Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Around the Campfire => Topic started by: Tanis on January 08, 2011, 12:52:13 am
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A friend of mine gave me this bow after his dad passed away because he knew I wanted to get into bows. I'm a true beginner, I have a lesson on shooting on Monday.
This bow is made out of fiberglass and is splintering in one spot. I took it to the local Archery shop and they said I could use a flexible fiberglass resin of some sort just to
keep it from splintering any more.
He did not tell me what kind or where to get it. Just wondering if anyone knows what I can use on this and how to go about fixing it?
I attached some pictures but they are pretty hard to see due to the color of the bow and the lighting.
Thank you!
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Hi Tanis, Most of the folks on this site are really into wooden bows. Fiberglass is not quite a swear word here, but some will claim it is. So folks here just don't have a lot of experience with making or repairing fiberglass bows. Your bow has a history and I'd like to help, but I'm one of those with no experience making fiberglass bows. You might do better asking the same question on another forum.
I do now there are a couple of brands of 2 part epoxy resin, sold for making bows. At least one of them requires a hot box to cure properly and wouldn't be appropriate. I would think that a two part epoxy that cured at room temp should work to cover and smooth small nicks.
Ron
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Bows like yours have little value and aren't worth the efort to repair, just an honest opinon.
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It is hard to see from those pictures, but I believe that bow is solid fiberglass. What you do depends on if you care about how the repair looks. The splintered area could be wrapped with a decorative thread that is glued down, similar to what we do with wood bows that raise a splinter. You could also use epoxy and a thin strip of fiberglass cloth to cover the area though it would probably affect the bow's tiller and not look very good.
Having said that, bows like this sell on Ebay for $10-$20 so it is likely easier to replace it unless it has sentimental value. If it were mine, I'd buy the slowest drying epoxy I could find and paint the effected area with it. Put it over a light to add some heat as it dries. Give it at least 24 hours before drawing it.
George
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For people that don't have a bow and can't afford a bow it is well worth fixing. Take a tube of LocTite Super glue and soak down the splinter and then clamp it. It will hold for quite awhile.
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Looks like my first bow. (Except mine wasn't splintered) Got it at a yard sale. Shot my 1st archery deer with it when I was 16. I don't know where it is today. I would think that what Mullet said would work. Worth a try. Good luck ! ' Frank
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I found some fiberglass cloth on line and if it was me, I would make a patch with some of that along with some epoxy. If you want to try that, send me your mailing address and I will send you a strip. You can use the epoxy you get at Home Depot or Walmart.
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Thank you all for the info! ;D
I know this forum is more of the "wood" bow group, and i appreciate the info and trying to help out.
This bow does have sentimental value to me and it is my first bow. So I will end up fixing it and shooting
it a bit.
I do want to get into the wood bows and eventually try making my own. So I knew coming here to this forum
i'd get some help.
Thank you all again and i'll try and get this bow going!!
Tanis
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My first bow was a green fiberglass cast off from my older brother. I'd give choice from my bow rack of handmade custom bows for that piece of f/g crap even though I am one of those on here that considers the "F" word to have three syllables.
Tanis, I understand and honor your choice to conserve that bow, it's part of who you were growing up and it's worth the effort.
Having said that, hang it up on the wall and get yer butt back in here for some lessons on building your first all wood bow!!! Trust me, you will find a new love and and addiction similar to crack without the legal repercussions.
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I agree with JW. I would leave the bow as is and not shoot it. Just put it up on the wall to look at and remember. To me if you try to fix it you are in effect changing the bow and its history. I would preserve it as is. :) But that is my opinion.
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I know my opinion seems harsh but the bow is around 50 years old with deteriorated fiberglass, not worth risking a failure at full draw with. Think fiberglass splinters in your eyes and reconsider putting it into use.
I still have my first solid fiberglass bow from the 50s, a Paul Bunyan 35 pounder. the fiberglass has cracked and deteriorated on it as well. When I found it in my mothers house about 15 ears ago I made a string for it, strung it, took a couple shots, thought of what poor condition it was in and put it back in the closet.
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Bows 50 years ago were made with woven glass. They won't explode, just splinter. You can fix it very easy and simply with super glue.
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believe it or not, my first bow was a solid aluminum recurve -
Good luck fixing the bow and making bows in the future
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Hey Tanis what draw weight is that bow ? ' Frank
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They are 20-25#. I have 3 of them.
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Thank you all again for the info!
I did have it strung at a local archery shop and shot it a few times. I'm still very new to this but i'm definately going to
take the advise of hanging it up on the wall and looking into making myself one with all of your help! (Hopefully)
Thanks again!
Tanis