arrow wrap works better for me

It sticks good on wraps, and if you need to re-fletch wraps come off clean.

Yup, fine on wraps.

O

Kinda depends on the glue.

Viper out.

I think it should be whipped with acetone. I put some feathers on last week and forgot. Most of the feathers have come loose.

I have fletched many dozen of bare aluminum shafts and I have had success with Bohning Fletch-tite, Fletch-Tite Platinum, and Saunders Arrow Mate NPV. The one key component I have found is to vigorously rub the fletching end of the shaft with acetone on a clean rag or paper towel. I wrap the rag around the shaft and use a closed hand to rub hard until the aluminum squeeks. I prep each shaft individually just before it goes into the jig. I also make sure to put enough glue on the feather. If I have to wipe off a bit of extra glue, so be it. This is my hobby, not a business. My feathers do not come off. I take my time and give them extra time in the jig to set.

I think some people do not clean the shafts well enough or don't use enough glue. Im fussy and take extra time on each feather but as I said, my feathers do not come off.

Fletch tite works better on wraps

I like wraps for a variety of reasons. One of the main ones is that gorilla super glue works very well with them. I can buy the gorilla glue anywhere. A little goes along way and in my experience has a much longer shelf life than fletchtite.

The same as N Y Yankee

I have always fletched directly to bare aluminum without a problem using Saunders or Fletchtite. I prep the shafts by cleaning with MEK till they squeak. I'v never used a wrap.

I use wraps for a couple reasons. One, I don’t like plain arrows, I like to crest the wraps. Two, easy removal of worn fletch or just want something different. In my younger days I did fletch on bare shafts . When I did I scrubbed them with Comet cleanser and hot water. Then wiped them down with acetone. Always used fletch Tite glue, didn’t know there was anything else for metal arrows. Lately I have “found” aluminum arrows agian. The wraps on these arrows I cut from vinyl paper I got at Michaels craft store, a couple bucks a sheet. I crested them with model paints, I put on a couple thin coats of waterbased polyethylene clear. I used fletch tite glue

wraps help adhesion regardless of if i use duco or fletch-tite.

O -

With even a modest prep, using a GOOD solvent based glue like NPV, and the only problem you might have is getting the fletching off.

Just think wraps are a band-aid fix.

Viper out.

Never had a wrap to come off or fetching to come off of the wrap

I love E6000, way less sensitive to prep. I still will use acetone and denatured alcohol to wipe down before fletching though.

Does fletching tape work well on wraps?

"Just think wraps are a band-aid fix."

Never used a wrap as a "bandaid". Nothing was broken that needed fixing. Lots of us that hunt, stump shoot and shoot 3d like the added color of a bright wrap and fletchings to aid in finding an arrow after the shot.

I'd much rather buy my glue locally than order and pay shipping. Never had an adhesion issue w blue cap gorilla glue on wraps. I can find gorilla glue at most any store close to home. NPV-- not so much.

Wraps are just another great option.

Krag, I used fletching tape on these reflective wraps I put on my aluminum arrows I hunted with this season. This arrow ended up on the other side of a doe I shot and the fletching tape held tight to the wrap.

Krag- Yes to using tape on wraps. With a technical fingernail and the right touch, you can peel the feather/tape off the wrap and re-use both feathers and wrap.

If Supernaut's bloody arrow isn't proof of tape's strength of adhesion I don't know what is.

Many times wraps are done in such a way as to look nearly as nice as well done hand creating. Not much not to like.

My favorite is to use the wraps for all the same reason the above guys use them. Cheap way to be unique and cool at the same time!

No one can paint as well as the wraps

I used to dip all my arrows. Fletch Laq paints for aluminums and woods. Multiple cans of paint and thinner, tubes etc. Now I only paint woods and that’s with spray bombs. One reason I stopped was the lack of place to disposable of the scrap paints and thinner. I am not a “green “ guy but I don’t think it’s proper to put that stuff in regular trash. So the wraps and waterbased paints these days.

I use bandaids all the time. Oh- and tape too.

Wraps and use fletch tape on the feathers.You can pull the feathers off easy and refletch with no problem on the same wraps.

They look good and easy to get off if you must refletch.

woods I just stain a cap with a different stain than the body and crest

aluminums just scrub and glue

they were not easy off for me and kinda lost intrest in them

I used wraps on my aluminum hunting arrows for the last two years. I used Bohning Fletch Tape to attach the fletching. Worked great. I like bright wraps and fletching so I can see my arrow in flight.

I have said this a few times on here, but I switched to tape a few years ago. I use it on painted crestings on wood and wraps on carbon without issue. I've put them through 1/2" OSB without peeling off. Plus, using dental floss or fireline I can zip a fletch off to re-use or to re-fletch without damage to the fletch, wrap or shaft.

