Author Topic: Glue for a BBO..?  (Read 8779 times)

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Offline PaulN/KS

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Glue for a BBO..?
« on: February 09, 2016, 11:15:26 pm »
OK, trying something different, for me, with some bamboo and a nice clean slat of quarter sawn osage. It's a narrow strip of bamboo and the slat is about 3/8 thick but there is a nice light long bow just waiting to be built from this material.
What is the best, and readily available, glue for putting this together these days? I'm thinking a slow set epoxy would work but I've been wrong before.  ???
Any and all tips or advice will be greatly appreciated.

Offline bubby

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Re: Glue for a BBO..?
« Reply #1 on: February 10, 2016, 01:29:01 am »
I've tried several and smooth on is the best, period
failure is an option, everyone fails, it's how you handle it that matters.
The few the proud the 27🏹

Offline GB

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Re: Glue for a BBO..?
« Reply #2 on: February 10, 2016, 01:52:50 am »
Smooth On is great.  So is Unibond.
Yeah, I remember when we had a President who didn't wear a tinfoil hat.

Offline Aaron H

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Re: Glue for a BBO..?
« Reply #3 on: February 10, 2016, 06:47:03 am »
I have used unibond with great results, but I hear smooth on is very high quality glue as well.

Offline Badger

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Re: Glue for a BBO..?
« Reply #4 on: February 10, 2016, 07:54:59 am »
  Smooth on will give you a lot of working time which is always good. I never tried unibond but plan to give it a try. I still use mostly tightbond but I agree the epoxies are better.

Offline Onebowonder

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Re: Glue for a BBO..?
« Reply #5 on: February 10, 2016, 09:41:18 am »
I've been very happy with UniBond, ...but have also had good results with Titebond 2 and 3.  I've yet to try SmoothOn, but would like to.

OneBow

Offline PaulN/KS

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Re: Glue for a BBO..?
« Reply #6 on: February 10, 2016, 11:45:56 am »
Thanks for the input . I'd forgotten about TB3 being good for this sort of job. I might give that a try since it's just for this project and I can get a fresh bottle when I go to town.
The Uni-bond and Smooth-on look good but the left overs will likely go to waste since I'm not usually a glue up kinda guy.

Offline Onebowonder

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Re: Glue for a BBO..?
« Reply #7 on: February 10, 2016, 11:54:19 am »
<snip>
The Uni-bond and Smooth-on look good but the left overs will likely go to waste since I'm not usually a glue up kinda guy.

I stick my can of leftover UniBond in the Freezer.  It'll keep in there indefinitely.

OneBow

Offline PaulN/KS

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Re: Glue for a BBO..?
« Reply #8 on: February 10, 2016, 12:04:34 pm »
^^
Good tip Eric, thanks.

Offline PEARL DRUMS

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Re: Glue for a BBO..?
« Reply #9 on: February 10, 2016, 12:21:58 pm »
If you use TB3? You better move damn fast and have everything set up and ready to go. You will have no more than 15 minutes to get it all clamped. 
Only when the last tree has died and the last river has been poisoned and the last fish has been caught will we realize we cannot eat money.

Offline PatM

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Re: Glue for a BBO..?
« Reply #10 on: February 10, 2016, 01:16:41 pm »
There is quite a few more user friendly bow suitable epoxies than smooth on. They don't require  a hot box to maximise the glue characteristics.

Offline PaulN/KS

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Re: Glue for a BBO..?
« Reply #11 on: February 10, 2016, 01:25:22 pm »
There is quite a few more user friendly bow suitable epoxies than smooth on. They don't require  a hot box to maximise the glue characteristics.

You have my attention... How about the regular 2 ton Devcon type.
 I've used it for years on knives and it's held up just fine but wasn't sure if it would work for this sort of application.

Offline Badger

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Re: Glue for a BBO..?
« Reply #12 on: February 10, 2016, 01:26:12 pm »
If you use TB3? You better move damn fast and have everything set up and ready to go. You will have no more than 15 minutes to get it all clamped.

  If I have a difficult glue up I try to do it early in the morning when it is cool and damp or late in the evening. On a warm day I doubt you have 10 safe minutes.

Offline DC

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Re: Glue for a BBO..?
« Reply #13 on: February 10, 2016, 01:39:16 pm »
I use West Systems 105 resin and 205(fast) hardener. I get hours of working time and it cures overnight in a 60 degree shop. No shelf life problems. The stuff I'm using now is 3 or 4 years old. If the resin gets too cold it goes grainy like honey. Put it in a pot of warm water and it clears right up(like honey)

Offline PatM

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Re: Glue for a BBO..?
« Reply #14 on: February 10, 2016, 02:12:06 pm »
There is quite a few more user friendly bow suitable epoxies than smooth on. They don't require  a hot box to maximise the glue characteristics.

You have my attention... How about the regular 2 ton Devcon type.
 I've used it for years on knives and it's held up just fine but wasn't sure if it would work for this sort of application.
  No, I haven't heard much good about it in a flexing application.
 West G-flex, System Three T-88, G-2 and Gel Magic are all great epoxies.
  G-2 and Gel Magic also resist high temperature  (160-170) after curing.   That's hot car safe. ;)