I put my bow in the form backwards?

[hickorystyk]

I was in a hurry to get my HBI bow glued up and in the heat box so I could move on to some other projects.  When I took it out and took the tubes wraps off I noticed I had put it in the form backwards (or upside down).  I have not taken the plastic wrap off the bow.

Can I rewrap the tubes and put it back in the box the right way.  Basically I will flip it over.  

Boy do I feel dumb.    

[jsweka]

Are you hoping that by reheating the glue will become flexible again an allow reforming the bow or am I missing something here??????

Sounds like you just made yourself an IBH as opposed to an HBI.

We've all done dumb things.  Welcome to the club.

[Echatham]

Im glad you did that and not me... I'd be kicking myself!

[Pat B]

Add a hickory backing and tiller it out as usual.   What glue did you use?

[hickorystyk]

Yes I was hoping for the glue to soften so I could bend it back the other way.  I wish I could shot it as an IBH.

Pat B.  Now there's an idea.  I used smooth on glue.  Would you use smooth on for the other side too and then cut or file the other hickory backing off?

[hickorystyk]

O yeah, I am kickin myself.        

[Echatham]

what if you glued the new backing up at a higher temp than the first time... could the orignal glue up let go at the same time the new is curing?

[Jon in North Idaho]

Reheating won't soften the glue to re-form it...  the idea of gluing on a new backing sounds best.

[hickorystyk]

Well....my heat box is homemade and only gets up to about 175 degrees.  Maybe I could put it back in the box and then take it out at 175 and pry it apart.  If I get lucky maybe I could reuse both parts.

I've never done this before so I don't know what to expect.  But I really hate to waste good wood.

[Echatham]

yeah it would be nothing to grind of the hickory belly.... thats what i would do... i would just go real slow and careful and use a scraper when i got close to the ipe near the handle... so as to keep it nice and flat for gluing on a riser... if you are gluing on a riser that is... hey... you could use the hickory thats already there as an accent strip in the handle!    :D

[red hill]

You'd be better off grinding off the backing rather than trying to reheat to seperate smooth-on.  
If you had used Titebond heating would work. I've done that a couple of times thanks to PatB's advice.
Adding another hickory backing and then tillering out might not be a bad way to go if you want to salvage the bow. Just my opinion.
Don't worry. I'd bet that everyone has made similar mistakes. I know that I have!
 

[hickorystyk]

I have only used TBIII to glue on handles.  I've never glued a backing on with Titebond III.  Does that work well?

[D]

TBIII turns back into a liquid at 150 degrees.  Just remember if your glue your risers with it not to heat it over 150 in your oven.  

The smooth on won't release with more heat.  I would take Pats advice and just glue another backing on.   Don't worry about the mistake.  It happens to everybody.

[jsweka]

I gotta be honest.  If it were me, I'd scrap it and start another.  You could glue on another hickory backing strip, but if that doesn't work out for ya, you're now down twice as much glue and two hickory backings plus the ipe without a shootable bow.  If you start another, I guarantee you won't make the same mistake again and will likely end up with a shootable bow.

A screwed up HBI makes a good fire poker and conversaion piece around a campfire since ipe doesn't burn well (Don't ask me how I know).

[Pat B]

Just like shelter puppies bows that are brought back to their purpose make good pets. Fix it, appreciate the new accent strip and remember to never go near your bow bench when you get in a rush. It never comes out good when you are impatient! d;^)

[Roy from Pa]

Well it's no good like it is. So I would at least make an attempt to fix it.

[LittleBen]

Yeah. Fix it. Shouldn't be too much trouble.

And Like pat said, Slow down. Have a beer, chill out.

I ask Dana not to talk to me while I'm gluing stuff up. My success rate is low enough without distraction. I've also taken to labeling EVERYTHING!
My lams look like they came from an ikea factory, A's B's C's all over to align components.

[red hill]

Amen! Pat! Rushing only leads to mistakes.

[hickorystyk]

Well thats enough morale support for me.  Another hickory backing strip going on once my schedule slows down to a jog.  If that doesn't work then I will have a double sided fire poker.

Thanks for everybody's help.  I will let ya'll know how it comes out.

[John Scifres]

Just make it into a backwards bow.  It'll be a conversation starter on the 3D course