Fletching help needed.
Equipment
Contributors to this thread:
I'm done with Blazer vanes. I've tried them on carbon I've tried them over wraps ,three different types of glue, yes I prep the shafts. They will not stay on my arrows. I' done. Has anyone had any experience with VaneTec 2.25" swift or AAE Max Hunter vanes. Any issues with adhesion? I shoot Beam ICS 29 " @ 56lb using a three blade 100gr. Muzzy. Thanks
I tried a bunch of different vanes (dozen?) a few years back. FlexFletch (FFP-360 & SK-300) on all my arrows. Well, except the Trueflight feathers on my ACCs.
Zing Primer - AAE FastSet Gel and I can't pull them off with a pliers.
If the blazer don't stick than there is something you are doing wrong or the glue. I have had several bad glues in the past . I use blazer with zero issues and took them to the artic this year when I killed my polar bear and none of them fell off on some of the hardest carbon arrows to fletch Easton injections. Adhesions go bad but arrow prep is super important.
You have to rough up the shaft with some 600 grit sandpaper at vane/nock end, then clean up with 99% isopropyl alcohol OR acetone both the shaft and the bottom of the vanes. Apply only a small amount of glue. Also add a drop of glue to the front and back of each vane where it meets the shaft in order to avoid snagging. Let the gel cure at least 24 hours. I never had a problem with any vanes including Blazer. I use Loctite Ultra Gel Control Super Glue.
I use the same method for inserts. Rough up the inside with 600 grit sandpaper, clean up the shaft interior and the insert outer surface with 99% isopropyl alcohol OR acetone using Q-Tips. Apply few glue droplets to the end of the insert, about 1/3 of its length, then slowly introduce the insert into the shaft rotating 360 degrees and pulling back and forth until insert is completely inside the shaft as per manufacturer specifications. Clean any oozing glue with paper towel and alcohol. Let the gel cure at least 24 to 72 hours.
Wraps! No matter what vanes you use!
I don't think the problem is with the vane. Probably the most used vane there is.
I've used Blazers for years with several types of glue and they always stay on just fine. Ive always used wraps too. The only times I've had issues is when I've screwed something up.
Here is what I do . Lightly sand the vane area until you get a little powder. then I use a scotch brite pad and ajax and wash the shaft under hot water and than let air dry. shaft is now ready If you are going into temps below -5 f use fletch tight platinum if not use a glue like blazer bond, Don't wipe vanes and don't use alcohol. If you call blazer this is most likely what they will tell you and it works
I was having the same issue. I fletched a dozen GT XT Hunters with blazers on wraps and they pretty much all came off. I did shoot 3 deer with them though and on two of the deer, I found fletchings at the point where I hit the deer (which actually helped with tracking lol). Others came off during practice. So I stripped them all and re-fletched. This time I cleaned the shaft with acetone, then the wrap with acetone and lightly sanded the base of the vane. Then used the glue I had again and it seemed to work better. I've been shooting now for a few months and have only had one Blazer come off. This has me a little scared again but I did forget to sand one vane that I put on and I'm hoping that that is the one that came off. We will see. If they start falling off again, I'm going back to feathers. Actually I may just say the hell with it and go back to feathers anyways. Never had issues with them.
How old are your Blazers? There was a problem several years ago with Blazers staying on the shaft. I thought the problem was resolved, but I personally never went back to Blazers. The Vanetecs or AAEs are both great and will both stay put with proper prep.
I never had issues with Blazers... However, I had my share of problems glueing on AAE Max Hunter, tried everything and most adhesives on the market including, Max Bond, Fasrset gel, Loctite Blue gel, etc:..... If it wasn't that they worked fantastic with broadheads I would have gave up on them several dozen of vanes ago... I was determined to make them stick... Read all the posts about em , finally called the factory, and their customer service sent me a stick of their primer....Been using that, wipeing the Gold Tips with acetone, and using their Max Bond, and think that I found it... FYI , roughing the shafts up with a green scrubby didn't seem to make em stick any bettter ..I do believe that you may need to be aware of the humidity in the area you are feltching in .. I moved my dehumidifier in the basement into my work area and that also helped, I think... I have been fletching arrows many years and never had any issues, until the Max Hunters..... But I Lov em ....
I had the same problems until i switched to gorilla gen.
I didn't read all the responses, but I know what your problem is. It's your arrows. I sold hundreds of dozens of those arrows in my shop. They have a clear-coat finish over the carbon that has to be prepared properly or nothing will stick.
First clean with hot water and a non-residue cleanser like Comet. Then sand the last six inches of the arrow shaft with 220-320 sandpaper until all the shine is gone. Clean again, rinse, dry with a white paper towel, fletch.
The arrows are not the problem if OP has tried fletching over wraps.
My guess is bad glue or a bad fletching jig
You guys sure go through a lot to just fletch an arrow. All I do is throw the wraps on and fletch over them with my blazers. Using a fresh bottle of loctite fast set gel. Never have a vane fall off, might pull them off if my arrow goes through the target or something.
Freshly opened Loctite ultra gel control. Solves many issues!
X's 2, joehunter....that stuff would make 2 frogs stick together!!
I used to sand the fletch bases with wet-dry paper and lacquer thinner and it worked well, but a good deal more labor. Heard about it alot and finally tried the Zing primer and it not only is much faster but seems to work as well or better than what I was doing before. I'm a true Zing believer now. Edit: I use the loctite ultra gel control glue like many above, Works very well. The Zing is designed to use with the fast set "superglues".
I don't use blazers much anymore but use the silent knight, which must be attached pretty well or they come off too. A big part if the issue with blazers and the knights, etc. is they are very stiff vanes. The stiffer the vane the more pressure they put on the vane base and the attachment. Add in anything like bad glue, or a batch of vanes that still had mold release on them and you have a potential problem.
I have fleched hundreds of arrows with wraps, blazers and mini blazers with Loctite ultra gel control with only prep being cleaning the shafts with regular drug store alcohol. Never had a issue. I do not even bother with the dab of glue front and back I used to do. You can hardly pull them off with pliers. Even then the wrap is what comes off not the vane.
I've used Blazers since they first came out and my experience is exactly as joehunter. Word of caution: when using alcohol, use isopropyl, not rubbing alcohol, as it contains oils.
Clean the Injexion shaft with Ajax cleaner and hot water. Dry with a clean white paper towel. Apply a Bohning wrap. Glue Blazer vanes on with Fletchtite Platinum in a right wing Bitzenburger. (If you have a left wing clamp there is no hope it will work, as left wings never do). Let each vane sit for a minimum of an hour. Add the dab of glue to the leading and trailing edge of the vane. Worked fine for me for 10 years with Blazers and dating back to 1975 with feathers and regular Fletchtite.
Thanks for the input. I've been doing this for along time so I don't know whats' going on. The vanes are about a year old. I have six blazers left. I'm head into town for isopropyl and loctite last try. Fletching arrows shouldn't be this difficult. I truly appreciate all of the advice.
don't use isopropyl use ajax and hot water
I believe Isopropanol would be a better choice if using alcohol.