Unibond 800 vs. Urac 185

[Adam Keiper]

It's been a while since I was immersed in bowbuilding and Urac 185 was the go-to adhesive for wooden backed bows.  I remember hearing something about it being discontinued, and I see now that Nelson Paint's website only offers Unibond 800, which also appears to be a urea-formaldehyde adhesive.  How does this compare to Urac 185?

[Bowjunkie]

Hi Adam. Glad you're still kicking... and doing some more bow making.

Unibond 800 is a direct replacement for, and virtually just a new name for Urac 185.

What do you have planned?

Jeff

[Roy from Pa]

X's 2. Exactly the same thing.

[Adam Keiper]

Thanks, guys.  Jeff, I'm working on my first selfbow in a long while and took a few minutes in between heat gun tweaks to take stock of my supplies; staves, hickory strips, bamboo, etc.  The gears got turning and I realized I had no Urac.  I had used the last of it 3 or 4 years ago reinforcing makkusiineq joints to scarf kayak gunwales.  I got a little concerned when I confirmed my suspicion that it is no longer available.  Glad to hear this other stuff should be a direct substitute.    

[Bowjunkie]

Was gonna ask you about the kayaks. I never did start one. Too many irons hot already.

We moved and I've been building my shop basically from scratch, so haven't gotten much bow work done in the last year or two. While it's not done, it's at least to the point I can start doing some bow work in there. I've been on a bow material hoarding mission lately... collected several hophornbeam logs last weekend and hope to get all of them quartered and stripped of bark this weekend. Got a nice musclewood log the same day. Both woods have super tight rings. Still finding new bow making challenges here    

[Roy from Pa]

Adam check your PM's..