What is your favorite glue for backings, overlays, and risers?

[kiltedcelt]

I'm getting back into making bows and in the past I used Titebond II for making linen backed bows and anything else I did that involved wood backings or bamboo, I used Smooth-On EA-40 epoxy. I like the strength of the epoxy, but the hotbox curing was always a pain in the rear. I'm going to be making some new bows with both hickory and bamboo backings and I'd kinda prefer using a glue that didn't require the hotbox cure. I see that the Urac glue is no longer sold and the replacement Unibond gets pretty mixed reviews. Any thoughts on just using Titebond III to glue bamboo and hickory backings onto non-oily, non-tropical bow woods? How about the Titebond hide glue? I know the hide glue is water soluble, but I always finish my bows with some type of oil hard oil finish often with a wax over that. I remember reading in one of the TBB books about the various glues and that the hide glues were pretty impressive in terms of holding power. Ideally I'd be able to use the same glue for the backings as well as for the tip overlays and gluing on a riser. Thoughts or suggestions?

[bubby]

tight bond 2 or 3 for lams and backers, locktite pro ca glue for overlays

[kiltedcelt]

Bubby,

How long do you let your Titebond cure before starting in on tillering? In the past when I used it for linen backings, I let it go about 24 hours or so and then I started right in on tillering. I don't think I ever used it for a wood backing though. Actually no, I take that back. I did use Titebond I or II for some hickory backing once on a R/D bow that I was working on, but when I started tillering, at some point the a limb broke clean through and the backing had failed. I bought the backing from some seller on that auction site and frankly when the stuff came I wasn't to impressed with the grain pattern, so the hickory backing might have been more to blame than the Titebond, but I honestly can't remember if I'd let it cure for 24+ hours or more. I've read of a few guys using Titebond II or III and saying you should let it stay clamped up for at least three days before starting tillering.

[bubby]

I just wait till the next day or so, humidity is fairly low here and it sets fast

[adb]

Titebond recommends letting the glue joint cure for 24hrs before stressing it. I've used nothing but TB3 for many years with zero problems. I also use an industrial strength CA glue (plus accelerator) for tip overlays.

[mikekeswick]

Titebond recommends letting the glue joint cure for 24hrs before stressing it. I've used nothing but TB3 for many years with zero problems. I also use an industrial strength CA glue (plus accelerator) for tip overlays.

+1 Titebond iii is one of the simplest and easiest to use good quality wood glues. If you aren't sure of exactly how to use ANY glue just contact the manufacturer and ask for the spec sheet. It will have every piece of information you need and directly from the manufacturer.
Resourcinol is another excellent glue.
Imo both are best cured with a hotbox.
Titebond needs perfect mating surfaces, resourcinol isn't quite so picky 

[osage outlaw]

home made hide glue for sinew backings

TB3 for snake skins

Superglue for tip overlays

[Marc St Louis]

I used to use an industrial strength CA glue for overlays until I had a couple glue failures on some recurves.  I now use TB3.  As to backings, it's TB3 most of the time

[kiltedcelt]

When you guys use Titebond III, how perfect do you try get the gluing surfaces? Also, do you go with a completely flat surface or do you try to get ridges ass with a toothing plane or other method of creating a triggeringgrooved gluing surface ?

[Blaflair2]

Tightbond likes the flattest surface possible. G
Apply glue and let sit for 5 or so minutes. It allows the wood to soak some in. Apply more before your glue together to make sure there are no starved areas. Glue and let sit for at least a day. More never hurts. I haven't done much bow making but I've done wood working for all my life. I just glued a lam bow up as an experiment. In a day it was dry. I still let it sit till I get outta work today. Like bunny said the humidity and temp makes a dofference. I think on the bottle it says 70 degrees or something

[mullet]

I use Tight Bond 3 for most glue ups, hide glue for sinew and locTite super Glue for tip over lays.

[kiltedcelt]

I've posted this question to all of the bow building forums I frequent (all three of them), and the answers seem to be almost evenly split between Unibond/Smooth-On and Titebond III. I like the idea of Titebond due to the lack of heat curing, but at the same time I can get that with Smooth-On. I'd simply forgotten that Smooth-On will cure out in 24 hours as long as the temp is above 70F which it is in my apartment. I do have a heat box that I made to be a knock down design that I can use to cook a bow within 6 hours. Titebond is certainly cheaper, but I do like the gap filling properties of Smooth-On, and I've always used it for everything on the bow - laminations, backing, handle riser block, and tip overlays. Even though I was leaning towards Titebond, I think I'm going to go with Smooth-On just because I don't know how good I'm going to be able to get my glue lines on the first few bows I make during this new run. Also, I have a supplier I can pick it up from locally without having to pay for shipping.

[Pappy]

TB3 for snake skins or rawhide backing, industrial super glue for tip over lays and hide glue for sinew backing,don't do any laminating so couldn't say but have heard TT3 is fine for that also. 
   Pappy