I use a lot of super glue and decided to go ahead and fletch with it since I always have it in stock. It was very humid this morning and fletching was going to slow for my warped ADHD mind. I was wanting to use activator to speed things up but surely didn't want to spray my arrows with it. I went to the house, got some Q tips, sprayed one and would lightly pass it along the fletch.not really touching it but allowing the vapor to harden the glue. Worked like a charm and also helped with the dot of glue I put on the front tip of the feather.

Just thought I'd pass it along. Mp

Good idea.

I got a tip from watching one of Jimmy Blackmon's videos: Bob Smith Industries' Maxi-Cure. After my first fletched arrow with that stuff, I pretty much threw my fletching glue away. Just a small amount on the quill, attached to a vinyl wrap, you'll have an arrow which you'll never have to worry about the feathers coming off of. God and Christ Bless

On Aluminums, I soda blast them because it creates a molecular condition where the glue wets better. You can see this if you blast metal, water won't bead on it, but it will seem to sink into the surface. After a few hours the condition normalizes, but this is why people blast stuff like cars before painting, even if they are "clean".

I am not 100% sure it applies to anodized metal though, but it sure does clean it.

The pay-off is that soda is an accelerator for dime store super glue, win win.

Duco only.

So what is this accelerator you are using

Mud creek, I don't know but any woodworking supply sells it to set super glue fast.

If you don't use super glue, good for you. This isn't a debate. It's to help anyone using super glue type glues.

I have been using gorilla brand super glue impact tough for the 4 or 5 arrows I've fletched. Saw it recommended on a you tube about removing epoxied inserts. The stuff works great, is cheap (walmart) and the orifice on the bottle facilitates good beads. I have used on carbons with wraps. Don't think you can pull the feathers off with pliers. I apply a little pressure to the jig for 45 to 60 seconds. I broke prong on wife's cell phone charger and this stuff glued it back strong as ever. Give it a try.

Yeah it's great but 1 bad batch and your arrows will be shedding more feathers then a goose shedding feathers.I use it but other adhesives are probably better.I can see that us older folk who persist to glue feathers will become dinosaurs as tape takes over.Like 8 tubes for $2 it's economical but it is false in the sense that you may need to reglue all your feathers.Your choice.I just thought it could be handy to let folk know. Osr

I have had fletching tape failures that turned me against it. Haven't tried any in 10 or more years. Maybe it was just a bad bunch of fletching tape? I loved the no waiting for it to dry but we had several instances where a piece of straw or grass would get under the fletching.

Mark, good lord! What problem do you have with me trtying to pass along a tip to those who use super glue?

I guess you must understand it all better than us who use what's available.

Btw, I've never had luck with fletching tape. The last time I bought some it was roughly 5.00 a roll. At 10.00 a tool, I'll pass. Did I mention I use a lot of super glue in other applications?

I wouldn't use the tape anymore if it was free.

Used super glue once because I was out of Fletchtite. I will never go back. It is fast and neat. The bottles, not the tubes,lay such a neat bead. The cheap tubes won't keep. One use and they are usually done. I haven't lost a feather since. Gorilla & Locktite brands. Tape just does not seem to hold up to Texas Sun and humidity. You can literately slide the feathers on the shaft with very little pressure. Just my 2¢ worth. Ken

I am looking for something else. I fletched up 6 arrows last week with tape. Had 3 fletchings fail, even with a dap of glue on each end. Been thinking about superglue.

Gorilla super glue for me too. I wrap the leading edge of my fletchings with fine thread and saturate the wrap with super glue. They never come off.

I would not give 5 dollars for a life time supply of the tape. Use super glue all the time but it does go bad in time I usually buy a new one everytime I fletch arrows. AND a tech tip for super glue put the cap back on after every fletch that is glued your arrows will thank you for it the bond is much better when doing this less air to it the better.

Ditto what nickbuster and 2 bears said- get the bottle and put the cap back on it real quick then put the jig with the glue and feather on the shaft. I have noticed I tend to put too much glue on if not deliberate about not squeezing the bottle too hard. Also, super glue can leave a little white residue visible on some wraps. I just wipe it off with a qtip customers I am anal.

