1st try at bow....need suggestions.

[beetlebailey1977]

I have a red oak 1x board and bamboo that is flattened already.  What is a ideal glue to use to apply the bamboo backing?  How about Titebond?  Should I use a toothing plane?  Any help would be greatly welcomed.

[4est trekker]

I would not suggest a bamboo backing on a red oak belly.  It will overpower the oak and make for a mediocre shooting bow at best unless you REALLY trapped that boo.  I would save the boo for a nicer belly wood such as ipe or osage.

Now, regarding your question.  Titebond will work fine for such an application.  Use the TB III because it's waterproof (if there is such a thing).  Don't bother with a toothing plane, and always make sure your mating surfaces are smooth when using TB.  This glue requires smooth surfaces and will not fill gaps. Epoxies, on the other hand, will fill gaps and perform best when the surfaces are slightly roughened with a hacksaw blade, low grit sand paper, etc.

[sulphur]

got to agree with 4est on the red oak.  linen makes a fine backing for red oak.  You might consider urac 185 for gluing. its available at most working working stores or online at Nelsons paint.  you can cure with or without heat.

[4est trekker]

I've built a lot of red oak bows and, although I prefer an unbacked bow, have backed several with brown shipping paper.  As Sulphur said, linen works very well, as does silk, rawhide, or even burlap.  All of these backings can be applied easily with Titebond.

[beetlebailey1977]

Ok guys I sure appreciate the info.  Just what I wanted to know.

[razorback]

Beetle, check out 4est's "so you want to build a board bow" thread. It single handedly may have resulted in more shootable board bows than any other thread in a long time on here. Read it all the way through, get started, go real slow and keep asking lots of questions.

[RedtailMD]

4est -  could you elaborate on what "overpower the oak" means? I just learning and have read that regarding fiberglass or boo backings elsewhere but never really understood what it meant. For example do mismatched belly+backings cause chrysals in the belly or other issues such as delamination?
Thanks!

[soopernate]

It can be done as 4est said using the proper methods.  Many have done it successfully and yet some continue to say IT CANT BE DONE.  Hogwash! Anyway I think your best bet is gonna be LINEN on the back of that there red oak as already expressed.  I would put it on with titebond 2 or 3 myself and save the urac for your wood to wood glue ups where gaps need to be filled.

[4est trekker]

Yep, soppernate's right.  URAC is really outstanding for wood to wood applications, yet it is pricey and more laborious to work with.  Save it and use Titebond III, which excels in applications like applying backings of rawhide, snakeskin, paper, fabric, etc.

Regarding "overpowering..."  The back of the bow undergoes tension and the belly undergoes compression when drawn. In between the belly and back is the neutral plane that basically "goes along for the ride."  This is why some glass bowyers can use foam cores in the their limbs, because it's not really doing any work.  Also, the lighter a limb is, the faster it can recover.  Now, if you put a backing on that is considerably stronger in its ability to withstand tension (i.e. boo, glass, etc) than the belly is able to resist compression, the belly will succumb to the forces and fret, hinge, and/or take excessive set.  The opposite is also true.  If a belly is incredibly resilient to compression (such as horn, glass, ipe, boo, etc), then the backing must be able to withstand the added stress or it will fail.  Hope this helps.  It's been a LONG day at work and I'm not completely coherent.    

[red hill]

Redtail, I experienced this overpowering problem this summer.  I had an oak board bow that came out under weight. So... I added a hickory backing. As I was shooting the bow it very slowly collapsed.  Frets could be observed as they slowly occured and the bow simply bent like a wilted stem.  This was a good lesson learned. I studied that failure for quite a while. The hickory was too thick for such a weak bow.
Stan

[RedtailMD]

4est and red hill thanks for the explanations. I was curious as to what happens. Sounds like balance is required either way regarding belly and backing (neither can be too much stronger than the other).
-Steve