Fletching Aluminum Shafts, Need Help

[Archie]

I use aluminums exclusively, and have fletched my own shafts for 20+ years.   I always soak them a good while in acetone, and wipe them with a paper towel (and listen for the squeak) before fletching.  I then dip them in clear fletch-laq, let it dry, then fletch with Fletch-tite.  My feathers never, ever fall off.  I pull arrows all the way through foam bales and plastic bottles and stuff,  and they don't pull loose.  They get ripped and worn,  but I have to scrape those quills off with a knife and soak in acetone to completely remove them when the time comes to re-fletch.  I literally cannot remember the last time I had a feather just fall off.

I have not used the Fletch-tite platinum yet, and still have 3-4 tubes of the original stuff that I haven't opened yet.  (The glue is aging and gelling, so I'l be switching to Platinum soon.)

I have no reason to believe (yet) that Platinum is so drastically different.  My father ran an archery shop and fletched thousands of arrows himself, and did them all the same way I described above.  He did not have problems with feathers falling off either.

[stagetek]

I fletch a lot of aluminums, but I use vinyl wraps. Platinum works well with wraps.

[2nocks]

x2 what Archie says. Every aluminum arrow I ever had was clear dipped first in fletch laq. A buddy of mine picked some up at a local shop that did not dip them, feathers fell off first day shooting them. He stripped remaining feathers, dipped and re-fletched, never lost another feather.

[Dave Worden]

I don't do all that cleaning that everyone is talking about.  However, I always crown dip.  Using Bohning glue on Bohning paint has never produced a problem.  That being said, now I use Fletch tape but I still crown dip.

[Sixby]

Grey if you read this and have tried the Super Strength 3M give us a report on how it worked for ya.

The pic shown is the stuff.

God bless, Steve

[Stringwacker]

NPV glue as others have said. Problem solved.

[Slickhead]

use cap wraps
Strongest bond
you can get them in clear if color is an issue

[JRY309]

I just clean my aluminum shafts with denatured alcohol and use Platinum fletch tite.I haven't experience any problems with fletches falling or coming off.The only time I have had fletching fall off was when I was out of Fletch tite and used some Duco,I mainly used Duco with a polyurethane finish on wood arrows.It was all I had at the moment,but when a fletch came off I would light sand it and glue it back on with Platinum fletch tite.

[mike g]

Wipe off with alcohol, and use fletch tape.
    Make sure you keep the tape in the fridge.

[Hud]

Easton use to recommended Ajax, because the aircraft industry used it to prep before painting. He was right. Wash off with water and dry with a paper towel. Don't handle and fletch soon, or crown dip. I have used this method for ever.

[Wheels2]

I have used Gorilla brand super glue, FletchTite, Platinum FletchTite, and Bohning fletching tape.
Regardless of the adhesive, I wipe the shafts and make sure they are free of any oils from your hands or what ever.
The Platinum FletchTite is my favorite but if it is an open tube there is a shelf life on it.  When it starts to become thick, it does not adhere well.  Same for the Gorilla glue.  Tape is nice as it sticks to carbon, aluminum and woods as well.  Just make sure to run a finger nail along the quill to ensure full contact and pressure on the shaft.
My 2 cents...

[deaddoc4444]

I know this is late , I made arrows commercially  for over 15 years . Vast majority were aluminums ( roughly  3000 arrows a year )   I used alcohol as a prep then a Scotch Brite pad then   REGULAR FLETCH TITE   "NOT PLATINUM"   In the last few years, doing it on the side I have tried the Platinum and it just does NOT work like the original Fltech Tite on Aluminum Shafts .   No matter all the different preps  I have tried . Recently I have tried the NPV  Glue and it works  very well . The 3 M   glue works well also .