Post by Konrad on May 27, 2013 18:43:54 GMT -5
From The Lab: Archery Adhesive Testing
By Konrad
I have been fletching my own arrows since 1975. After moving from store bought cedar shaft arrows, the first arrows I personally fletched were alloy shafts with turkey feathers. I still have arrows done with feathers from twenty years ago that are stuck on so tight you will need determination, a razor knife and a large measure of harsh language to get them off. As an example of the quality of that adhesive I will relate a brief story. My adult granddaughter visited us and lost one of those arrows in the grass. Two years later, I found that arrow with the feathers rotted off but the split quill base was still firmly attached to the alloy shaft. They were all applied using the then “industry standard” Fletchtite glue.
More recently I have fooled around with carbon shafts but then eventually returned to alloy shafts for reasons best left to another column. I also gave up the feathers and went to the ubiquitous and now “industry standard” and might I say “excellent” two inch Blazer vane in ’08. At that time, I was still able to obtain my reliable Fletchtite glue and had no problems bonding the Blazers to the aluminum. But then the same thing my wife has complained about for years with her eye liner happened to me: The formula changed to the “new and improved” Fletchtite Platinum.
I have been around and around with Bohnig about not being able to get the Blazers to stick reliably to my alloy shafts. With all due credit to Bohning; they really have accommodated me with outstanding technical support, customer service, new Blazers, a new tube of Platinum and even supplying me with a bottle of their Quantum XT Instant Gel. They have sent me new Blazers on two separate occasions but still I had them falling off once in a while. This past spring I bought two dozen new Easton XX78 Super Slam 2413s (with their patented Permagraphic camouflage) and used both of Bohning’s adhesives and a new package of Black 2 inch Blazers. I prepped the shafts using very hot water, powdered scrubbing cleanser (Comet) as outlined in the Blazer instructions and air dried the shafts before beginning the gluing process (one half of the shafts done with Fletchtite Platinum and one group with Bohnig’s Quantum XT Instant Gel).
I thought I had success…until the weather changed. Now that it’s cooled off (I practice throughout the year no matter how cold…OK, I won’t practice if it is below Zero or pouring rain) and I have my newest Blazers shedding from both groups. It looks like someone has been plucking a black plastic chicken in front of my target.
As much as I enjoy building new arrows, I detest repairing new arrows even more.
In another life outside of archery, I had extensive experience in bonding elastomers to various metallic substrates and felt this problem was well within my ability to solve. I decided to share my problem with my friends on the various archery related forums and was interested to find that I was not alone in using alloy shafts and somewhat gratified to learn that quite a few others were having the same bonding issues and not only with alloys. Suggestions came in from far and wide regarding shaft prepping strategies, adhesive types and alternate vane suggestions. I determined to keep the variables to a minimum and elected to stay with the Blazers (Hey, they work great…when they stay put).
All of my bond failures had been at the metal substrate. In other words, the vast majority of the adhesive was stuck to the base of the vane and very little, if any, was left behind on the shaft. That fact alone pointed to inadequate/improper prepping of the shaft. In every instance where one vane has been lost, when testing that shaft’s remaining vanes there was an audible “pop” when another bond failed.
Denatured alcohol (non-potable ethanol or ethyl alcohol) and isopropyl alcohol (pure rubbing type) had both been suggested as solvent preps. I had been warned against using the normal 50% by volume isopropyl solution readily available over the counter. I obtained 99% Isopropyl (Swan brand) from a medical supplier. High quality denatured alcohol; lacquer thinner, acetone (all Klean Strip brand), Ajax and Comet along with a 150 sanding block and a handful of various “super glue” adhesives also went into my Walmart shopping buggy. Bob Smith’s Maxi-Cure adhesive and Arizona Archery Enterprises Max Clean came from a popular national archery supply house as this was the combination they said they were using on their alloy shafts.
The list of suggested adhesives from those who had read my initial forum post was less than ten. As there were multiple recommendations for the same glue, I elected to obtain a sample of each of the most popular. I weighted those with multiple recommendations as “must test adhesives” while others that I stumbled upon were added as incidentals for the satisfaction of my own curiosity and decided to re-test the few adhesives I already had on hand. The balance of the suggested adhesives was purchased from E-Bay internet stores.
