fletching arrows ?

[JJ Overkill]

how do you guys fletch your arrows? like Rory ive had some vanes come off but I think I cured the problem. ill give you my process, let me know if yours is different.

1) find the arrow spine (back bone, not the shaft stiffness) mark with sticker
2) lightly and I mean LIGHTLY sand the shaft with 440 grit sand paper
3) wipe shaft with rubbing alcohol
4)I wrap a piece of tape around the base of the arrow for precise vane placement from the end of the shaft
5) place vane in clamp, apply glue
6) place clamped vane on arrow
7) remove clamp and repeat

I use AAE max bond vane and nock adhesive as well.

[Swede]

I place arrow shaft in fletching jig with nock the index bump to the right
Place cock vane in clamp at desired location
apply super glue to fletch
Place clamp in jig and press against arrow shaft

Repeat twice with hen vanes for each arrow

[cnelk]

Since I just did arrows last night.

Glue in inserts

Clean shaft with alcohol
Insert fletching into my Arizona EZ fletch
Apply GT fletch glue to feathers
Lift fletch tool to apply feathers
Let dry 5 min
Remove tool
Wipe off any excess glue

Insert broadhead and spin test each arrow

[pikemaster]

1) clean arrow
2) insert arrow into my mini Arizona EZ Fletch
3) apply glue
4) wait 5 min
5) pull arrow out let arrow set for 24 hrs

Quick and simple. This new set of arrows I tried a wrap, turned out pretty good.

[cnelk]

Nice job Jarod!

I'm curious about those wraps.
Do you need to replace them too when refletching again?

[>>>---WW---->]

how do you guys fletch your arrows? like Rory ive had some vanes come off but I think I cured the problem. ill give you my process, let me know if yours is different.

1) find the arrow spine (back bone, not the shaft stiffness) mark with sticker
2) lightly and I mean LIGHTLY sand the shaft with 440 grit sand paper
3) wipe shaft with rubbing alcohol
4)I wrap a piece of tape around the base of the arrow for precise vane placement from the end of the shaft
5) place vane in clamp, apply glue
6) place clamped vane on arrow
7) remove clamp and repeat

I use AAE max bond vane and nock adhesive as well.

Look at step #3, that could be the culpert. Rubbing alcohol has an oily base. Get yourself some denatured alcohol and I'll bet it will solve your problem for doing carbons. Acidtone for aluminum. And don't forget to take a Q-tip and swab the base of the vane and let it dry a few seconds before applying the glue. Everything else looks fine to me.

When I mess up a vane I always have one heck of a time removing the old fletch because it is stuck to the shaft so well.

[JJ Overkill]

I will have to try that for my next go round. thanks

[WapitiTalk1]

I will have to try that for my next go round. thanks

Yep, me too. Haven't done the light sandpaper thing either so will throw that into the next fletching job.

[cnelk]

A 3m Scotchbrite pad works really well for buffing carbon arrows

[ctdad]

Anybody use wraps? Are they hard to remove?

[ORelksniper]

I just finished 3 doz with wraps and Blazer vanes. Did a couple test arrows to check shootabilty and then scraped everything off...because I'm bored. The wraps remove easily with Exacto knife. Of course, replacing one vane later on is not gonna happen.

[ctdad]

So if you have wraps and one vane falls off, you have to replace the entire wrap?

[ORelksniper]

So if you have wraps and one vane falls off, you have to replace the entire wrap?

If one vane simply falls off, you probably didn't use enough glue. Which means there isn't much glue residue left on the wrap and you might be able to carefully clean it up. If you have to scrape a damaged vane off I don't think you'll be able to save the wrap. I did try to do just that on a test arrow without success.

[ctdad]

Did you find it easier to remove wraps than to remove vanes from an arrow

[ORelksniper]

Did you find it easier to remove wraps than to remove vanes from an arrow

Yes, much easier, and the wraps don't leave a bunch of residue to scrape off.

[Toby]

I do the same a cnelk and pikemaster. I use super glue gel I get at Menards..

[dapper]

As far as removing the wraps, I believe they come off easier with heat. You can use a hairdryer or a heat gun. You use JUST ENOUGH HEAT to soften the wrap and it'll scrap off easily, using something like the back edge of a table knife. Don't use anything sharp that might dig into the shaft.

