Can I add fancy wood veneer to my finished store bought recurve limbs?

[Joey V.]

Ok lets start with I am a wood worker and not a bowyer.  I would love to add a very thin fancy wood veneer to my already existing recurve limbs that where store bought.  This is a real cheap bow i bought for $100 from Greattree archery on Ebay.  The thing shoots very well and I mean break nocks well!  I could care less if I ruin it though as I am going to buy a high end bow in a month.  My question is can I ruff up the limb and Titebond III the very thin wood veneer right on the limb?  Would something like simple contact cement work even better due to the rubber / vinyl flex property of cement?  This is purely for appearance not function. 

Thanks for your help all!!!

[Josh]

If it were mine, I would just leave it alone.  Any wood you add to it will change the draw weight and tiller of the bow.  you would have to remove the original finish and there is no guarantee your new veneer will even stay put after you glue it on.  I say if the bow shoots good I would just leave it alone.   

[medicinewheel]

I would strongly recommend NOT to do it! - I'm sure it would not do anything except add weight and in the end it would start coming off at the tip overlays!

[Aries]

Yep my thinking is if you add wood, you going to add weight which will at least slow down the bow, and many other unforeseen things could occur as well

[youngbowyer33]

if i was going to do it i would use epoxy

[Orkraider]

I have no idea how one would do it; I'm too busy translating $100 into bow and arrow making materials. If I had a ben franklin to splurge with all at once, I'd have enough for my next 3 bows; that's including buying a brand new cheap band saw. =)

[Joey V.]

Epoxy is a great idea!  What kind of epoxy "Brand Name" would I want to use?  Some epoxies are brittle I find.  DO you think by doing this I will be able to increase the poundage of the bow?  It is 50lbs now and that is just way too light for me I would like it around 60lbs.  I shoot a 60lbs recurve and that felt a lil on the light side too so I think that is a good weight.

THX!!!!!

[medicinewheel]

... DO you think by doing this I will be able to increase the poundage of the bow?  ...

No. You will increase weight, not draw weight.
Plus I think it will come off.

[oneeye]

If your heart is set on doing it use smooth on ea40 epoxy and cure it at a low temp like 100 deg. Since its already a finished bow its going to be a pain getting everything flat and back down to the glass for a gluing surface. I personally wouldn't waste my time. If your a woodworker just build a bow.   jmho