Bow-grip 100 Falure

[whitewoodshunter]

I have (had) a bamboo backed hickory longbow I glued up with Bow - Grip 100( Crap) and the lamination failed. I stripped off the bamboo, but in the process cracked the bamboo long ways in a few places. I glued it back together and clamped it. I then scraped the glue off the old glue joints. Will the bamboo hold up OK or should I glue on a new piece? I thought of gluing the boo on with tb111will this work?    Thank you.

[sailordad]

any idea why it failed?

i have used it with great success,you have to make sure it is mixed 50/50 and mixed together completly.
did you get it too hat after it was glued up? it will let loose if it gets to hot,just like other adhesives/glues.
it is best to cure this adhesive in a heat box at about 160 - 180 degrees for 4 hours and then let cool.
were the glue surfaces smooth and clean or ruff?with bow grip they need to be ruffed up to give the adhesive something to grab onto.

                                                                             tim

[Traxx]

I would use a new Back and Yes,TB3 will work well.

[El Destructo]

The lateral cracks shouldn't hurt nothing but the Looks....but I am with Traxx.........ain't worth the chance....just put on a New Boo Backing....and rest more easily....and TB3 will do just fine

[sailordad]

i am still curious as to what caused he failure.

[whitewoodshunter]

Oh sorry. I'm not sure. I roughed up the glue joints. And mixed the glue 50/50.And wrapped the boo and hick with shrink wrap. When I bought the glue it was from Justin who used to own Bowstick archery, he said that heat was not needed .I glued the bow up and let it cure next to  a wood stove. The bow was glued up in the spring and de-  laminated this past summer.

[sailordad]

i believe Justin is the son of Jim who owns RUDDERBOWS ,he sells the same glue and recomends using heat to cure it,he also says that it is not neccassary.i have never used it without using heat for curing,with heat i have never had a failure.is it possible that your mix may not have been 50/50? i know with epoxy if the mix isnt 50/50
the adhesion properties dont work as well.
is there any signs of lack of glue in the area that failed?
like i said ,i am curious as to why it failed,as i usually use this adhesive when making lam bows.i dont like to take chances either.


                                                                             tim

[whitewoodshunter]

The mix was 50/50. When I scraped the old boo off you could see the glue on both the boo and the hick and there where no apparent voids.I'm not sure why it failed either the bow was 3 years old how ever. No worries I just glued on a new boo back and introduced some Perry reflex.I used the old reliable ttb111

[Justin Snyder]

I have heard lots of horror stories.  By their own statement it needs cured at 150*.  If it is cured at 100* it will delaminate at 95*.  Too finicky for me, Ill use smooth on or TB.  Justin

[stiknstring]

way WAY too many failures with this glue....The web is thick with Bowgrip horror stories.

Sailerdad...Justin is NOT Jims son by the way....that was a question I asked some time ago.  They have been closely associated through the years working together but there is no blood there.

[El Destructo]

Jim Boswell taught Justin how to build Bows....They were neighbors when He lived in Yakima....and at 21 Justin Started His Company.....but He has sold it lately because of His Mothers untimely death at 47 years young and He was deployed to Iraq after His Reserve Status was changed to Active Duty

I have never used Bow Grip....always used Urac or 5 minute epoxies..and have nothing but good results...so I think I will stick with them...