After seeing the repeated suggestions for using various Loctite products, I went to the Henkel Corporation web-site and used their adhesive selector feature and plugged in the details for my application. Interestingly, none of the cyno-acrylate glue products were recommended by Loctite. The application guide suggested Loctite Stik’n Seal Extreme Conditions adhesive. Please note: There Loctite lists specific types of plastics not to be used with this adhesive. When queried, Bohning confirmed the compound they are using in their Blazer vanes (while secret) would not be affected negatively by the Stik-N-Seal.
The testing parameters were as follows:
1. The fletching jig is a Bitzenberger Dial-A-Fletch, using a left helical clamp.
2. I used a Phillips, Heat Ray, 230 watt, infrared heat lamp hung over the work area at a distance of 18 inches above the actual fletching jig. After stabilization, the work area maintained an ambient temperature of 79 degrees Fahrenheit as measured by my digital probe thermometer. An air circulating fan was pointed at the ceiling to avoid temperature stratification in the work area and promote drying.
3. Each of the shafts was lightly sanded in the intended bonding area using a 150 grit sanding block or in the case of the Max Clean I used the provided Scotch Brite scouring pad prior to the solvent treatment.
4. After removing the remnant glue using a razor knife and abrasive treatment, each of the arrows was scrubbed using a new paper towel soaked in the specified solvent until the shafts actually “squeaked”. Note: This was the first time I had ever heard the sound coming from a shaft like that heard when someone rubs his wetted finger around the rim of his Chablis glass.
5. Each individual shaft was held vertically by the point in a large foam block until its time in the fletching jig to minimize contamination.
If a shaft remained unfletched for more than two hours, it received an additional solvent bath until again squeaky clean and was air dried.
6. Each shaft received a minimum 10 minutes air dry time prior to fletching. In the case of the lacquer thinner, a period of 4 hours air drying time was allowed (as was suggested from internet input). In the case of the hot water rinse, 30 minutes was allowed.
7. Each vane received a minimum of 30 minutes in the clamp fixture regardless of adhesive type.
8. The humidity hovered between 55 and 60 percent.
9. Each shaft received 48 hours minimum cure time at room temperature prior to destructive bond testing.
Yes, you heard that right. I went to all of this trouble only to actively attempt removal of the vanes by twisting, peeling and prying (sometimes including the use of harsh language) to see how well they were adhered to the shafts. I purchased a pair of Vice-Grip sheet metal working pliers with large, flat “lips” for solidly grasping the vanes. After clamping the vane firmly, I first tried rotating the vane perpendicular to the shaft axis (shear). Secondly, I then folded the vane to both sides of the shaft, repeatedly (tensile). Then, if I was unable to break the bond mechanically, I used my trusty razor knife (cut/tear) to damage the bond at the leading edge and attempted to tear the vane off from front to rear.
Ideally, a perfect bond will not separate from the metal substrate or the elastomer substrate but actually break down the center of the bonding agent leaving equal amounts on the metal and elastomer (or thermoplastic in this case). In the case of the Blazers, when perfect bond was achieved, the vane actually extruded between the lips of my Vice Grips and then tore at the base juncture (much like my rotted feather example) leaving the base attached to the shaft. That is what I refer to that as a 100% bond success and that is the result I was after!
Not all of adhesives I tested are listed in this report.
The adhesives included in this report are:
Bohnig Fletch-Tite Platinum
Gorilla Super Glue Impact Tough (baby blue cap)…repeated suggestions
Loctite Super Glue Ultra Gel Control…repeated suggestions
Goat Tuff Products Quality Archery Glue (local Pro shop advice and internet suggestions)
Loctite Super Glue Professional Liquid
Hobbyking.com Maxi-Cure Extra Thick Cyno acrylate (national archery supply suggestion)
Loctite Stik-N-Seal Extreme Conditions
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Loctite Super Glue Ultra Gel Control:
Solvents: Comet, denatured alcohol, lacquer thinner, AAE Max Clean
This adhesive was by far the easiest to work with of all the Cyno-acrylate adhesives I have ever used. Its consistency was thicker than that of styrene model glue or Fletchtite without the associated “stringing”. After application of the vanes, there was absolutely no running or sagging of the adhesive.
Regardless of what prep procedure was followed those Blazers were “welded’ to the shafts, I am not kidding….welded! There was no amount of twisting, peeling, prying or harsh language that could produce a bond failure. It was only with the use of my razor knife that I was able to remove those vanes. Then I had to cut the remaining plastic and adhesive off of the shaft substrate.
