Grrrrrrrrrr.......I hate it when this happens!

[quail]

Yesterday I glued up a couple limbs for a 64"t TD Recurve. 1st one over lunch......no problem....came out perfect. Round 2 after dinner. Apparently my air hose plug developed a leak between round 1 and 2. Came down to shop this am to find a deflated hose and a recurve limb profile that does not match his brother.  I think I am going to cry for a minute and then start remaking parts!

[Bowjunkie]

Next time leave the air hose from your compressor attached to the firehose the whole time. That way, even if something leaks, short of catastrophic of course, the regulator at the compressor will maintain pressure in spite of it.

[Roy from Pa]

Not a good thing when your hose doesn't stay up..  Just saying..  

[BenBow]

Roy I'm not going to ask you how you know that    

[quail]

If only Doc and Marty could put me in the Delorian and take me back in time!

[monterey]

I had that happen once.  Turned out the valve had worked loose and was slow leaking.  Slow enough that the bow was saved.  I think it might have worked loose from handling it with the pump connected.

[quail]

Good tip. I will check that out before I try again. Wish the materials were more like pasta so I could re-cook this thing though!

[Bodork]

That's definitely a bad feeling especially with the cost of materials. Just gotta get back on that horse and try again!

[canopyboy]

Originally posted by Bowjunkie:
Next time leave the air hose from your compressor attached to the firehose the whole time. That way, even if something leaks, short of catastrophic of course, the regulator at the compressor will maintain pressure in spite of it.

This can also be catastrophic. I started with that philosophy and hooked up a small portable Senco compressor. Then on one bow I developed a leak in the line from the compressor to the hose/plug assembly that opened up wide. So not only did the hose that didn't need to be there cause the problem, but my compressor ran wide open all night. It hasn't worked right since, guess it wasn't rated for continuous duty.

[quail]

I hadn't considered that...but that is a god thought. Ultimately, I should have done a water leak check before I used the hose the second time. I am not sure why I had a compromised hose after using it earlier in the same day, but a leak check would have caught it. I am hoping to have some shop time tonight and am going to make a new hose, new parts and start from the beginning again. Just a minor setback. Fortunately I have more materials on hand and can re-grind my limb pieces. Can't decide if it is more or less sting when you are not ordering pre-made lams and wedges....but it certainly saves turn-around time.

[canopyboy]

I have added a high temp, high pressure hose to the end plug on my fire hose that reaches outside the hot box. The Schrader valve and a pressure gage is at the end so I can monitor it easily and add air if it became necessary. (Side note -- It's interesting to see how much the pressure goes up as the bow cooks.)

I also keep a spray bottle with soapy water in my shop for a couple reasons. But it works great for final checking for air leaks right before the glueup goes into the oven.

[monterey]

This can also be catastrophic.

Yes!  This was the way I was doing it when the hose lost pressure due to the valve leaking.  The pump held up fine and the gauge on the pump was the indicator that said there were problems.  But, I think that the moving about of the form with the pump attached provided the leverage that turned the valve loose.  Probably happened over the course of several cook-offs.