Fletching tape - why are my feathers moving?

[ChuckC]

There is almost no time between cutting and peeling.  If you get a technique going it is very fast to do, by far the longest thing is arranging the feather in the clamp.

I had them move before,  Now, I
a) always use a wrap
b) always use relatively recent vintage tape (it gets old)
c) always run my fingernail down the quil after removing the clamp
d) always put a small spot of glue on front and back AND run a quick bead down the length of one side of the feather.

They don't move and I am done with a dozen in a jiffy.
ChuckC

[Valkyrie]

I have always used glue when building up arrows.  Now this was building arrows for my compound bows and carbon arrows with plastic vanes.  Now I'm still using carbon arrows but feathers and Bohning tape.  I clean the shaft with alcohol and let it dry.  A drop of fletch tite at the leading and trailing edges and my feathers stay put. I doubt I'll be going back to any type of glue.

It's all in the surface prep in my opinion.

[jhk1]

Ditto what Diamond Paul and ChuckC said.  I love tape on aluminum shsfts.  Definitely gotta run your thumbnail down the quill, pressing the feather onto the shaft once you take it out of the clamp, and finish with a drop of glue at each end.

With Duco or Fletch-tite platinum on aluminum shafts, I had several feathers come loose if the arrow got in the damp grass and got wet.  No issues with tape on aluminum.  There's probably something to the advice on using fresh tape.  I've also read that some guys keep it in a plastic bag in the fridge to keep it fresh.

The bases of your feathers do need to be ground fairly consistently (consistent angle).  Tape doesn't fill gaps like glue-- if the feathers are ground inconsistently, they'll lie on the shaft at different angles (viewed from behind the arrow).  Whereas with glue, the feathers will lie pretty much as the clamp held them to the shaft-- the glue fills the gaps if the bases are ground inconsistently.

[Yellow Dog]

Never had a problem with tape, especially since I went to OneStringer's wraps on all my arrows. I always run a Dollar coin down the quill to press them down real good to the shaft.

[Diamond Paul]

I forgot a step:  when I put the tape on the quill, and cut it, I then run my thumb up and down the quill and firmly adhere the tape to the quill before I peel the backing off the tape.  This does help fill the gaps and makes sure that tape becomes one with the quill, so to speak.

[Pointer]

I prep the shafts thoroughly and put a few drops of glue along both sides of the quill as well as front an back. So far so good. Been using it for 5-6 yrs I guess without difficulty

[Overspined]

I've gone back to glue after years of varied success with tape.

[Diamond Paul]

Man, I can't believe people are having problems with tape.  I must have gotten a good batch.  So much easier than glue.  Never had a feather come loose.  In fact, they are damn hard to scrape off.

[macbow]

I too gave up on tape a long time ago. Got one bad roll.

I now use super glue and spray fast set. The fastest way to fletch and they stay put.

[JamesKerr]

I use Bohning blazer bond, it's a very fast drying glue that only takes about 1 minute to set but I let each feather set in place for around 5 minutes before moving my clamps. I also have the 6 arrow multi fletcher from JoJan and using this glue and these fletch I can have 6 arrows done in around 30 minutes. I gave up on tape, seems like it doesn't like the Louisiana heat.

[M60gunner]

I have used tape as well with mixed results. When this subject came up a few months ago one suggestion I read was cleaning the quill and the shaft. Also make sure your quills are even thickness and flat.
My concern is also high temps. Some mornings it was 90+degrees while shooting. My alum arrows would get hot in target while shooting. This was reason I asked questions before. My main interest is splicing feathers. I use the strip the feather vane method and replace with other color. Tape makes that go a whole lot easier and faster.

[DanielB89]

I do my tape a different way, which may be one of my problems.  

first off, I putt the strip of tape off while it is still on the roll, and then roll it on applying pressure and then cut it off.  

It is much easier to get the tape off while it is still on the roll, but that MAY be a part of the problem.  I have a dozen arrows tha need to be fletched so I will try it that way again.

[Huntschool]

1. Clean shaft or surface with acetone... rub it
   with a paper towel. From this point on DO NOT
   TOUCH IT WITH YOUR BARE HANDS !!!!!!

2. Place feather in clamp and lightly sand bottom
   surface in line with pitch. From this point on
   DO NOT TOUCH IT WITH YOUR BARE HANDS !!!!!!

3. Clean bottom of feather with acetone.  From
   this point on DO NOT TOUCH IT WITH YOUR BARE
   HANDS !!!!!!

4. from roll, stick tape to feather, cut to size
   rub or "brunish" tape on feather and remove
   backing. From this point on DO NOT TOUCH IT  
   WITH YOUR BARE HANDS !!!!!!

5. Pull quill out from clamp base about 1/16-1/8"
   AS ABOVE

6. Place clamp in jig and press firmly.

7. Remove from clamp and run finger bail down
   side of base with moderate pressure.

8. Done......

I have edited this post three times already but...
The one thing besides body oil that will hamper the tape sticking the way it should is dust.... Be careful about your work enviro....

I think the real trick is shaft and fletch prep. Its too easy to get body oils on these surfaces.

I have had a problem only one time and I like other who have posted here think it was an old or badly stored roll of tape.  Threw it away and the next roll worked as it should.  I do store mine in the fridge.

[reddogge]

I never had a feather loosen or come off with tape but they did move. They would get a bow in the middle and some of the layed over to one side. Perhaps the spot of glue in the middle would help but I've been burned by tape too many times.

I made a dozen arrows for a friend and wound up redoing every one with glue due to this.

[Friend]

Have fletch taped nearly 50 dozen arrows over the years without a single incident.

Do note that I apply fletchtite at each end and drag a drop along the center.

Have wathced a guy on youtube complete an arrow in 1 1/2"s...amazing!..yet, I take pleasure and obtain much fulfillment in taking my time...my completion time is a might slow as compared to the majority....1/2 dozen ready to shoot w/i 35"s.

[ChuckC]

Try this. .  I would make a video but I get stage fright).

Place feather in clamp,  place clamp between knees as a support (with feather quill up).

Take roll of tape, peel the sticky stuff and cut it off maybe an inch from the end, leaving the orange stuff longer.  You now have a piece of tape with the sticky portion about an inch from the end (you can see it right thru the orange if you look).  

Take that tag end of orange in your left hand and lay the cut (sticky) end on the left side of the quill (do not extend beyond the quill) and push it onto the quill with your thumb.

Hold the roll with your right hand, actually with the thumb and middle finger thru the loop and your index finger guiding the tape.  Pull out the needed amount and apply with right index finger.  

Now, listen up, its easy to do, not easy to tell. .  with left hand, grab that 1" tag section and peel it up, exposing the sticky stuff all the way to the end of the feather and  then grab it with the right hand, while still holding the roll. (you can do this. .  I do).

Grab a small scissors and cut the sticky stuff right at the end of the quill and then immediately cut the orange stuff about an inch away from the cut sticky, just like when you started.

No needles or anything to peel.  Once you get a technique down for yourself it takes longer to put the feather in the clamp than put the tape on it.

chuckC

[nineworlds9]

Quick wipe with rubbing alcohol, feather in Jo-Jan clamp, proper bead of Loc-Tite gel superglue (available at Lowe's/HD/Wallyland etc) insert into jig, apply pressure for 10 seconds, repeat...dab ends of the feathers when done with all the arrows...has always been easy and relatively quick procedure for me and have never had a feather come loose and have abused the heck out of a few arrows in the last few years.  90-100 degree days, rain, whatever.  Love it and don't have to buy anything but feathers and/or shafts from the archery supplier.