Epoxy on linen?

[kevinsmith5]

So far when i have backed a bow with linen I have applied the backing with Titebond 3 and been fairly happy with the results. But having recently had a near failure (a visible raised splinter under the backing) in my favorite Mollie I'm wondering if antougher adhesive is not a better option. I live in a coastal area where epoxies intended for use on all wooden boats are everywhere. I'm wondering if using West System G/Flex epoxy to apply the linen might not make a stronger back? Its rated as being waterproof and semi flexible.

Thoughts?

[bow101]

I'am using silk. If you are having probs with serious lifting then maybe more tillering would be the ticket.
Or take off what you have and use the old stand by "Wood" best backing thar is....

[bubby]

isn't linen and epoxie basically f!$#%glass,  , Bub

[PatM]

Linen/ raw flax glues perfectly with Epoxy. There are modern bicycle frames that are a carbon/flax mixture.
 Saying that TB or any other "modern" glue is somehow more traditional or primitive is unreasonable. Epoxy has been around much longer than TB  3.

[kevinsmith5]

I like the way linen LOOKS. I'm also mostly making bows on the extreme cheap, my Mollie was literally made from a scrap that the hardwood lot had on their trash pile, my hickory is from flooring boards, and my Ipe is decking. I know my materials aren't the best, so I'm looking for insurance.

[bubby]

Linen/ raw flax glues perfectly with Epoxy. There are modern bicycle frames that are a carbon/flax mixture.
 Saying that TB or any other "modern" glue is somehow more traditional or primitive is unreasonable. Epoxy has been around much longer than TB  3.


i wasn't implying that it was more modern or not Pat but that when you make fglass you use cloth and an epoxie rezin, tho i think white glue has been around longer than epoxie, Bub

[PatM]

 They are both modern and only about 20 years apart in "discovery". I certainly wouldn't discount epoxy just because it happens to be one way of binding glass etc together in modern bows.
 It's a better structural adhesive in the context of making a matrix.

[lostarrow]

Whoah, lets get back on track here.If you are having splinters raise on the back, there is an underlying problem . Backings are an extra measure of security, not a magic cure-all.  if your grain is really  violated in a high stress area  a backing is a bandaid solution. Don't get me wrong , it can save a bow that would otherwise be firewood, but   what you are  doing with any backing is moving the area of stress (tension)  And or replacing it with a more elastic material  to compensate for  the characteristics of the material being used. The other reason for backing ,would be to protect a soft wood from damage. my guess would be that the bow is being overdrawn ,the weight is too high for the material being used ,grain violation , etc.,etc.take your pick.You could try epoxy but if you don't figure out why it's happening ,you could end up with a lot more time consuming , hazard to your health ,messy ,smelly,expensive failure. What are the stats of your bow ,and do you have any pics? I put a linnen back on a kids bow of HHB for my son and it can bend beyond what you would think possible, but I'm sure if you pull it back far enough, it WILL fail.

[Gordon]

How about sinew and hide glue?

[kevinsmith5]

Some of you are really taking this and running with it....I had one bow that showed signs of a splinter after hundreds and hundreds if shots, not one bow after another failing. I'm just looking to increase the security and protection of the linen and asking if the epoxy will help. It looks like the answer is yes.

[vinemaplebows]

For the purist it is close to glass, on the other hand both these (epoxy and silk, or linen) are exceptable on primitive equipment. Epoxy is used in handle splices, Massey finishes...so forth. Combining the 2 is not in my opinion over the line....adding glass would be. I do hear ya Bubba it IS very close.

VMB

[koan]

I have found that epoxy makes any fabric brittle. But I havent tried many different epoxies.. JMO

[gstoneberg]

My experience is that the faster an epoxy sets, the more brittle it will be.  Most of what you find at the big stores in the way of epoxy doesn't make a very good backing adhesive because it sets in 5min.

My only experience with linen was with TB2.  It was OK, but I far prefer sinew to linen and haven't used it since.

George

[kevinsmith5]

G/Flex has a working time of 45 minutes and takes hours to set.

[koan]

I will hafta try some of that, thanks