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Main Boards => The Bowyer's Bench => Topic started by: J.F. Miller on January 21, 2024, 11:35:20 AM

Title: Unibond 800, again
Post by: J.F. Miller on January 21, 2024, 11:35:20 AM

It has been quite a long time since I posted here, but after a much longer hiatus from working in my shop than I ever dreamt I would have, I'm finally back to building bows. I still have a usable supply of Urac that has been in deep freeze for over ten years, but that won't last long for the number of bows I intend to build now that I'm semi-retired. My Unibond, which I have never used before, arrived yesterday and this morning I glued up some Osage scraps for riser material with some and glued up one with my old Urac to see how it handled after a long sleep in my freezer.

At a ratio of 7:1 by weight the Unibond seemed a little thin to me. Thinner than I'm accustomed to with Urac, anyway. What ratio do you fellows using Unibond prefer? Is the shelf-life still an issue like it was a decade ago?

Title: Re: Unibond 800, again
Post by: Kirkll on January 22, 2024, 05:55:20 PM

I’d contact the folks at Nelson Paint company that makes the stuff. I thought the newer Unibond 800  version was pretty much the same stuff. :dunno: :dunno:

Title: Re: Unibond 800, again
Post by: J.F. Miller on January 23, 2024, 08:19:34 AM

thanks, but Nelson does not make Unibond. I have read all the manufacturers mixing recommendations, but this is veneer glue, not "bow glue". My test pieces turned out fine, so I'll probably just stay with 7:1 and get used to new glue after 25 years of using the same thing.   :thumbsup:

Title: Re: Unibond 800, again
Post by: Kirkll on January 23, 2024, 10:46:30 AM

https://nelsonpaint.com/unibond-800-urea-adhesive-quart/

Here is more info on it.

Title: Re: Unibond 800, again
Post by: Longcruise on January 23, 2024, 02:04:18 PM

What's that stuff that Roy uses 🤔

Title: Re: Unibond 800, again
Post by: Buemaker on January 23, 2024, 04:42:48 PM

Roy told me he order from a firm named Vacuum Pressing System.Inc. It comes with a powdered hardener. I bought some from them and could not make it work. May be what I do when testing a new to me glue is an overkill, but this is how I test. I glue up different species of wood, some machine planed, some fine sanded and some course sanded and with different pressing force. When cured I place the pieces in a vice and with a hammer knock them apart. They all broke in the glueline with just a little or no wood tearout. On soft woods like spruce it was a little better. Now perhaps if I had just glued up a laminated wood bow it would have been okay, and that my way of testing is just an overkill?

Title: Re: Unibond 800, again
Post by: Mad Max on January 23, 2024, 05:10:44 PM

Roy use a Thumb Plane Blade.
He sent me a ready to glue up Bamboo strip 1 time :thumbsup:

Title: Re: Unibond 800, again
Post by: Buemaker on January 23, 2024, 05:23:11 PM

I tried that also, forgot to mention. Also tried with and without curing in a heat box.

Title: Re: Unibond 800, again
Post by: Mad Max on January 23, 2024, 07:12:26 PM

Quote from: Buemaker on January 23, 2024, 05:23:11 PM

I tried that also, forgot to mention. Also tried with and without curing in a heat box.

 :thumbsup: