can I shoot my aluminum arrows with a traditional bow?

MayGoldworthy

New member
@LittleSkink thanks for the link to that page :)

archery glue can be both hot hot and cool hot melt. I have both ... usually use cool hot melt for carbon/AC shafts and hot hot for ali's
in that case, I don't know which one it is that I have, hmmmm....

A lot of overthink and over complication!...
For your first arrows...
Not my first arrows, just my first wooden ones ;)

I already have a few different sorts of "fancy fletching glue" (hence the curiocity to try fletching tape) but I agree with @English Bowman , and I usually find that Loctite superglue is much better at making feathers stick to aluminum shafts anyway

Personally I carefully apply nothing at all, and sometimes even apply a second coat of it ;)
You can write your name on with a ball point before applying anything.
Del
LOL :D
 

dvd8n

Supporter
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AIUK Saviour
I dont know if archery glue is low melt, all I know is its much cheaper to buy the craft stuff and I have the correect gun for it already, sorry
Bohning do two versions of hot melt, normal brown which I use for alis and blue cool melt that I use for carbons.

The blue is much lower than 130 degrees; you can in fact melt it with a mug of hot water which is useful if you need to adjust something or reseat a point.

The blue is not as strong as the brown but not so much as to cause an issue; I've only had problems when I've had to extract an arrow from a tree and even then it's only been two or three times that I've left a point behind (compared to never with the brown).

Some people claim problems with the cool melt weakening due to friction heating; all that I can say is that I've never had that problem.
 

MayGoldworthy

New member
Bohning do two versions of hot melt, normal brown which I use for alis and blue cool melt that I use for carbons.

The blue is much lower than 130 degrees; you can in fact melt it with a mug of hot water which is useful if you need to adjust something or reseat a point.

The blue is not as strong as the brown but not so much as to cause an issue; I've only had problems when I've had to extract an arrow from a tree and even then it's only been two or three times that I've left a point behind (compared to never with the brown).

Some people claim problems with the cool melt weakening due to friction heating; all that I can say is that I've never had that problem.
I don't think I've ever seen the blue, mine is the brown now I've looked up the difference

I guess that would be OK for gluing the taper points I was thinking of getting
 

Rabid Hamster

Well-known member
Ironman
Some people claim problems with the cool melt weakening due to friction heating; all that I can say is that I've never had that problem.
just the opposite I believe! ;)
dont know if folks knew/know/remember this but a few years ago there were no egertec bosses to be had in the uk due to a bad straw harvest. Imports came in from europe (italy I think) which were riddled with resin to bind the straw together. when a compound shot arrow hit the boss the friction melted the resin .... then it rehardened. This resulted in compound archers being unable to get their arrows out the boss as they were now glued to it!!! :D
 

MayGoldworthy

New member
what size fletching's do you use for wooden arrows? because I'm guessing that they would need to be bigger that what I would choose for aluminium arrows
 

dvd8n

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I don't think I've ever seen the blue, mine is the brown now I've looked up the difference

I guess that would be OK for gluing the taper points I was thinking of getting
Note that I am not advocating its use for wooden arrows; it's just that the question came up about hot melt. It may be great on woodies; it may be rubbish. My experience of wooden arrows is limited and I'd absolutely defer to the guys here with more experience of them than me.
 

4d4m

Active member
On woodies I've had good results with regular hotmelt glue, with brass and steel taper points. I just make sure to degrease the inside of the points as well as roughen the surface of the taper (40 grit sandpaper or gouging with a knife point) so the glue has enough to key on.

I gently warm both the stick and the point over a mini blowtorch and apply enough glue to cover the taper surface. Then heat the point in pliers and push it on with a twist to spread the glue, pressing the point hard down against a block of wood. Hold it with plenty of pressure for a few seconds to cool a little then stand the arrow up point down in a wood block with holes drilled in it. I also wipe off the excess that squeezes out round the edge with a rag while it's still soft.

For feathers I've just used 3 or 4" shield feathers from Gateway or whichever brand Aardvark have, held on with fletch tape. Very rare for one to come off. Don't usually bother whipping the ends but I usually add a blob of some glue to them so grass can't slide down between feather and shaft.
 

MayGoldworthy

New member
@4d4m Thanks a lot for that :)

What about point weights? I started ordering stuff last night and didn't realise the points come in different weights, is there a way to work out what you need?
 

dvd8n

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@4d4m Thanks a lot for that :)

What about point weights? I started ordering stuff last night and didn't realise the points come in different weights, is there a way to work out what you need?
Oooooh, can of worms.


but that's probably more info than you need at the moment o_O

I usually reckon that 100gn is a good starting point but I'm sure that others will offer other opinions 😁
 
D

Deleted member 7654

Guest
IMO 100gn is a good point weight... going lighter doesn't do much as most of the weight is in the shaft... going heavier, just slows the arrow with no real benefit.
Del
 
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