Fletching jig that works (consistently?) And fletching 101 for me, apparently.

[Bluto]

I always wondered why people would pay hundredS of dollars for a few arrows just because they were complete and you didn’t have to glue vanes.

Now I know.

Nothing works. I thankfully got 1/2 dozen good arrows with fletchings that actually stay on, they’re great. It took 2 dozen arrows worth of vanes to get there, but I can hunt.

I’ve tried:
- no prep, just clean. Alcohol
- no prep, just clean. Acetone
- scotchbrite prep, alcohol wipe/clean
- scotchbrite prep, acetone wipe/clean
- multiple iterations of the above with different grit prep
- tried various vane maker glues
- tried fletch tite platinum
- tried “dots” of glue then spread
- tried dots then just press the vanes on
- tried the TAC single bead method
- tried a bitz with offset clamp - terrible. And no offset applied once finally aligned.
- tried Arizona EZ fletch; holy cow what a horribly designed piece of junk. Won’t usually hold vanes in the slots, and if it does and they happen to stick, 2/3 of the time they aren’t aligned anyway. It’s in the trash.

I only list what I’ve tried to see if anyone has an idea of something different.

I’ve tried TAC vanes (actually got enough of those to eventually stick that’s what I have the most of.) I went with IW’s new vanes because they don’t require a primer pen, same results.

Anyone have a jig and method that actually works to consistently produce aligned vanes with a right helical?

 

[mod-it]

Many vanes require using a priming pen before gluing. I believe TAC vanes require it.
I have a Bitz with straight clamp, I just apply some offset to my vanes. It takes some attention to set the offset so the vane sits well along its whole length. I put a vane in the clamp (no glue, just checking fit) with the offset bolts slightly loose and adjust until I'm getting the max offset I can with the vane still making good contact to the arrow. The longer the vane the better the offset shows up.
I prefer to use Q2i vanes. No matter what vane of theirs, they all have the same base material that sticks easily and requires no primer. I simply clean with denatured alcohol or 91% Isopropyl alcohol, both the arrow and the bottom of the vanes, then glue them on with Gold Tip Tip Grip glue. I put a few drops along the vane and then use a q-tip stick (cotton snipped off the end) to spread the glue along the vane. Then set the clamp on the jig and slide down to arrow shaft. I let them sit on the shaft for about 20 seconds and then remove the clamp, if doing a carbon arrow. With aluminum arrows I seem to have to let the clamp sit for a whole minute before I dare remove the clamp.
If you try the GT Tip Grip glue, store it in the fridge when not using it. It'll last way longer that way, otherwise it hardens in just a couple months.

 

[BigDog00]

Not sure why you're having so much trouble, the bitz is pretty standard archery equipment. I use gorilla glue with mine. I get coverage across the entire length of the vane. Once applied to the arrow I look for any squeeze out and clean up with a qtip. It's usually very little if any that needs to be wiped off. I keep the clamp in place for about 60 seconds the pull the clamp and rotate the arrow. There is no "offset clamp". They have a straight and helical clamps. The offset is adjusted on the jig itself. I'll wipe off the arrow with alcohol but that's about it, unless I'm using AAE max stealth vanes then I'll use their primer pen before gluing.

I haven't built a ton of arrows but probably somewhere around 5-6 dozen and can't recall ever having issues with vanes falling off. I've used AAE, Blazer, and NAP vanes.

 

[Bobrunner06]

Following.

I didn't think I was having issues until all my vanes ripped off very easily. I thought using isopropyl was a positive but I'm reading the standard household stuff may not be strong enough. I now have the TAC primer pan and glue on order from BlackOvis. Wish me luck

 

[87TT]

I never have a problem with vanes staying on until I hit something. Almost always rips up a piece of the wrap too. Using Heat vanes right now with a Bitz.

 

[TripleJ]

I have had really good luck with the Q2i vanes, no primer needed, and they stick really well. Clean shaft (wrap) and vane with alcohol before applying glue and clean off excess glue afterword with a qtip.

