaft.

then I would just use fletching tape....it's fast and durable.

just my .02 worth ok

Jer Bear

definitely use the fletching tape - so much better than glue, it's all i use for all arrow shaft materials from wood to carbon.

as to carbon arrow shaft selection, what's the bow weight at what draw length?  carbons have enormous dynamic spine ranges, which is why each shaft model has a large spine range.  DON'T go by the manufacturer's carbon spine charts, for the very most part they're all way too high.  go lower in spine.  i shoot 55# @ 29" and my 29.5" carbons are beman 500's - these are 635 grain arrows with 400 grains up front.  

there is no substitute for each archer/bowhunter to do their own arrow testing

I have just recently started with fletching tape, and must say all mentioned above is sage advice...it works great!

Fletchin tapes the only thing to use wen fletching.

I also just started using fletching tape as well.  I had my doubts in it, but it works great!  Probably won't use anything else from now on.

Jack

For me I like too put arrow wraps on any carbon I make up,as said it is so much easier to redo them later.I like to use Platinum Fletch tite with my wraps,but every one has their way of fletching carbons.

I always used Fletch Tite on any shaft surface without any issue.Just be sure to clean with acetone the surface both of the feather and of the shaft.

Never any issues with Fletch-Tite.

Fletch tape, you won't be dissapointed

Heard they were discontinuing the original Bohning Fletch Tite? Anyone know if this is true?

Loc-tite gel super glue.

I've had trouble with fletch tape.  The feathers can be pulled off, or if your arrows lay on a flat surface the quill will start to separate from the shaft or wrap.  I went back to Fletch Tite Platinum or Lock Tite Gel.

Well I just got back into fletching carbons again, and I went with the tape.  It went on great.  Fast and easy to do.  However, my feathers curl with it, and I have had many feathers fly off in the cold weather.  I had more failure to bond to the feathers than the shafts I think, but some of both.  When that happens in the cold I can peal it off like plastic cellophane.  When it is warm it is rubbery and sticky.  I shoot outdoors most days of the year so that doesn't work for me.  I am very disappointed with the tape.  Could be a bad role I guess, but I got it new from Lancaster so who knows.  I would think they move enough of the stuff that this roll didn't set around on the shelf forever.   I would like to try it again, but don't feel like wasting more money on tape and feathers.  I already have had to refletch most of two dozen arrows and I still have feather flying off from time to time.

I switched over to Fletch-Tite.  I always used that in the past, and so far no issues with that at all.  Not one problem.

Wraps are nice, but I am cheap so I can't spend another $1 an arrow on the fancy ones.  However, I will probably pick up some On stringer solids.  They are a good deal if you guy a couple dozen at a time.  I don't think it is that hard to strip black carbons, but the wood grain arrows are a little harder to strip without scuffing up the finish some.

QuoteOriginally posted by ryped:
I've had trouble with fletch tape.  The feathers can be pulled off, or if your arrows lay on a flat surface the quill will start to separate from the shaft or wrap.  I went back to Fletch Tite Platinum or Lock Tite Gel.

yer definitely doing something wrong.  i found lost arrows in the woods, under the turf for over a year and the taped fletches wouldn't come off without stripping the feathers.

* clean the shaft area to be fletched with naphtha (lighter fliud) on a paper towel,
* don't touch that area with yer fingers (oil rubs off),
* you can do the same naphtha cleaning with the feather bases if ya like but i don't,
* apply the tape to the clamped feather base and don't let yer fingers touch the sticky part,
* put the clamp in the jig and press down (not hard),
* immediately remove the clamp, with the thumb of one hand press and hold down the feather at the front of the quill while pressing down hard with yer other thumb, rubbing over the entire feather length - this assures the feather & tape are well seated (some folks just run a fingernail on the outside edge of the feather base - i like pressing down on the entire feather base, won't hurt the feather one bit),
* now put a dot of glue (duco, fletchtite, whatever) at both ends of each feather.

QuoteOriginally posted by Bill Carlsen:
Loc-tite gel super glue.

I remember Frank Smego putting me onto that stuff several years ago. It works great.  

Yip Good quality super glue, I have tried all the glues and fletch tapes and nothing has worked as well for me as Super Glue.

QuoteOriginally posted by Rob DiStefano:

...* now put a dot of glue (duco, fletchtite, whatever) at both ends of each feather. [/QB]

Ah, the secret! I use fletch tite platinum but may try the tape after reading this. I know removing fletching that has been glued is fussy if you want to stay away from scraping into the shaft. Or maybe I 'm doing it wrong?

Joshua

been fletching carbon shafts my entire bowhunting career.  What I do is simple, no wraps or anything like that, alcohol needs to be rubbed on the shaft before you fletch them.  There is a small film on the shafts from the manufacturing process, especially with camo printed or wood grained shafts.  Then I will take like 400 grit sand paper and lightly rub the fletching part.  NOT sand it, but just scratch it up a bit.  Never loose feathers, even in 0 degree temps, and I find lost arrows under the grass that have been there for ever with the feathers still attached, but of course the are all matted and usually bleached.  But I use fletch tite platinum.  works great.  And apply two dots of glue on the ends, and you are good to go!

I use a cap wrap - 3RA sells them.  Also makes it easer to refletch later.  H