Fletching tape gets the axe

[huntnmuleys]

Never had any problems with it.

[Benner]

Neither have I.

[Car54]

No problems here.

[Flying Dutchman]

Like I said before, fletch tape seems a mixed bag. Some have outstanding results with it, and some have bad results.
It would be interesting to find the course for this....

Some possible reasons I can think of:

- a bad batch of fletch tape
- fletch tape stored too long or too warm
- fletch tape too old
- poor preparation of shaft

[katman]

I use it a lot and has worked well.

What is everyone using for a prep solvent? Both those with good and bad results.

[pitt98]

Agree 100% with Rob D.

As for people debating the use of tape just due to having to dab glue on the ends of the feathers?  Well, I do that no matter what I use to fletch with be it tape or glue, so it seems like a moot point.

I have 100% success using glue or tape, I just prep each surface (quill and arrow) properly.  For me, tape is quicker, easier, and MUCH cleaner looking with equal or better results.

[two4hooking]

For me it does not work as well as glue....and I feel strongly about this ;-)

If I want to fletch quickly I use lectite super glue and have great results.

Just my observations.

[savage1]

Please send pm for my mailing address. I will take all unwanted tape. Better that it does me harm tham goes to waste I say.
Lou

[Michael C]

I recently tore up a feather on one of my wood shafts. Being new to trad archery and more familiar with carbon shafts, I proceeded to dig divots into the shaft removing the remnants of the feather. I now know that there are better ways to do that, but I didn't then.
Managed to save the arrow by rotating it 180 degrees and completely refletching. I started thinking, "If these were taped, instead of glued, I wouldn't have this mess." I'm going to try tape on my wood shafts. It's gotta be easier.

[Bladepeek]

I shoot mostly carbon, some aluminum and a few woodies. The woodies came fletched and I haven't had to change the fletching yet.

My carbons and alums have been great with fletch tape. I like it because I use a single feather Bitzenberger. I tape it, remove it and add a drop of super glue front and back, reinsert in the jig and go on to the next fletch with no delay. I add the drop of glue not so much for additional holding power, but to prevent a sharp point on the front of the feather spine. I let them cure overnight standing in a rack. To date, I've never had one come loose, even after the feather has been well chewed up and thoroughly soaked in rain and wet grass.

[kat]

I use it exclusively. I would have to guess that I have used 6 or so rolls without any problems.
I have only used it on wood and carbon, but would have every confidence with using it on alum. too.
It has held up in 0 degree weather. On the other hand, I haven't used it over probably the low 90's.

[Chuck from Texas]

I have used tape for over 10 years on wood & aluminum with no problems. About the first year I put a drop of glue on the leading end of the feather but decided that was a waste of time. Never had a problem even in 100 deg plus heat.
Chuck

[M60gunner]

the guys I shoot with told me the glue on the tape becomes gooey in the heat and feathers turn sideways. I beginning to believe there are quality control issues with the manufacturing of this tape.
There was another quite long thread on this subject last year. Some of the issues were solved by proper prep of the shafts and feathers which I understand but if the glue on the tape goes to goo no amount of prep will help.
As for heat, some summer days here are 110 degrees, arrows left in the sun are hot to touch especially alum.
I would love to trust tape to fletch, easy to repair, able to save good fletch from broken arrows, just am not willing to invest almost a buck a feather to find out.

[wingnut]

Yep I through away about 1/2 roll after my first experiences with it in the Texas heat.  It melted and the feathers were all over the place.

And to those that say use glue to hold it in place. Try using glue instead and it works even better.

Mike

[OregonTom]

Just my two cents but,  I think the best way to attach fletching is with sinew or cotton thread and Duco cement.

[Kevin Dill]

Sometimes this topic gets a little testy for some reason...not sure why. Anyway...

Count me in the band with Wingnut and the Glue Guys. I did tape a number of times and it didn't give me the results I'd had with glue for 20 previous years. Lots of reasons for it and not worth arguing over. Suffice to say that the adhesives in tape are not the same as glue adhesives which use solvents that dissipate allowing the glue to cure, bond and dry to a rigid condition. Tape adhesives are very good, but they react differently than glue. Both can be used successfully, but they don't yield identical results and that much is a fact.

I can't tolerate anything except a feather which lays perfectly tight to the shaft from tip to butt and stands precisely at the applied angle after the clamp is removed. A feather which de-bonds is unacceptable completely, and makes the rest of the job somewhat suspect. No environmental factor short of a lava flow should cause it to loosen, and an arrow built once is an arrow built forever. I get that with glue with 99.97% certainty. I got less than that with tape, but yes...it does work well in most cases. There is of course nothing perfect.

[kevsuperg]

fletch tape is junk. imho.
ive tried and tried. it makes quick work of fletching but ive had fletch fall off on the course, in-flight or just sitting in quivers. not too bad on bare wood but on carbons or wraps it slides around.
ive prepped shafts properly with the same results.
and if im getting glue out i might as well glue the whole quill.
just saying

[Firstlight]

Only read page one, off to work in a minute, BUT:

I have had great success with fletch tape for more than 15 years fletching many dozens of arrows.

Mostly aluminum's.  I apply the tape and attache feather to shaft,  run a bead of glue along entire length of quill and a drop at both ends.

I never have slippage, always works perfectly.

Could it be a quality issue of the tape causing problems?  If not, operator error?

I do run some light sandpaper along area to be fletched and then wipe clean with 99% alcohol.

I also run my finger along the fletch after I tape it to a shaft to ensure its got a good stick.

Tape and glue combo has worked flawlessly for me and for many people that I know.  

Just ordered to more rolls of it last week!

[Mike Vines]

Originally posted by Firstlight:
Only read page one, off to work in a minute, BUT:

I have had great success with fletch tape for more than 15 years fletching many dozens of arrows.

Mostly aluminum's.  I apply the tape and attache feather to shaft,  run a bead of glue along entire length of quill and a drop at both ends.

I never have slippage, always works perfectly.

Could it be a quality issue of the tape causing problems?  If not, operator error?

I do run some light sandpaper along area to be fletched and then wipe clean with 99% alcohol.

I also run my finger along the fletch after I tape it to a shaft to ensure its got a good stick.

Tape and glue combo has worked flawlessly for me and for many people that I know.  

Just ordered to more rolls of it last week!

This is NOT an honest assessment of the ability of Fletch Tape.  If you "Run a bead of glue along the entire quill AND a drop on both ends", how could you Give credit to the feathers staying on the shaft by using fletch tape?

To each their own, but I have tried the tape and it has failed.  I don't want to risk losing a hunting opportunity because I decided to not wait the 5 minutes it takes for the glue to dry.  We invest so much into our sport, why cheap out on the easiest part of it?  If I have to use glue to make something work...either on the ends or along the quill...I might as well not use the tape at all and just skip that step, which I do.  (I skip the tape).

[Pointer]

Been using nothing but tape and a few dots of glue along the quill for almost 10 years with no trouble at all. Buried arrows in mud, snow and hunted two weeks ago in a downpour that dumped 4" of rain in less than a day with no issues.

I find Fletch Tite and Duco to be less reliable. It wasn't always so but the formulations of those glues has changed over the years and not for the better IMHO