 

[Mighty Mouse]

I've used my Bitzenburger jig with straight and helical clamps to fletch Bohning Blazers/Heats/Ices, AAE Trad Vanes, and various types of feathers. I started off using fancy Bob Smith Industries extra thick cyanoacrylate (super glue) but have since switched to generic hardware store super glue. Cyanoacrylate has a limited shelf life, even if the container is unopened. I once fletched a dozen arrows with year-plus old BSI super glue, and it didn't hold worth a flip. That's when I decided to just buy a brand new little tube of cheap super glue each time I fletch a batch of arrows.

Out of curiosity, what shafts are you trying to fletch? Working with smaller diameter shafts can be trickier, especially if you're trying to put a lot of offset/helical on the vanes. You should still be able to get it done with a Bitz though, even if you're fletching skinny 4mm shafts.

 

[ResearchinStuff]

dudley's videos on arrow fletching are about as good as it gets. i've successfully fletched 4mm shafts with AAE max stealth and a left helical bitz following those directions and using the AAE max adhesion kit. it shouldn't be nearly as hard as it currently is for you.

 

[Zac]

Only 91 percent alcohol will work. The others have some sort of oil base I believe. If you want to clean at all best to use AAE wipes. I will just use micro fiber cloth's with water most the time. The water really helps with cyanoacrylates. I don't love them however using a wrap will usually solve any adhesion problems, especially shafts with a sort of slick surface. As far as glue goes, I haven't found anything better than Firenock. I also found Tac's to stick when I could not get other brands to work.

 

[Jethro]

I use a Bitz, rt helical clamp, alcohol from the drug store (don't know %), Loctite ultra gel glue. The only time I thought adhesion was a little weak was from old glue.

 

[MattB]

What glue are you using and was it a new tube?

I don’t know what to say, almost every one of those methods should work just fine. You are doing something or not doing something that is making a very simple process much harder than it is.

When I fletch I use 2 Arizona EZ Fletch minis and can bang out a dozen arrows in about 20 minutes. Fantastic tool and I can’t imagine a simpler or faster way to fletch arrows.

 

[Marbles]

I've used my Bitzenburger jig with straight and helical clamps to fletch Bohning Blazers/Heats/Ices, AAE Trad Vanes, and various types of feathers. I started off using fancy Bob Smith Industries extra thick cyanoacrylate (super glue) but have since switched to generic hardware store super glue. Cyanoacrylate has a limited shelf life, even if the container is unopened. I once fletched a dozen arrows with year-plus old BSI super glue, and it didn't hold worth a flip. That's when I decided to just buy a brand new little tube of cheap super glue each time I fletch a batch of arrows.

Out of curiosity, what shafts are you trying to fletch? Working with smaller diameter shafts can be trickier, especially if you're trying to put a lot of offset/helical on the vanes. You should still be able to get it done with a Bitz though, even if you're fletching skinny 4mm shafts.

Thanks. I think I will go with regular super glue, the Goat Tuff stuff I picked up was expensive and has not particularly impressed me and I was already considering this.

Many things archery related appear to be ridiculously marked up (D loop material is a joke).

 

[mww982]

It's pricey but I like my vane master pro fletching jig. Q2i Vanes are the easiest vane I have ever fletched. No prep necessary when using a wrap. Glue, loctite ultra control super gel. Grey bottle, blue cap.

 

[Bluto]

Thanks to all - apologies for no individual tags but generally speaking you’re all kind of telling me the same things and it makes total sense. Clearly frustration is setting in a bit and the things I am/have been trying obviously work. Somehow.

For some of the specifics;
- Working with all .204 shafts, so nothing that should be giving me fits with the Bitz jig but somehow I’ve managed it anyway lol
- Sirius Gemini and victory Rip TKO’s. Both are coated, so I assumed prepping would help
- Using 91% alcohol or 100% acetone
- TAC glue when it works seems to be the most durable for sure. Haven’t tried AAE’s. The bohning fletch tite seems the worst, but makes for good tipping and tailing.

