handle came off

[Kevin A.]

Hi, I new at this forum stuff and bow building. But I'm trying. I have been building a Reflex Deflex bow.(first one) I had 4 hours into Tillering it. When the handle poped off the bow. It broke at the glue joint, no wood damage.
The bow is 66 inches (nock to nock) with a 13 3/4 inch long handle. (All wood)
What should I do?
I think I might have used a wrong epoxy. I don't have the stuff in front of me but it was the regular 5 minute stuff.

[AkDan]

sounds more like the limbs are bending into the handle then a glue failure?!?!

[Kevin A.]

Should I make the handle shorter?

[bjansen]

you could try regluing it on with a shorter handle, but it sounds like the bow was trying to bend in the handle...not matter how good you glue it, if the board wants to bend in the handle area it will pop off almost anything you glue on to it.   Can you start with a thicker board (or at least a thicker handle section?    

I would just finish this one as is (i.e. not re-gluing on the section that just popped off).

[No-sage]

Make your handle from a stack of 1/4" thick strips and it won't pop off, even when it bends.

Use a good glue like URAC.

[limbcracker]

I haven't had any luck with the 5 min epoxies in handles or limb lams,multiple failures, no successes, they are OK for gluing on limb tips, but so is a good superglue jell. Re-glue with a high quality epoxy or glue, the best is probably smooth-on or urac, but even tightbond II will work with the right design. Your handle should be 10 to 12 inches for that short a bow, even if you glue it well, it would probably split the wood if you stay with that long a handle. If you want more draw weight, add another lamination to the back of the bow. Good luck,Kirk

[George Tsoukalas]

Is this a board? Can you show some pictures? Jawge

[canid song]

how long did you allow for curing before you began working?

with 2 part adhesives if you don't get the mix just right the cure time can be vastly extended, and at worst not cure at all.

i've had this happen in glue-ups with quick set type epoxy resins and in a few cases with west systems when i got the ration wrong.

[otis.drum]

did you rough your surfaces well before glueing? the only time i have had glue lines come apart is when the surfaces were too smooth before glue up. really rough them up with a hacksaw blade, rough sandpaper or the like.

i would get some propper glue. 5min epoxy is not your best option.

[bubby]

like no-sage and limbcracker said, lam the handle and 10-12 in long. titebond works on all that I make, as much as that's worth, bub

[Glenn Newell]

I have had a couple of handles pop off when I glued a single piece of timber on for a handle. Since then I have laways glued the handle up made of 1/4" laminations and have never had a hande popoff since. If you make the limbs bend more coming off the handle that will help as well...Glenn...