I know this is going to sound silly but here goes: I have been fletching my own arrows for thirty five years. I started out with alloy shafts and feathers. I have arrows done twenty years ago that still are on so tight you will need harsh language, determination and a razor knife to get those feathers off. They were all applied using Fletchtite glue. I fooled around with carbon shafts but eventually returned to alloys. I gave up the feathers and went to the two inch Blazers in ’08. At that time, I was still able to obtain my reliable Fletchtite glue and had virtually no problems bonding the Blazers to the aluminum. But then the same thing my wife complains about with her eye liner happened to me: They changed the formula to the “new and improved” Fletchtite Platinum. I have been around and around with Bohnig and bless their hearts they really have tried to accommodate an old goat. They have sent me new glue and new Blazers…twice… and still I have the blasted things falling off once in a while. This last go ‘round I bought two dozen Easton XX78 Super Slam 2413s and had both of Bohnig’s adhesives (the Fletchtite Platinum and their cyno-acrylate) and new Blazers. I prepped the shafts using hot water and powdered bath scrubbing (Comet) powder as instructed in the Blazer packaging and did one dozen of one adhesive and the other dozen using the second adhesive. This time, I thought I had success…until the weather changed. Now it’s cooled off (I practice throughout the year no matter how cold…OK, I won’t practice if it is below Zero) and I have Blazers shedding from both groups. It’s always the same in that the adhesive stays with the vanes and very little stays with the substrate. I have even tried using brake cleaner and other solvents to no avail. I need suggestions on a good glue. No, I take that back. I want The Best glue. I enjoy building new arrows but I detest repairing new arrows. Help!
Loctite Super Glue Gel. Better price, no need to order as it's available every where... Use it on fletching and inserts without issue.
Ive been wondering the same thing im about to start building my own arrows and was wondering what the best glue was for inserts ill have to try this out.
Any if the cyaniacrylates will work well. Super glue basically. And in fact. Super glue works quite well. I'm a fan of goat tuff. Really good stuff. Unless I'm felt hung feathers then I use tape.
Easton Fast Set is an excellent glue. My experience with Blazers is less than good. Even using Fast Set,the Blazers would come off without much force.I switched to the Duravane Fusion Zeon and I'm very impressed.They stick to a carbon shaft far better than Blazers,have more steering capabilities and are quieter in flight than Blazers. A side note....there was a bad batch of Fusions that hit the market and would shrivel up and wouldn't stick worth a damn. That problem has been corrected but I'm sure there are still some of the bad batch out there.
You will want to go with an epoxy or slow drying glue , I tried fletching glue once and ruined a few arrows insert didnt make it all the way in before the glue dried
Id try giving the fletching and glue a little surface to grip too, Id lightly sand where the fletchings are going to be glued too then prep and glue.
Follow up on The Best Glue The first round of destructive testing results are in. The following are the conditions at time of fletching with 3, 2 inch Blazer vanes applied with the Bitzenberger Fletchmatic and left helical clamp. I first lightly sanded the Easton XX 78 Super Slam 2413 alloy shafts with a 150 grit sanding block. Then, using a clean white paper towel wiped the shafts down with denatured alcohol suitable for marine heating/stove applications and air dried for 30 minutes minimum prior to fletching. The alcohol left no visible residue on the paper towels when left to dry before wiping the shafts (checking for obvious residual additives). At one point, when absent-mindedly (that happens more and more these days) wiping one of the shafts, it got so clean as to begin “ringing” just like you hear when person rubs their finger along the edge of a fine crystal goblet or glass. At that point I decided that shaft was probably “clean”. I hung a 110 volt heat lamp above my work area and measured the temperature with a digital thermometer to be a very stabile 79 degrees F. The clamp was left in place for an average of 30 minutes for each vane and sometimes more than an hour. I applied the Blazers using Gorilla Super Glue Impact Tough Formula and Bohnig’s Platinum Plus fletching glue. I found the Platinum Plus much easier to work with as it has less tendency to run. The arrows were allowed 48 hours additional curing time at an average 65 degrees F. Then I actively tried to pull, twist and otherwise tear the vanes from the shafts. Over all, I did achieve better results but was able to get a 100% bond on only two arrows (six vanes). I term 100% bond when the vane must be cut from the shaft with a razor knife. The two arrows with the 100% bond were using the Platinum Plus. The remaining vanes were pulled or twisted off of the shafts with some effort but when they came off, the shafts were by and large free of adhesives. There were only 2 vanes applied with the Gorilla that had a 50% effective bond. Every other failure was complete in that the adhesive remained with the vane and little, if any, adhesive remained on the shaft. The absence of glue on the shafts tells me I am experiencing a shaft prep issue as yet unresolved. I am left wondering if the shaft that “rang” while cleaning was one of the shafts that had 100% bonding. If so, that level of cleanliness required about 15 to 20 strokes with the alcohol while rotating to a fresh spot on a new towel. The next test will involve: 1. Another sanding 2. “ringing” cleanliness on each shaft with denatured alcohol 3. application using the Loctite Super Glue Ultra Gel Control, the Platinum Plus and the Gorilla glue (three shafts each) 4. using with the aforementioned temperature and clamping conditions. After that round of tests, if there are again failures, I will substitute lacquer thinner for the alcohol. We will see what we will see. The search goes on. K
I have got 35 years of fletching in also. I have tried lots of glue. Here is what i use now. Aluminum - Bohning platinum Carbon - Zing primer then AAE FastSet gel. You can't pull them off with a pliers. Of course start with clean shaft. I have used denatured alcohol for many years with great results.
I was using Gorilla glue but me vanes started falling off after a few practice sessions. Just order the AAE FastSet gel. I will see how this works.
Well I've not heard this yet so I will throw this one at you. Been fletching my own carbon arrows (beman mfx 400's) since I have been shootin. I crest wrap all my arrows with Onestringer Custom Arrow Wraps . Now I use fletch tite plantium and when its time to refletch I have to tear the blazer vane off the wrap which tears the wrap because of the secure bond. Long story short, try a quality wrap and good luck.
The AAE fastset has held on the same two dozen arrows since this post. So I am going to "stick" with this glue.
