need help fixing my board bow

[tradsniper]

Ok so I just finised my board bow from 4est's build along and after shooting it for a while the 10" peice of riser that I glued onto the belly is starting to come off. right now it's about half way gone. How can I fix this? sorry I dont have a camera to take any pictures with

[John Scifres]

Tough fix after the fact.  If your bow bends in the handle, it makes it tough to keep the handle riser on.  You can try to glue a piece on the back to stiffen it.  You can also retiller to a lighter weight so the handle doesn't bend.  Mostly it's easier to make another bow.

[Eric Krewson]

You will have better luck keeping a handle on if you build up your handle with some thin lams first. After you get a couple of 1/8" lams glued on you can go ahead with the rest of your handle wood.

Be sure to use a good glue like TB3 or Urac, don't use two ton epoxy or something similar.

Here is a build up I am doing at the present. First two 1/8" lams that I will follow these with a 3/4" piece.

 

[wildcat hunter]

I had the same problem, the bow wanted to bend at the handle. I solved it by countersinking 2- #8 X 1 1/4 bolts with a washer on each end through the glued on handle. I then filled the countersunk holes with silicone and wrapped the handle with leather.

[Harperclan7]

What glue did you use on the riser, and how much of it did you use? I am just curious this is the first I have read of this happening

[Eric Krewson]

Popping a handle loose at the ends is probably the most common selfbow failure. I have done it myself a bunch of times before I started lengthening my fades and adding thin shims to the handle area.

[Pat B]

Handles popping off is generally a sign of the handle area bending. Like Eric if I know the handle area might bend I use thin layers of graduating lengths to build up the handle riser. This type of riser has a little "give" to it to relieve the stress. Another option is to make a handle riser from layers of leather that will bend with the handle.

[tradsniper]

Harperclan7 I used TB3 but I did not coat the handle with glue and just made some lines with the glue and now its coming back to haunt me. I just wanna know if its fixeable since this is the first bow I made

[George Tsoukalas]

Been there too The handle needs to sit on the board but th taper needs to extend into the board. Tough to describe. To fix it now I can describe to you how to pin it with dowels. Want me too? Jawge

[4est trekker]

Here's a picture to illustrate George's point.  Yep, you gotta coat the mating surfaces in their entirety to get a good glue-up on a joint like this. George will be able to show you how to fix it.

 

[R.W.]

I glued up my board bow (following 4est's great build-a-long) with epoxy (Araldite Precision) glue. No problem with handle nor the limb tip additions.

This bow launched 400 plus arrows, BEFORE I gave it away. I certainly didn't want it to fail on the new owner.

I have had ZERO problems with epoxy glue ups. (Related to the glue, not my tillering "expertise"   :p )

[4est trekker]

Remember:  glues like TB favor a smoother, void-free mating surface.  It also cures at room temp.  Expoxies work better when the mating surfaces are roughed up a bit (such as from course sandpaper, a hacksaw blade, etc.), and can fill small voids.  Some require heat to fully cure, others will cure over time at room temp.  Overall, for a board bow of this design, glue such as TB III is the safest bet.  It's water proof, strong, and the mating surfaces are already prepared as per the glue's intended use.  Just a thought.

[Pat B]

Again, generally it isn't the glue used but the flexing, even ever so slightly,of the handle area that causes handles to pop off. Having the glue joint above the plain of the bending limb, like 4est shows in his pic, will prevent handle from popping off.

[tradsniper]

Originally posted by George Tsoukalas:
Been there too The handle needs to sit on the board but th taper needs to extend into the board. Tough to describe. To fix it now I can describe to you how to pin it with dowels. Want me too? Jawge

Yes please