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Main Boards => The Bowyer's Bench => Topic started by: Zradix on January 25, 2014, 03:20:00 PM

Title: gluing wood bows..glue on both surfaces?
Post by: Zradix on January 25, 2014, 03:20:00 PM
Hey guys..

When gluing a wood bow with unibond, whether it's a trilam or backed bow..

do you spread glue on both surfaces or just one?

I've been putting glue on both surfaces. Kinda pour/spoon it on the surface and spread it out just thick enough so I don't see the wood underneath.

It seems so waste full..with a lot of glue squeezing out just becoming a mess to clean up.

I end up using darn near a pint can of glue on a single bow.

I was thinking having the thick layer of glue on one side and maybe just a thin layer on the other piece..basically just get it "wet".

What do you boys do?
Title: Re: gluing wood bows..glue on both surfaces?
Post by: Jon in North Idaho on January 25, 2014, 03:26:00 PM
Do both surfaces.  You only need an thin layer on each.  If you get a bunch of squeeze-out, you're using too much.  The right amount should give you some squeeze out, but not in excess.

It may seem wasteful to do both surfaces, but when compared to wasting ALL of the material, plus the time you already have into it, I'd rather use more glue than not enough.
Title: Re: gluing wood bows..glue on both surfaces?
Post by: Roy from Pa on January 25, 2014, 04:21:00 PM
What Jon said.
Title: Re: gluing wood bows..glue on both surfaces?
Post by: fujimo on January 25, 2014, 05:46:00 PM
What Roy said.
Title: Re: gluing wood bows..glue on both surfaces?
Post by: Roy from Pa on January 25, 2014, 06:41:00 PM
What fujimo said.
Title: Re: gluing wood bows..glue on both surfaces?
Post by: redbeard126 on January 25, 2014, 09:19:00 PM
What Roy said about fujimo talkin bout what Roy said about Jon.
Title: Re: gluing wood bows..glue on both surfaces?
Post by: Zradix on January 25, 2014, 10:01:00 PM
Ya don't say..?
Title: Re: gluing wood bows..glue on both surfaces?
Post by: scars on January 25, 2014, 10:22:00 PM
Ya get that Z?
Or should they start over again? :D
Title: Re: gluing wood bows..glue on both surfaces?
Post by: Bowjunkie on January 25, 2014, 11:24:00 PM
What red said... wet to wet. I definitely want to see a little squeeze out.
Title: Re: gluing wood bows..glue on both surfaces?
Post by: Ted Fry on January 26, 2014, 01:37:00 PM
Wet on wet , no regret, wet on dry make you cry!
Title: Re: gluing wood bows..glue on both surfaces?
Post by: Zradix on January 26, 2014, 03:26:00 PM
QuoteOriginally posted by Ted Fry:
Wet on wet , no regret, wet on dry make you cry!
nice!
  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: gluing wood bows..glue on both surfaces?
Post by: Roy from Pa on January 26, 2014, 04:05:00 PM
What bowjunkie and Ted said and what red said.
Title: Re: gluing wood bows..glue on both surfaces?
Post by: fujimo on January 26, 2014, 04:29:00 PM
:confused:    :readit:    :biglaugh:
Title: Re: gluing wood bows..glue on both surfaces?
Post by: Eric Krewson on January 27, 2014, 08:25:00 AM
Buy yourself a few glue brushes, you can spread glue really evenly and use much less glue. I trim off 1/4" of the bristles to make the brush a little stiffer for handling thick Urac.

   (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v181/ekrewson/bow%20making/snake7.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/ekrewson/media/bow%20making/snake7.jpg.html)

I can make 5 or 6 bamboo backed bows out of a pint of glue. I weigh my resin and will have 500 gr or so in each glue-up.
Title: Re: gluing wood bows..glue on both surfaces?
Post by: Zradix on January 27, 2014, 09:39:00 AM
That's a good idea Eric.
I was thinking about using an old credit card to spread a little thinner.

500 grains? as in 32 grams?

jeesh..I know a trilam has more surfaces to glue and all, but on my last one I used all of 300 grams of resin..worried a bit at the end if I'd mixed enough..lol
Title: Re: gluing wood bows..glue on both surfaces?
Post by: LittleBen on January 27, 2014, 11:14:00 AM
better to waste a little glue ... it's not terribly expensive. You'll get a better feel for how much you need as time goes on. For now, just make sure you're getting enough on there.
Title: Re: gluing wood bows..glue on both surfaces?
Post by: Roy from Pa on January 27, 2014, 02:33:00 PM
Just use a brush and apply it like your painting the wood. If you use unibond, keep a jar handy with liquid soap and water in it, then soak the brush when done and then rinse with hot water. Some folks even use a narrow 2" foam roller to apply the glue.
Title: Re: gluing wood bows..glue on both surfaces?
Post by: Zradix on January 27, 2014, 02:44:00 PM
I think I'll try that.
Mix up a ton of glue the first few times.
Weigh the extra and figure out on average how much I really need.
Title: Re: gluing wood bows..glue on both surfaces?
Post by: Roy from Pa on January 27, 2014, 02:58:00 PM
I use 103 grains of hardener and 1200 grains of resin for a 66" tri lam, 1 1/4 wide at the flares tapered to 1/2 at the tips. Heck you can always mix up more in a few minutes. I found a place online that sells a gallon of unibond with the hardener included for $60.00 delivered to my door. It would cost that much for two pints anywhere else.. Just sayen:) I won't use a gallon a year but it's still cheaper than buying pints, even if I only use half of it.
Title: Re: gluing wood bows..glue on both surfaces?
Post by: Zradix on January 27, 2014, 03:07:00 PM
you mix a little slower set mix than I've tried.
I've only tried 10:1

....and about 1/4 as much...lol
Title: Re: gluing wood bows..glue on both surfaces?
Post by: Eric Krewson on January 27, 2014, 05:41:00 PM
You can buy 144 glue brushes on fleabay really cheaply. I am working on my second gross batch, I use a lot of them.
Title: Re: gluing wood bows..glue on both surfaces?
Post by: Bowjunkie on January 27, 2014, 06:17:00 PM
We all have our preferences. I tried rollers and brushes. Too messy, wasteful and inconsistant for me. I apply the glue with a fiberglass lam cutoff about 6" long... same one I've used for many years on many bows... bbo's, trilams, glass bows, etc. Easy to gauge the amount of glue being layed down, very little waste or mess... could almost do it by feel alone. Just wipe it off with a little acetone or alcohol when done and it's ready to use again.