This was by far the best adhesive I found during testing. It worked regardless of the prep treatment and provided a superior bond every time. I highly recommend this adhesive.
The only downside to the Loctite product was the quantity of adhesive in each bottle (i.e. .14 oz or 4 grams versus .53 oz or 15 grams in the Gorilla bottle).
Grade: A+
Goat Tuff Products Quality Archery Glue:
Solvents: Comet, denatured alcohol, lacquer thinner, AAE Max Clean
While the consistency of the Goat Tuff is typical of other common super glues, very thin and runny, it repeatedly performed better than the other “super glues” in the destructive testing with every solvent prep tested. Its set time was short and the applicator was one of the easier to use and control. I would say the Goat Tuff defiantly falls into the “recommended” category. The bonds were not as strong as the Loctite Ultra Gel but serviceable none the less. Remember, the bond I experienced with the Ultra was superlative and I couldn’t imagine better results. If the Ultra Gel is “100% bond success” the Goat Tuff qualifies as “99% bond success”. Without more accurate sensing equipment and applying actual tensile strength measurements I can only say the Ultra Gel produces a stronger bond.
As good as the Goat Tuff was, it was only made better by combining it with the AAE Max Clean prep.
I can recommend the Goat Tuff for archery fletching applications.
Grade: A
Bohnig Fletchtite Platinum:
Solvents: Comet powder, Ajax powder, denatured alcohol, lacquer thinner, AAE Max Clean, and acetone
In every test combination I used, the Bohnig Platinum was a complete failure. Its viscosity is much more to my liking; however, even slight pressure twisting using the clamping pliers (shear) resulted in a “pop” as the adhesive broke loose from the shaft. There were only traces of adhesive remaining on the metal substrate and in most cases, the shafts appeared untouched. Inspection of the cured adhesive stuck to the vane base revealed extensive porosity as if while curing, there was out-gassing. The cured adhesive was a hard; clear coating full of micro holes and the occasional large void except when combined with the AAE Max Clean and Ajax. Then the cured adhesive was for the most part clear and smooth across the length of the vane base with only minimal porosity. I can only imagine that the extensive porosity experienced with the other solvents reflects a reaction with the adhesive resulting in out-gassing. I am positive this foam-like structure contributed to the weak bonds formed. While I am extremely disappointed in the results, I take solace in the fact that I have done everything within my power to give the Platinum every opportunity for success.
I can not recommend the Platinum for archery fletching applications using alloy shafts.
Grade: F
Loctite Super Glue Professional Liquid:
Solvents: Comet powder, denatured alcohol, lacquer thinner, AAE Max Clean, Ajax powder
This was one of the adhesives I found at the Walmart and as I have had very good results with other Loctite products in other industries and had received so many suggestions to use the Ultra Gel I decided to include it in the testing. It is also a thin, watery viscosity Cyno-acrylate adhesive. This was one of the lowest costing adhesives used in the tests. It came in a large container (.71 fl oz) was easy to work with and fast setting. However, using some of the prepping solvents the bonds there were complete failures “popping” during the clamp shear regimen. However, when the shafts were prepped using lacquer thinner, AAE Max Clean and Ajax powdered cleanser the bonds were excellent and survived the clamp’s shear, tensile and cut/tear tests. Cutting the bases from the shafts was the only way to get them free.
I can recommend Loctite Pro for archery fletching applications as long as the solvent used in prepping is lacquer thinner, AAE Max Clean or Ajax powdered cleanser.
Grade: A (in the noted cases above)
Hobby King Maxi-Cure Extra Thick Cyno-Acrylate:
Solvents: Comet, denatured alcohol, lacquer thinner, AAE Max Clean
This adhesive was indeed higher n viscosity than the other related super glues; however, the term “extra thick” seemed a bit of a stretch. It was not quite as runny as its cyno-acrylate brethren but was by no means “thick” when compaired to the Loctite Ultra Gel. The best bond I could attain with the Maxi-Cure amounted to what I would call a 50/50 bond. One of three vanes was easily pulled off during the clamp test while approximately 50% of the adhesive remained along the length of the other vanes’ bases while the other 50% stayed with the shaft. I received the 50/50 results while performing the cut test and then peeling the vane backwards off of the shaft. While this may sound like partial success at first blush, it was not. The effort required to peel the vanes off of the shaft was minimal and the tearing force required to pull the vane from its base seemed inordinately low as if the adhesive had weakened the thermoplastic vane itself. One must bear in mind that this was the adhesive recommended by the large archery supply house to be used in combination with the AAE Max Clean.