Ditto what nickbuster and 2 bears said- get the bottle and put the cap back on it real quick then put the jig with the glue and feather on the shaft. I have noticed I tend to put too much glue on if not deliberate about not squeezing the bottle too hard. Also, super glue can leave a little white residue visible on some wraps. I just wipe it off with a qtip customers I am anal.

wonderbowman, thanks for the tip

....Good lord.... sheesh.... for pitys sake.... why the heck...

the leatherwall.... lol..... :D

Wonderbowman thanks i tried that this morning and it worked great. great info

LBJ, Good, really sped things up, didn't it. Even with super glue you have to keep the clamp on for 2-3 minutes. With accelerator wait time goes down to seconds.

I forgot to mention though, keep that accelerator away from the glue bottle. Store them in different places. mp

When I use super glue, I use Loc-Tite Brush-on. It has a small brush built into the cap, like fingernail polish. It is the easiest type for me to use to get a consistent amount on the entire surface of the quill every time, without excess oozing out!

When I use super glue it tends to set sufficiently in 50 to 70 seconds.I am guilty of not replacing the cap properly after each application because my hand I screw the cap on with is badly crippled with arthritis.For the cost it is ok.I do make sure I buy my super glue from shops that have a big turn over of the stuff.The superglue I had that was a bad batch was very old stock.I am probably supersticious about old stock but buying new fresh stock seems to be working good.These worked good. OSR

Lowes sells a huge bottle of dap thick super glue for ten bucks .....it will fletch hundreds of arrows been using the same bottle for about a year I store it in the fridge keeps it fresh longer

I use the blue top super glue in wal mart about 5 bucks you will run out of arrows before you run out of glue I lightly sand the area being fletched with steel wool wipe with paper towel then glue directly to shaft cheap and effective works for me iv'e shot some arrows hundreds of times in all weather conditions no failures good luck

On another hobby area, the writer said to wet an area with water to help Gorilla Glue set up faster. I tried it and it worked! TinHorn

Ok, Please don't think me a dummy but I have a question. When you use super glue and it will not set has it gone bad?

This has been a puzzle to me because I have used super glue very successfully at times and then some times I can't get it to glue and hold anything. I have even opened new tubs and could not get it to set even after leaving it in the clamp for several minutes. I will pull the clamp off and the feather will begin to turn loose and slip out of position.

I always clean the carbon shafts with lacquer thinner or Acetone.

I like using super glue because when successful it does such a neat job. Especially the liquid kind. In fact I had rather use it over the gel type.

The best I have used so far was some I bought on line that was specifically for fletching carbon, wood, or aluminum arrows called Instant Arrow Glue. It worked great for the first few dozen arrows but then I tried using it to repair some arrows that the feathers had worn on and it would no longer bond and the bottle is still half full but is several months old now. I can't get the remainder to glue anything, so has it gone bad?

My only take on this is the super glue I had that failed was old stock.I think the cheaper brands are the worst.I figure the quality standards are not as high as the better brands too.I bought a packet once and all 8 tubes were hard and gone off.This would seem impossible but maybe there is sufficient air in the tubes to over a long period of time to set superglue off and harden it.I still use superglue but as I said I look for new stock.I even glued feathers I just ground the base and didn't dust off the feathers.The new fresh glue held ok.I can only know two solutions and this is it.(1) buy fresh stock.(2) where you can buy the better brands.I can't prove my theory but it works for me.I would like to hear anyone else's take on this too. OSR

Yes, I think superglue is hard to beat. But it does have a shelf life, and keeping it in the fridge does help prolong it's life. I find that if I clean the shaft with 99% isopropyl, then wipe the fetching area with a rag dampened with water the fleshing adheres much better and faster. Water is actually a surfactant and accelerater to superglue. I did however buy a tube of superglue (pink coloured) because I thought it would be easier to see on the fetching , that wouldn't set-up no matter what I tried. But it was easier to see on the fetching LOL. ,...Lloyd

That should be "fetching adheres better" not "fleshing" DARN SPELLCHECK

Fletching adheres better....................I give up. LOL

Love using superglue for fletching. A couple observations…Don't store the accelerator in the same place as your glue, over time it will cause it to harden. second don't spray it on the arrow after you apply the feather. The overspray will affect how the other feathers bond. I really like the idea of a bit on a q tip. Lastly not all accelerators will work with all glues. Try to get one made by the same company as the glue. Bob Smith ind. is the brand I use, good price on amazon and never got a bad batch.

Has anyone ever used superglue to fletch over cresting paint?

Thanks, Rick

Rick, I have used the dollar store super glue for a couple years. Sticks to wraps and paint really well. The gel is easier to work with. I use to use the high dollar stuff until a friend that works for the Federal Gov.as a inspector/purchasing agent informed me that the chemical composition of krazy glue or super glue is all the same.

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