Super Glue for bow nock overlays

[Steven J]

I have a young lad coming over on Friday night to glue up a bow, and Saturday to shape and finish it. I am pretty pushed for time in all areas of life at the moment so he will probably just watch and have a yarn as I build the bow, but it will be nice for him to be involved. He has been dealt a poor hand by a local archery shop and I figure I can kit him out better myself.

In my normal work procedure, I glue up on the first night, cut out limbs, tiller and glue on nock overlays with techniglue on the second night. Third night I finish shaping the riser and nocks.

I need to shorten the procedure by dropping out the time taken for the glue to cure for the nock overlays. I am considering going to superglue but I have no experience in using it in this way.

Can any one comment on the longevity of superglue on nock overlays. I don't want to have the overlays pop off in a couple of years.

I am planning on using either micarta or horn for the overlays.

Steve

[Stickbow Hunter]

I haven't used it myself Steve but I have heard of others doing so. I am wary of it myself and use Smooth-On but nothing to back that feeling up with.

I would check the specs and see how it handles heat, cold, sheer strength etc.

Jeff

[Flatliner]

My advice is don't take short-cuts Steve, in my experience short-cuts are the longest distance between two points . I'd go the techniglue.

Rob.

[Steven J]

I tend not to use the bow oven much these days, but maybe it is time to fire it up again and stick with the techniglue.

I have been having a look at Loctite 4850 which is designed for shock loading and flexible substrates. Maybe a bit of experimentation would be beneficial here.

[texx]

if there is anywhere close to you that stocks a good range of woodworking stuff ( mainly pen making supplies ) they should have a range of 3 super glues they will call it "CA" glue (Cyanoacrylate), the one you want would be the thick gap filling one or the medium one they are both thicker than the normal over the counter stuff .

having said all that CA glue dries quite brittle so i dont know how well it would handle much flex in the tips .
johno

[alaninoz]

Good luck finding the 4850, particularly by Friday. About all I can find that is shock resistant is 480 and that's black rather than clear. Can't even find 435 locally.

[Steven J]

Alan, there is no way I could find it in Bega! Some days it feels like you cant even buy a pair of socks 'round here

I think I will stick with the techniglue. It means that I will run ahead a couple of steps without my young mate, but at least I know it will last for ever... well for a long time anyway.