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Main Boards => The Bowyer's Bench => Topic started by: T Folts on March 15, 2012, 08:38:00 PM

Title: Gorilla Glue for tip overlays (experience)
Post by: T Folts on March 15, 2012, 08:38:00 PM
I've heard mention of people using the impact tough glue and I've even made mention of it here I believe. So here is my experience, I missed weight on a bow I was building for myself (math error) and need to cut the bow down and I already put the overlays on the bow perparing them the same way I do for smooth-on, rough up with 60 grit both surfaces clean with denatured alcohol put one layer on at a time clamping each layer allowing to dry 15-20 min each and building up three layers ect...
Well when I ground off the overlays the bond between the glass and phenolic wasnt that good and kinda peeled off as it got thin so will not be using the gorilla glue any more and if you are not sure I would do a test run on some scrap and see what you think but for me I'm going back to good old smooth-on.. .02

Peace
Terry
Title: Re: Gorilla Glue for tip overlays (experience)
Post by: ny state land on March 15, 2012, 08:54:00 PM
thanks foe the info, i was considering an alternative but won't now. Do you just put a light on each end to cure?
Title: Re: Gorilla Glue for tip overlays (experience)
Post by: Robertfishes on March 15, 2012, 08:56:00 PM
do you think the heat from the grinding caused the glue joint to let go? I have had a similar type of experiance with smooth on and I think it was the friction heat from the mini belt sander I was using.
Title: Re: Gorilla Glue for tip overlays (experience)
Post by: 4runr on March 15, 2012, 09:01:00 PM
I won't ever again use Gorrilla glue for anything.
Title: Re: Gorilla Glue for tip overlays (experience)
Post by: T Folts on March 15, 2012, 09:04:00 PM
I wouldnt think the heat would but possible.
Title: Re: Gorilla Glue for tip overlays (experience)
Post by: JamesV on March 15, 2012, 10:03:00 PM
I don't think a belt sander would generate enough heat to make smooth-on turn loose.

Super glue works great for overlays, fast and cheap. I have never had one come off.

James
Title: Re: Gorilla Glue for tip overlays (experience)
Post by: Crooked Stic on March 15, 2012, 10:03:00 PM
I like to use smoothon next to the glass just for cosmetic reasons.I have been using the Gorilla fot the second or third overlay with no problems for a couple of years now.
Just take a piece of cut off glass and a wood scrap and prepare and clean them as you would on an overlay. Now apply the GG and clamp and let it cure for ample time then try to tear them apart. If you suceed I think you will find you have torn the wood not the glue.
Title: Re: Gorilla Glue for tip overlays (experience)
Post by: psychmonky on March 15, 2012, 10:57:00 PM
Its funny this came up, because I had some gorilla wood glue laying around that I wanted to use up, so I used it to glue the overlays on the bow im building now. One popped off.

I don't know that it was the glue, but I didn't want to chance it. I sanded the other one off and started over with superglue. This was on an all wood bow too, so glass/phenolic wasn't even the issue.
Title: Re: Gorilla Glue for tip overlays (experience)
Post by: monterey on March 15, 2012, 11:34:00 PM
There is the white Gorrilla wood glue and the other amber stuff.  Which are you guys using?

I used the white Gorrila wood to glue on a riser layer on a wood pyramid bow.  The glue failed  and the riser layer popped off. The bow broke in the handle.
Title: Re: Gorilla Glue for tip overlays (experience)
Post by: Glunt on March 16, 2012, 01:45:00 AM
Big difference in Gorilla glues.  The blue top, small bottle, impact resistant CA (superglue) Gorilla glue is totally different than regular Gorilla glue.

I've used it a couple times (blue top) with no issues.  I did a couple test tips on scrap like Crooked Stick suggested and never could get them to fail.  Smooth On blends into the glass nicer for me and fills in a gap better.  Like when you file some initial string nocks before tips, space out and start taking them across the limb  :rolleyes:
Title: Re: Gorilla Glue for tip overlays (experience)
Post by: Roy from Pa on March 16, 2012, 07:38:00 AM
I use smooth on also. I know it has to dry for a day, but I have never had a tip overlay come apart.
Title: Re: Gorilla Glue for tip overlays (experience)
Post by: bamboo on March 16, 2012, 07:47:00 AM
the BLUE TOP ca[gorilla brand] is bullet proof!!
it can be temp and humidity sensitive--only effecting cure time-not bond strength
i suspect it did not cure long enough in your case----its a real time saver[compared to epoxy]BUT it still needs time to cure-and better to give it 30 mins a layer--then even an another half hour to be sure
Title: Re: Gorilla Glue for tip overlays (experience)
Post by: psychmonky on March 16, 2012, 08:25:00 AM
I was using the actual wood glue. It has a clear top.
Title: Re: Gorilla Glue for tip overlays (experience)
Post by: bjansen on March 16, 2012, 09:56:00 AM
The  blue top, small bottle, impact resistant CA (superglue) works good for overlays, but if you are aiming for a smooth, sanded fade from the overlay to the limb you just cannot beat smooth on.  The smooth on sands very, very well...and the blue top CA gorrilla is more "rubbery" and does not sand that good for me.
Title: Re: Gorilla Glue for tip overlays (experience)
Post by: arrowlauncherdj on March 17, 2012, 04:47:00 PM
I use it on all my tips including the first one that touches the glass.  I have never had it fail.  What I did to make it look nicer is take a little Smooth On on my finger and just paint it over the sanded overlay.  This blended it into the glass very well when I did my final sanding.
Title: Re: Gorilla Glue for tip overlays (experience)
Post by: JGL on March 17, 2012, 07:55:00 PM
I have used it on one bow and shot it about 300 times so far no problems