ditching blazers

[nchunterkw]

Seems like everyone has covered all the issues with getting Blazers to adhere.

BUT>>>>

if you want to shoot feathers (that's what I do), rather than making your own you can buy either Gateway Rayzr feathers or TrueFlight 2" feathers. Both work great and control fixed blades heads fine for me. If you contact Trueflight, they will send you some samples to try for free (at least they did last year). I like them better as they seem much more consistent than that Gateway's are.
I use a glue made by Gateway for feathers and have no troubles.

[sipsey]

If you were using regular alcohol vs denatured alcohol, then I suspect that was part of your issue. Regular alcohol contains an oily substance that will cause adhesion issues.

[Boo]

If you were using regular alcohol vs denatured alcohol, then I suspect that was part of your issue. Regular alcohol contains an oily substance that will cause adhesion issues.

Alcohol has varying amounts of water in it as well. The more it has, the longer the shaft has to sit after cleaning. When you're using acetone, you have to leave the shafts before fletching to allow the acetone to flash off. Acetone present in the pores of the shaft will grossly degrade the glue.

[gerald strine]

If you were using regular alcohol vs denatured alcohol, then I suspect that was part of your issue. Regular alcohol contains an oily substance that will cause adhesion issues.

Alcohol has varying amounts of water in it as well. The more it has, the longer the shaft has to sit after cleaning. When you're using acetone, you have to leave the shafts before fletching to allow the acetone to flash off. Acetone present in the pores of the shaft will grossly degrade the glue.

Boo when you say flash off do you mean just giving it enough drying time before fletching or something else ?

[newbie]

Exactly. if you dont smell it you are good. i clean all mine one day do the work the next as a precaution. Don't even have open bottle around when trying to glue.

[nchunterkw]

I think really what may be happening is two-fold.

1) Isopropyl alcohol drives out water. Cyanoacrylate glue (CA) needs a little bit of water vapor to work properly.
See this link (http://www.ipmsstockholm.org/magazine/2 ... a_glue.htm)

2) A very thin bond line is required, so if you were putting on a whole bead that was WAY too much.

I'm not sure if acetone drives off the water vapor or not, but it is a solvent for CA type glues so be careful if you use it.

CA glues also have a pretty short shelf life once opened. Like 1 month.

[Boo]

Keith, alcohol does not drive moisture out. It is hygroscopic, which is why it is used as a gas line antifreeze. All alcohol readily available to the public has water in it. 99.9% is easily had and I guess you could say it has no significant water but most alcohols have much more water. Alcohol evaporates much faster than water, leaving water behind.
If too much water exists in the shaft, I'm betting the glue cures before it gets a chance to penetrate the shaft.
I've had my share of screw ups and have discovered a few things.
Don't touch anything you want to bond, skin oils will prevent bonding.
Acetone works better than 99.9% alcohol.
If you want your Cyanoacrylate glue to last longer, put it in a bottle with some desiccant or in a freezer to deny the glue water molecules.
Instant glues are not instant. I no longer use an arrow that I built that same day.
If you want to accelerate Cyanoacrylate cure, put a damp rag in the bottom of a bucket and drop your arrow in it.
Primers work well and increase bond strength.
Blazers need nothing on the base to prep because they are primed at the factory.
Any glue surface (inside of shaft, out side of shaft and inserts) have to be cleaned with acetone for the best bond.

[newbie]

humidity will prevent good bond too. Ive done some arrows when the humidity was in the 80s and knew before i fletched my second arrow they wouldnt stick. I could almost see a skin forming on the glue before i could get the jig closed.

[Bullzeye]

Some issues could also be if your using old glue. A while ago I asked Gorilla glue about the shelf life of their glue, and here was the response.

"The shelf life of Gorilla Super Glue is 1+ years for a bottle that has been opened and 2+ years if unopened. I have an opened bottle that is still working fine after 2 years.

Storing Super Glue in a moisture prone area such as a refrigerator or freezer is not a good idea. A cool dry place is our recommendation."