Smooth On -How much per bow?

[mikeineugene]

I will be building my first longbow soon and i was wondering how much Smooth On it takes per bow.I will be using it to make my own risers also.

[Russell S.]

i used about 2.5+2.5 ozs ozs on my first glue up and came up short with 4 lams in the stack,  next one had 5 lams in the stack, i mixed 3.5+3.5 oz and came up with a bit to spare.  seems like the more experienced guys use a bit less.  I guess you have to have a good feel for how thick to get the glue on the lams.  i had ALOT of glue buggers on the limbs, of course to much and it just squeezes out and you sand it off too little and your bow might Delam....  i will not go thin on it until i have a real good feel for it.

[Jason Scott]

I usually buy the 2-one pint cans from 3R because I am a low volume / budget builder. I can usually count on getting three bows from them. The first bow I made I had to stop and mix extra because I ran out two times while glueing it up and vowed to never let that happen again. I always have some left over now. I eyeball the amounts 50/50 which is 1/3 from each can. That's about $10 of glue.

[Pennsyltuckey pete]

For a 4 lams / 2 glass 64 inch long bow I fill one of the small dixie cups with each part.  I think they are two ounces each.  To spread the epoxy I use painting spatulas. It comes out pretty close at the end.

pete

[steve wasson]

I mix 3 oz. each for the final lam process and spread it THICK!! Let the pressure push out the excess and you will remain void-free. For the add'l (small) price of glue, your project comes out flawless. Don't be penny wise and pound foolish! 8^)

Steve

[steve wasson]

Oh yeah, I use old credit cards to spread. They are 2" wide on the short side and the natural flex seems perfect for being able to control how thick you leave the spread.

Steve

[Jason Scott]

Most of us probably have quite a few old credit cards lying aroung these days.

[sulphur]

I use a small grams scale and weigh out 90 grams of each part.  thats for a 66" longbow with 2 lams and a one piece core and very little left over.  I also put enough on to get a good squish when its clamped down.  don't scrimp on the smooth on.

[sw]

for a 4 lam longbow i use about 1200 grains of part A with 996 grains of part B... this will give me a tad of excess depending on the bow lenght, i tend to use any excess and glue up risers with it at the time i put the bows in the oven. This also gives me glue on eachside of the laminate and a slight amount that squeezes out during air up. Its better to use to much glue and have sme squeeze out then to litle and have a dry spot that will fail.

Dave

[Brad Isham]

The easiest way to do it is use two Dixie Cups to measure. They are two ounces each (I think) but I have done up to nine laminate bows this way. I have been doing this for ten years and it always works with just a little waste. Just fill each then crush the paper cups and flatten them between your fingers to flatten out and get all the goo out into a common container, then mix. I also use a rubber body filler spreader to spread the glue, when it dries you can peel it off the spreader and reuse it over and over. GOOD LUCK!