Heres my process:

I wear a light pair of leather gloves
I place a heat gun into my vise and turn it on.
I start at the leading edge of the wrap, keeping the arrow 5 to 6 inches from the heat gun
I start scrapeing the wrap using the back side (dull rounded edge) of an old table knife working towards the nock.
Once the wrap softens, it starts coming off easily and I work back towards the nock.
When the wrap is removed I take my hand and rub off the sticky residue that is sometimes left, rubbing it towards the rear as well. This is where the leather gloves come in handy, since the residue is warm and you want to rub it off while its still warm.

Dan

[cnelk]

FYI
Recently I tried some Gorilla Glue for fletching and that stuff didnt work

[ctdad]

Tell us more about gorilla glue

[cnelk]

Tell us more about gorilla glue

It didnt stick at all.

[ctdad]

That pretty well explains it. Thanks. Ha

[Toby]

I have had great luck with Loctite Suoer Glue Ultragel Control. I have fletched a lot of arrows and this is the best I have used. Need just a thin bead.

[WindedBowhunter]

Now this is a bit more than just fletching, but it is part of my complete process.

Measure the divided difference from each end of the raw shaft.
The reason for this step is that the center of the shaft is the straightest part of the shaft. The further from the center, the less straight the shaft becomes.
Cut the shaft with a high-speed cutoff saw
Run carbon arrow prep tool a few times in the insert end of the shaft
Square both ends of the cut arrow shafts, like the Firenock APS
Clean at least 1" of the each cut end of the shaft, with clean water and then dry them
Press the nock into the shaft
I have an arrow jig, it contains a piece of 1"x36" wood that has been planed flat and level. It has a nail in a vertical position at one end of the board, to emulate a bow string.
Set your arrow nock on the arrow (looks like an arrow on the bow string)
Screw broadhead into your insert very snug
Apply your adhesive of choice on the insert, ensuring that you apply the same amount of adhesive on each insert to maintain consistent arrow weight
Install insert into shaft, turning the insert slowly to ensure the adhesive fully covers the entire insert
The final resting orientation of your broadhead should be with 2 blades resting on the board, with 1 blade 90* vertically
Wipe excess adhesive from the end of shaft
Let set for at least 24 hours
Square the arrow insert on a squaring tool, this allows the broadhead to seat correctly into the insert for proper alignment
Begin fletching your arrows to your needs, be it offset, straight or helical **If you tune with a Hooter Shooter, you don't need to have a "cock" vane
Let arrows set for at least 6 hours
Weigh each completed arrow, broadheads, make note of each arrow and broadhead with this information
Mix and match completed arrows and broadheads to achieve a consistent complete arrow weight. Try to get your total weights between complete arrows to within 1-2gr of one another.
Spin test your completed arrow on your arrow spin tool, the broadhead will make a circle if it is not properly aligned.
Begin shooting your arrows and note your arrow impacts
For the arrows seem to impact further from the consistent group, begin changing your nock orientation until the arrow changes the point of impact to match the group
When you turn your nock 180*, it provides you 6 positions of nock orientation (i.e. 2-6-10 o'clock positions, just ensure the "cock" vane is orientated in thirds), checking for fletching clearance

**Note that this boadhead alignment, only works with G5 Montecs! As they are the only broadhead that I have found to be "exact" replicas of one another!

[Toby]

Rudy,

That is some great info, thanks for sharing.

Toby

[Stateline]

Like several others have mentioned, wraps are much easier to remove than fletchings in my experience. Yes, that means spending more $$ on wraps and adding some tail weight, but for me they are worth it. A little trick I like in fletching is to add a drop of glue on both ends of each vane upon completion of fletching (especially the tip of the vane). Bows are hitting harder than ever, and that can mean too much penetration on targets at times. I've found that sometimes this little trick may be just enough to keep the target from peeling that fletching off, or at least starting the process. So far my vanes have stuck at least as well to wraps as they do my arrow shaft. I guess you could say I'm a fan of quality arrow wraps.

[mandrroofing]

A 3m Scotchbrite pad works really well for buffing carbon arrows

This is what I do along with comit