I can not recommend Maxi-Cure for archery fletching applications.
Grade: C-
Gorilla Super Glue Impact Tough Formula (baby blue cap)…
Solvents: Comet, denatured alcohol, lacquer thinner, AAE Max Clean
This is also cyno-acrylate type glue exhibiting typical low viscosities and clarity. It was one of the adhesives suggested by my friends on the internet and I found it on the Walmart shelf (also low cost and .53 fl oz). This was one of the better adhesives I tested. It passed the clamp test with only one vane coming off; however, it just did not have the tenacity of the other successful “low cost” adhesive tested (Loctite Professional Liquid).
Reviewing my notes shows my impression of the Gorilla a consistent “B”. Considering its price, availability and strength I can recommend the Gorilla for archery fletching.
Grade: B
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
At the onset of testing I had a few preconceived notions of what I would find. After collecting the data I found I was very surprised, happy and very disappointed.
“Surprise #1”: The true “winner” in all of the testing was not an adhesive but the Arizona Archery Enterprises Max Clean solvent wash. Regardless of what cyno-acrylate adhesive I used, the bond achieved never ranked below a “C”! Even the super glues that had failed using the other prep methods and solvents adhered much better when used in conjunction with the Max Clean solvent wash.
“Surprise#2”: The most expensive adhesives were not always the top performers
“Surprise #3: The adhesive recommended by the Loctite web-site while bonding quite well to the shaft, did not adhere to the plastic vanes well at all. I was able to separate the vane from the adhesive with little or no effort and then spent considerable time scraping the Stik-N-Seal off of the shaft. Labeling says it contains “amines” (epoxy family chemistry) but for all the world it appeared to be related to an RTV (room temperature vulcanizate) silicone sealant.
“Disappointment”: No matter what I did I could not achieve a decent bond using the Bohning Platinum adhesive. The vanes always popped off with little or no trouble leaving the metal shafts virtually clean.
I submitted a copy of this report to Bohning for comment prior to publication. They sent me a four paragraph reply describing different adhesive technologies and optimum conditions for their applications (i.e. water content of the air and ambient temperatures). The reply included three important statements:
“We have taken the recommendation of Platinum away from aluminum arrows since July 2012. But they still work well for carbon shafts.
We here at Bohning are working on making Platinum back to the original standards that people remember. When we come up with a solution that is possible, since our resins were discontinued from us, I’ll keep you in mind for a performance field test if you’d like.”
I can live with that. I have consummate respect for the folks at Bohning and I thank them for their honesty. I look forward to doing further testing whenever Bohning completes their reformulation.
Like I said, I had some preconceived notions about the results I would find and then proceeded to have them dashed upon the rocks. On the other hand, I made significant discoveries that will no doubt pay dividends in the future (many fewer plucked black chickens in front of my targets and much less frustration). After all the hours spent in inquiries, shopping, prepping, gluing, curing, destroying and taking notes I concluded there are some good cyno-acrylate adhesives on the market. Some are more tolerant of shaft prepping procedures than others and that fact is reflected in adhesive cost (i.e. Loctite Super Glue Ultra Gel). There are also some low cost alternatives that provide excellent results for the money (i.e. Loctite Professional and Gorilla Impact Tough Formula) I also learned there is at least one superior shaft prepping solution on the market in the AAE Max Clean.
As with anything else, your results may be different due to variations in local climate conditions, the particular fletching clamp used and other factors. The use of adhesives on carbon shafts will be left to another research project and all of the data that I collected refers only to the Easton Super Slam shafts I used in testing; however, rest assured the information gleaned from these tests will be used when fletching my other Easton Technical alloy shafts (i.e. XX-75 Platinum Plus and X-7 Eclipse).
Now perhaps I can focus more on my shooting and less on flapping, loose or missing vanes. I hope these trials provided some food for thought and more importantly save valuable time that could be better spent on the range, grilling hamburgers or taking a nap.
