Gluing bows up solo?

[Cherry Tree]

Hi gang, I'm curious how some people are able to glue up fiberglass bows in forms by yourself??? Atleast I asume actual full time bowyers don't always have a helper. Pics are great but any information is appreciated! I've made plenty of fiberglass bows but always have a helper with the gluing process and would really like to be able to do it alone if I need to.

Thanks.

[Bowjunkie]

I never have a helper. What part requires help?

[Cherry Tree]

Laying the riser and laminations in the form with glue and taping it all in place etc. It's hard with recurve cause of the fragile ends you can't just shove those down without them possibly breaking. Maybe I'm crazy?

[Bowjunkie]

I just push em down in there and wrap with tape to hold em. They shouldn't break if they're a good quality limb wood and their grain is good. I haven't had one break yet... YET. I probably shouldn't have said anything. lol

The worst thing I've had happen was the slippery riser of a very radical d/r hybrid jumped off of the build and crashed to the floor, breaking both fadeouts... but I had another riser ready in less than ten minutes and finished the glue up. I'll have a better system 'for help' next time.

[kennym]

I do most all mine solo, I glue glass and whatever lams go under riser, glue other lams and glass in proper order, then glue riser and clamp down to form on top of (in my case) back lams.

Now put the other glued up lam bundle(s) on riser and tape down. Very few probs, but did glue glass and lams up once ,then found riser was still a 2x2 block.....      :D

[kennym]

The quick clamp in center of riser, then taping down is pretty crucial with no extra hands...

[Cherry Tree]

Okay I didn't know if some people had a better method than me that i might not have been aware of, but sounds like I better just get the guts to do it alone! Thanks for your guys input!

Get on you tube...  I am sure there are some vids on gluing up a bow...  FYI..  In hot weather you have got about 45 minutes before the resin starts to thicken and in cooler weather even longer...  That gives you pretty of time to get things wet out and put into the form...  Its probably good to have a check list to make sure every thing is ready...  Always double and triple check everything before gluing...  And you definitely want to do a dry run on your first couple of bows...

[takefive]

I've only made 3 FG bows, but the thing that has helped me most is pegging the riser to the form by drilling a hole thru where the sight window will be cut out.  I use a short piece of metal coat hanger to peg it down and rub a little paste wax where it enters the form to keep the epoxy from sticking to it.  Then I start at the fades and tape the crap out if it.
I didn't do this on my first attempt and everything slid and ruined the bow.  The last two turned out great, didn't move at all.

[Roy from Pa]

I build tri lams and have done it solo many times.

[JamesV]

I don't need any help doing a glue-up. Infact I don't want anyone in the way. I use two sprig nails (5/8" long) to hold the core to the riser, this keeps everything straight and will not slip. I stack the remainder of lams (glass and wood) and hold them in place with spring clamps. I also tape the ends of the limbs to keep the lams from slipping while I double spiral wrap the bow with shrink wrap, this pulls everything in alignment with the core and ready to go into the form.

James