DELAMINATION

[Ron+dog]

i made this post in bowyers bench as well trying to get as much in put as i can while stumping this morning my bow a zebrawood and glass recurve started to delaminate on the edge the glass has some damage as this is my first recurve an antique i was wondering if it is possible to have a qualified bowyer repair it i am heart broken and because today is a holiday i cant call any bow shops in my area PLEASE HELP

[wingnut]

Takes some good pics of the problem area and get ahold of Whip at the Bow Hospital.  If it can be fixed, he'll fix it.

Mike

[Whip]

Thanks for the referal Mike.
 
Delaminations can be so tricky.  Pictures sure would help to see exactly what you are looking at.  Is the glass actually seperating from the core wood?    

Generally, I don't try to repair a delamination for customers.  Some certainly can be repaired, but there is never a guarantee as to how long it may hold, and I don't feel comfortable charging someone to do work that I can't stand behind 100%.  Although some might be saved, others are sure to fail, and I don't want to take that responsibility.  

Send pictures if you can, and let's see how far it has gone.  If it were my bow, here is what I would try.  

Get some Loctite 420, which is an industrial grade super glue that is very thin and penetrates cracks deeply.  It is expensive at $20 + per ounce, and you will need to order it from an industrial supply company.  I get it from Grainger.com  Some say that super glue is super glue and that the cheap stuff will work just as well.  That may very well be the case - just telling you what I use.

Carefully string the bow which should open up the area that is delaminating.  Using a syringe, inject the super glue into the crack as far as you can.  Flood it well, and let it penetrate as deeply as you can.  Then unstring the bow to let the crack close back up and clamp the area with light pressure.  Hope for the best.  It may hold, or it may not.  The only way that I know of to find out is to try it.

You will likely have super glue that runs out beyond the repair.  You might mask the area off first to try to minimize this, but still will probably have some clean up to do.  Sand smooth carefully, and don't cut into the glass.  Use some Tru Oil to blend the repaired area in with the rest of the finish.

Delaminations are an unfortunate part of owning and shooting traditional bows.  I would guess that every bowyer has it happen occasionally.  Wood is still just that - a natural material that is subject to the whims of nature.  That is why it is so important to inspect your bow fequently and if you find any nicks, deep scratches, etc. deal with them right away before they become a bigger problem.  Moisture is the biggest enemy of your bow, and you need to do all you can to keep it on the outside.

Ron, give me a call anytime and I will help any way that I can.  Good luck!

[Dave Worden]

What Whip said is EXACTLY RIGHT.  Both to the unreliability of a fix and in how to fix it.  I fixed one for myself that now has a thousand or more arrows through it.  I fixed one for a friend that handled  a couple hundred arrows and then the other limb delaminated.  Other than the risk of injury (which is not slight) you have nothing to loose in trying to fix it yourself except the cost of the glue.  If it works, great.  If it breaks, well, it was already broken.  If you do try to fix it, be sure to shoot with safety glasses for at least the first few hundred arrows.  Good luck.

[Ron+dog]

my second question would be what did i do to make this happen i have been doing some spine experamentation lately i have shot 2016 aluminum and 5575 carbons and 2117 aluminum out of a 52 # bow could that have caused it ?

[Doug in MI]

Any of those  arrows should have been fine for 52#. Another enemy to a bow is heat. If its ever strung and left in a hot enviorment like a truck cab could cause damamge also.
If its any consolation I bought a new bow. It started to delaminate after a year.

[Dave Worden]

You didn't mention if it is an old bow or not.  The bow I mentioned above (the friend's) was a sixties vintage bow.  I think the glue just dried out and gave up.

[straitera]

Thanks for the tip. My J. Hill delaminated & bent at the start of the fiberglass. I'll use your method to fix it. This J. Hill really surprised me as far as shooting characteristics & quickly became a favorite. I was shooting it daily before the Texas heat got to it I guess. Left it strung overnight and BAM! Thanks again.

[Ron+dog]

repair was unsucessful the glass suffered too much damage and was to splintered to glue back down thank you to every one who offered advice and best of luck to every one who tries this repair method i am heart sick i sold all my fire arms to buy archery equipment i dont feel right going to sleep w/o a bow in the house i will have to go out and sharpen a stick or somthing
  :mad:    :(        

[Whip]

Sorry to hear that Ron.  If the glass was splintered there was not much to hope for.  The Loctite repair can help if the glass is still intact but has seperated from the core lams, but once the glass is toast I don't know of anything to try.

[Doug in MI]

TTT.