Video - Trilam Glue-up using bicycle tire inner tubes

[Cameroo]

I glued up a trilam a couple days ago and figured I might as well record the process to share in the hopes that it may help out some beginners.  This is by no means a definitive "how-to" video, it's just how I do it, and it seems to work well for me, producing barely visible glue joints.  If anyone has any suggestions for improvements I'm all ears.

A good chunk of the video is played back at 8x speed just to make it shorter.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0a3nhYpq6cY

[seabass]

great video.very informative.i am getting ready to do a epe bamboo.this helped me with some unanswered questions.thank you.

[bow101]

Looks good, thanks for posting the Vid. I'm lazy, think I would go with the metal spring clamps. Just quicker less fuss, but it is a cost.

[Cameroo]

Thanks seebass.  If you need any other info I'll do my best to help out.

Bow101 - It's really not normally as much of a fuss as what it looked like in this video, but then again I'm usually out in the garage, I have it clamped down in a vice so it's not all shifty, and I don't have to worry about getting glue all over the new laminate   But you're right, if you are doing a lot of these (which I don't really) it would probably be worth investing in the clamps.  I would think they would get all gummed up with glue before long though.

[seabass]

you will get a more consistant glue up with the inner tubes.it will be spotty unless you have alot of clamps.tubes is the way to go.

[toomanyknots]

Whats up with the brush!  You know you can't get the best glue up without soaking your hands / arms / entire body in glue, gettin it all over your clothes, in your eyes, in your month, on the cats, on your car, etc....    Naw, but very very cool video, thanks for doing this!

[soy]

Thanks im going to use a different kind of glue...cascophen or some such thing would i use the same technique, or would i condition the sufface with a hacksaw blade...also plan on doing a 2lam,eather epe +boo or hickory +epe. Also planing on doing a perry is 1/2"enough i was considering 3-4" is that to much??? Thanks again for the vid.

[nativenoobowyer86]

Great vid Cameroo!  I raided the local bike shop for free tubes and havent stopped using this technique since i asked you about your prime rawhide backing job a while back

[Cameroo]

Toomany - I had a pretty thick layer of gluey paper towel on my fingers by the time I was done, not to mention what was all mopped up with my socks

Thanks im going to use a different kind of glue...cascophen or some such thing would i use the same technique, or would i condition the sufface with a hacksaw blade...also plan on doing a 2lam,eather epe +boo or hickory +epe. Also planing on doing a perry is 1/2"enough i was considering 3-4" is that to much??? Thanks again for the vid.

I don't know anything about that particular glue so I can't comment on that.  I've been using TB3 exclusively and have never had a problem with it, so I just stick with what I know

As for the question about the amount of reflex, I guess it depends on what you are after. I just wanted a little so that the bow ended up flat after tillering.  If you want to put in 3 inches, I would recommend putting a clamp in the middle, and maybe one more on each limb at about the mid-limb point to make sure it's bending the way you want it to.  They way I did it, most of the reflex was right by the handle (which isn't necessarily a bad thing, just not what I expected).

Also, you will lose a small amount of the reflex as soon as the clamp(s) come off.

nativenoobowyer86 - Ya, this is a really good way to glue up a rawhide backing as well, you just need a same-sized board to sandwich on top before wrapping it up. And it's always a good idea to separate the layers that you don't want to stick with waxed paper ( or you could rub wax all over the board).

I have also wrapped a couple 2-lamination bows up at the same time using this method.  As long as you don't doddle with the glue up it's easy to get it done before everything starts to tac up.

[bubby]

that's pretty much how i do it, but i wrap the bow in stretch wrap or plastic cling wrap so the tubes dont stick, and i almost overlap the tube wrap, i've heard that the glue has to breath but i've never had it not dry, Bub