Bow Glues

[gfugal]

This is a topic that is probably brought up a bit but I need some experienced input. I'm looking to getting me some glue to laminate wood together. I obviously already know about Hide Glue but would like to know which other glues you use with success. This is what I have found out. URAC 185 seemed to be the go-to glue for many people but is no longer in production. Unibond 800 is the replacement glue that the company makes instead, but I heard that it doesn't hold up as good as URAC 185. Smooth-On EA-40 is probably the most popular laminating glue outside of here, but it sounds like it requires a hot box to cure properly or it might delaminate if left in a hot car or something. Have any of you who use it experienced that? I also heard Smooth on has a shorter shelf-life than other glues, which I'm not too keen on. Bow grip 100 also came up in my searches but sounds like there are lots of horror stories of it delaminating and breaking bows. It says it can cure at room temperature but maybe the reason people have problems with it is because it actually needs to be hot-boxed like smooth on. It seems like Heat Boxing is required by many of these glues as well as D.E.R. 383/Versamid 140 Epoxy  (formerly known as Epon/Versamid). I don't have a hot box, and I don't really want one since I don't have the space, nor do I know how to make one. Some boat building glues seem promising, with a lot of people using Resorcinol. However, It dries purple which I'm not sure how to feel about, plus I don't know where to find it. G-Flex is another boat glue that has shown potential but I don't know of anyone who's actually used it. based off my research its the one I'm leaning towards, unless someone has reason that it won't work. I might also try 30 min Epoxy/2 Ton Epoxy but I don't know of anyone that's used this either, and I wonder if it can take the flexing of a bow. I Know people use titebond III for backing but don't know if it will work for laminations. From my understanding it doesn't have the gap filling properties like these other glues so the fit has to be perfect.

What do you guys use? What do you suggest I avoid? I hope I'm not opening a can of worms Its just a vast complex subject. I'm looking for something that is cheeper and can be purchased in smaller quantities. A lot of these glues have a shelf life of a a year, give or take, and I don't think I will use a whole quart or even pint before it goes bad. That's why I'm leaning towards the G-Flex or 30 min Epox because you can get smaller containers, and although more expensive per ounce I don't have to pay a butt load in shipping since I can either get it from a store or amazon. I get free shipping with Amazon Prime. I was looking at Unibond 800 and it was like $9 for a pint but was upwards of $17 for shipping. Yikes. I also don't want a glue that will break in temperatures as high as 150 degrees or temperatures below freezing. I heard Weldbond (which may or may not be the same as Resorcinol) doesn't stand the cold.I live in the Utah desert which can get above 100 in the summer and in the negatives in the winter.

[Del the cat]

Resintite aka Cascamite etc...
Del

[Marc St Louis]

You forgot TB3

[gfugal]

You forgot TB3

Is TB3, titebond 3 or is it something else i'm not aware of. Is that what you use? If it works thite might be a good option. But I wonder if titebond is significantly stronger than carpenter's glue? I thought it was just a varient of the latter.

[PatM]

G Flex is excellent and System Three G2 is also.  G2 has the advantage of high heat resistance with just a room temperature cure. Around 170.
 
 I'd add System Three Gel Magic to those as well. It is thickened and has all of the strength properties of G2.

[Marc St Louis]

TB3 is Titebond 3 and it is slightly stronger than carpenters glue.  I have made many bows using regular carpenters glue.  As long as the bow is well sealed and not subjected to very wet conditions then there are no problems

[bubby]

I laminated a lot of bows with tightbond glues and it works fine but where i live it set up real fast in the summer with the real hot weather we have so i switched to smooth on, you don't need a hot box it cures in 24 hrs but i use my pickup cab for a hot box spring summer and fall till November. It has a long pot life is clear and very affordable

[Jim Davis]

I use Titebond Two (II)

It's touted for outdoor applications and is pretty good at gap filling.

This a hickory-Osage laminated takedown. Worked fine.

Jim Davis

[mwosborn]

Many will work - I use smooth on.  As mentioned, does not need a hot box to cure.  Also has some gap filling properties.

[bubby]

I use Titebond Two (II)

It's touted for outdoor applications and is pretty good at gap filling.

This a hickory-Osage laminated takedown. Worked fine.

Jim Davis

As per manufacturer none of the tite bond glues are gap filling

[Jim Davis]

As per manufacturer none of the tite bond glues are gap filling

Guess I need bigger gaps.

[make-n-break]

TB3 for me. It's affordable, readily available at many retailers and has never let me down. It doesn't fill gaps but I only laminate dimensional lumber so it's usually nice glue seams anyway.

[turtle]

I've used system three T88 epoxy. I can pick it up at my local woodcrafters for around 20 bucks. It has a fairly long working time and I dont have to buy large quantities.

[chamookman]

Used Resorcinal a lot in the past, mostly handle splices joining Billets and the occasional patch. Yes it leaves a dark glue line . There are better options these days ! Bob

[Springbuck]

TB3 is Titebond 3 and it is slightly stronger than carpenters glue.

I find it quite a BIT stronger than regular carpenters' glue, and Titebond III is almost all I use anymore, along with reinforced superglue for things like nocks and overlays, unless I have a special application where I might buy a tube of epoxy.

  There are three keys to using it properly, in my experience.  One; because it still has so much water in it, thin lams of some woods will "cup" side to side when applied, which is difficult to deal with without LOTS of the right types of clamps.  The cure is wiping down the wood with a wet rag ahead of time and letting it dry thoroughly. 

  Two; it really doesn't fill gaps well, and I fixed that by doing a dry run, clamping up the bow without glue to look for spots that might give you trouble.  I have even had success gluing small shims of hardwood veneer in to build up a spot that's stubborn to come down all the way with clamps.  I sand it smooth and check again.

Third, I have found that I get best results using a "sizing" coat of TB III, slightly thinned with water to about the consistency of house paint.  I paint both sides of the mated surfaces, let it sit a second, and them smooth of the extra with a popsicle stick BEFORE it really dries.  Then, while it's getting pretty dry, but is still sticky, I slather on the regular glue and clamp it up.  This gets messy, but TB III is cheap.  It also sometimes reveals issues with warping and cupping, as I mentioned.