bad glue lines

[Eric Krewson]

I had a overlay turn loose when I didn't notice my string had slipped out of one side of the nock, the string split the limb a couple inches down from the nock. I threw the bow in the broken bow pile, years later I decided to try to fix it.

I made a long overlay and got rid of the cracked wood and feathered the very thin end into the limb. The overlay has darkened over the years and isn't very visible now. The bow is my main bow now, I have been shooting it for years.

[Ricardovanleeuwen]

I did my tip overlays with a planing float, its like a rasp but It leaves a surface like its shaved

[Deerhunter21]

I hope this is ok because my tips are losing a lot of width

[Deerhunter21]

is it ok?

[Gordon]

That looks way better.

[Mo_coon-catcher]

That second looks way better.

I also do mine with hand tools. I cut my overlays to length and a little over wide. I cut my overlays 2” line. I like the looks of 1” on each side of the string groove. I’ll roughly flatten the overlay with my rasp, then take it to a piece of 60grit sandpaper on a flat piece of wood. Sand until flat, using a pencil to mark up the surface im flattening until the marks are all gone. For t he bow tip, I mark out how long the overlay is and subtract 1/8” for the angle I’m cutting. Then I rasp the bow tip roughly flat, then I wrap a piece of sandpaper on the freshly flattened overlay to get them to match. Do a dry fit to make sure you can’t see light. At this point I will taper the overlay to come to a sharp point. That way once it’s glued down I have less rasping to do and less chance of nicking the bow back by the nock. Mild mocking doesn’t hurt anything but doesn’t look as nice.
Make sense? 
It just takes a little practice. Once you get the feel for it you can have tips on in 15-20min start to finish.

Kyle

[Deerhunter21]

yeah makes sense exept the mocking part. i think you ment to say nocking?

i realize that one of my nocks goes deeper than the other. normally i wouldnt worry and just re-cut it but my tips have lost alot of width. i know a couple of different ways to do it but im trying to decide which one would be best...

[PatM]

You don't need width if you have  an overlay with some depth.

  Cut off the bulk of that overlay with a saw.  You have enough extra there to make another one.

[osage outlaw]

That's a lot better but it looks like their is a small gap at the leading edge of the overlay.

[Deerhunter21]

im planning to take the gap out. just put a little bit extra for saftey.

Patm, unfortunately i don't have a saw of any kind.

[Deerhunter21]

so guys i glued on a handle strip just to color the handle up. its a stiff handle and my question is, do i need to have a perfect glue line like the tips?? i really dont want to rasp a 1" block of hard wood down to the normal bow handle just to do it again.

[Deerhunter21]

maybe i just do it again. i think my farriers rasp is getting dull from this wood.

[Hawkdancer]

Russell,
Always try to get your glue lines as "perfect" as possible.  With a non-working handle, you do have some wiggle room, but build good work habits in the learning stages and you save time later.  Maybe I should say " Do it right the first time".  Remember "Close counts only in horseshoes, hand grenades,
Artillery, and nuclear bombs, as well as cow pies"!  Learn to use your hand tools well, and get the fancy stuff when you can afford it.  Check around the local "horse people" for a farrier who may have some used files for sale or trade, or even look on line.  Most farrier's upgrade to new rasps as soon as they notice a slower cut, it is one of their primary tools.
Hawkdancer

[osage outlaw]

Here is a tip overlay I'm currently working on.  Both surfaces were flattened on a belt sander.  I taper the leading edge before gluing them down.  It makes it easier to blend them into the bow without cutting into the back.  I also rounded the leading edge on these before gluing them down.