I'm doing the firehose type limb press for my take down bows. I always seem to have some shifting during the glue up. The center line I draw on the masking tape is pretty much useless.
How much glue should there be on each lam surface. The excess I have squeezed out makes it hard to feel if the lams are lined up right. The seem to slide when I pressurize the hose.
The plastic wrap protecting the sides of the press makes it hard to visually inspect placement too. Any pointers?
I try to make sure all surfaces are wetted with the glue, but I don't apply a lot. I don't want a ton of glue to be pressed out as it heats. But...there is a fine line. You need ENOUGH glue. I actually hold my applicator (a plastic paint scraper, vertically and scrape the glue off with a fair (not super heavy) pressure.
I find that ANY glue makes it slippery and you have to develop a strategy for keeping things in order.
I use a lot of tape over all of the lams / plastic to keep the lams pre-placed even before I pressurize or place clamps (either way). also, I made a set of "bumpers" for the far side of the form, placed near the outer ends of the riser and at least one on each limb. This bumper is wood, and screws in place (so I can remove it if needed) and is only tall enough to work. In other words, if the lam / riser / etc is 1" tall, the "bumper" is 1" or even slightly less. This way it does not get in the way of the hose. I have used "bumpers" on back side and front side of the form and find it is not neccesary and actually a real pain.
I think some "bumpers" might help you a bit, especially in terms of alignment as you described. Try it
ChuckC
I once watched Byron Ferguson building a bow on his TV show that was on TNN years ago. He used a simple fingernail brush to squeegee the glue along the laminations. He said that he found it worked well to get just the right amount on the lams.
use tape to hold the lams from sliding around. I use 1 1/2 inch masking tape and go from one side of the form over the lams and tape it down on the other side. Works good for me.
I used wire ties. Mine were about 12 inches long and about 1/8 inch wide.
Drill holes just large enough for the ties about 3/8 inch below bow blan in the form maybe every 4 inches. Have someone help as you lay in the laminations and tie them in place. Then proceed as normal.
Ron
Tried the wire ties but still had slippage. Did you put them over the sheet metal or right on top of the glass lam? I guess I'll do the bumpers too.
Razorsharptokill do your lams slide sideways during the glue up?
or do they shift up and down over the lenght of the bow?
anyways there cant be to much glue.
it will squees out when you put pressure on your hose.
shantam
There is no such thing as too much glue, just not enough tape. Tape it with masking tape 2" every inch if you have to. It will hold it til you get it aired up.
We tape the &^*% out of ours with no problems.
Mike
Make sure that lams are the same width as your form and then use some type of side plates to keep the lams from slipping side to side. The recommendation by others to use tape is a good one as well. I use both methods and slippage is not a problem.
I have a 2" fire hose form @90#psi , 2" lams and glass and I use masking tape every 2-3 " and tape lams to forms....no slippage...
Just make some side plates to hold the lams in place. Dont worry about too much glue. Adjust the side plate after everything is taped down good. Dependig on if you are doing a TD or one piece how many you need. I usally put one at the fades and another one in the last third toward the tip. Two sets for a TD and four a one piece. (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v75/crookedstic/sdplates.gif)
Hey, Crooked Stic, nice picture. ;-)
I use shims, or side plates like Crooked stick and it makes a world of difference. Also, instead of masking tape I use DUCT brand packing tape. It's alot easier to take off after it's been in the oven.
I like to use an ink roller to apply the glue evenly, and I wrap the lams every few inches to keep them from slipping.
i use the side stays like crooked stick and 2" masking tape the heck out of it. minimal slippage.
i combine the rubber-band and fire hose method-by putting enough[6-each side] pegs in the critical riser section[steep slope leading out to fades and one or two at the tips]and anchoring,and positioning the lams ,before hosing up the form this seems to hold everything in place--hope ths helps
I use holds on the sides like Mike and use tape around the bundle before laying it in the form.Too much glue is better than not enough.You are still going to have some buggers to clean up anyway. :)
I have slippage fore and aft as well as sideways. My form is just a shade more narrow than the Bingham lams.
My next glue up with have plenty of tape and those bumpers too. Thanks for all the help guys!
the far most eaysest way of stopping the sideway slippage for me is a woodenscrew and 2 washers.
one small and one big.
easy to adjust to the proper height.
it wont help in anyway if the form is not off the same width as your lams are.
i dont use tape anymore,since i find them useless.
anyhow,tape might help you Razersharptokill,so use them.
i tryed some wooden "stoppers" to avoid slip fore and aft,but again i droped that.
even in my glasbow classes i just use my washers.
yours
shantam
I use the bumpers. I use plenty of epoxy and plenty of saran wrap. It's quicker for me to use a little extra glue and I don't particularly like the glue up part. Chad