Who uses hot melt

paxamus

WKR
Joined
Nov 16, 2017
Messages
327
Location
Alabama
Hey guys,
I am so tired of bending inserts and having my arrows ruined. Does anyone use hot melt or cool melt so that they can replace their inserts? If so do you lose field points or inserts when using it in rhineheart targets or closed foam targets? I really spend time on my arrows and am meticulous, but this “one mistake and the arrow is ruined” thing is getting old and expensive ! Which ones do y’all recommend?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

D.Rose

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Mar 21, 2020
Messages
225
Bohning cool flex hot melt is what I use and it works great. I have also used regular hot melt but you need to be careful you don't get it to hot or it will warp your carbon. Never had any issues losing inserts with the cool melt.
 

5MilesBack

"DADDY"
Joined
Feb 27, 2012
Messages
15,528
Location
Colorado Springs
I don't trust it or the cool melts, I've lost inserts with points or BH's on them in targets. I've never had that problem with good long cure 2-part epoxy. But I've also never had a problem bending inserts, mostly use HIT's. Outserts or halfouts on the other hand......ya, they bend. I definitely wouldn't trust hotmelt with those and all the extra lateral force on them. The only time I've had hotmelt work is in aluminum.
 

D.Rose

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Mar 21, 2020
Messages
225
One thing with regular hot melt is if you don't heat it long enough for it to quit bubbling it will not hold. Make sure to melt all the bubbles out of it.
 
Joined
Jun 21, 2019
Messages
2,231
Location
Missouri
I build all my arrows with Bohning Cool Flex. I've had two inserts pull out (in a particularly tight/dense target) over thousands of shots.
 

xcutter

WKR
Joined
Aug 22, 2014
Messages
1,398
Location
Connersville, IN
I've had really good luck with this hot melt from Lancaster. Been using it for a long time.

 
Joined
Oct 17, 2019
Messages
328
Location
Wisconsin
I have used hot melt with no issues and recently started using the blue cool flex and no issues to report yet.
 
OP
P

paxamus

WKR
Joined
Nov 16, 2017
Messages
327
Location
Alabama
Thanks guys! I love to shoot at longer distances and as y’all know a little hiccup in form and your arrow goes awry very quickly. I’ve been using the Easton epoxy and when I miss with a heavy arrow, I’m bending Day Six and Ethics inserts/ outserts. I just wanted to try something that I could heat and remove the insert and try another one


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

buggz

FNG
Joined
Nov 25, 2020
Messages
99
Location
Georgia
I have been using the regular hot melt from Bohning, Ferr-L-Tite.
May try the Bohning Cool Flex...

I have been using a butane torch for my arrow duties.
However, I am thinking a heat gun with adjustable heat setting and digital readout would
be the more safe solution for the arrow, and for not having an open flame?
 

4ester

WKR
Joined
Nov 2, 2014
Messages
911
Location
Steep and Deep
Tried Cool Melt. Lost inserts on the very first shooting session.

Switched back to GT Tip Grip. No problem since.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Joined
Sep 9, 2012
Messages
1,979
Location
BC
Bohning Ferr-L-Tite Hotmelt glue for me for a four decades. Heat the glue up on the stick with a propane torch set as low as it will sustain a flame. Spin the carbon shaft in the glue, then quickly insert into the outsert (Firenock for me). Then gently heat the outsert that has a field point screwed in. Rotate the shaft several turns. Check shaft wobble and get the spin perfect...you can do this like a top on the workbench or put the arrow on a spinner. I use the spinning top method. Then set aside standing nearly vertical. After it cools I use my finger/thumb nail to remove the bead of excess Hotmelt at the outsert/shaft junction.

I've lost a couple outserts in the 6 or 7 years I've been shooting Injexions with Firenock outserts. I save components if a critter breaks a shaft. Lightly heat the outsert until you can pull it off the shaft. I like to put a field point in the outsert to grab onto with the vise or pliers.
 
Joined
Jul 11, 2017
Messages
531
I’ve lost inserts with the cool melt. I’m about to try the craft style hot melt.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Joined
Jun 21, 2019
Messages
2,231
Location
Missouri
I have been using a butane torch for my arrow duties.
However, I am thinking a heat gun with adjustable heat setting and digital readout would
be the more safe solution for the arrow, and for not having an open flame?
Depending on the max temperature of the heat gun, it probably would be safer than a torch. But as long as you're applying the flame to the insert or glue stick (not the arrow shaft), there's little risk of damaging the arrow. I've installed somewhere in the low hundreds of inserts with hot melt and a propane torch with no issues.
 

NXTZ

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Apr 15, 2020
Messages
101
I played with hot melt on the brass hits in Easton axis. They seemed to hold well, BUT I have noticed that when those arrows failed, it was always at the insert. Hearing some other guys speak to the durability of the axis hit system makes me wonder if the heat from the process was weakening the carbon. Went back to the Easton epoxy so I wouldn’t have to worry about it
 

mrgreen

WKR
Joined
Jul 23, 2013
Messages
421
After losing heads in block targets from hot melt I switched to AAE Max Impact. It holds great and I can remove with heat if I need to.

I put together a tool to heat and remove inserts (Iron Will in my case). I had one of these laying around, lucky that it's threaded 8-32 just like standard inserts.
wood-burning-kit-600x450-S.jpg
 
Last edited:

MattB

WKR
Joined
Sep 29, 2012
Messages
5,412
Low temp hot melt is all I have used for years and I have had very few inserts pull out. As indicated above, if toy are losing inserts you are either using the wrong glue or are prepping/cleaning the interior of the shaft inadequately.
 

Alpineelk

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Dec 11, 2018
Messages
121
Hot glue sticks in a hot glue gun as hot as it will get it had a few issues when I first started but onced I kinda learned how to do it haven't had a problem since.
 

strut22

FNG
Joined
Oct 12, 2018
Messages
11
Location
wisconsin
Been using hot melt for quite some time. Works great unless I have a very solid impact which usually jars it loose. Easy to fix just heat and reglue
 
Top