bstout wrote:Tye: I've never had any problem using Fletch-Tite glue in 25 plus years of using it. Component preparation is usually the culprit. Certain vane manufacturers don't clean the mold release agent off of their vanes. The shaft must be squeaky clean before placing the glued vane into the jig (chemically cleaned). A minimum of 30 minutes is required when using Fletch-Tite glue for plastic vanes to either aluminum or carbon before removing the clamp and so on and so forth.
There are many variables involved. The glue isn't one of them. After you've been doing your own fletchings for awhile your procedures will develop. Just like everything else a person can't expect to become an expert overnight.
After a few years have gone by you'll think back and remember how you use to do your fletchings.
30 Minutes for each vane in the clamp is rediculous. I just leave them in for about a minute at the most, then do the next vane and so on.
I'm gonna get some Acetone or something, and some Bohning Instant-Gel or Tim's Goat Tuff.
I've hunted with blazers and GT's all season and haven't had a problem with them falling off at all. Goat Tuff is some great stuff and I won't use anything else for vanes or inserts from now on.
FYI - I love the blazers as well - use them with my Phoenix and have great arrow flight with them.
Tye - I didn't use brass inserts on this first batch due to already having extra aluminum ones with brass weights. I did load up the weights on the front that makes them weigh ~10 grains heavier than the brass inserts though. Definitely like more weight up front - get much better groups with them now.
Makomachine wrote:Tye - I didn't use brass inserts on this first batch due to already having extra aluminum ones with brass weights. I did load up the weights on the front that makes them weigh ~10 grains heavier than the brass inserts though. Definitely like more weight up front - get much better groups with them now.
Makomachine wrote:Tye - I didn't use brass inserts on this first batch due to already having extra aluminum ones with brass weights. I did load up the weights on the front that makes them weigh ~10 grains heavier than the brass inserts though. Definitely like more weight up front - get much better groups with them now.
Hmm, what are these weights you're talking about?
Tye - the aluminum inserts GT utilizes are threaded to accept brass weights that they sell. They sell them in 10, 20, & 50 grain weight - got mine from above-timberline.com. See link below for more details on them - work great, but be sure and use some loctite on the threads when putting them together. I had some "unscrew" on the first arrow I made without it - since then, used the "blue" loctite and after 300+ shots not one has come loose. Might be a way to increase your weight on some shafts where you already have aluminum inserts if you can figure out how to get the end caps out.
NZ Hunter wrote:Goat tough only needs ten seconds in the clamp.
The stick-on fletchings are faster than any glue on types.
The Fletch-Tite glue takes longer to set up. There are some good things about this. You can make adjustments if you discover you've made a mistake (fine tune). There are also long term properties to various glues to consider. Some fast set glues have little strength after three or four years go by. Having to wait 30 minutes for the glue to dry does not matter. Fletching arrows is not something you do in a hurry. Basically the fastest drying glue may not be the best glue to use for long term durability.
Use what you know will last. I do. Having it take longer to get the job done is the price you pay for quality.
Im not too woried as I do go through the fletching. after I year I went through 1 dozen bolts through breaking or loosing. They were also fletched multiple times.
18 yrs, thats excelent. Having said I went through my last doz fast, I have learnt a few lesons on how to look after expensive GTs my next doz should last a lot longer.
The only thing I dont like about goat tough is it dries very solid, hard to remove with the fletch stripper, must be some sort of super glue.It also leaves white marks around the glued area where it reacts with the carbon? dont know. Im not sure what glue was used to fletch the original bolts which came with my xbow, was like a clear silicone & easy to work with. Goat tough is also usefull around the home, used it to fix a tray in my fridge last night. Used super glue on the others five years ago and still going strong.
Just a hint on what to use to clean carbon shafts depending on which glue you use. Fletch Tite is solvent based and acetone or alcohol is a good cleaner and won't react. Goat Tuff, (which I use) is one of the super glue type adhesives. It is water based, so only water is needed to clean the shafts, if you use a solvent with one of the super glues, it can cause adhesion problems. Hope this helps!
Cougar wrote:Just a hint on what to use to clean carbon shafts depending on which glue you use. Fletch Tite is solvent based and acetone or alcohol is a good cleaner and won't react. Goat Tuff, (which I use) is one of the super glue type adhesives. It is water based, so only water is needed to clean the shafts, if you use a solvent with one of the super glues, it can cause adhesion problems. Hope this helps!
I decided to try a new arrow setup this year and bought some 2215 shafts (cheap off eBay). I cut them to 18" (I like them a little shorter in my Phoenix) and crest dipped them in FletchLac paint. I glued on 2" Blazer vanes using the old tried & trusted FletchTite cement. The only thing I did that is not recommended by the manufacturer is that I gave each vane's "rib" a cleaning wipe with a soft clean cloth and acetone before glueing. I have been shooting those arrows for a few months now, and all I can say is - WOW! They have given by far the best performance to date with any arrow I ever fletched with vanes! I've used and abused the fletching, even buried one in a foam target and left it for a couple hours one day, and so far the fletching is tight and secure! The've withstood heat, cold, compression in a target, and even deer blood, and are still looking like new (after a good washing after going through the deer).
In my opinion feathers would have worn out - other vanes would have come off, split, or broken - but the Blazers are still going strong.
Besides - they really look nicer on the shorter crossbow arrows!
It's good stuff 
That was fun trying to get them appart, lol.
