Newsletter - National Field Archery Society

Targets and tantrums!
Part Three: Mr Fixit
by Mark Jones, Excaliber Archers
DURING my experience of repairing and rebuilding
targets I have always been willing to try out new
products. One such excellent product is a
polyurethane glue called ‘Titebond’.
My good friend Tony Weston from The Archery
Company gave me a small sample tube to try out
with the comment of: “I know you will give me an
honest opinion as to how well this stuff works.” Is
my reputation for speaking my mind that bad? Ok,
it is, I admit it!
The following week we shot at a local archery
club called Oakwood Bowmen in Suffolk. Lying in
their container was a Komodo Dragon with the
usual problem of the feet having been broken off
the front legs. It was badly shot out and broken -
just what I am looking for! I offered to take the
target and try out the Titebond to see how well it
would repair this target.
Firstly the legs were
pinned back into shape
with strong wire. It
was pinned up through
the foot and through
the elbow joint.
Lashings of black insulating
tape came in
handy too! Titebond
was then squeezed
into the gaps and in
the areas shot out. It
was then left to cure
(go off).
Surplus glue was cut away using the plug saw and
a final finishing with sandpaper.
12
Some of
the kill
lines were
lost during
the
repair so
my way of
reinstating
them
is using a
curved
wire heated with a blow lamp, run this around the
grove of the kill area and it burns away the surplus
glue making the kill area crisp and clear again.
The target was then repainted using spray paint
and acrylics - and lo and behold an almost invisible
repair has been made.
As you can imagine, there were several happy
bunnies - firstly me for doing a pretty good job,
secondly Oakwood for having a new reusable target,
and of course The Archery Company who could
now confidently sell a product that has been
proven to work…..
Tips when using Titebond
THE glue has the consistency of runny honey, so it
is best to only fill a small area at a time. Laying
the area to be filled horizontally helps stop surplus
glue running out of the area you are working
on.
The glue expands considerably to a cream
coloured foam when drying, so use small amounts
at a time and build up an area gradually. This foam
can be cut off and sanded to any shape when completely
dry, therefore making it ideal for reattaching
ears, mending horns or repairing splits and
tears.
Another thing to remember is the glue curing is
temperature sensitive so is best used at 50 degrees
farenheight or above. If the glue does not cure correctly
it will crystallize and not set properly.
When the glue has been trimmed and sanded it
can painted easily with emulsion, acrylic and spray
paints.
I have used Titebond on all makes of targets
including Elevens, SRT, McKenzie, Fransbogen,
Deltas and Rineharts, all with equal success.
Fourth and final part in the next issue...