Well, it's back to the old drawing board for me.  I took the bow out of the form today, cleaned it up, and took off the tape to see this

My heart sunk.  The rest of the bow looks awesome, but I can't send this to anyone.  So it looks like I'm doing a take II.  The only thing I did different on this one was I didn't preheat the lams because I was in a hurry.  Anyone know if that would be the cause?  
Well, here's the rest of her



I love the look of the splices, and the sycamore looks really nice.  Looks like I'll have another bow for this year.  Maybe I'll take a turkey with her.

Joe - So what is it?  Imperfections in the glass or areas where you didn't get glue adhesion?    If it's just imperfectoins in the glass over the darker wood, you could add snake skins to salvage it....just a thought.

What's the belly look like?

I never preheat my lams and have never had a problem like that.

John, it looks like air bubbles under the glass.  I'm guessing stuff was just too cold on the onset.  I don't have an insulated garage or anywhere in the house to do a glue up, and it was 45 degrees in the garage when I did this last night.  I could tell the glue was spreading very slowly, so I'm guessing everything was just too cold.  I use a nice air hose-type form, so I know pressure and everything is good there.  
The back of the bow is the same as the front.  I matched the splices front and back, and those air bubbles are on every piece of walnut there.
Plus, this is my first trade, and honestly, I can't send out anything that I wouldn't be happy with myself - it's just not me.  I may skin it for myself later, but for now I think I'm just back to square one.  I do need to figure out why it did this, though.

Thinking about it, I did use a different glue this time, too, but I don't think that's the issue.  I usually used Smooth-on, but this time I tried the Versimid (sp?) from Bingham's.  Anyone have issues with it?

Well my guess is the 45 degrees, glue prolly got too thick and did not spread out. And smooth on is top shelf far as I'm concerned, but if ya don't like it, skin it and send it to ole Roy:)

I think I'm gonna shoot a couple hundred arrows through it anyway.  I'd just feel real bad giving it to someone and have it delaminate on them, or worse, blow up and injure them.  I don't care if it happens to me.  My wife's an RN, so I'd just get a little extra nurse attention    :D  

If it survives for a while, maybe I will send it to ya, Roy!  Then you can send me one of those BBwhatever bows you make!

Hmmmm....Maybe it was the cold  

Got to keep my eyes pealed this week- should be a few lucky new bow owners    

Here's where my riser is at the moment-

Oh my goodness David !!! It's perfect.

Trux, that is an awesome riser!!  Great job!!

Dang Dave, I'm gonna like that!! Already do!! LOL

Joe, that is a bummer!  Anybody ever put one back in form and recook to see if glue will take on 2nd try?  Just wondering!

Maybe up the air pressure and give them another go?

Thanks! I got to try out the limbs on it- it shoots pretty good but may be a couple pounds light once I'm done sanding  :eek:  - I'll finish it out and see...

Beauty of bow Dave!!!

A couple of pounds light is ok Dave. Send that beauty out!
Joe, if the dry areas are in the walnut near the tips, wouldn't you eliminate most of the problem when you cut the bow to profile? Then maybe injecting superglue into what's left? I'm no expert, just thinking out loud as it were. It's a shame after so much work and nice wood.
Dave.

Awesome bow Trux! Great lines, very appealing design.

""John, it looks like air bubbles under the glass. I'm guessing stuff was just too cold on the onset. I don't have an insulated garage or anywhere in the house to do a glue up, and it was 45 degrees in the garage when I did this last night. I could tell the glue was spreading very slowly, so I'm guessing everything was just too cold.""

I visited with a really good bowyer about this, and his thought was if the glue spread on the lams and glass aren't smoothed down pretty good it can trap air when the next layer is laid on and there is nowhere for it to go.

So the bubbles.

I can see cold glue doing this worse than warm.

What are you using to spread with?

And Dave, a couple light is no prob here!!  :D

great looking bow Dave.

Kenny,  That's kinda what I thought too.  I used a scrap piece of wood made into a spreader stick.  About the size of a popsicle stick. I usually try to spread the glue out so it's thicker in the middle, so when it squeezes out it will push out any bubbles - obviously it didn't work out this time.  I've got more wood to try again, and this time I'm cooking the crap out of the lams and the glue to make sure everything is as warm as possible.  I'm even thinking of commandeering the sewing table and music room so I can do a glue up in the house.

Oh well, live and learn, right?  Kenny, I'll need more glass!      

Maybe I'll do something even cooler with the splicing and handle.  IDK.

Very nice Dave!!

Joe, sorry to hear bout your bow.  I'll bet it will hold together.  Make you a good bow.

Dave, that take down is a beauty.  Who ever gets it won't mind it being a little light.

I worked on my trade bow this weekend.  Got the tips narrowed up a little more, got it to bending and to a very low brace.  I sized the back with a healthy coat of TBIII.  Gonna let it set for a few days.

Worked on my little extra somethin too.  I'll give my guy a hint.  Well no, don't think I will.