Here is the prescription recommended to me by a bowyer to repair a partial separation between the fiberglass back of an older Howard Hill long bow, that I bought in 1961 from the Hill Archery Co. in CA.
You will need a few simple items:
1. Either, Loctite Instant 420, that has an extremely high bond, and is thin so it will spread and seep into tight areas you can't see. It dries quickly and you need to work fast. An Alternative which dries slowly, and is actually better is TiteBond III. Loctite is expensive about $35 for 1 oz. of the Cyanoacrylate. TiteBond is about $7 for 4 oz and will allow more time to spread and work down between the laminations.
2. Cut 1/2" wide black rubber strips from an old bike inner tube, 3 or 4 feet. A bike shop might have a discarded tube.
3. Wax paper, kitchen product. It is heavier than Clear Wrap and easier to remove later.
4. One inch wide strips of 100, 120, 220 grit sandpaper about 6 inches long.
5. Nitril gloves to prevent getting glue getting on your hands.
Use the heavier sandpaper to remove particles in the damaged limb, work to finer in tight areas.
When clean, blow compressed air into the areas to remove particles and dust.
Next spread the TiteBond III deep into the limb using a strip of sandpaper. When all areas, both top and bottom have a thin coat, wrap the limb in wax paper, and wrap over with painters tape. Next tape the end of a rubber strip onto the limb close to the handle and overlap the tape as you pull it tight toward the tip. Tape the end of the rubber. Again, if you use Loctite in the above process, you need to work quickly when spreading it into all areas on both sides. Allow it time to seep into the separated laminations.
Use the Nitrile Gloves (non-latex) when working with the glue, wrapping the wax paper, with rubber strips. Be careful not to twist the limb. When done, visually sight down the back to make sure the tips are not out of alignment. Set it in an area that is heated for up to a week, for the TiteBond to cure, or several days for Loctite. The wax paper will to clean up the excess glue that was squeezed out. When you have removed the excess glue, sand with 100 - 220 before applying a finish. I like Birchwood Casey's Tru-Oil, because it can be applied to a dust free finish using a small cotton square patch and Nitrile gloves, work quickly, it may dry in an hour. Sand in between coats once dry, and add 3 - 6 coats. Adding coats gives a glossy finish.
When it is finished, you can place the tip on the floor and press lightly at first along the belly side of the limb to see if the glue is holding. Just listen as you press on the belly side, not the back.
If you want to save the rest of glue, seal the top of the Loctite and put it in a zip lock bag in the refrigerator. Don't store TiteBond in the refrig. Squeezing the container, getting the glue to mix, will help extend the life. Birchwood Casey has a short shelf life, to extend it, when you remove the cap, poke a pin hole in the foil seal to add drops to a cotton pad. When through, cover the top with clear wrap, then put on the plastic cap. Good luck.
Topic: Funny(de-laminated) Limb on my TD recurve (Read 895 times)
