Fletching to aluminum shaft adhesive....?

[Tater John]

I use white vinegar on a cotton ball to wipe the fletching area then use bohning or fletching tape. I don’t dilute the vinegar or rinse the shaft. Wipe it with a paper towel to dry enough and fletch it.
The vinegar etches the aluminum and removes oxidation that effects how well adhesives bond or aluminum primers/paint

Rusty

[Steelhead]

Sounds interesting Rusty!

Clean a shaft with the vinegar and make a nice salad dressing with olive oil and my favorite spices as well to go with it.

[DawgDoc]

Another vote for Saunders NPV - I wipe mine with acetone and then fletch. Never had trouble and I live in the hot and humid south.

[Brazos]

I use fletch tape.  When I was a kid all we shot was aluminum and we used fletch-tite.  I think I saw above fletch-tite may have changed their recipe in recent years.

[Wudstix]

One more reason to shoot woodies!!!
 

[NY Yankee]

I have done many dozens of arrows with feathers on aluminum shafts. Saunders NPV Arrowmate cement and Bohning Fletchtite Platinum both work quite well. Both have their own separate qualities but I have not had trouble with either.  You can scrub with Ajax or sand the shaft but neither is necessary. I use Acetone, not alcohol, on a clean rag and rub the shaft by holding the shaft between my fingers and squeeze, pulling the shaft back and forth briskly, all the way around until the aluminum squeeks. This will clean the shaft well. The next step is to make sure you have enough glue on the feather when you lay it down. How much is enough? If it squirts a little bit of glue out the bottom, youre good. I take a q-tip and wipe the glue. NPV glue will dry thin and flat and clear, you wont notice it. Bohning will dry like little beads along the quill. You can wipe it off in the jig if it bothers you. I just leave it. I have NEVER had feathers come off unless I peel them off with a knife. Use Acetone and get them well cleaned.

[hvyhitter]

NPV for about 20 years and several hundred arrows. Clean with pure alcohol n fletch and its a done deal. I also keep my glue in the fridge once opened so a tube may last 2 yrs or more without getting too thick........
YMMV.......

[J. Cook]

I'm still having great luck with Fletchtite Platinum - I just use Isopropyl alcohol to clean the shaft as is typical, and I think the key is time - fletchtite is not fast, I leave them on for 20 minutes minimum per feather.  I've had great luck for many years with both formulations of the fletchtite.

[RIVERWOLF]

Hey Roger

I've used Aluminum a good number of years, and in those years sniffed ...err..TRIED a lot of different glues;^)))
...aluminum cleaning techniques etc....Not to dog anyone elses advise or choices....but for me after all that "experience')  with all those glues-cleaners..etc....I gave arrow wraps a go.....and never looked back !

Good old "time tested" Onestringer wraps and  Gorilla glue ""Blue cap"  is best of the best for this application.

I've misplaced arrows under deep snow , lost arrows that deer on a death run tossed beyond where I was looking ....some of these "misplaced"  arrows spent  years in ohio weather extreme conditions of rain-snow-heat- below zero temps....to the point that the aluminum shaft was rusted through and most of the feathers had deteriorated..BUT..the wrap-feather quill- and glue still held !   That proved all the proven that needs light shined upon it ;^)

My  advise is to get some Onestringer wraps and a bottle of gorilla super glue in the "blue cap".....then go  hunt hard  without any concern about feather to aluminum adhesion ;^)

Best with your quest my friend !   

[NinjaVanish]

Had issues when I started using aluminum as well. I take a drywall sponge to the area I'm going to fletch then wipe clean with denatured alcohol. Gorilla blue cap works great after the prep is done. Easy peasy.