gluing nocks on alluminum arrows

[Brent Hill]

I can't spell and I need help.  My daughter has started shooting her curve with me so I bought her some 1616 jazz arrows and I'm going to teach her to fletch arrows this weekend.  My problem is that although I have been shooting curves for years and have made my own sinew backed osage bows, I have never messed with metal arrows.  Can you super glue nocks onto the tapered part of the arrow ??  Do you clean the taper before gluing ?    Thanks for the help and any suggestions, Bhill

[bigbadjon]

I clean my aluminums with Ajax or Comet, but any degreaser should work. I have successfully used Duco, Fletch-tite, and super glue gel to attach nocks to swaged aluminums.

[Reaper TN]

I don't use aluminum much anymore, but when I did I used some 180 grit sandpaper and just sanded the taper lightly to clean it.  I always used fletch-tite then, for fletching and glueing on my nocks.  I use fletch-tite platinum now and it works on the nocks just fine. Not sure about super glue, you could try it and see.  Removing nocks on aluminum arrows was always easy, just a little heat from a cig lighter and they will twist right off.

[Pepper]

Highest priority in nock attachment to aluminum is make sure that the nock taper is clean, and has no old glue residue on it, and if new, that they have been wiped with aceatone, or denatured alcohol. Then any glue used for feathers or vanes will work.
Good luck.

[SCATTERSHOT]

I've never used anything but Duco. Just be sure the taper is clean. I use acetone to wipe them down, but alcohol would probably work, too.

[Brent Hill]

Thanks for all of your help. Bhill

[bigbadjon]

Bohning and Easton both discourage using alchohol to clean the shafts. I'm not sure if it has an effect on glue adhesion but it does leave a residue that repels laquer.

[Swamp Yankee]

Duco or Fletchtite; superglue is too much of a pain to remove when replacing the nock.  Yup, solvents not a good idea on aluminum, most leaves a residue and oxidizes the aluminum immediately.  The trick is to get the aluminum degreased with soap and etched (chemically or mechanically) then immediately glue.  Ajax is a one step solution that degreases and etches on one step.

[JRY309]

I use Platinum fletch tite on aluminum and carbon.But clean everything with alcohol first.The only arrows I use Duco on are wood arrows with a polyurethene finish.

[bowkevin]

I clean them with Comet or Ajax and superglue the nocks.

[BOWMARKS]

I just clean the taper with a razor knife and use Fletch Tite never lost any yet and I'm an aluminumn freak.

[Bowtie]

Brent, I clean the taper end on my aluminums with Acetone and then use Bohning Platinum glue. You don't need a lot of glue, rotate the nock as you install it.  Similar process with my fletching.  Clean the shaft and base of the feather quill with Acetone, and use Platinum glue.