Rawhide raising poundage?

[Stingray45]

Just had a question guys. I installed some rawhide on a maple pyramid style bow. I tillered the bow out to 54#@28", then I sanded down the belly to get the rasp marks out. I glued on a rawhide backing with TB III and I also cut off the nocks because I was working on them and had a little mistake so I decided to cut about 3/4" off each end. So I had a 65" ntn bow that was pulling 54#@28" and then I sanded down installed rawhide and cut down to about 63" ntn bow and it is now pulling about 61#@28"! I know cutting down the bow length raises the bow but I didnt think it would raise it that much because I've done that before and not had results like that. Im actually pretty excited this is one of the heavier bows I've made. I was originally just shooting for 50#@28" so I was good with being at 54#@28" before final sanding. I think I'm gonna keep the heavy weight. I still have a little more sanding to do, then Im gonna put a handle and a finish on and I'll be posting on here to update one. This is one of my nicest bows to date.

[Cameroo]

That's some pretty high poundage for maple.  How much set did the limbs take?

[Stingray45]

When it was at 54# only about 1/2" to 3/4" on each limb, with the heavier weight I havent checked it yet after letting it rest. It was about 1.5" or so right after being unstrung.

[Cacatch]

What kind of rawhide did you use? Just curious. I'd say a lot of your poundage increase is due to the rawhide drying/curing out. Taking off 2 inches would raise you a couple pounds but shouldn't raise you that much just by itself cause it isn't that much of a reduction.

CP

[George Tsoukalas]

Is this a maple board where the straightness  of the grain will determine the poundage one can get ?  An inch off both ends will get you about 5# roughly. That's 3 # or so.  Maple is a very string wood and can easily handle 60# or more. Jawge

[Stingray45]

Hey George this is actually a pretty straight grained board I got from Home Depot. 2.5" wide so I initially started off with a 66" tip to tip bow, 2.5" at the fades going down to 3/8" knock. It did really well at 54# only about 1/2" of set on each side, however I havent checked it yet since I unstrung it and left it sit for a while now at 61#. But right after unstrung it was at about 1.5-2" of set, which I dont think is bad for just being unstrung?

I believe it is calf rawhide, bought it off a guy on eBay pretty cheap. I originally just put it on for looks and I thought rawhide would add a little since it is drying and shrinking up. I knew it wasnt like sinew, but many people said it would have no affect at all, much like linen. I'm happy with it. I hope to finish it up this weekend and get it on here for everyone to check out.

[George Tsoukalas]

Stingray, the set is fine. Enjoy your bow. Don't worry about the weight. Straight grained takes a lot of weight and you backed it. If it is a bit heavy for you just reduce weight. I'd give it awhile. PIctures would be nice to see of your creation.  How does she shoot? Jawge

[toomanyknots]

Why does everybodys home depot carry maple except mine? I don't have a home depot/lowes that carrys maple for like 200 miles..

[Stingray45]

Actually Jawge I havent shot her yet. I was giving he rawhide time to dry and was roughing out the tip overlays when I decied to cut them off. Thats when I put in some nocks and strung it just to stretch it out and make sure it still got to 28". I glued on some cocobolo for tip overlays and the TBIII just finished drying tonight so those will get all done up tomorrow along with final sanding and the staining. Im planning to use some rawhide for the handle as well. I bought some dog rawhides at Target that are about 10" long and probably 4"-5" wide so they should be perfect, theyre pretty thick. I can just cut it in half and get two handles. Im hoping its thick enough to provide me a little shelf on the side because Im not much for shooting off the hand. I'll definitely get some picks up here.

Sorry Toomanyknots haha. Usually my hope depot has nothing but useless maple and red oak (as of late, used to be better). I have been buying from a local lumber yard here that has more of a variety and another guy when Im home to visit my parents. However I walked into Home Depot and said eh Ill go take a look and right away spotted two perfect boards, one maple one red oak so I grabbed both. But for the most part, the maple my Home Depot does have doesnt even have remotely straight grain.

[George Tsoukalas]

That makes sense to give it a few days. Jawge

[HoBow]

We probably have 50 HDs in the Chicago area and I've only been to 2 that carry maple boards

[amberb_57]

I've had to do a lot of digging through the lumber at the local Home Depot and the Menards in the next town over, but I have been able to find 3 straight grained oak boards with the grain going the right way at the end of the board.  What I find mostly is that if the rings are facing the right direction on the end of the board, the grain usually dives through the board, making it impossible to follow a ring very far down the board before it goes out the other side, or else the grain is anything but straight.  I'm working on my second oak board bow now.

[AncientArcher76]

Im with Jawge I love maple and Ive made maple bows that exceeded 70# and cutting down the bow will for sure raise the poundage.  I use rawhide and it wont be very dramatic increase in weight.

Russ

[Cameroo]

I was just wondering if anyone has ever tried stretching the rawhide really good from end to end as it's glued on?  I'm thinking that maybe when it dries it will shrink a bit and possibly add some tension to the back, adding weight and maybe even a bit of reflex?  Kind of like sinew, but to a much lesser extent?

[George Tsoukalas]

You don't need to follow a ring. You just need straight grained boards. There are pics f them on my site. Jawge
http://georgeandjoni.home.comcast.net/~georgeandjoni