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Elite-3, Deer-1


nycredneck

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So on my way to my spot I'm running kinda late the other day only to find deer already there and I decide to see how close I can get when one good size doe breaks off and heads my way. I get behind a big Maple and start trying to put on my release, finally getting it on and while nocking the arrow the deer is already 15 yrs away and spots me. I freeze and the deer just stomps her feet and trots back the other way, stalk is over so I continue to my tree and the six deer scatter, oh well, they might come back.

    Come back they did an hour latter but not before they picked up 3 more "friends", with eye's all around it was hard to set and draw but I did manage for a 25yrd shot. The arrow flew two feet right of where I was aiming, when I climbed down and noticed one the three blazer fletching were gone, so I guess the cold had a hand in that. I have never had a vane just fall off before, I build my own arrows and only ruin them by shooting at my targets and hitting deer.

    Anyone ever have a vane simply fall off?

Elite Pure...
Bow only, deer hunter

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It has happened to me too. I do my own arrows and sometimes, not very often but on occasion it is just a bad glue bead on the vane and it did not bond well.. Held enough to set the vane but not a complete bead the length of the vane to the shaft... You might be able to notice this on your shaft where the vane was.

 

 

What type of glue do you use? on what type shaft?

Edited by BowTechExperience
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I don't know if this is "correct" necessarily, but it's what I've done for a good number of years.

 

After I fletch up my arrows and I'm certain they are fully cured, including the end beads, I then bend the vanes over both ways near the base and give some vigorous tugging to make sure they are all well-adhered. If a vane is going to come off, it's going to come off when I do that. Unfortunately, yes that means refletching the occasional vane that comes off, but ever since I started doing that, I don't lose vanes.

 

The other keys are - clean, oil-free shaft/wrap & vane base. And use a very thin but complete layer of glue. When I run my bead, I then "paint" the bead evenly all over the vane base using a tiny paint brush and hold it up to light if necessary to see that it's evenly coated the entire length. Like Ed mentioned, that's one of the biggest reasons for vane failure if you're doing everything else right.

 

 

I say all this, but the last two years I've been using the shrink wrap fletching. They are so quick and fuss free and really damn durable. Cost and inability to customize are the only issues. It's definitely cheaper to buy vanes and wraps and glue. I'll probably go back to fletching eventually, but for now I have a ton of arrows shrink wrapped and I can't complain.

“I have always tempered my killing with respect for the game pursued. I see the animal not only as a target, but as a living creature with more freedom than I will ever have. I take that life if I can, with regret as well as joy, and with the sure knowledge that nature’s way of fang and claw and starvation are a far crueler fate than I bestow.” – Fred Bear

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I clean shafts with 99% isopropyl Alcohol then use a wrap and fletch with Fletch Tite Platinum. I have shot each of my arrows at least a dozen times when I broadhead test every one. Some arrows are right on out to 40yrds and I mark it 40, some just 30yrds and some I only use on 20yrd setups.

Never had a vane fall off two months after making it, if it's gonna fall off it will happen pretty quick. 

I've had good luck so far with Black Eagle Rampage arrows, I think cold temps might be a factor.

Edited by nycredneck

Elite Pure...
Bow only, deer hunter

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Hmmm that is interesting. I wonder if the cold temps had an effect on it. So these same arrows shot for months without a problem and then suddenly popped off? Only time I've ever seen that happen was when sideways torque was applied to a vane, if the glue is bad or has a bad bond to the shaft/wrap, they'll just peel off. But like you said, I would think that would have happened a long time ago if you've been shooting them.

 

Regarding the 20/30/40 broadhead differences...a lot of times I've found that to be due to broadhead balance with a given arrow. IMO they MUST spin 100% clean, zero wobble, it should feel like they aren't even spinning when they are. If you have that (and assuming all other factors, i.e. correct arrow length/spine, no fletching contact, tuned bow, etc), those broadhead matched arrows will fly true out as far as you can shoot effectively. :up:

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Bohning was a little while ago having a problem with the Fletch-TiTE Platinum. I wrote them an email several months ago because I was on occasion having that issue and just recently received two brand new tube of their new Fletch-TITE Platinum "Next Generation glue from Bohning. I have not tried it myself because I switched over to Loctite Super Glue Professional.. let me tell you that with the Loctite you will tear a vane trying to pull it off the shaft. I also use wraps on my shafts but don't use  isopropyl Alcohol on my arrows, what I do is clean the shaft initially with a little Ajax and a Scotch-Brite pad and then run them under cold water to rinse, let them air dry then apply the wraps. When applying the vane to the shaft, I run a bead of Loctite down the vane while in the clamp, then I blot the vane on a thick paper towel to remove excess glue then clamp it on the arrow, hold it there for ten seconds and then move onto the next vane. Works incredible, for me anyway.

 

 

 

Glue.JPG

Edited by BowTechExperience
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I never had a problem with using Fletch-Tite Platinum before, it has always worked very well, but I do have some Loctite  and was just waiting to finish up the last of my Fletch-Tite. I won't be making new or redoing old arrows till spring so I will toss out the Fletch-Tite an try something new.

Elite Pure...
Bow only, deer hunter

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The arrow flew two feet right of where I was aiming, when I climbed down and noticed one the three blazer fletching were gone, so I guess the cold had a hand in that. I have never had a vane just fall off before

 

 

 wow... I had a fletching come half way off a while ago.. It made this fluttering noise all the way into the belly of a doe.. would have hit the vitals if she didnt move.. Never found her...

:D

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