Konrad
In The Lab
(From just outside Historic Sedro-Woolley)
By Konrad
I have been fletching my own arrows since 1975. After moving from store bought cedar shaft arrows, the first arrows I personally fletched were alloy shafts with turkey feathers. I still have arrows done with feathers from twenty years ago that are stuck on so tight you will need determination, a razor knife and a large measure of harsh language to get them off. As an example of the quality of that adhesive I will relate a brief story. My adult granddaughter visited us and lost one of those arrows in the grass. Two years later, I found that arrow with the feathers rotted off but the split quill base was still firmly attached to the alloy shaft. They were all applied using the then “industry standard” Fletchtite glue.
More recently I have fooled around with carbon shafts but then eventually returned to alloy shafts for reasons best left to another column. I also gave up the feathers and went to the ubiquitous and now “industry standard” and might I say “excellent” two inch Blazer vane in ’08. At that time, I was still able to obtain my reliable Fletchtite glue and had no problems bonding the Blazers to the aluminum. But then the same thing my wife has complained about for years with her eye liner happened to me: The formula changed to the “new and improved” Fletchtite Platinum.
I have been around and around with Bohnig about not being able to get the Blazers to stick reliably to my alloy shafts. With all due credit to Bohning; they really have accommodated me with outstanding technical support, customer service, new Blazers, a new tube of Platinum and even supplying me with a bottle of their Quantum XT Instant Gel. They have sent me new Blazers on two separate occasions but still I had them falling off once in a while. This past spring I bought two dozen new Easton XX78 Super Slam 2413s (with their patented Permagraphic camouflage) and used both of Bohning’s adhesives and a new package of Black 2 inch Blazers. I prepped the shafts using very hot water, powdered scrubbing cleanser (Comet) as outlined in the Blazer instructions and air dried the shafts before beginning the gluing process (one half of the shafts done with Fletchtite Platinum and one group with Bohnig’s Quantum XT Instant Gel).
I thought I had success…until the weather changed. Now that it’s cooled off (I practice throughout the year no matter how cold…OK, I won’t practice if it is below Zero or pouring rain) and I have my newest Blazers shedding from both groups. It looks like someone has been plucking a black plastic chicken in front of my target.
As much as I enjoy building new arrows, I detest repairing new arrows even more.
In another life outside of archery, I had extensive experience in bonding elastomers to various metallic substrates and felt this problem was well within my ability to solve. I decided to share my problem with my friends on the various archery related forums and was interested to find that I was not alone in using alloy shafts and somewhat gratified to learn that quite a few others were having the same bonding issues and not only with alloys. Suggestions came in from far and wide regarding shaft prepping strategies, adhesive types and alternate vane suggestions. I determined to keep the variables to a minimum and elected to stay with the Blazers (Hey, they work great…when they stay put).
All of my bond failures had been at the metal substrate. In other words, the vast majority of the adhesive was stuck to the base of the vane and very little, if any, was left behind on the shaft. That fact alone pointed to inadequate/improper prepping of the shaft. In every instance where one vane has been lost, when testing that shaft’s remaining vanes there was an audible “pop” when another bond failed.
Denatured alcohol (non-potable ethanol or ethyl alcohol) and isopropyl alcohol (pure rubbing type) had both been suggested as solvent preps. I had been warned against using the normal 50% by volume isopropyl solution readily available over the counter. I obtained 99% Isopropyl (Swan brand) from a medical supplier. High quality denatured alcohol; lacquer thinner, acetone (all Klean Strip brand), Ajax and Comet along with a 150 sanding block and a handful of various “super glue” adhesives also went into my Walmart shopping buggy. Bob Smith’s Maxi-Cure adhesive and Arizona Archery Enterprises Max Clean came from a popular national archery supply house as this was the combination they said they were using on their alloy shafts.
The list of suggested adhesives from those who had read my initial forum post was less than ten. As there were multiple recommendations for the same glue, I elected to obtain a sample of each of the most popular. I weighted those with multiple recommendations as “must test adhesives” while others that I stumbled upon were added as incidentals for the satisfaction of my own curiosity and decided to re-test the few adhesives I already had on hand. The balance of the suggested adhesives was purchased from E-Bay internet stores.
