Boo Backing ?

[deerhunter97370]

Before the bamboo is glued on does the back of the belly piece need to be sized? Joel

[adb]

I don't. I use TB3, and just spread it even and thin, and clamp it. Actually, I use old bicycle inner tubes, and wrap the pieces together.

[jwillis]

I just grind, vacuum, brush it off and glue it up.  Jim

[Pat B]

I always like to size both laminates to be sure I get good coverage through the joint. It doesn't take long and for me its not worth taking a chance. I'm sure lots of folks don't size both laminants.   Pat

[Justin Snyder]

I'm with Pat.  I don't know that I would call it sizing since I don't let the glue dry at all. But I apply it to both pieces then stick them together.  It helps prevent trapping air bubbles.  With boo I'm usually going on a wood that needs degreased also. Only takes a minute to degrease and it is wonderfull insurance.  Justin

[Badger]

I use my finger to rub tb3 into the wood on both sides of the glueup. I actually rub it in pretty good to break any kind of surface tension voids that may be present, can't tell you for sure that it is neccessary but makes me feel better. Steve

[Apex Predator]

I'm with Badger and Justin.

[DBernier]

Being new to bow making, I use Urac185 and spread a thin coat on both surfaces and then clamp while bending in reflex/deflex or flat. I have never had a problem with the glue joint but have had a problem with the boo lifting a splinter once in a while. I think it is from scraping/sanding the back too much.

Dick         

[DBernier]

Hey not to hijack this thread, but, has anyone used a backing over the bamboo on the back of a composite bow such as boo over boo with a core wood etc. I am trying to think of a way to prevent splinters from occurring on the back layer of the boo. Things such as sanding the nodes flat and covering with rawhide, silk etc. What about it?

dick

[Pat B]

Dick, I have one of Vinson's Cane Dragons that lifted a splinter and he add a rawhide backing over the boo. So far its holding.       Pat

[adb]

What do you guys mean by "sizing?" I thought sizing was spreading a very thin layer of glue and then letting it almost dry, and then spreading another layer and then clamping. Of course, I always spread a layer of glue on every surface to be glued, but I don't size it first.

[Justin Snyder]

What do you guys mean by "sizing?" I thought sizing was spreading a very thin layer of glue and then letting it almost dry, and then spreading another layer and then clamping. Of course, I always spread a layer of glue on every surface to be glued, but I don't size it first.

You got it right. That is exactly what I was getting at.  Justin

[Phillip K]

what about heat treating the boo and flattening it again,because of moisture in the boo with evaporate and the boo will seperate from the edges later in the bows life if it is not treated, or do we have a dry enough boo backing?

[radius]

phillip, it sounds like you got that idea watching youtube...in my experience, fiber doesn't swell when it loses moisture:  it shrinks.  I have heated bamboo after sanding it flat, and not noticed any convexity...

[DBernier]

Thanks PatB. I am going to experiment with one of those cane dragons and use raw hide. Some one had some raw hide at our table in Hickory. Do you remember who it was?

Dick