# Wooden Arrow Glue ?



## WindWalker (Jan 23, 2005)

Oh, do I remember those days! Oh, was I recently reminded of those days when for the first time in almost 40 years I was shooting in a new set of "woodies" mounted with BHs. Lost 1 in the target, found 3 more that were loose before I fired them.

I hated hot melt back then, I hate it now. I had many irons in the fire so I had trad shop setup my woods. It was too late by the time I remembered to call and ask that hot melt not be used.

All that crap glue would do is to be squeegeed to the front part of the broadhead ferrule, which at times made it difficult to fully seat the shaft in the ferrule. The stuff would be pushed out of the slots on some BHs with bleeder blades.

We tried everything. Drilling small holes in the ferrule, tapping the ferrules with punches, etc.

In the end, I, as did many others, ended up using Bohning fletch glue. The fletch glue did not guarantee the head would not come off in a target, but the incidents of it happening were far fewer. We would wipe the shaft taper with a layer of the fletch glue, let it sit for a few seconds, and then insert the shaft into the broadhead ferrule. We also had more time to adjust/index the head.

With today's products, there has to be something far better than hot melt, and better than the fletch glue.

I use an anaerobic (doesn't need air to cure) Loctite for my screw-ons. This is what I am looking at for my woods. It is a wood to metal adhesive and also anaerobic.

http://www.usaknifemaker.com/store/depend-330-kit-by-loctite-includes-activator-p-558.html


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## BowmanJay (Jan 1, 2007)

Hotmelt is one of the best you can use for points. The problem is most shops dont take the time to clean the points of the oil that they are shipped in. No glue will stick if the points are cleaned properly. I only use hot melt and I build around 80-100 dozen arrows a year with very few points ever comming off.


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## MathewsDXTG5 (May 11, 2009)

Awww Heck I guess ill have to weld them !LOL! Man am I glad I didn't shoot the rest of them I grabbed the other arrows and the BHs pulled right off so darn easily makes me sick !!!


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## WindWalker (Jan 23, 2005)

Bowman makes good points, nevertheless (I) hate hot melt.....


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## longbowdave1 (Feb 22, 2007)

i practice year round with cedars and broadheads that are glued on with ferrule tight. i have vever had one pull out. some times people fail to read the directions and blame the product.

i clean the broadheads with 90% alcohol and a cue tip , heat the glue stick and dab a small amount on the taper of the cedar arrow. heat the broadhead over a flame and push on the shaft with a pair of pliers using a twisting motion. the cool the tip under running water. zero failures.

i have shot the same three practice arrows for a year until the finish was completely off the shafts and the bh's were extremely dull, but the bh's stayed put.


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## Eldermike (Mar 24, 2009)

If you preheat the head enough to melt the hot glue it will never come off. If you put hotmelt into a cold head and then jam it on the stick it's not only going to come off it's crooked to begin with.

I use a fireplace lighter and heat the head until the hotmelt flows on it. Then put some hotmelt on the wood and rotate the head on it until the excess flows out the end. I have pulled them out of trees, fences and some other stuff I can't mention here (the wife unit might read this). 

If done right hotmelt will not let go.


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## rattus58 (Jul 9, 2007)

I use hotmelt glue for my wood arrows and have lost a head now and then in the foam targets. In my targets they don't pull out (homemade). If you are really wanting to keep your head on.... use real glue...  Epoxy.

Aloha...  :beer:


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## Flying Dutchman (Aug 7, 2008)

I am with Rattus. I used about everthing and points kept coming off. Hot melt especially came way to easy off. However, since I use an epoxy, NO point ever came off. Don't forget to remove the oil of the broadhead, especially the inside (90% alcohol). 
This is the one I use, it has to dry for 24 hours: http://www.3riversarchery.com/Glue+Adhesives+Point++AAE+2-Part+Epoxy_c59_s64_p0_i8139_product.html


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## Hawksnest88 (Dec 12, 2005)