After seeing the repeated suggestions for using various Loctite products, I went to the Henkel Corporation web-site and used their adhesive selector feature and plugged in the details for my application. Interestingly, none of the cyno-acrylate glue products were recommended by Loctite. The application guide suggested Loctite Stik’n Seal Extreme Conditions adhesive. Please note: There Loctite lists specific types of plastics not to be used with this adhesive. When queried, Bohning confirmed the compound they are using in their Blazer vanes (while secret) would not be affected negatively by the Stik-N-Seal.
The testing parameters were as follows:
1. The fletching jig is a Bitzenberger Dial-A-Fletch, using a left helical clamp.
2. I used a Phillips, Heat Ray, 230 watt, infrared heat lamp hung over the work area at a distance of 18 inches above the actual fletching jig. After stabilization, the work area maintained an ambient temperature of 79 degrees Fahrenheit as measured by my digital probe thermometer. An air circulating fan was pointed at the ceiling to avoid temperature stratification in the work area and promote drying.
3. Each of the shafts was lightly sanded in the intended bonding area using a 150 grit sanding block or in the case of the Max Clean I used the provided Scotch Brite scouring pad prior to the solvent treatment.
4. After removing the remnant glue using a razor knife and abrasive treatment, each of the arrows was scrubbed using a new paper towel soaked in the specified solvent until the shafts actually “squeaked”. Note: This was the first time I had ever heard the sound coming from a shaft like that heard when someone rubs his wetted finger around the rim of his Chablis glass.
5. Each individual shaft was held vertically by the point in a large foam block until its time in the fletching jig to minimize contamination.
If a shaft remained unfletched for more than two hours, it received an additional solvent bath until again squeaky clean and was air dried.
6. Each shaft received a minimum 10 minutes air dry time prior to fletching. In the case of the lacquer thinner, a period of 4 hours air drying time was allowed (as was suggested from internet input). In the case of the hot water rinse, 30 minutes was allowed.
7. Each vane received a minimum of 30 minutes in the clamp fixture regardless of adhesive type.
8. The humidity hovered between 55 and 60 percent.
9. Each shaft received 48 hours minimum cure time at room temperature prior to destructive bond testing.
Yes, you heard that right. I went to all of this trouble only to actively attempt removal of the vanes by twisting, peeling and prying (sometimes including the use of harsh language) to see how well they were adhered to the shafts. I purchased a pair of Vice-Grip sheet metal working pliers with large, flat “lips” for solidly grasping the vanes. After clamping the vane firmly, I first tried rotating the vane perpendicular to the shaft axis (shear). Secondly, I then folded the vane to both sides of the shaft, repeatedly (tensile). Then, if I was unable to break the bond mechanically, I used my trusty razor knife (cut/tear) to damage the bond at the leading edge and attempted to tear the vane off from front to rear.
Ideally, a perfect bond will not separate from the metal substrate or the elastomer substrate but actually break down the center of the bonding agent leaving equal amounts on the metal and elastomer (or thermoplastic in this case). In the case of the Blazers, when perfect bond was achieved, the vane actually extruded between the lips of my Vice Grips and then tore at the base juncture (much like my rotted feather example) leaving the base attached to the shaft. That is what I refer to that as a 100% bond success and that is the result I was after!
Not all of adhesives I tested are listed in this report.
The adhesives included in this report are:
Bohnig Fletch-Tite Platinum
Gorilla Super Glue Impact Tough (baby blue cap)…repeated suggestions
Loctite Super Glue Ultra Gel Control…repeated suggestions
Goat Tuff Products Quality Archery Glue (local Pro shop advice and internet suggestions)
Loctite Super Glue Professional Liquid
Hobbyking.com Maxi-Cure Extra Thick Cyno acrylate (national archery supply suggestion)
Loctite Stik-N-Seal Extreme Conditions
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Loctite Super Glue Ultra Gel Control:
Solvents: Comet, denatured alcohol, lacquer thinner, AAE Max Clean
This adhesive was by far the easiest to work with of all the Cyno-acrylate adhesives I have ever used. Its consistency was thicker than that of styrene model glue or Fletchtite without the associated “stringing”. After application of the vanes, there was absolutely no running or sagging of the adhesive.
Regardless of what prep procedure was followed those Blazers were “welded’ to the shafts, I am not kidding….welded! There was no amount of twisting, peeling, prying or harsh language that could produce a bond failure. It was only with the use of my razor knife that I was able to remove those vanes. Then I had to cut the remaining plastic and adhesive off of the shaft substrate.
