gluing wood bows..glue on both surfaces?

[Zradix]

Hey guys..

When gluing a wood bow with unibond, whether it's a trilam or backed bow..

do you spread glue on both surfaces or just one?

I've been putting glue on both surfaces. Kinda pour/spoon it on the surface and spread it out just thick enough so I don't see the wood underneath.

It seems so waste full..with a lot of glue squeezing out just becoming a mess to clean up.

I end up using darn near a pint can of glue on a single bow.

I was thinking having the thick layer of glue on one side and maybe just a thin layer on the other piece..basically just get it "wet".

What do you boys do?

[Jon in North Idaho]

Do both surfaces.  You only need an thin layer on each.  If you get a bunch of squeeze-out, you're using too much.  The right amount should give you some squeeze out, but not in excess.

It may seem wasteful to do both surfaces, but when compared to wasting ALL of the material, plus the time you already have into it, I'd rather use more glue than not enough.

[Roy from Pa]

What Jon said.

[fujimo]

What Roy said.

[Roy from Pa]

What fujimo said.

[redbeard126]

What Roy said about fujimo talkin bout what Roy said about Jon.

[Zradix]

Ya don't say..?

[scars]

Ya get that Z?
Or should they start over again? :D

[Bowjunkie]

What red said... wet to wet. I definitely want to see a little squeeze out.

[Ted Fry]

Wet on wet , no regret, wet on dry make you cry!

[Zradix]

Originally posted by Ted Fry:
Wet on wet , no regret, wet on dry make you cry!

nice!
   

[Roy from Pa]

What bowjunkie and Ted said and what red said.

[fujimo]

:confused:        

[Eric Krewson]

Buy yourself a few glue brushes, you can spread glue really evenly and use much less glue. I trim off 1/4" of the bristles to make the brush a little stiffer for handling thick Urac.

   

I can make 5 or 6 bamboo backed bows out of a pint of glue. I weigh my resin and will have 500 gr or so in each glue-up.

[Zradix]

That's a good idea Eric.
I was thinking about using an old credit card to spread a little thinner.

500 grains? as in 32 grams?

jeesh..I know a trilam has more surfaces to glue and all, but on my last one I used all of 300 grams of resin..worried a bit at the end if I'd mixed enough..lol

[LittleBen]

better to waste a little glue ... it's not terribly expensive. You'll get a better feel for how much you need as time goes on. For now, just make sure you're getting enough on there.

[Roy from Pa]

Just use a brush and apply it like your painting the wood. If you use unibond, keep a jar handy with liquid soap and water in it, then soak the brush when done and then rinse with hot water. Some folks even use a narrow 2" foam roller to apply the glue.

[Zradix]

I think I'll try that.
Mix up a ton of glue the first few times.
Weigh the extra and figure out on average how much I really need.

[Roy from Pa]

I use 103 grains of hardener and 1200 grains of resin for a 66" tri lam, 1 1/4 wide at the flares tapered to 1/2 at the tips. Heck you can always mix up more in a few minutes. I found a place online that sells a gallon of unibond with the hardener included for $60.00 delivered to my door. It would cost that much for two pints anywhere else.. Just sayen:) I won't use a gallon a year but it's still cheaper than buying pints, even if I only use half of it.

[Zradix]

you mix a little slower set mix than I've tried.
I've only tried 10:1

....and about 1/4 as much...lol