fletching tape help

[Tim Finley]

I've said this before all my feathers fell off in cold weather the tape lost its adhesiveness.I wont use it. Wraps and platinum works great on carbons and Duco on dipped woods.Evidentily heat softens the tape.

[Jeff Strubberg]

Originally posted by Killdeer:
Fingernail trick and gluing both ends, those buggers crawled like earthworms on a rainy night. If I gotta run a bead of glue the length of the fletch, then I may as well skip the dad-gum tape.

I use glue matched to the finish of the arrow.
I used denatured alcohol ONCE on TG wraps. They turned white.      
Killdeer

Exactly why I don't use tape.  If I gotta glue it down afterwards, why bother?

[rluttrell]

Did you put a drop of glue in the beggining and the end of the feather?
 

I do  
 

I always run my fingernail firmly down the quill to seat the quill to the fletchtape and shaft

I do this too

I have not run a bead down the lenght of the feather but i might try, or just take longer and glue the feathers down.
Thanks Guys

[Doc Nock]

I've watched dozens of thread on tape over the years, remaining neutral or a bit hesitant.

The results vary so greatly and a pre-adehised material has to be stored properly...right heat and humidity to keep the shelf life proper and functioning product wise.

I can only imagine between jobber warehouses and dealer inventory storage there are a huge variety of storage conditions, thus contributing to variations in user results across the country and globe.

I hate havin to run up and down the basement stairs to do each feather and wait for the glue to dry...but reading all the varied issues and many using the right prep stuff, I'll pass!

Although, Mike Vines, that is a great tidbit about the foreign stuff in denatured alcohol.

after I put a feather in the clamp, I run it across a piece of 100 grt sandpaper glued to my jig board. then wipe off dust.  

never used tape and doubt I will... Sounds too "iffy"

[hunt it]

Been using tape 100% for past 15yrs. Do as other s mentioned, run nail down quill and drop of glue on both ends. Hunted in heat to 115 deg never had a problem, hunted in 10 days rain never had a problem.

Heat inside a closed vehicle is extreme, I can say I have never subjected my arrows to such. Air on when running, gear in back (topper) when stopped.

It does seem to me that over the years many who have had issues with tape have been applying to wood shafts and I'm wondering if some finishes have an effect on tape glue? I onlt use carbon shafts.

[DannyBows]

I'm with Mike Vines and Killie on this. I never had a complete failure with the tape, but they tend to lay over on me. I use as much helical as I can get and glue just holds them down better for me.

[bbell]

I left 2 arrows in my truck I just did and the next day one feather was lifted on each arrow. Used the finger nail trick, cleaned the shaft, and glued both ends. I don't like having to watch it so I will be switching to duco. Another note I did press them back down and have shot about each arrow fifty times without them coming back up. So I don't know. :-)

[ChuckC]

I put a dab of glue front and back and about a half inch run along the quill in the center.  After I started doing that there is no movement ever.  Note. . . I can apply all the glue for a half dozen arrows in a minute or two by using the tape.  I have to wait 15 or so minutes after each feather if I use glue al the way.

It works well for me.
ChuckC

[two4hooking]

I have had the tape fail also.  Tried everything to prep and clean and they just came to the conclusion the stuff is not as good as glue.  I will go slow and stick with glue.

[manitou1]

I should probably note that I do use vinyl wraps on all my arrahs.  This helps with adhesion, I believe.  Pain in the rump to remove though!

[Doc Nock]

Yeah, Manni,

They claimed you could just stick wraps in a soda bottle of hot water...didn't work for me!

Heat gun might work if used judiciously...but don't have one. have a steak knife that the serration hollow fits my GT pretty neatly so I've been scrapping with that...

Wish the did come off (wraps) easier...but then we'd complain if they did so when we didn't want, eh?  

[manitou1]

Yup. I sure do like them, but the adhesive wraps are, well... adhesive!  Takes paitence to get them off.  Luckily, I din't have to remove them much.

[grouseshooter002]

I really like the tape and I do wipe the shaft and quill down with denatured alcohol before fletching. Do run my thumb nail along quill after fletching and do put a drop of glue on both ends of fletching. No problems recorded and I have done dozens of arrows.
Now arrow wraps are another thing. I tried them on one dozen arrows and never again period. I wanted to remove them and tried every which way to get them off and wound up with a dozen scratched up arrows that fletches wouldn't cover. I guess it all boils down to personal preference.

Regards,
Grouse

[3undr]

yep i have used them in the past and was happy until i came home one summer day and went into my garage which was about 100 degrees inside and the arrows i was so proud of looked like palm trees lol tape is good stuff in the right conditions

[Overspined]

In my opinion, Bhoning tape rocks, I have had problems with another brand!

It's all I use. Keep it fresh by sealing it back up.  Glue the ends, and make sure the surface u glue it to is compatible.

Oh yeah, and if you use feathers that AREN'T ground thin and flat, they will surely have a greater need to pop off the shaft.  I grind my own, or use true flight.  I have found the thicker quill to be a real problem here, ESP with a big helical.

[stujay]

No problems, not with even one arrow of the many dozen's I've fletched with Bohning fletch tape, over the past 1 1/2 yr. Lucky?