This was by far the best adhesive I found during testing. It worked regardless of the prep treatment and provided a superior bond every time. I highly recommend this adhesive.
The only downside to the Loctite product was the quantity of adhesive in each bottle (i.e. .14 oz or 4 grams versus .53 oz or 15 grams in the Gorilla bottle).
Grade: A+
Goat Tuff Products Quality Archery Glue:
Solvents: Comet, denatured alcohol, lacquer thinner, AAE Max Clean
While the consistency of the Goat Tuff is typical of other common super glues, very thin and runny, it repeatedly performed better than the other “super glues” in the destructive testing with every solvent prep tested. Its set time was short and the applicator was one of the easier to use and control. I would say the Goat Tuff defiantly falls into the “recommended” category. The bonds were not as strong as the Loctite Ultra Gel but serviceable none the less. Remember, the bond I experienced with the Ultra was superlative and I couldn’t imagine better results. If the Ultra Gel is “100% bond success” the Goat Tuff qualifies as “99% bond success”. Without more accurate sensing equipment and applying actual tensile strength measurements I can only say the Ultra Gel produces a stronger bond.
As good as the Goat Tuff was, it was only made better by combining it with the AAE Max Clean prep.
I can recommend the Goat Tuff for archery fletching applications.
Grade: A
Bohnig Fletchtite Platinum:
Solvents: Comet powder, Ajax powder, denatured alcohol, lacquer thinner, AAE Max Clean, and acetone
In every test combination I used, the Bohnig Platinum was a complete failure. Its viscosity is much more to my liking; however, even slight pressure twisting using the clamping pliers (shear) resulted in a “pop” as the adhesive broke loose from the shaft. There were only traces of adhesive remaining on the metal substrate and in most cases, the shafts appeared untouched. Inspection of the cured adhesive stuck to the vane base revealed extensive porosity as if while curing, there was out-gassing. The cured adhesive was a hard; clear coating full of micro holes and the occasional large void except when combined with the AAE Max Clean and Ajax. Then the cured adhesive was for the most part clear and smooth across the length of the vane base with only minimal porosity. I can only imagine that the extensive porosity experienced with the other solvents reflects a reaction with the adhesive resulting in out-gassing. I am positive this foam-like structure contributed to the weak bonds formed. While I am extremely disappointed in the results, I take solace in the fact that I have done everything within my power to give the Platinum every opportunity for success.
I can not recommend the Platinum for archery fletching applications using alloy shafts.
Grade: F
Loctite Super Glue Professional Liquid:
Solvents: Comet powder, denatured alcohol, lacquer thinner, AAE Max Clean, Ajax powder
This was one of the adhesives I found at the Walmart and as I have had very good results with other Loctite products in other industries and had received so many suggestions to use the Ultra Gel I decided to include it in the testing. It is also a thin, watery viscosity Cyno-acrylate adhesive. This was one of the lowest costing adhesives used in the tests. It came in a large container (.71 fl oz) was easy to work with and fast setting. However, using some of the prepping solvents the bonds there were complete failures “popping” during the clamp shear regimen. However, when the shafts were prepped using lacquer thinner, AAE Max Clean and Ajax powdered cleanser the bonds were excellent and survived the clamp’s shear, tensile and cut/tear tests. Cutting the bases from the shafts was the only way to get them free.
I can recommend Loctite Pro for archery fletching applications as long as the solvent used in prepping is lacquer thinner, AAE Max Clean or Ajax powdered cleanser.
Grade: A (in the noted cases above)
Hobby King Maxi-Cure Extra Thick Cyno-Acrylate:
Solvents: Comet, denatured alcohol, lacquer thinner, AAE Max Clean
This adhesive was indeed higher n viscosity than the other related super glues; however, the term “extra thick” seemed a bit of a stretch. It was not quite as runny as its cyno-acrylate brethren but was by no means “thick” when compaired to the Loctite Ultra Gel. The best bond I could attain with the Maxi-Cure amounted to what I would call a 50/50 bond. One of three vanes was easily pulled off during the clamp test while approximately 50% of the adhesive remained along the length of the other vanes’ bases while the other 50% stayed with the shaft. I received the 50/50 results while performing the cut test and then peeling the vane backwards off of the shaft. While this may sound like partial success at first blush, it was not. The effort required to peel the vanes off of the shaft was minimal and the tearing force required to pull the vane from its base seemed inordinately low as if the adhesive had weakened the thermoplastic vane itself. One must bear in mind that this was the adhesive recommended by the large archery supply house to be used in combination with the AAE Max Clean.
