What glue are folks using for inserts/vanes

[amythntr]

.....the most awesome glue that I have found for inserts and nocks is found at
Big Jims Archery Supply is Quick Stick Hot Melt Glue...guaranteed not to have your insert or nock come loose!

Anthony

[xcaliber]

Several great ones mentioned already, but the key is prep! That will make or break the the final result!

[Carnivorous]

Several great ones mentioned already, but the key is prep! That will make or break the the final result!

X2

Ever since I learned proper arrow prep and started to use the blue top, I have had no issues with vanes and inserts. Heck my fletching can go through 2 layers of drywall and stay intact...lol

[roly]

I use gorilla blue for fletching and regular gorilla glue for inserts, the bad thing about the reg. gorilla glue is they will never be able to come out again.

If I'm testing different weighted inserts I will use hot melt glue so I can take them in and out

And clean and clean and don't touch with my hands.

[bigrak]

I use the same Gorilla glue with no issues.
ThW white residue means you used a little too much. The inserts coming out means you either didn't use enough glue or more likely, didn't prep well enough. You only need the thinnest bead of glue along the center groove of the fletching.
To install the inserts, I knurl them between two axe files and then dump them into a container of acetone. I shake the container then pour out the acetone and lay the inserts onto a paper towel to dry completely. Any surfaces prepped with acetone does not get touched with my hands after wards.
I run a 30 Cal bore brush into the shaft and twist. Then it gets dunked and shaken in the acetone. I pull out the shaft and whip the shaft in the air to get rid of the acetone and any remaining dust from inside the shaft. Then the shaft gets dunked and shaken in the acetone again, then whipped in the air again.
All prepped components sit until completely void of the smell of acetone.
The insert gets picked up by a field tip and layer down on a paper towel. I then roll a thin bead of glue into the mouth of the shaft and lay it down. The insert gets a bead of glue on the corner/edge the goes into the shaft. The grooves of the insert get glue and I use the nozzle of the bottle to drag the glue around the surface.
The insert gets pushed and turned into the shaft all the way. At this point watch that you see a bead of glue preceeding the shaft which tells you that you have enough glue for complete coverage. Once all the way in, I slam the assembly into a piece of wood the ensure that the insert is all the way home.
I leave the assembled arrow for 24 hrs before shooting.
I've taught quite a few people who now successfully make arrows and I always stress that if you get all the glue surfaces clean and do not touch them once prepped, you'll have no glue failures.

Great post!
What is the best way to deal with any excess glue?
Thanks.

[Carnivorous]

I use the same Gorilla glue with no issues.
ThW white residue means you used a little too much. The inserts coming out means you either didn't use enough glue or more likely, didn't prep well enough. You only need the thinnest bead of glue along the center groove of the fletching.
To install the inserts, I knurl them between two axe files and then dump them into a container of acetone. I shake the container then pour out the acetone and lay the inserts onto a paper towel to dry completely. Any surfaces prepped with acetone does not get touched with my hands after wards.
I run a 30 Cal bore brush into the shaft and twist. Then it gets dunked and shaken in the acetone. I pull out the shaft and whip the shaft in the air to get rid of the acetone and any remaining dust from inside the shaft. Then the shaft gets dunked and shaken in the acetone again, then whipped in the air again.
All prepped components sit until completely void of the smell of acetone.
The insert gets picked up by a field tip and layer down on a paper towel. I then roll a thin bead of glue into the mouth of the shaft and lay it down. The insert gets a bead of glue on the corner/edge the goes into the shaft. The grooves of the insert get glue and I use the nozzle of the bottle to drag the glue around the surface.
The insert gets pushed and turned into the shaft all the way. At this point watch that you see a bead of glue preceeding the shaft which tells you that you have enough glue for complete coverage. Once all the way in, I slam the assembly into a piece of wood the ensure that the insert is all the way home.
I leave the assembled arrow for 24 hrs before shooting.
I've taught quite a few people who now successfully make arrows and I always stress that if you get all the glue surfaces clean and do not touch them once prepped, you'll have no glue failures.

Great post!
What is the best way to deal with any excess glue?
Thanks.

The master arrow makers have no excess glue because they use just the right amount. Me I have to wipe it off with a bit of acetone on a q-tip...

But lately I have been leaving the little excess alone like on these arrows...

[newbie]

when i pull my arrowns out of the jig i wipe down the side of each vane with a cotton rag. any still there stays put unless im making for someone else then i wipe with acetone after the glue is cured.

[Horizontal Hunter]

I use Loctite Superglue gel on the vanes and their two part epoxy on the inserts.

Prep is just as important as the adhesive. I clean and rough up the inside of the arrows with an old .30 caliber bore brush and some acetone.

Years ago I tested two superglues. I left them submerged in water for a week and then I tried to pull off the vanes with a pair of pliers.




Bob

[8ptbuk]

Jerry at South shore archery sells the best glue I've EVER used ! He also sales a micro tip to go on the bottle that makes placement of the glue perfect ! Not putting to much glue on the vane helps tremendously with the clean up when done .

[Normous]

To meter the Gorilla Blue top glue better I transfer or backload 1ml Blue Top into a standard plunger 3ml syringe and cap with a 23 gauge needle used for dispensing just the RIGHT amount of glue required for fletch.

-6 arrows to fletch use 1/2ml in a syringe.
-12 arrows to fletch use 1ml in the syringe

[Boo]

Call me old fashioned, but I still use a tooth pick. I put a drop on both ends and one in between. I smoothen out the glue until just the center groove has "fluid" glue and the rest of the base is just wet. I also make sure that there a tad of excess on the ends, which is most important. That glue will end up in front of the fletching and harden. It will act as a ramp and prevent the fletching from being lifted on a pass through.
Any excess can be wiped with a paper towel wet with acetone. If you have to wipe off excess, wait atleast 5 minutes so that you do not move the vane. Although it's called an instant glue and it does some holding immediately, any rough handling will break the vane free of the shaft.
If you end up with some of the fletching not glued down, use some regular instant glue and work it in with a sewing needle.