I just bought new shafts from a fellow waller and it’s been years since I’ve fletched aluminum. I’ve used Bohning fletchtite and platinum fletchtite but I’m curious what is everyone using these days. Let me know what you use and why. Thanks to all that respond.

You can't go wrong with those. You can speed things up, but drying time isn't much a hassle. Back when we had TV, I used to put a fletch on ever ad break. Fast enough for me.

The best tip I ever got was from Chuck Adam's book. He said to clean with Ajax cleanser, if you can still get it. They don't have it around here any more. It was originally formulated for Aluminum. Which is less helpful than it might sound since arrows are anodized. But I still never found anything else to equal it. It gets arrows so clean they kinda moan, or sing.

Saunders NPV. Use it for the same reason anyone uses a particular fetching glue it's pretty easily obtainable and works.

I've used fletchtite platinum for 20+ years with no problems. Just be sure the shafts are clean and the glue needs 48 hrs to cure per instructions on the tube.

I still clean the shafts with Comet cleanser and a scrub pad. Rinse with real hot water and dry with fresh paper towels. If I don’t fletch rite away I cover the fletched area with a plastic bag. Fortunately I don’t have to do this very often. I eliminate all this prep by using wraps for my arrows. No fuss, no mess. I use either NPV glue or Fletch Tite glue.

clean with comer/Ajax and scotch bright pad

rinse and wipe dry with paper towels then glue with Saunders NPV

works great- just not quite Dog proof, though when he decides he needs a feather

I use rubbing alcohol with a clean cloth on the shafts and the Bohning Platinum glue. I rotate the shafts every 15 min. followed up with a dab of glue on both ends of the feathers, then I wait till the next day to use them. I never have any issues, and I beat the fletching to death with alot of shooting.

I scratch the shafts (aluminum or carbon) with fine sandpaper, clean with acetone and use NPV. Never had an issue.

Saunders NPV and cresting wraps. No issues.

Locktite gel control super glue. Been using on my aluminum shafts for years, no complaints.

Fletching tape.

I still do what the original directions said. Clean with ajax, rinse with warm water, and use fletching cement. The only original left is nvp so I use that. I used fletch tite but when platinum replaced it I lost feather off every arrow I fletched. It may work now but to my way of thinking it shoulda had the bugs worked out before they marketed it.

Gorilla super glue gel after cleaning.

I’m a glue clutz. I get it everywhere but where I want it. I’m all about fletch tape now. No mess, no wait. Easily repaired.

The wrap material is Oracal 651 or 751. The sheets can be had on Amazon or like I buy mine at Michael’s craft store. Little over a buck a sheet and one sheer will normally do a doz shafts. I think for 2213 size shaft I needed about one sheet and part of another. I use a paper cutter to cut them. I also crest the wraps with paints from the same Michael’s store. Here’s an example.

I wipe the feather area with cotton ball soaked with white vinegar then wipe dry with a clean cloth. I use fletch tape, it works fine for me.

@M60 - if those are aluminum, those are probably the best looking aluminum arrows I have ever seen in my entire life. Just sayin’.

Agreed, they do look great. Simple crest and nice colors=perfect.

Ops, wrong photo.

Right photo

I use rubbing alcohol on a course rag to clean the shafts then I either use Fletch Tite or Grilla Super glue. If I'm taking off old and putting on new fletching, I use a scraper to ensure all glue is off and then use rubbing alcohol.

They still look a whole lot better than any aluminum has a right to…

I use to use Ajax now I use sos pads to clean arrow shafts. Then i use platinum glue.

I never got too crazy with prep. Just wiped them off with alcohol and fletched when dry. Never had a problem with fletching falling off. Frank

I'm cheap and always in a hurry to get them done, so no wraps for me. Just clean the shafts with a good non greasy cleanser, rinse and dry well. Fletchtite works fine as does Saunders NPV. Been doing that for a lot of decades.

All good information above all work.

Tundra

Tape

Well, I’m not gonna say that just ANYBODY can pull this off….

But I once managed to fail to prep my shafts correctly, and even the tape has failed to hold fast….

So no matter what you use…. Keep it clean!

I spray paint my crests on. And almost everything I’ve tried sticks to it really well. Wraps get xpensive and are a mess to remove. A can of spray paint will do a heap of arrows.

What’s your first coat there, Sawtooth?

I use super glue gel ultra control, works great and sets up quickly.

Corax I just clean, steel wool, clean again, then rust oleum white or yellow. When the time comes to take it off I just knock it off with a razor blade. No sticky crap to deal with.

Yeah, I have not enjoyed trying to get those damn wraps off!

I guess the answer must be to lose or break the arrow before the fletchings get worn out……. ;p

After cleaning with Ajax or Comet I usually use Saunders NPV glue on aluminum

Hard to beat wraps and fletch tape for quick and easy these days…

Comet and NPV glue. or Bohning Fletching Tape. - lbg

I've been dipping aluminum shafts, nock end down, in this stuff to cleanse them prior to gluing the feathers on. Works great.

I use white paper towel and wipe shaft with MEK till they squeak and fletch with NVP.

M60gunner what paint do you use. I use the same stuff for my wraps

Light sand, wipe clean, appliance epoxy paint

Im in the locktite crew...ive used em all and unless im using a whole tube of nvp or platinum quickly it goes bad too quick for me.

Ill pay the $5 to do a dozen and get more at walmart if i need it. It sets up 5x as fast and holds like a rock.

Ajax or Comet for cleaning and used NPV glue or the Flex fletch glue.

Prep is the key...ajax/comet is as good as any. Anything else is just selling product. I use NPV glue for fletching.

Ramjet, I used Testors enamels on those arrows. Then I wiped on a couple coats of water based polycrilic using a foam brush. Lately I have discovered Tamiya Arcylic model paints. They flow out nicer and don’t settle in the bottle like other paints.

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