4" feathers and fletch tape issues

[Mike Most]

I live in a hotter and dryer climate not dis-similar to Mississippi. I am wondering if heat has anything to do with the tape releasing at the rear of the fletch in the warmer climate. Fletch tape to wood arrow finished with polyurethane. Or (2) did the fletch tape in the hot garage lose its stick? The only thing that held em down was the dots of duco at the fore and rear of each feather.  

[South MS Bowhunter]

I'll quit using the rubbing alcohol and try something else.  What will work with a painted cap?  I have been spray painting a cap on my carbons, what will clean them for fletching but not soften the paint?

[Possum Head]

I've seen yur arras fly.Why not just shoot bare shaft? But ifin ya must have em fletched when them turkey feathers arrive bringem to me and you'll have to grind em off!!

[South MS Bowhunter]

Thanks Kirk, your getting to know how picky I am.

[paperenginner]

I have tried tape and glue.  The tape appears to work until you shoot a few times.  Then they start flying off.  I have stuck to glue ever since.  I say just get rid of the tape.

[South MS Bowhunter]

The ones that are curling are usually freshly fletch and not shot yet.  My experience with Tape is when it stick right it is a very durable fletch.

[Rob DiStefano]

mylar spin wings and kurly vanes for target arrows have always used fore and aft fletch binding.  if yer still having trouble keeping the taped fletchings on (which you shouldn't!), doing the fletch binding will *totally* secure the fletchings.  you can get the uber thin (but really strong!) binding tape (also called "lining tape") online.  

 

[Spookeytooth]

Rubbing alcohol from the store has water in it, it is only 20% actual alcohol. Denatured is, ethanol alcohol, with additives such as methanol and acetone, to make the alcohol unpalatable. The alcohol you have been using is mostly water. If you want pure Iso alcohol, get it at a local paint supplier, it would be listed as anhydrous, no water.

[ALDO]

John,
I too have been using the fletch tape for a lot of years.  Wraps do work real well for adhesion.  I used to spray the back end of the shaft with a water based poly, this helps a lot with adhesion.  I do use a drop of glue but only on the front end, not the back.  When I put a drop on front and back I experienced the fletch popping and being held only front and back.  Not putting glue on the back solved this issue. Good luck.
ALDO

[xtrema312]

I have tried all the cleaning products on bare carbon shafts with tape and glue dots with less than great results.  It has been so so in warm weather, but i have had way too many issues in winter.  Maybe my tape was not the best.  I think i will gry it again when i start using wraps, but i am sticking with glue on bare shafts.  From all the post on this issue, it looks to me like the majority of the people, who get the best out of tape, all use wraps.

[Tomas]

If your spray painting the ends of the arrows that cold be part of the problem. The paint could be breaking the bond of the adhesive of the tape. I also use binders at the ends of the feathers cut of Onestringer caps, never had a lose feather.