Vanes won't stick!

[dangerousD]

I normally use Blazers, but thought I'd try some AAE Max Hunter vanes. I like the vane, but I can't get them to stick. I normally use Gorilla impact tough or Loctite blue. Neither of these seem to work. I'm putting these on wraps and the vanes will just pop right off with a little effort... They pop off perfectly clean with all the glue still stuck to the wrap and the vanes look new with no glue sticking to them.

My process is such that I wipe down the vanes with 91% isopropyl alcohol with a cotton swap and do the same to the wraps with a paper towel. Has always seemed to work with Blazers. I also tried some Fletch-tite Platinum and it seems to hold pretty good, but I hate working with that glue.

Anyone else use these vanes or have this issue or use the same glue and make it work? Thanks for any input! My next step will be to buy some of the AAE Max Bond glue that they say is "specially formulated" to work with the Max vanes. Not sure what is special about it, but thought I'd see what you guys have to say before I go any further.

Dave

 

[Duckhunterbrad]

I had the same problem as you. Switched to the Aae max bond glue and haven't had a problem since!

 

[Nick Muche]

I use the Gold Tip glue as of late and it's been working well! I don't even bother cleaning the arrows anymore.

 

[Jeff Martin]

The glue is your problem. I love Firenock's glue. I also like AAE's as well.

 

[fillthefreezer]

had some aae's installed at the local archery shop and i think i had like 18 vanes fall off in the course of 2-3months!

 

[kyle1112]

Just had this problem with goat tuff, I switched to AAE and was told to keep it in the fridge to keep from "going bad"

 

[charvey9]

I use goat tuff or bohning blazer bond glue with good results, but have never used those vanes. 15-20 second clamp time, set overnight and they are good.

 

[kyle1112]

Oh btw I was using blazers

 

[5MilesBack]

Max Bond is the best fletching glue I've ever used. I don't think I've ever had a vane come off with it. And I never use alcohol or anything else to prep the shafts or vanes. I use QS's for the most part, but also have some Fusions.

 

[Jason Snyder]

I use AAE Max Hunters, and use the glue recommended by the archery shop. I can't remember which kind it was (Arizona Archery brand) but I haven't had any come off.

Good vanes, I like them.

 

[dangerousD]

Thanks guys! I now have some AAE Max Bond on order! Only glue I hadn't tried that I have on hand was the Goat Tuff but I have not had good luck with in on Blazers so didn't give it a try on these. I will have to remember to keep the AAE in the fridge. I really don't like having to buy special high dollar glue but if it works it's a small price to pay. That's the nice thing about the Gorilla or Loctite is that it's common everywhere. Oh well. Thanks guys!

 

[Blackcow]

Max bond works, and I only use a tiny bead down the center. Always stick unless I've stripped fletch off the shaft before and didn't clean it as well as I thought I did.

 

[Outwest]

I tried the Max hunter vanes for awhile with the same glue I have always used. I prepped the shafts and fletched them the same way I did my blazers and could not get them to stay on. I tried aae's max bond and still wouldn't hold. I went back to blazers and haven't had a problem yet. Maybe I just got a bad batch? Great vanes just couldn't get them to stick.

 

[BackcountryMT]

Ive used Gorilla Glue with Max Hunters with no issue. Whether I'm flecthing my own personal arrows or a customers I almost always use Saunders NPV now. Fast set glues tend to get too hard and crack, I like something that will have some flex to it under impact.

 

[Solus]

I'm with backcountry... I've fletched up hundreds of shafts with the Max Hunters, never had a vane loss unless we tried using a fast set product. Boning fletch tite platinum works extremely well, just fletched a dozen of my own shafts with it last night. I've had far greater success with fletching when using a glue that stays flexible.

 

[dangerousD]

I'm with backcountry... I've fletched up hundreds of shafts with the Max Hunters, never had a vane loss unless we tried using a fast set product. Boning fletch tite platinum works extremely well, just fletched a dozen of my own shafts with it last night. I've had far greater success with fletching when using a glue that stays flexible.

I may fall back on this glue if nothing else. Like I mentioned in the OP, the one arrow I did with the Fletch Tite Platinum adhered good. I actually stuck it right over the top of the other glue that was still stuck to the wrap where the vane peeled off and when I tried to peel it off the next day it ripped the wrap off so it was adhered real well to the vane. I just don't care to work with that as well but certainly will use it if this AAE glue isn't to my liking. I do like the fast set cyanoacrylate types of glue and the Gorilla seemed to work great until now and pretty popular for fletching I think. Only thing I don't care for with the platinum is trying to wipe off any excess that oozes out. It won't wipe off clean.

 

[camelcluch]

You may want to try roughing the vane foot. Use a nail file and touch up the base. That give the glue something to hold on too. Good luck.

 

[dangerousD]

You may want to try roughing the vane foot. Use a nail file and touch up the base. That give the glue something to hold on too. Good luck.

I may give that a try. I had kind of thought about that. Never done it before but figured it couldn't hurt if I clean them afterwards anyway.

 

[dangerousD]

Got the AAE Max Bond in the mail today. Made up one test arrow that I will try tomorrow. Noticed that it's a cyanoacrylate ester. The Gorilla and Loctite just say cyanoacrylate. I believe the ester is more suited for plastics if I understand correctly. I looked at my Goat Tuff and it is an ester also. Probably should have given it a try. I think it's a bad or old bottle though since it never seemed good from the start. Probably made by the same mfr.

 

[E-2]

dangerousD, how did the AAE Max Bond turn out? I am just looking to try something new and thought about the AAE Max Hunter vanes.