Trad Gang
Main Boards => The Bowyer's Bench => Topic started by: DelawareDave on October 20, 2011, 09:34:00 AM
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i know most people on this board use the epoxy/glue that u have to cook in a hot box for a few hours for laminating. is there anything wrong with using regular boat building epoxy. i have about 2 gal. of it left from making spearguns so im finding it hard to shell out money for more epoxy :) and just to clairify i have epoxy resin not the cheap polyester resin stuff.
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I have used lots of different epoxies with good results. If the epoxy gives you enough working time it will probably work fine. Most bow builders use smooth-on and cook it but it is not required to get good results. I am betting what you have will work fine, give it a shot
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Going by what I have learned on Trad Gang, the use of a hot box to cure the epoxy gives you two benefits. The epoxy cures much faster, and your bow will be more resistant to delamination caused by heat.(eg. if your bow spends a day in a hot car.)
There are people here who know a lot more about the subject than I do and they can give you even more info on it.
Dave.
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Ive used boat building epoxy with good results. If its very runny, make sure you coat the laminations-let it soak in- and recoat. This was advise from an epoxy company rep. I let the lams set about five to ten minutes before recoat.
Mark
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I built a bow using West Systems epoxy once. I think that boat building was it's primary purpose. I built it for a guy who wanted to find out if it would make a bow. He provided the glue and cost of materials and I made the bow.
Study your glue specs to make sure of how much working time you have!!!! :readit: This West Systems stuff gave only just enough time to lay up the bow and that was doing it in a hurry. By the 20 minute mark, just after inflating the hose, the glue had melted down the plastic cup that it was mixed in and was rapidly setting up.
The bow was a 66" ntn flat bow. I shot if for a few weeks before passing it on the the owner. It shot just fine. About a month later he reported that the bow had broken while his brother was stringing it. I'll never know if it was the stringing technique or the glue.
In any case, I would not use it again. Too runny and not enough working time.
Smooth-on is cheap insurance for good results, IMO. If not having an oven is the problem, then put it in your car in the hot sun with the windows closed tight and leave it there all day.
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West system was the epoxy was the one I used. There chemical eng. told me they supply one of the big bow builders with there epoxy. Which one,dunno.
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Sorry for butchering that post,had just woke up.
Mark
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I wonder if super glue would work?
I did read somewhere that the glue needs to be flexible and UV rated??
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Super glue is good for installing overlays and filling small voids and cracks. You would never have enough time to lay up a bow with super glue and clamp it in the form.