Fletch Tape Users

[GreenJeans]

I am having trouble with the feathers "rolling" if that makes sense.  If they are not spaced evenly in the quiver they will lay over.  Best way I know to explain is if you lay an arrow on the table with both hens down, they will eventually lay flat.  I have made sure I have a good bond because I can't jerk them off.  I also put a drop of fletchtite front and rear.  Any suggestions?

[**DONOTDELETE**]

what sealer you using? I use wipe-on poly and that hasn't happened yet... I still have arrows that been fletched for 2 years now with the tape..

[GreenJeans]

I got the recipe from Chad "LBR".  It is 2-ton epoxy with acetone. You have to cut the feathers off.  They will not pull off.  I use a bitzenburg jig.

[**DONOTDELETE**]

that might be a miss-match

[LBR]

It's not the finish--I've used the epoxy finish and fletch tape for years with no problems.  The only two things I can think of that might be the problem is if you are getting the tape off to one side of the feather, or you got an old roll of tape.

Sorry I'm not more help here--that's a new one on me.

Chad

[Hot Hap]

Do you keep them in a warm or hot area? Hap

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Sorry LBR, I didn't mean like that.. it could have been he had little to much acetone. and the tape broke down just enuff to let it move...This is the first time hearing this.

[SOS]

I've had some move with heat.  Still like it though.

[Brian Krebs]

when I put the tape on the fletch in the clamp; I run the edge of a pair of scissors down the tape to push the tape tightly on the fletch.
 After I put the fletch on the arrow; I take it out of the jig; and take my thumb and push the fletch with the 'grain' against the arrow shaft.
 Then I put glue on the front and aft of the fletch tips.
  No problems.  

[Labs4me]

GreenJeans:

I've been using the stuff exclusively for years and have never run into this issue. In fact, my feathers invariably outlast my arrows (which is an indirect way of saying that I'm not known for my shooting prowess). Here's what I do to apply EACH feather.

1. (Ensure that the shaft is clean. I use acetone for this purpose)

2.  When applying the feather to the shaft, apply VERY firm downward pressure on the clamp to facilitate the best adhesion your jig/clamp rig is capable of.

3.  BEFORE removing the clamp from the feather, use a THIN, small flat-head screw driver (I use the small screw driver on a Leatherman tool for this purpose because it has a thin beveled edge) to reach UNDER the clamp and then press STRAGHT DOWN on the feather quill at several places along the length of the quill. Ideally, I'll try to press down on the quill at each end and once or twice toward the middle of the quill.

4.  To avoid knocking the quill loose before I have a chance to do step #5 (see below), I open the clamp FULLY when removing it from the feather. Most experienced arrow builders have learned to do this out of habit, but I am unsure as to yours or others' level of experience so I have included this step.

Now, the most important step:

5.  Hold the arrow by the shaft close to feather and using your thumb nail, run your nail down the entire length of the quill about half a dozen times. Be sure to press straight DOWN on the quill so as to avoid the quill sliding sideways and inadvertently adding/removing any amount of helical twist to the feather.

6. (Optional) To help ensure that the quill moves freely past your shelf material, use an Exacto-knife to taper the leading edge of the quill so that it is not unnecessarily long or sharp.

7.  Apply a drop of fletch-tite glue to both ends of the quill.

I have found that by incorporating step #3 and step #5 into my fletching process, and by using Bohning (or any other quality) fletch tape, I am able to achieve a perfect, permanent bond between feather and shaft. With practice, these few extra steps will, in total, add less than an extra minute or so of fletching time to each arrow. Sorry for being so wordy in my description, but I have tried to explain this process such that someone with no fletching experience could follow along.

Good luck,

Labs

[ethan]

Hey Nathan, what's happening out that way?  I've only used the fletch tape on a couple of dozen arrows and haven't had any troubles like that. You don't use wraps on your arrows do you?

[Rob DiStefano]

+1       to what Labs just posted with the exception that I use naphtha (lighter fluid) for shaft cleaning - acetone is nasty stuff and can damage carbon or wood shafts, as well as being quite toxic to humans.

[GreenJeans]

Thanks fellows for the help.  I follow the shaft finish to the letter that LBR sent me. It works great.  I also fletch exactly like Labs4me (I'm looking for a hidden camera in my shop as I speak.  Scary).  I think I may have a old roll of tape.  I have never had this problem before.  Do any of you store the tape in the refrigerator?  I know some folks that store some of the 2 part glues in the frig.  Just curious as to how you all store your tape.  Any way, I have a new roll on its way.  I think the stuff is wonderful.  I'm thinking bad tape.

Ethan-Not much going on up here.  Still have plenty of outlaws keeping me busy at night.  I will be glad when the antlers start dropping.  Oh well, job security.

[Labs4me]

Rob:

Due to the toxicity of the acetone, I have my wife clean and prep my arrows. But Rob is correct, acetone should not be used on carbon arrows.

(Relax, that was a JOKE about my wife)...    

[dino]

I've had that happen a couple of times over the years when I arrows fletched with tape laying on my bench.  Best way to store them with tape is in an arrow box w/dividers or standing up(I have serval 4" pvc pipe stands).  I don't think the age of the tape matters, because I had it happen with a brand new role right from Bohning too. dino

[Matty]

Kind of Happens to me too, I do exactly what Labs does, But when they are on they stay on ANY temperature. Hot or cold, I also store my Tape in the fridge.

I think the NATURAL helical shape overpowers the Bond alot of the time and it just wants to do it's own thing

[Dave Rice]

I finish arrows with spar varnish and have never had an adhesion problem with fletch tape. Found an arrow that had been on the ground for a year and still had to cut the fletching off the shaft.

[shaft slinger]

i had the same problem and i solved it real quick, i quit using the tape

[todd smith]

The thing to remember is that feather tape isn't glue, it's tape.  It's great stuff but it will allow the feathers to move if slow constant pressure is applied.

For that reason I always add four drops of glue.  One at the front, one at the back, and one on either side in the middle.

If you do that and store them like dino says above it'll work great.  The speed at which you can fletch arrows with the tape is awesome and worth the extra effort of adding the drops of glue.

[frankwright]

I do exactly as Labs4me ant others do. I have never had any problems except four years ago or so, I had a little tape left that was pretty old. I taped feathers on wood shafts finished with poly and a few came loose.

I bought a new roll and have never had any problems. I know from trying to refletch carbons the feathers are hard to tear off and I usually end up with the quill and tape still stuck on the shaft and the rest of the feather in my hand.

I guess I am the test case for Acetone as I have used it to clean new shafts, remove printing from shafts and soaked old crest wraps off with it and I am still shooting some of the shafts daily that are three or four years old with no evidence that the Acetone has weakened the shaft in any way. While Acetone is fairly strong and requires gloves and good ventilation I personally do not believe the Acetone is strong enough to weaken the resin in the shafts.
Your mileage may vary!