Glue for splicing billets with W

[TRACY]

I've got two mulberry billets ready for glue. Followed Roger's build-a-long and found it to be very helpful, especially the mailing label stickers. My question is can I use titebond 3 for this task or should I use the urac 185? Thanks, Tracy

[Pat B]

TBIII, if done properly, is stronger than the wood. I've used it before with no problems. If it would make you feel better, you could add a dowel across the splice in the handle. A handle wrap of hemp twine(from wally world, will also help hold it together.     Pat

[Dano]

Urac fills voids real well, if the splice isn't tight urac is the glue I'd use. But as Pat said TB III will do the job.

[TRACY]

Thanks Pat and Dano! I've experimented with TB 3 and always thought it would work for a splice with a lot of surface area. The fit is pretty tight with a few small gaps. I'll let you know which way I go. Thanks Tracy

[TRACY]

The TB 3 seems to have done the trick. Dano, just saw your quote. Big fan of the Red Green Show!

[Dano]

Thats good to hear Tracy, yep Red Green was my idol.

[adb]

TB3 has done me well. Make sure your joints are tight. Sloppy joints won't hold with any glue. You can boil the ends a bit to make them tighter, if you have to.

[Badger]

I do a lot of splicing and use tb3. on occassion I will boil the joint before glue up and let cool clamped together without glue for about 15 minutes or so then repeat the process with the glue. If the joint is good no need to boil. Steve

[TRACY]

Thanks for additional info Dano, adb, badger. Do you guys drill and glue a dowell for xtra incentive and do you use a jig to cut the splices? What splice do you prefer? Many thanks!

[Dano]

I like to use a W splice, it's easy to layout. I don't use a jig. The important thing is to get the belly side of the handle flat and ends square on both billets, then layout the splice on the back. I use a 4" splice, 1" between points, with one point in the center of the billets, just make sure you X out the area you want to cut out to save on mistakes.

Check out Rogers tutorial. http://www.angelfire.com/sk/myplace/sparky8.html

[adb]

Hey, Tracy
I don't use a jig. I draw and cut by hand on the bandsaw, staying just outside the lines. I use a 4" Z splice 90% of the time, but have also used a simple V splice, especially if I'm backing the bow. A good splice doesn't require a dowel peg, in my opinion. Getting a good splice is all about making the joints fit tightly BEFORE you glue.

[OldBow]

I, too, use TBIII for my z-joints.  But, I also force little wood splinters into any gaps just like TBBI says to do.

[Hillbilly]

Do you guys drill and glue a dowell for xtra incentive

I believe personally that drilling and doweling weakens the joint. The only one I tried doweling broke on me, split right through the dowel holes.

[Coo-wah-chobee]

 Like Hillbilly said. You are reducin' the integrity mass of the joint when ya do this...bob

[Badger]

Whenever possible I will lay the two pieces of wood on top of one another when doing a z splice and cut them both at the same time. I like the fit I get that way, works better on boards than stves but I occassionaly do this on stave as well when they are less than 1 1/2" thick. Another thing I do for bamboo or hickory backed bows is to buy 1" thick lumber and cut my splice before ripping the lumber in half thickness wise, Steve