1st bow delaminated,can I save it?

[tnhornhter1099]

a few years ago I bought a longbow kit from Bingham, after glueing it up and putting it thru the heat box I noticed that the glue did not take right at one of the fade outs, either I didnt get enuf glue there or didnt have it clamped good enuf, anyway I came across the thing today and got to looking at it, I can lift the portion that didnt glue up enuf to get glue back in there, do you think it worth trying to save it? and if so what glue should I use, smooth-on maybe? any help will be appreciated as always

[macbow]

My first thought is why not?
How big is the area? Is it just the fiberglass?
Is it loose on one end where it can be clamped without any gaps?

Smooth on would be a good choice in glue. Is that what the original glue was?

[tnhornhter1099]

it failed pretty much thru the whole curve of the fade out, the glass lams seems to be solid, when I clamp it down I can not see any day light, thats what got me to thinking maybe I could save it

[T Folts]

You can peel the glass off sand and regule it. use a heat gun and lightly heat it, take a razorblade starting at the tip and work it up, and just peel it back while appling heat but just enough to get it off. Clean it up and put it back on or use a new piece of glass (thats what I did)

[cunruhshoot]

I have done what T Folts described as well. And it worked very well and saved a bow. Be careful not to pull up splinters of wood from your wood under the glass or you will have yet another project trying to fill those voids.

[macbow]

Sounds very feasible. Like the others said clean, maybe slide a piece of sandpaper in to help get rid of any rough spots.

I haven't used smooth on for some time.
If I remember right as it is first put on and heated it got more liquid. If so you could pull the glass back put in some glue and heat it with a heat gun just a little so it runs down in the attached area. Then glue the rest and clamp up.

[tnhornhter1099]

ok guys I have got the fiberglass off and sanded very clean, I am ready to glue on a new piece of fiberglass, using the smooth-on, my question is how am I going to heat it with out damaging the other lams previously glued? does it have to be heated to work? or can I clamp the heck out of it and leave it for a fews days?

[Trux Turning]

It will cure without heat. I'm assuming you will clamp the new piece on using the form?

[tnhornhter1099]

yes I will clamp it on using the form, I just didnt know if it would cure without hear, thanks for the info

[macbow]

It still needs to be somewhat warm. So if your nights are below 75 degrees you might want to add a couple of light bulbs close.
I use 2 100 watts and cover with a sleeping bag sorta tented overnight.

[BWD]

Just heat to a lower temp than you did to cure the bow during the original glue up.

[Tim Finley]

It doesn't hurt smooth on to be heated over again. I have had some bows and handles in the heat box as many as 4 and 5 times, as it cools down it goes back to its orginal strength, and smooth on does need to be heated.