I only use Bohning hot melt for many years. I shoot almost all wood for 3-D, which will pull off points quickly if not done right. I drop all the points (100 or 2 at a time, in a plastic cup with denatured alcohol in it. Let them soak for 30 minutes stirring some to remove the oil used in manufacturing. Pour off the alcohol back into the can, and spread out the points on paper towels to dry. If you are in a hurry, put them in a glass or metal pie pan and put in the oven at 200* to dry. I use a butane torch and put glue on the tapered wood point, then slide the point on a little. Then put the point in the flame to soften the glue, grab it with pliars twist the shaft around and push until the excess glue comes out, when just about set, plunge it into a glass (2" is enough) of cold water to set it, and lay aside. I then take an exacto knife and run around the back of the point to remove the excess glue, using care not to score the wood, but press into the back of the metal point. My points don't come off and I shoot some at clubs that use compressed celotex for backstops. I use an arrow lube at those clubs. YMMV Bill G.


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## MathewsDXTG5 (May 11, 2009)

Thanks for the info ! Well I used Epoxy and I cleaned the hell outta them and they seem to be held up good now I don't think the guy put enough hot melt he used ferl tite or something he put the points on so fast aint no way he cleaned them good


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## Eldermike (Mar 24, 2009)

Hawksnest88 said:


> I only use Bohning hot melt for many years. I shoot almost all wood for 3-D, which will pull off points quickly if not done right. I drop all the points (100 or 2 at a time, in a plastic cup with denatured alcohol in it. Let them soak for 30 minutes stirring some to remove the oil used in manufacturing. Pour off the alcohol back into the can, and spread out the points on paper towels to dry. If you are in a hurry, put them in a glass or metal pie pan and put in the oven at 200* to dry. I use a butane torch and put glue on the tapered wood point, then slide the point on a little. Then put the point in the flame to soften the glue, grab it with pliars twist the shaft around and push until the excess glue comes out, when just about set, plunge it into a glass (2" is enough) of cold water to set it, and lay aside. I then take an exacto knife and run around the back of the point to remove the excess glue, using care not to score the wood, but press into the back of the metal point. My points don't come off and I shoot some at clubs that use compressed celotex for backstops. I use an arrow lube at those clubs. YMMV Bill G.



Yep, this is the right way. If you heat the head and spin in on it's not coming off.

I set my bench vise up to quickly tighten on the heated head and then spin the arrow until it's fully seated. I use my fingers to pull off the still soft excess from the point. Leave it clamped until it will not move.

Hotmelt has low compression strength, if you don't get the point seated it only takes a few shots to compress the glue and cause a failure.
If you use the above method you will have metal to wood contact and that's the trick to making this work.


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## polkcavediver (Apr 8, 2007)

One other tip is to take a dremel tool and scratch up the insides of the tips. This helps the glue grab better to the wood. When I shoot my wood arrows, I always twist them clockwise when pulling out of targets, especially 3-D foam targets.


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## crazycrow (Dec 8, 2008)

I used gorilla glue for my glue-on broad heads.


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## I'm Not Ted (Feb 12, 2009)

I used Kimsha Quick hot melt for my arrows, has a nice piney scent to it, but anyway, just for the halibut, I actually took one of my newly mounted heads and tried to pull it off. I am a fairly strong person, but I feel that one would need two cars to pull them apart.


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## rattus58 (Jul 9, 2007)

I'm Not Ted said:


> I used Kimsha Quick hot melt for my arrows, has a nice piney scent to it, but anyway, just for the halibut, I actually took one of my newly mounted heads and tried to pull it off. I am a fairly strong person, but I feel that one would need two cars to pull them apart.


The nice thing about the hotmelt for a broadhead, is that when shooting to kill something it doesn't matter as long as long as you can push it through the animal. The real problem with hotmelt is in targets and .... ahem.... the occasional tree... they might find their way into.... 

Aloha...  :beer:


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## I'm Not Ted (Feb 12, 2009)

Trees? But I never miss.


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## rattus58 (Jul 9, 2007)

I'm Not Ted said:


> Trees? But I never miss.


That was my problem too..... 

 

Aloha...  :beer:


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## Eldermike (Mar 24, 2009)

If you use hotmelt and happen to stick a broadhead in a tree (or a 4X4), take a lighter and heat the head and pull the arrow from the head. Now you can dig the head out without breaking the arrow. I mean I have heard that this works, I never miss, myself:mg:


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