Complete pass through on the buck I got this year and the wrap and fletching held good.

Arrow warps from contact paper and Bohning fletch tape on aluminum shafts. I can fletch 3 arrows in the time that it took me to fletch one arrow w/ glue. My straw bale target is worn out and I get a lot of pass throughs. Even had on pass through the chipboard that I use to keepit from going through the fence. The fletching has not moved.

For all the positive reasons stated above, I like wraps.

I really like white reflective wraps and tracers on hunting arrows.

Never had the room, time, talent, or skill to splice feathers, or dip and crest arrows, but have bought some beauties.

Cannot compete with that talent, but I can roll a wrap and fletch the arrow which still looks good, just on a lesser level.

There is absolutely no question that there are plenty of guys here who can craft arrows which are truly works of functional art… There’s also absolutely no question that I am not one of those guys…

But I will say that I have been pleasantly surprised recently at how easy it is to kind of fake your way through it with a couple of cans of spray paint, and a little friendly advice from the guys who’ve done it a bunch.

These are all due for a couple more coats of gloss wipe-on….

My wood arrows I refuse to use wraps on, but I'll use them on aluminum arrows. My favorite arrows to make are cedar arrows like the ones I made in the attached picture.

Crikee, Corax! No faking required, your spray bombs look great!

Masking tape & a rattlecan. Who knew??

If I can get them straight without breaking any more, there may be a giveaway coming up….

How does one get the seam to meet nicely when using wraps? Are they usually just overlapping? Try to hide underneath a fletch?

Steve

Steve P, they overlap.

I lay the wrap down with the sticky side up and then place my arrow on one of the edges of the wrap and then just roll the arrow. It's pretty easy to get them nice and straight this way IMO.

If anyone is looking that closely at my arrows and doesn't like the overlap seam, I'll punch them in the eye....just kidding....kind of.

Thanks, Supernaut. Came across some going through my feathers and fletching stuff the other day. I may try them out on some carbons I should refletch.

Steve

Nemophilist x 2.

If I can get them straight without breaking any more, there may be a giveaway coming up….

Corax, I bought 1 dozen shafts last year and during the process of hand straightening 7 broke. Out of 2-1/2 dozen bought total that year, I had 7 left. Then I broke one running it through a deer, but that was OK.

Steve P,

Hopefully the attached pic will show the overlap/seam area in enough detail.

The seam is facing directly out and the overlap measures just under 3/16". The wrap is 1" in width before application, the arrow shaft a standard .244" ID carbon.

I roll the wrap onto the shaft versus many who roll the shaft onto the wrap. I finish with a vigorous burnishing of the wrap vertically with the soft plastic shell of a Sharpie, hitting the seam twice.

Being resistant to try new things I put off using wraps for a long, long time. Then I had some Contact Paper shelf liner laying around and wrapped some arrows with it and was pleased with the results. Unfortunately the Contact Paper adhesive isn't all that good and some of the ends lifted.

So I did some research and it appears that the preferred material for wraps is Oracal 651. I bought three rolls, orange, white and yellow for about $7 a roll and now I have a lifetime supply. That material cuts easily with a paper cutter, sticks very well on the shafts and, in general, makes me want to forget about crown painting every again.

Thank you for that helpful picture Snow Crow. I think the wraps could make stripping to refletch not only easier but quicker too. Next week I should have time to give those arrows some attention.

Steve

Phil Magistro- I have found the same with contact paper: weak adhesive. As an aside, the wrap pictured above is Oracal 631 (Brimstone).

Steve P- Welcome! Update this thread with some glory pics if/when you give wraps a go... :)

I was going to get 631 because they offer satin where 651 is gloss. I read the adhesive was stronger on 651.

Phil Magistro- Yes, Oracal 631 has a satin/matte finish and is labelled 'temporary' adhesive. The 651 has a shiny exterior coating and is labelled 'permanent' adhesive.

I'm over the top OCD over eliminating shine and flash on all my gear hence my preference for 631. I have not had issues (yet) with the adhesion of 631, but I am careful about fletchings not straddling the overlap and if you look closely at the leading edge of my wrap/shaft interface above you'll see a dried film of nail polish I apply to reduce the odds of wrap edge roll.

Platinum glue works good fore feathers are vane, just make sure it down making full contact with shaft not just the side of quill.

Snow Crow, when I crest my arrows I go over it with a light matte rustoleum. With the wraps I just lightly spray the entire wrap.

How about cresting on top of the wraps? Does that work ok?

Now I have to try this. Going to Michaels this morning to get some White Oracle 651.

mahantango - for the most part cresting works fine but you can get a little speed bump effect at the overlap.

Michaels had white 651 in gloss and matte for $5. Fun and easy to do, makes the arrows more visible.

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