I can not recommend Maxi-Cure for archery fletching applications.
Grade: C-
Gorilla Super Glue Impact Tough Formula (baby blue cap)…
Solvents: Comet, denatured alcohol, lacquer thinner, AAE Max Clean
This is also cyno-acrylate type glue exhibiting typical low viscosities and clarity. It was one of the adhesives suggested by my friends on the internet and I found it on the Walmart shelf (also low cost and .53 fl oz). This was one of the better adhesives I tested. It passed the clamp test with only one vane coming off; however, it just did not have the tenacity of the other successful “low cost” adhesive tested (Loctite Professional Liquid).
Reviewing my notes shows my impression of the Gorilla a consistent “B”. Considering its price, availability and strength I can recommend the Gorilla for archery fletching.
Grade: B
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At the onset of testing I had a few preconceived notions of what I would find. After collecting the data I found I was very surprised, happy and very disappointed.
“Surprise #1”: The true “winner” in all of the testing was not an adhesive but the Arizona Archery Enterprises Max Clean solvent wash. Regardless of what cyno-acrylate adhesive I used, the bond achieved never ranked below a “C”! Even the super glues that had failed using the other prep methods and solvents adhered much better when used in conjunction with the Max Clean solvent wash.
“Surprise#2”: The most expensive adhesives were not always the top performers
“Surprise #3: The adhesive recommended by the Loctite web-site while bonding quite well to the shaft, did not adhere to the plastic vanes well at all. I was able to separate the vane from the adhesive with little or no effort and then spent considerable time scraping the Stik-N-Seal off of the shaft. Labeling says it contains “amines” (epoxy family chemistry) but for all the world it appeared to be related to an RTV (room temperature vulcanizate) silicone sealant.
“Disappointment”: No matter what I did I could not achieve a decent bond using the Bohning Platinum adhesive. The vanes always popped off with little or no trouble leaving the metal shafts virtually clean.
I submitted a copy of this report to Bohning for comment prior to publication. They sent me a four paragraph reply describing different adhesive technologies and optimum conditions for their applications (i.e. water content of the air and ambient temperatures). The reply included three important statements:
“We have taken the recommendation of Platinum away from aluminum arrows since July 2012. But they still work well for carbon shafts.
We here at Bohning are working on making Platinum back to the original standards that people remember. When we come up with a solution that is possible, since our resins were discontinued from us, I’ll keep you in mind for a performance field test if you’d like.”
I can live with that. I have consummate respect for the folks at Bohning and I thank them for their honesty. I look forward to doing further testing whenever Bohning completes their reformulation.
Like I said, I had some preconceived notions about the results I would find and then proceeded to have them dashed upon the rocks. On the other hand, I made significant discoveries that will no doubt pay dividends in the future (many fewer plucked black chickens in front of my targets and much less frustration). After all the hours spent in inquiries, shopping, prepping, gluing, curing, destroying and taking notes I concluded there are some good cyno-acrylate adhesives on the market. Some are more tolerant of shaft prepping procedures than others and that fact is reflected in adhesive cost (i.e. Loctite Super Glue Ultra Gel). There are also some low cost alternatives that provide excellent results for the money (i.e. Loctite Professional and Gorilla Impact Tough Formula) I also learned there is at least one superior shaft prepping solution on the market in the AAE Max Clean.
As with anything else, your results may be different due to variations in local climate conditions, the particular fletching clamp used and other factors. The use of adhesives on carbon shafts will be left to another research project and all of the data that I collected refers only to the Easton Super Slam shafts I used in testing; however, rest assured the information gleaned from these tests will be used when fletching my other Easton Technical alloy shafts (i.e. XX-75 Platinum Plus and X-7 Eclipse).
Now perhaps I can focus more on my shooting and less on flapping, loose or missing vanes. I hope these trials provided some food for thought and more importantly save valuable time that could be better spent on the range, grilling hamburgers or taking a nap.
Konrad
In The Lab
(From just outside Historic Sedro-Woolley)
