rubber band form problem

[timbermoose]

so made myself a couple different forms to try out, first was a r/d air hose form=love it. hill style rubber band form=not too happy with right now. got everything glued up an in hot box. checked temp after 30min. doing good, checked after an hour and heard a pop, opened the box just to see indise; midlimb to tips were missing the rubber bands, only a couple were left. i put about 65-70 total on this thing. just finished restocking them on it, and back closed the lid on the hot box to cure.

think it might survive?

gonna be building an airhose form for the hill style from now on. call me lazy but the rubber bands are just too much work and then have them break.

[BenM]

I just used a rubber band form and cooked it up to 183.  Only two bands broke.  I had lots on there so it didn't negatively effect the bow.  I used "rim strips" from a bike shop and a semi truck tire tube cut into bands.  No issues.  I sure hope your bow turns out.

[timbermoose]

mine are semi-truck tubes cut into bands. not sure what going wrong with them. temp is 161f.

[BenM]

How wide are they cut?  After gluing one up that way I'd like to try an air hose form.

[timbermoose]

i sed a yard stick and cut them with one of them circular roller blades, my wifes from her sewing kit. they are all 1" wide with clean straight cuts.

[fujimo]

i use rubber band forms for my wood bows, and i found the bands were always breaking- i found right on the edge where they roll over the bow- so i made sure that i rounded the edges on the bow nicely- never had a band break since.
might want to put a thickish wood strip ontop of your pressure strip, and make sure the edghes are well rounded.
just what i found with my form...

[timbermoose]

yeah i read up a bit before i made it and made strip to go down the center of the presure strips. just checked temp again, still hold bout 160, all bands were broke on one of the fades. replaced them but i think at this point, it may just be FUBAR.

going to start building an air hose form tomorrow and burn this one.

[jess stuart]

I wonder if you could shield the bands from the direct heat?  It may be that the bands are getting much to hot.  I have used the strips cut from truck tubes for years and they seem to last very well.

[JamesV]

My rubber bands are cut from tractor tubes. Spiral cut (one piece). I double lace it like your shoe, never have a problem.

[critman]

used the rubber band mehtod on my last bow. Several broke-probably will not try that again. Air hose or clamps.

[timbermoose]

well its off the form and glue cleaned. couple spots along back of riser has slightly thicker glue lines than i would have liked.  limbs look like they will hold together.    

my wife wants to know how many other guys go over the entire bow with a magnify lens checking glue lines. she thinks i'm too........over "precise".

will get some pics when i fix camera, kids dropped it and wont store pics to the sd card and seems to not have internal memory now. i thought i had taken near a hundred pics of process but nothing was on card.    :mad:

[KenH]

I've used a rubberband form for a number of bows with o problems... but I don't use a heat box.  Living in Florida I can get plenty of heat with the sun and a tent of black plastic if I want it.  But epoxy does not *need* heat over 75F -- if you are not in a hurry.

A rubber band form needs a sufficient number of rubber bands -- say every 2-3" along the line of the bow.