Handle Splice

[LESKEN2011]

I glued 2 billets together with a fishtail splice and used unibond 800. I think the temp dipped below the recommended temp during the night. Can I just let is sit a couple of days to give it time to bond or have I messed it up?

Also, I have a couple of questions. I recently set up a lam grinder for grinding lams and am pleased with the results, so far. I have a couple of questions, though. I have been ripping my lams full length and then cutting them in half so that I could taper each individually. I have notices on some of your posts and build alongs that you sand the middle of the lams at an angle for gluing the pieces back together. I have had a terrible time doing it successfully, so far. I have used titebond, unibond 800, and thick super glue. They glue together OK but once you clean the glue off and test bend them they pop right back open. I thought the glue would be as strong as the wood. I am gluing at room temperature, though.
I was test bending them to be sure they got a good bond. Should I not do that?

[Roy from Pa]

Billets should be fine tomorrow.

I doubt if a little angle glue job is going to hold a bend test on lams.

Are you from Mississippi?    

[LESKEN2011]

Yeah, Roy. Just a hick from Mississippi. I figured you'd chime in to tell what a dumb thing that was.    

[LittleBen]

I had the same problem until I started making the splice according to normal scarf joint rules. Go for a long scarf joint and they will hold. I use titebond.

For a .125 lam my scarf joint is probably 1+" long. That will give a lot of gluing surface. 1" long by he width of the lam.

I've been cutting lams in 36" lengths. Easier to find 36" clear lumber than 72".


Scarf joints should always be 1:8 (thickness of material to length of scarf) if you want proper strength. Whether your building a bow, a boat, or an aircraft.

[red hill]

Lesken, I know a place on the Mississippi River down at Natchez where we can chunk Roy if ya want to.  It's called the Devil's Punch Bowl and it's been used to get rid of trouble makers for a long time!

[LESKEN2011]

Thanks, Ben. I did em again with longer tapers and unibond 800. I haven't cleaned them up, yet, but they look like they will hold this time.    

[LittleBen]

I've got a much easier plan for you guys ....

just throw his thumpin list in the river .... he'll never remember the names on it at his age ... then just put him on the bus back to coal country.

[Roy from Pa]

   

[LESKEN2011]

I put a spotlight on the handle splice last night and got it pretty warm through the night. The lam splices look pretty good, but I won't sand em down till this weekend to make sure they are completely cured.

[Roy from Pa]

I wanna see the lams being bent... A full blown full draw bend too...    VIDEO PLEASE?    LOL

[LittleBen]

hahaha

[LESKEN2011]

I think I will wait till they're sandwiched between other lams with the handle area clamped this time. That's one thing you can say about me. I learn quick. I guess you will have to do the bend test for yourself, Roy!!  

[JamesV]

Kenny............

Why are you cutting your lams in half and then gluing them back together????? All my lams are full lenth and tapered from each end. I am also in Mississippi

James

[LESKEN2011]

I would love to see your set up, James. I have done a few full length, but have a little trouble at the middle of the lam getting it even at the thickest part. I am over in Clinton. Maybe one day I can come over and you can show me the ropes.

[Roy from Pa]

Kenny, do you use a drum sander to taper your own lams? I have tapered full length core lams on my drum sander. I run the lam through and make sure it is even before I begin to taper. I do one end at a time on my taper sled pattern, I start the tip end in first and have the sander adjusted to just take off a very small amount of wood, say about 6 inches up the limb and then it quits taking off wood. I run the lam through twice without changing the sander setting because the drum will take off a tad more on the second pass. Then I just barley adjust the sander to take off a little more wood and run the lam through twice again. I keep doing this until I see that wood is being removed almost to a line I have drawn across the belly where the end of my riser will be. I let the entire lam run through the sander but no wood is removed in the riser area as my taper pattern drops off to nothing after it passes the line I have drawn..

[LESKEN2011]

Right now I am using a belt sander laying on its side. I am going down to get a used rigid belt/spindle sander this afternoon to free up my regular belt sander though. I will probably spring for a Griz drum later this summer, though.

Not sure how running the thin end in first would turn out in my set up. I have a hard time keeping the lam up against the backboard since it is in there vertical instead of horizontal.