Glue

TheFatboy · March 17, 2010, 05:38:00 AM

So, I've ordered some combed flax to help reinforce a few weak areas on my upcoming yew branch bows. I was about to order some Titebond, and figured that Titebond III would be the best choice. But I remember reading in TBB1, that hide glue is the best choice for gluing flax and other such fibrous backings.

What would be the best choice? Titebond III or Titebond Hide Glue?

TheFatboy · March 17, 2010, 09:21:00 AM

BUMP

bjansen · March 17, 2010, 09:55:00 AM

Titebond 3, I dont think Titebond's brown bottle of "Hide Glue" is as good as actual Hide glue.

Silent Bear · March 17, 2010, 11:48:00 AM

Titebond hide glue is not waht you want, I would suggest buying some hide glue from 3 rivers or anywhere else that supplies it, the best hide glue that I have used is homeade from sinew scraps and pine pitch

frank bullitt · March 17, 2010, 12:14:00 PM

Titebond would be the easiest to get, and should work fine. I have hide glue and would use that, myself. As for the liquid hideglue, it would work fine also, but tends to take alittle longer to dry. Also most places that carry it, don't realize it has a short shelf life, check the date on the bottle!

If I remember right, Jay Massey had wrote you could add like vinegar to speed the drying!

TheFatboy · March 18, 2010, 04:09:00 AM

Thanks for the suggestions, guys. I think I will try out the Titebond 3 then!

This is the first time I'm gluing anything to a bow though, so I'm pretty lost, to say the least. I have no idea how to prepare the glue, and all those things.

Should I warm up the glue, dip the flax fibres, squeeze out the excess glue, apply a layer on the bow and comb it out? Or is it not necessary to warm the glue first? Any advice is appreciated right now

frank bullitt · March 18, 2010, 01:06:00 PM

Andreas, you can thin the glue down some with water, brush it on,maybe give a couple coats to the wood. Then dip the fibers in the same bowl of glue, and do like you mention. Kinda of the way I apply sinew. Should work good!

TheFatboy · March 18, 2010, 01:33:00 PM

That doesn't sound too hard! Thank you Frank

walkabout · March 18, 2010, 01:59:00 PM

just brush on a thin coat of the glue to the back of the bow first and let it dry to size it, this will help ensure that the wood wont soak up too much moisture in the glue up of the backing material.

TheFatboy · March 19, 2010, 03:55:00 AM

Sounds logical. I will do that then.

Thanks for the input

Tree man · March 21, 2010, 03:25:00 PM

Hide glue makes good, strong, flexible bond.......but it is water soluble. Titebond III makes a good, strong, flexible bond .......and it is WATERPROOF. I'm glad I know how to make hide glue....but very thankful that I can buy and use TBIII. It is BETTER!

frank bullitt · March 21, 2010, 08:15:00 PM

Hey Justin, do you use TB3 for a finish, then?

With hide glue or any glue, I stll use a finish over it. None of them are waterproof! They still will breath.

walkabout · March 21, 2010, 09:16:00 PM

i have to agree, even though titebond says its waterproof it probably does breath a little bit. if you think about it when you glue something up it has to dry on the inside somehow, and the outside edges of glue dry the quickest. so logically the glue probably allows some moisture to escape/ enter, although the bond will still remain strong.

TheFatboy · March 22, 2010, 03:25:00 AM

I've also been considering cherry bark backing. I have a lot of cherry bark which has dried for some time now. But I guess nothing prevents me from backing one with flax and one with cherry bark

walkabout · March 22, 2010, 10:59:00 AM

there ya go. im currently working on a dyed burlap backing for my sisters bow, its gonna be purple and black striped. kinda time consuming because i have to dye a few inches at a time with one color, then repeat with the other but im sure shell love the end product. i might have to round up some birch bark to try as a backing some day to see how that works. anyway post some pics when ya get the flax done, i think ive only seen one bow backed with it before.

TheFatboy · March 22, 2010, 11:26:00 AM

I ain't gonna back in entirely with flax, only reinforce weak spots. Apparently, flax does not stretch very well, so a full flax backing would probably overpower the belly.

walkabout · March 22, 2010, 01:11:00 PM

lol my bad. id still be interested in seeing your method though, i posted a topic not long ago about patching bad spots and this is somewhere along those lines.

TheFatboy · March 23, 2010, 04:22:00 AM

I'll be sure to post pictures of the results. Expect no miracles, I am merely a rookie!