First bow build 2012...BBO Finished!!!

[bowhntineverythingnh03743]

Sooooo my Z slpicing shows my rookie mistakes... Am I able to save it or not...

 
You can see the split in the middle along with my awesome gaps going on...
 
Me trying to do my best to get the Z splice cleaned up

[Roy from Pa]

Z splice isn't bad Justin, you are going to clamp it together across the splice anyways and it will pull right together. Plus when the bow is cut out all you really end up with is the center cut and a little 1 inch length of each angled cut. I'd go for it but spread that crack apart just a tad and get some urac down into it. Your riser will be 13 1/2 long so there will be plenty of solid wood out over and past that crack plus the boo on the back side. Below is what will be left after cutting out the bow.

 

[bowhntineverythingnh03743]

OK ROY... will glue it up tomorrow... I know there is a special way to mix the URAC... any tips on this...lol

[Roy from Pa]

LOL

1 part powder to 2 parts liquid by volume. If you have a grain scale it's 13 grains of powder to 100 grains of liquid. Urac is bullet proof stuff so don't be afraid of the volume method. Then just stir it around for a couple minutes, coat every surface that will come together, clamp the z splice across with 3 clamps and down flat also with a couple clamps onto a hard surface. Wrap the glue joint first with freezer paper with the waxy side towards the glue. Put the bow where it will be 70 degrees for about 8 - 12 hours. Wouldn't hurt to place thin 1/4 or 1/2 thick boards on each side of the splice and clamp them up against the slat. And the same thing on top. This puts even pressure all the way around instead of pressure just where the clamps would be, ya dig?  

[bowhntineverythingnh03743]

I dig it Roy... I don't have a grain scale but lucky for me my buddy owns the local archery shop so a quick stop there and I will be in business... Posting Tomorrow after a long midnight shift at work!!!

[Bowjunkie]

I'd use a thin viscocity superglue on that crack instead of urac. It's cracked beyond what you can see. Thin superglue will follow it to the very end, urac won't.

Make sure you get that boo adequately thinned... and both gluing surfaces perfectly flat, or better yet, a tiny bit convex, as well as roughed-up with a file, saw blade or something.

[Roy from Pa]

Good point Jeff on the super glue.

[red hill]

Roy, a question on glueing the boo on the osage. Do you glue the boo onto the osage board before cutting the bow profile on the osage?

[Roy from Pa]

Yes. You glue on the boo, then when it's dry you glue on the riser, then cut out the bow when that's dry..

[red hill]

Thanks, Roy. I haven't tried boo yet, but have some.

Bowhuntin, thanks for this thread. I wouldn't have thought of some of these points if left on my own.

[Roy from Pa]

The reason for gluing the riser on after the boo/Osage is dry is because the bow get's a deflex/reflex shape from the form, so the riser area has a slight curve to it. You lay your 13.5 inch riser piece down on it's side and lay the bow along it's edge and trace out the slight curve, then cut that curve out of the riser block and fit it up to the belly of the bow. Takes some rasping to get it perfect but not much.

[red hill]

Thanks, Roy. That explains something I've had issues with... Hum. Now I'm glad I didn't get to glue up my trade bow tonight. I usually glue up everything at once.

[bowhntineverythingnh03743]

Ok I finally made it to my local archery shop to use there grain scale to mix up the Urac... Made a glue table down in my basement and put it all together...

First made sure the entire thing was straight and then clamped it to m y board..
Next added three clamps along the splice
 
 
Then added a lamp over the splice to add some light heat for the waiting period to begin
 

Now time to wait....wait... wait...
OH and oder a toothing plane thanks to Ma!!!

[Roy from Pa]

Justin, I gotta give ya an A+...

[bowhntineverythingnh03743]

Great student due to a great teacher!!! Thanks Roy... just ordered my toothing plane

[Roy from Pa]

Ya get the one I showed ya?

[psychmonky]

Great build so far! And this must be your first build...those clamps don't even have chips in the paint yet. Lol

[bowhntineverythingnh03743]

Yes Roy just ordered it and will be here on Tuesday... Psychmonky this is my second build LOL

[bowhntineverythingnh03743]

So tonight I pulled off the clamps and unwrapped my first splice with excitement to see how it came out. I was impressed that the splice wasn't as bad as I thought...BUT... my crack from focing the two slats grew and I think I lost this... Oh well I learned not to force them together and will cut and glue up a new one tomorrow since I figured I would have problems and ordered two pairs of slats

Here is the crack that grew from an inch to about three now!!!
 

[Roy from Pa]

That sucks Justin. Most likely you had the z-splice fit too tight. There should be a very slight gap between the surfaces. Maybe 1/64th of an inch. The freezer paper worked slick didn't it? I would cut that z-splice apart, being very careful cutting to save the end that did not crack, then you can always use it for another bow in the future. You can save the cracked piece for riser material or something else.