question on gluing up riser blocks using smooth on

[TradBowyer]

question:

what is your glue/epoxy of choice for gluing up a riser block (footed, accent stripes, etc.) prior to gluing up the bow? Reason I'm asking is I've heard that if using smooth on, the epoxy can start to breakdown once it reaches the temperature it was cured at. If using smooth on, have you had any issues with the riser joints after glueup? or do you not even worry about this?

[Bowjunkie]

I've used Smooth On in bows for 20 years, many in part or whole that were glued up at room temps, and used them in hotter weather in the summer, and never saw any indication of the glue 'breaking down'.

No, I've never had an issue with the riser joints, but I wouldn't exactly say I don't worry about it. I simply worry about it to the extent that I'm mindful of the gluing surface prep, usually prepping the riser pieces with coarse grit belts or drums or grooving with a toothing plane blade so that it's impossible to starve a joint of glue, keep surfaces clean and free of contaminants or fingerprints, mix glue thoroughly, and usually I cure with some sort of heat. I've found that if I use good gluing practices, I don't need to worry.

[TradBowyer]

Jeff,
I guess I wasn't too clear on my question. If I cook up a laminate riser block, shape it and then put it back in the oven for the whole bow glue up, will I have a problem? I've heard some theorize that those glue joints could fail since I'm basically bringing  them back to the same temp after they have already been cured. 

[Bvas]

I have laminated several risers with smooth on prior to glue up. Couple just laminating boards to get thickness, and a couple to add fiberglass accents. All of them I cured at room temp or with a lamp over them for a little added heat. All were baked at higher temps for glue up.

I have not had any issues with any of them.

[kennym]

Same here Tim, lammed a bunch of them without or with heat and then cooked the bow as usual with no delams.

you will have the bow under pressure in the form with bow, so no undue stress on it. But I'm sayin it's good. My story and stickin to it.

I've done quite a few that way with 0 probs, knock on wood...

[Crooked Stic]

Yeah me to what Kenny said.

[Bowjunkie]

You should be fine. I generally heat once during riser glue up, then again with the whole bow in the oven, but a buddy of mine, due to how he layed up his risers, used to heat his risers a handful of times as he built them up before they went into the bow for a final run through the oven. He never had an issue that I recall.

[Bowjunkie]

And btw, some of his bows were quite heavy of draw weight and relatively short.

[Bob T.]

As Kenny said.