Take-down sleeve help

[VicNova]

I made this hickory take-down with the steel/ Brass sleeves and it shoots and stays together. The problem is that every time I draw it there is a lot of cracking coming from the handle. There are no cracks and nothing is loose. I don't know why this would occur but I did use Gorilla Glue Epoxy instead of the recommended smooth-on. I am wondering if it is just the type of epoxy I am using? The wood inside the sleeve is also not perfectly fit, but nothing is falling apart.

Please tell me what you think the problem might be so I can correct it the next time I make a take-down.

[PEARL DRUMS]

Its the epoxy in those gaps that is cracked and loose. When you add pressure to the sleeve by bracing or drawing the "stub" end of the billet shifts from one side of the sleeve to the other making that crunching sound you hear. Fear not, it wont hurt a thing, but its damn annoying isnt it? I woudl try to get a thinner epoxy that will flow down in your gaps and fille them. Let it cure for at least 4-5 days. It takes much longer than the wrapper says when you fill deep gaps with no air flow.

[PatM]

It's barely glued on at all and moving in those gaps. Best  idea would be to heat it to remove the sleeves and re-do it. I wouldn't use a thinner epoxy though. Use a thick one with gelling properties.
 Airflow has nothing to do with epoxy curing. It sets as a polymer through chemical reaction, not drying.

[PEARL DRUMS]

Why was mine hard on the outside and soft on the inside?

[PatM]

What type of epoxy were you using? There is some degree of skinning over of all adhesives which gives the illusion that it's drying from the outside in but epoxy doesn't lose mass as it "dries".   Epoxy actually sets faster in thicker quantities since it has more potential to generate its own heat, which speeds the cure.
 A large batch of epoxy will flash off in a mixing cup and form hard lumps in the center first and expand and harden from there.
  It is true that a week is better than the cure time mentioned on a package.

[PEARL DRUMS]

It was a 5 ton two part epoxy from the hardware. Better yet, why 3 days later was the top portion hard as glass and the bottom portion oozing epoxy still? Thats why I suggested taping it off. It all hardened eventually after a week or so, but not it 2-3 hours.

[Gaur]

To me it also looks like you hardly have any epoxy in there. I'd do as Pat suggested and heat it up and do it over.
 The brass side likes like a pretty good fit but the steel sleeve looks like you have a lot of space around it.  I would go for getting the good m/t epoxy.  About $15 for it and I get about 4 bows out of a set.  It is nice and thick and will fill those areas better.  I put mine in the hot box on a little lower temp to help cure it these days.

[Hrothgar]

I normally use TBII on my 3 piece take-downs, but applying the same technique you could just pour some glue (TBII) down into the gaps. It will fill, seal and dry in a day.

[crooketarrow]

 PEARLS right although apoxy a good gap filler you have to get a better fit than that. The force of the strung bow keeping it in place. But it's the wood rubbing against the metal when drawed makeing the noise.

[Gordon]

I had the same issue when I used a cheaper epoxy glue. I removed fittings with heat and elbow grease and then reinstalled with the Smooth On epoxy (should have used this in the first place) and that fixed the problem.

[vinemaplebows]

2 ton epoxy, and others that are common to hardware stores DO NOT adhere to metal. Put a blob on a flat surface it will easily and cleanly pop off without much effort.

VMB