My first fletching job, HELP!

[rallen]

I'm doing my first set of arrows with my new Bitz fletcher. I'm using Fletch Tite glue. How long do you leave the clamp on before you can start the next feather? Is Flex Bond better? :thankyou:

rallen (Bow Minister)

[Bob Gordon]

Rallen..I usually leave the clamp on for 25 minutes with fletch Tite, it's good stuff. Just make sure your shafts are real clean and you will do just fine....warf

[DAS]

For carbon shafts I get better adhesion by lightly scuffing the area with scotch bright, then wiping with acetone. Regular Fletchtite works great on aluminum or wood. I use Fletchtite Platinum for carbon.

[rallen]

Das,

I cleaned it well with acetone first. Made sure the shaft was good and clean. I just finished the first one! It looks good...took me forever to get the helical set right on the Bitz! Hope it will fly straight tomorrow!

Thanks
rallen

:thankyou:

[Torsten]

Gentlemen,

BE CAREFUL WITH ACETONE ON CARBON ARROWS!!! DON'T USE IT

I highly recommend to use cleaning alcohol only. The tendency of the decay is difficult to predict but do not take chances.

[rallen]

Torsten,

Thanks for the caution. I'm using aluminum shafts.

rallen

[DAS]

Hank,
Have you tried the tape on feathers and vanes?

[Floxter]

I use Flex-Bond on both carbons and aluminums for both feathers and vanes. I 0nly allow it to set up about 15 minutes before I move to the next feather/vane. I do clean the shafts well first with acetone as well as the base of the vanes (flex-fletch). I've found that cleaning the base of the vanes is especially important as they are molded with some type of release agent that needs to be completely removed before fletching. Until I went to flex-fletch website and followed their instructions for cleaning the vanes I had lots of them separate. Since following their instructions to the "T" I haven't lost one (and I shoot lots of them thru the clicker) LOL.

[Viper]

rallen -

Been using Fletch-tite for years. As Warf said, 25 minutes is more than enough, I usually go for 15 - 20, but you'll get a feel for it after a dozen ot two.

Viper out.

[barbwire44]

Try AAE fast set gel. Apply count to 10 and remove clamp and on to the next one.

[thisbucks4u]

Use fletch tape, and you wont even have to learn how to count to ten. Also you can wrap harder helicals, if you want, with the tape. Or, I guess I should say- Its lots easier to wrap harder helicals with the tape.

[DAS]

Are you guys using the Bohning tape or something else? Looks like I've got to give it a try. Old habits die hard. Fletchtite has alwats been pretty bulletproof for me, but yea it's slow. As far as the acetone, cleaning with it gives the best adhesion that I've found. I'm just talking about a quick wipe. I'm sure that if you soaked the shafts in it they would eventually be damaged, but how many wipes would it take?? 500? 1000? You know, water will kill you if you drink too much. Be careful! :)

[thisbucks4u]

Good old bohning fletch tape. Hardest part is getting the tape on the feather. Another cool aspect is that if you change your mind, the feather can be removed carefully with a razor, then digitally destickyfied and re used. With some shops charging as much as they do for feathers, sometimes it helps to be frugal.

[DAS]

Thanks Mike!

[Gonçalo]

Fletch-tite when I use straight vanes or feathers, 10-15 minutes.
Just as Floxter said about cleaning the foot of the vane. I also ad a drop of cement on the front and and the back. Never had a problem of vanes coming out.

[swampy]

Acetone can leave a film on the arrow after it evoperates.Make sure to wipe it well so that it,s squeaky clean.I prefer 90% alchol but most places only carry the 70% stuff.

I don,t have a set time for glue as I glue arrows while doing other things.You can do it in the evening watchin TV or I sometimes do it here at work.Somedays it takes a whole day to do one arrow here but I gotta make sure the machines are runnin first LOL and since I,m gettin paid it don,t matter if it takes a week to fletch a 1/2 doz

[02 Chief]

I`m pretty new to fletching but my dealer sent me home with STEEL FORGE Beyond Bond glue and SF Accelerator.
I scrape the old fletching off wash arrow with warm soapy water and spray the shaft with the eccelerator apply glue on fletching and stick it on, drys in about 30 seconds or less. Haven`t had any probs thus far.
My dealer is Greg at G&M Archery, great guy and he seems to know what he is talking about.
Nice forum, found ya on a post from ArcheryTalk :)

[Cueball]

I am with Hank on this one. Fletch tape sticks to everything I have used including vanes and feathers. Easy to use fast and clean. When and if i use glue its NPV by Saunders. I love fletching my own arrows.


.........................................Roby..... .............................................