need a handle fix / repaired with pics

[don s]

there has been a few recent posts about handles popping off. i have a bbo that i made in 2004. it has a cherry handle and cherry tip overlays. 66" and 45#@26 1/4. i named it "miss colleen" after my wife. i just realized that the name really fits. she's always flying off at the handle. don't tell her i said that. any way here are some pics. someone suggested using dowel pins. i actually have an old indian archery bow that has the handle pinned. any ideas to fix the problem. first pic shows top limb fade where handle pops.
     don

[don s]

a couple more pics of top limb at different view points.

[don s]

[don s]

this next pic is the bottom limb fade. there is no seperation at all on this part of the handle.

[SEMO_HUNTER]

Could you remove the old handle and replace the entire cherry handle lam? It may be the glue you used back when you built it. Maybe this time try a different glue? Maybe use a piece of Osage for the repair instead of cherry also.
I've never done this before, just throwing ideas out there.

I have my grandpa's old Pearson longbow that the handle is delaminating on. I plan on fixing it when I reach that level before I feel confident enough to do so.

[don s]

another idea is just to leave it alone. the sisal wrap is not affected by the handle seperation and is as tight as it was the first day it was put on.
                  don

[don s]

semo, i think if the cherry handle comes off i would perhaps replace with another cherry one but this time i wouldn't use a solid piece. i would use a few thin pieces of cherry stacked up.
                                       don

[Roy from Pa]

I used cherry for a handle once and had the same problem. Never used it again.

[don s]

roy, i honestly don't think it's a wood choice problem. i think it's like pat b said in another post that after time, wood starts to bend more. i shot this bow for almost 7 years before this happened.
                                         don

[evildocrsx]

Which glue did you use?

[4est trekker]

Could you post a picture showing more of the bow from both the side profile and back profile?  A full draw pic showing the bow in your hand would be great, too.  If it looks as I suspect, I really doubt it's bending there.  However, without the above pictures we really can't know.

[Knawbone]

I use hypo needle to inject super glue, then clamp.

[Dick in Seattle]

maybe wrap the upper end, above the shelf, tight with fine nylon thread, varnish and keep shooting?  Maybe silk thread if nylon is too out of keeping with the bow, but the stretch in nylon will really wrap it tight.

[don s]

Originally posted by 4est trekker:
Could you post a picture showing more of the bow from both the side profile and back profile?  A full draw pic showing the bow in your hand would be great, too.  If it looks as I suspect, I really doubt it's bending there.  However, without the above pictures we really can't know.

i'll post what pics i have. no draw pics at all right now. i have injected a wicking type CA glue in the seperation using a hypodermic needle. as soon as i string it, it pops loose again. the original glue that was used was TBII. click on the thumbnail and it will take you to my photobucket with 21 photos of the bow. don
                         

[PEARL DRUMS]

Leg sinew and glue would hold it I bet, maybe a 1/2" wide band around each fade.

[4est trekker]

Without seeing a front profile picture I can't be sure, but perhaps you begin narrowing your limb width at the fades a bit too soon, which may be causing that part of the limb to move just enough to pop your handle.  If the tiller of the bow is good and the bow were mine, I wold removed that handle and build up a new one using thin laminates.  It's easy to do so long as your first layer is dead flat.  Those laminates will flex a bit if indeed the bow is moving a bit there and will not pop loose.

[don s]

thanks 4est, i think thats what is going on. the top part of the handle is the only place it's seperating. i know the handle area is dead flat. i took my sweet time with this bow and it paid off. the glue lines are really nice. i think thats what i will do then. remove the handle and replace with thin laminates and re wrap with sisal. i want to try to keep the bow as close to original as possible. thanks to everybody for the replies.
            don

[don s]

i took the sisal handle off and saw that the only place it's seperating is at the top fade. i tried to take the cherry handle off but it wasn't budging. rather than mess the bow up i decided to try injecting more wicking ca glue in the crack. i used a razor blade and was able to wedge it in the crack and open it up just enough to get the syringe in and shoot the ca in. i didn't have any more sisal and i wanted to keep the bow as close to the way i had it. so, i used a nice piece of brown leather and artificial sinew to lace it up. i added beads to dress it up a little. after 2 days i strung the bow waiting to hear the pop of the handle again. guess what? no pop. it's holding. i'll post some pics. don

[don s]

my daughter at her full draw with my bow.

[don s]

one more showing target