Home › Forums › Bows and Equipment › Fletching painted carbon shafts

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    • Mhuddle
        March 22, 2014 at 5:24 pm
        Post count: 8
        #7228

        New to trad archery. I crowned my carbon arrows with rustoleum lacquer spray paint. Let dry 24 hours. Fletched with duco cement. The glue destroyed the paint. Any advice?

        Dry longer?

        Different glue?

        Put a clear finish over the paint?

        Just trying to minimize waste of materials and time.

        I have to say this is my first post. I bought my recurve (Martin mamba 55lb)2 years ago and shredded the tendons in my elbow in the first week after shooting a million arrows. Obviously I was a little too excited and also forgot I’m not a kid anymore! Anyways, it took a year to fully recover. Now I’m preparing for an elk hunt this fall with my curve. I making wood and carbon arrows. Experimenting with all kinds of setups to find what works best for me. I tried searching for previous posts but couldn’t find the answer to the question above. Thank you for any help.

      • wahoo
        Member
          March 22, 2014 at 7:08 pm
          Post count: 420
          #59631

          I bought wraps and I use gorilla glue blue cap no problems – never painted. good luck

        • James Harvey
          Member
            March 22, 2014 at 8:13 pm
            Post count: 1130
            #59692

            I’ve used wraps on carbon arrows. They’re cheap and easy and the glue I use works fine on them. You’re probably right about using a lacquer coat to protect the paint from the glue as well.

            Welcome to tradbow 😀

          • Mhuddle
              March 22, 2014 at 9:32 pm
              Post count: 8
              #59751

              My first set of arrows were done with wraps, and you’re right, it is easier. Not sure why I always want to make things more difficult. I guess I just like the idea of making my own patterns. Cresting is next on the list, but one thing at a time:D. Attached is the shaft I messed up and repainted this morning. Just need to figure out how to fletch it.

              I guess my picture exceeded the capacity for the site. Not sure how to fix that.

            • Bruce Smithhammer
                March 22, 2014 at 10:49 pm
                Post count: 2514
                #59823

                Fletching tape, and a little dab of Goat Tuff (or Gold Tip glue) at either end of the feather should work just fine.

              • archer38
                  March 23, 2014 at 4:48 pm
                  Post count: 242
                  #60665

                  I’ve done the same thing in the past. Sprayed my arrows and crested them and fletched them only to find the glue melted the paint ! I used automotive lacquer to solve it. 3 or 4 thin spray coats of lacquer and the glue worked fine !!

                • Bernie Clancey
                  Member
                    March 23, 2014 at 8:15 pm
                    Post count: 82
                    #60894

                    I used duco successfully over lacquer by dipping with a final coat of spar varnish. Not sure spar varnish is the same today as it was then, but that worked for me. Used to use a few different paints and found the duco would stick to the spar varnish over top of the paint. Might be worth a try.

                  • Mhuddle
                      March 27, 2014 at 12:19 am
                      Post count: 8
                      #7834

                      Thanks for the info. I will probably just use tape for my current set of arrows and try some other paint/finish options for the next batch.

                    • Fallguy
                      Member
                        March 28, 2014 at 1:20 am
                        Post count: 318
                        #9086

                        I went to wraps also, my problem was the paint would not stay on the shaft. I tried model paints they worked better but were very spendy so I went with wraps.

                      • Stephen Graf
                        Moderator
                          March 30, 2014 at 11:50 am
                          Post count: 2429
                          #11793

                          I like the white rustolium lacquer for painting the back 7 inches of the arrow. I usually just use 1 or 2 coats, and it goes on nice and smooth. Much much cheaper than wraps (and doesn’t add the unwanted tail weight for you UFOC types). It’s good to rough up the shafts with some steel wool first.

                          I’ve used tape and fletch-tite glue. Both worked fine. I have to add, Tape sure is easy.

                        • Jason Wesbrock
                          Member
                            March 30, 2014 at 12:20 pm
                            Post count: 762
                            #11828

                            Rustoleum and Loctite Super Glue Gel is all I’ve used on my hunting arrows for the last 15 years or so. You should be able to find the glue for about $3.00 at any big box store. It comes in a blue package.

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