So the Bitz is the biggest mystery to me I think. It’s second hand, best I can figure is that the clamp is out of spec? My vanes are 2.5-3 inches and when I get them aligned so they will (sometimes) stick, there is absolutely no helical applied.

I gave up on the Bitz until today, I had some very marginal luck with the mini max EZ fletch. I honestly don’t know how anyone gets these to work. If I use enough tape to modify the slots they’ll actually hold a vane, mostly, but probably 6-7 out of 10 times they’re nowhere near aligned (distance from end of arrow to back of vane.) It does a great job with helical, almost too much? But I went through multiple packs of vanes before I could get a dozen fletched. It looks like a drunken 4 year old cut the vane slots, and without tape I could fit 3 or 4 vanes into each one.

 

[Bluto]

Addition - right now I only have two bottles of TAC glue and prep pen. One older bottle of glue (1 year) and one about half that. Prep pen is new as of Friday.

I think I’ll grab some regular super glues from Lowe’s and try it.

I said I’d never pay that much for a jig, but maybe I’ll have to consider a vanemaster pro. I’d honestly just buy the arrows but no one builds the arrows I want with the vanes I want.

 

[Duh]

dudley's videos on arrow fletching are about as good as it gets. i've successfully fletched 4mm shafts with AAE max stealth and a left helical bitz following those directions and using the AAE max adhesion kit. it shouldn't be nearly as hard as it currently is for you.

I second this.

 

[mww982]

Addition - right now I only have two bottles of TAC glue and prep pen. One older bottle of glue (1 year) and one about half that. Prep pen is new as of Friday.

I think I’ll grab some regular super glues from Lowe’s and try it.

I said I’d never pay that much for a jig, but maybe I’ll have to consider a vanemaster pro. I’d honestly just buy the arrows but no one builds the arrows I want with the vanes I want.

I said the same thing before I bought it, but it is super easy. Use a wrap, it's more forgiving that fletching directly to the arrow, plus it makes it a heck of a lot easier to repair or re-fletch the arrows. Pull wrap, put new one on and start fletching.

I used to want a heavy helical but anymore, I shoot a 2-3 degree offset after watching some videos from Levi Morgan and others.

 

[5MilesBack]

I do no prep (unless I need to scrape the old vanes and glue off, then that's my prep). No alcohol, no acetone, no primer, no washing, just wipe the shafts with a dry clean cloth and glue and go. I use a bitz with the straight clamp and normally just Gorilla super glue. Max bond is great but more expensive. I use 2" Quickspins and Q2i vanes. Quick and efficient. I can shoot the arrows immediately after fletching. I've used a bunch of .204 arrows over the years, and they all seem to work the same for fletching. Currently using RIP TKO's.

 

[Hnthrdr]

As said before, bitz

 

[MattB]

So the Bitz I gave up on the Bitz until today, I had some very marginal luck with the mini max EZ fletch. I honestly don’t know how anyone gets these to work. If I use enough tape to modify the slots they’ll actually hold a vane, mostly, but probably 6-7 out of 10 times they’re nowhere near aligned (distance from end of arrow to back of vane.) It does a great job with helical, almost too much? But I went through multiple packs of vanes before I could get a dozen fletched. It looks like a drunken 4 year old cut the vane slots, and without tape I could fit 3 or 4 vanes into each one.

No wonder you are having problems - trying to out-engineer the engineers who designed the product. Get rid of the tape and use it as it is intended to be used.

It is very easy to get the vanes in the slots and get/keep them where they need to be if you put one drop of glue on the front edge of the vane and one in the middle and use the tip of the bottle to spread the glue from the front to the back. I can only imagine that if you are getting inconsistent results in terms of vane placement you are spreading the glue back to front or willy nilly.