...can't take.... the... pressure....

[skeaterbait]

Ok, so I glued up a pair of takedown limbs yesterday. I was being very meticulous about checking my layout, have everything ready, mixing my glue (too little on the first limb). I made sure to get everything lined up just so and voila. It's done and ready for the oven. Rinse and repeat for the second limb and also in the oven.

It wasn't until I was unwrapping everything, at 1:00 am since for some reason I happen to be up, and I saw the fire hose marks on the tape that it hit me I did not put a pressure strip on the top.

My question is, does this trash the limbs or just leave a lovely pattern as a reminder to use a pressure strip?

[mwosborn]

Probably just fine.  Depending upon the type of form and the gap between bottom and top some guys don't even use a pressure strip.

[skeaterbait]

Thanks Mitch, I was hoping that would be the case.

[kennym]

Should be good, may be a nice way to cut glare for hunting. Might be the next big thing!

[skeaterbait]

LOL, could be. I guess I will have to hit Duluth Trading CO. and buy me some firehose work pants to go with it.

It can't be deep...  It would think it will sand out with some 300 - 400 grit...

[Bvas]

Did it actually imprint the glass?

[skeaterbait]

Not sure on that yet, I haven't removed the tape. But on one of my forms that I put glass on it for the bed it did imprint the glass and I had to sand it off.

[skeaterbait]

I had my unveiling tonight. A few disappointments and one major case of letting my inner stoopid out, but my biggest concerns are laid to rest. One of which is there are no fire hose marks in the glass.

Things I learned.

1. Pay attention because the hole you drill for your limb bolt is NOT the same size as the hole you drill for your threaded insert.    

2. Trying to save epoxy by gathering the drippings off your paper is NOT a good idea as you might get hairs and tape bits under your glass.   :rolleyes:  

3. Sand the veneers a bit smoother so the sanding lines don't show. Although a darker wood may not have shown it so much.

4. I think I needed more pressure in the air hose and the glue lines might have turned out a bit better. In my defense, pumping those little suckers up the first couple of times is nerve racking.

5. When drilling your limb bolt holes, make sure your backing material is firm against the limb.

What I am happy about, enough to overlook the rest of it, is that the limbs have a nice smooth arc to them, no flat spots. I was concerned since I would feel the form one time it would feel great and another time I thought I was feeling flat spots. WHEW!!!!

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Thanks for being a man and listing all your Boo-boos...  A lot of guys might not have done that...  But because you did a lot of Greenhorns will learn from your learning experiences...
  Good job... At least you have some limbs that will work... It could have been much worse...

   As for flat spots...  Use your hands...  If it does not feel right, it probably isn't...  Bend a glass lam over the form and see if there are any spaces between the lam and form... Nice long even sweeps when sanding...
   When gluing multiple lams together if there is a very minor flat spot it probably will not show up in the limb... The limb will want to transition smoothly when it's pulled off the form... That's not to say that is a good thing... It could slightly effect the way it bends...

[skeaterbait]

Thanks Shredd. I plan to get or make a hardwood dowel for the mis-drilled hole, plug it and try again. I always seem to find ways to mess up the first of anything I do, that's why I am using all cheaper wood to start with so it doesn't hurt so bad.

I guess next I need to see what I can do to profiling the limbs.

[Roy from Pa]

Heck, it's only a gwass bow...  LOL
But next one will be better. We learn so much from our mistakes.

[John Malone]

Skeater  I've done repairs like that before on other things. If that has a taper put that dowel in there and mark it, get it cut as close to perfect on the top side as you can. Leave it long so you can hold on to it raise it up and down till its perfect on the face then cut the back side to length put the plug in and glue the heck out of it. The final sanding on that dowel to get it flush without messing up your limb will be  much easier and safer after its glued in and the hole is re drilled.  You can also repair that tear out while your at it. But you may already know all this. If its one thing I know its how to fix a screw up.

[Roy from Pa]

To eliminate tear out, place the limb on a block of wood and clamp it tight, then drill the hole.

[John Malone]

Like Roy said And invest in some good FORSTNER drill bits best money ya ever spent.

[kennym]

Before you profile the limbs, fix that hole, bolt em on the riser and string center nock to nock and check if it centers on riser. If off a little, you can move the marks at nocks same amount to center up on riser .

[Crooked Stic]

You could also plug the big hole with a hardwood dowell and smooth on redrill and overlay for looks.

[skeaterbait]

Thanks all, I will certainly employ all advice given.

[skeaterbait]

I am progressing slowly on this, as time allows. Thank you all for the advice, it has gotten me to this point. The limbs are profiled per the plans from Bingham's but 11/16" wide tips sure seems large. I am going to stick to the pattern and see what happens, I plan on plenty more bows to play with limbs.

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[John Malone]

Looks good skeaterbait. That shop is nice to, did you clean it before you took pics?