Hot melt on carbons

[Jim Maes]

Hey guys I was wondering how well the hot melt is holding brass inserts into carbon shafts.  I've used epoxy in the past but now that I'm using 100 grain brass inserts I started to use hot melt to make it easier to reuse the inserts when I break the shaft. Any problems with them pulling out in the targets?  Thanks

[bretto]

Get the stuff from Big Jim's it holds like nothing else!!!!!!!

bretto

[kevsuperg]

The only thing I have heard is to use the blue low temp glue. The regular glue may need more heat to soften and could damage the carbon.  
I prefer high impact gorilla superglue.

[shreffler]

Everyone swears by it but I just cant get the darn stuff to work.

I've bought shafts from Big Jim both with the inserts installed and without...the ones Big Jim put in with hot melt glue were brass and have held up great - no problems after a year of use. The ones I've installed were aluminum and got knocked out immediately.

I melted mine with a lighter, but maybe an alcohol burner is the only way to get the glue to melt properly and stick? I guess I've just never had good luck with the stuff at all whenever I've tried to do it myself.

[ammoeater]

I always swab the inside of the arrow with a Q-tip dipped in rubbing alcohol, and then scuff it up with a brass rifle bore brush.  Works well for me.

[Caleb Monroe]

This is the way I do it.

Clean the inside of the shaft and insert with a q tip soaked in acetone.
Heat up insert with propane torch tuned down as low as possible. (Field point screwed into insert held with pliers)
Melt glue and apply to insert.
Install insert.
Dunk in cold water.

[Doc Nock]

Ok...fwiw.

My experience isn't quite like the above folks.

for my own arrows, I would go so far as to sand with rolled up sandpaper and then swab with qtip and alcohol.

Where I worked, we'd cut carbons for customers, tap out the dust and use the brown Bohning hot melt in a small melting pot we kept in the back where we built arrows, heat the insert with a torch, then dip in hot melt (melted) and insert, push down and wipe off the lip ring.

Give to customer who would pay for arrows and 15 minutes or less later be shooting into that damnable layers masonite backstop. I'd often hurt my back pulling arrows, but we only had occasions where 2x in 3 yrs I heard of any inserts (alum) pulling out.

I also personally kept a cup of cool water next to me and once I heated the insert and put hot melt on it, reheated to get the hot melt flowing, then put in shaft and wipe off ring, I'd dip in the cool water worrying about the heat on the carbon.

I quit doing that oh...4 years ago and am still shooting some of those arrows! FWIW...gotta be the type hot melt I'd think....

[fnshtr]

Originally posted by kevsuperg:
The only thing I have heard is to use the blue low temp glue. The regular glue may need more heat to soften and could damage the carbon.  
I prefer high impact gorilla superglue.

X2

I have used the heat glue and lost a lot of inserts/points in relatively soft material (soil, foam targets, etc.). This was with brass inserts.

Since using the Gorilla "high impact" glue... none lost!

[Doc Nock]

Can this HIGH IMPACT Gorilla glue be removed with heat?

I LIKE being able to take apart, salvage and even change shafts... inserts... as my bow activities change...

I had some 2 part epox stuff once and there was no way to get it out...period!   :(

[kevsuperg]

I get my inserts out with the drill bit in the shaft trick.
Low gentle heating of a screwed in fieldpoint works too but just a touch too much heat and I'll melt the carbon.

[Orion]

I put 100 grain brass inserts (and 75 and 50 grain) into Easton Axis shafts with hot melt.  Have never had one pull out.

[Doc Nock]

Originally posted by kevsuperg:
I get my inserts out with the drill bit in the shaft trick.
Low gentle heating of a screwed in fieldpoint works too but just a touch too much heat and I'll melt the carbon.

Interesting.  Admittedly, I've only done it with beman speed and with GT various styles, but I never in 6 yrs have seen the carbon arrow show any signs of sagging or other over heating...

Seems if there is a Murphy's Law, it will apply to every aspect of archery for sure!

[MO Bow]

scratch up the insude of the shaft
clean with acetone before glueing

i don't use the stuff made for archery any more...i use the softer craft store hot glue-gun glue.  works perfectly and haven't had an insert come out.  i've had issues with ferr-l-tite and other products from being a little too brittle.  had a lot of issues with inserts or points (on woodies) coming off in cold weather.

a lot cheaper too...you can get a lifetime supply for $5

[Mohillbilly]

+1 on regular craft store glue.  Apply liberally as applying.  Can sink in fence and pull and pull.  Has worked for 15-20 years.

[Possum Head]

Like Mohillbilly I've used generic hot melt, Easton's brand, Ferrultite ang Big Jim's on my 100 gr. brass and never had any problems. Though any prep work before adhesives is always a good idea I have not bothered with inserts. A little heat apllied to your point and out she comes. You're making a good call as I've reused my brass many times.

[bulldog18]

I use Big Jim's hot melt as well. I do no shaft prep. Sticks very well with no problems.

[kevsuperg]

Doc nock, yea I've had a few GT trad's heat up to the point where the shaft twisted like soft plastic just about the time the insert would let go.  
Admittedly these were inserts glued in by someone else. Could have been epoxy not sure.
I think this weekend I'll try the hot melt. I have to tune some carbons before ETAR.

[kevsuperg]

CAN I USE EASTON HOT MELT GLUE FOR MY CARBON SHAFTS?

" Easton does not recommend any type of hot melt glue for any carbon arrows. Heat will damage the structure of carbon shafts and should always be avoided."

Found this on eastons site.

[tracker12]

Another Big Jim glue user

[Doc Nock]

Good thing I don't use Easton arrows!  

As shared, I've only used my brown hot melt on GT's and a set of Bemans.  

I apply a vise grip to the field point, heat the field point and keep pressure on the vise grip till it twists out.

For my arrows at home, I immediately dip in cool water...let dry, clean out the inside and ONLY heat the insert when reapplying or initially applying the glue, never the shaft...

There is such variance in the results reported here... I find that on many topics.

I've had miserable luck with hobby clear/white hot melt sticks...yet others have long experience of positive results

Go figure.  Has to be in the formula whether the clear hobby stuff or the brown archery stuff.  

only thing that makes any sense...