ELKIE gets a makeover!...continued!

[SiongSA]

Looking good pat, hopefully it all goes to plan

[Pat B]

Thanks Siong, I'm hoping so also! 

[Pat B]

I thought I'd try peeling the sinew off the back of Elkie. With a little effort it came off in one sheet. This will keep me from having to soak the bow to remove it. I will now soak the sinew sheet to seperate the individual strands.  Lucy Brows was keeping vigil just in case I forgot to pick the sinew off the floor. She has her stuffed toy squirrel handy to help her get past the disappointment! 












Now I need to give the bows back a good cleaning and start over again.   

[osage outlaw]

When this happened to me, I used really hot water with Dawn dish detergent to scrub the bow.  Then I wiped it off with a hot, wet towel.  After it dried, I scrubbed it with Acetone.  I also took a pocked knife and scored the back of the bow.  That worked for me.

[Pat B]

Thanks Outlaw. I'm open to all suggestions. I don't want this to happen again or I can't be held responsible for my actions!   

[snag]

You are a patient man Pat. I would have had to walk away or it would have become firewood! I wonder if by washing it it has added some moisture that needs time to come out....just thinking out loud.

[artcher1]

Hey Pat, here's my suggestion . Scrape off that hide glue, seal the back with varnish, scuff up varnish once dry, re-glue the sinew sheet back down with Tite-bond Glue. Job finished !  Art

[Pat B]

Snag, having moisture in the wood would help the hide glue sink in I believe. In the past I would allow a month between each sinew application(which also adds moisture to the wood) so that gives plenty of time for that moisture to evaporate. On this one I added two courses within a few days of each other but was going to let it dry for at least a month before stressing it.
  Art, that might be the best option. I know the TBIII will stick to the sinew and the wood. On the original sinewing I used Knox for the first two layers of sinew but TBIII for the third and final layer then used TBIII for the snakeskin covering.  Any particular varnish. We have satin spray poly here most of the time for Marcia's paper mache projects. Or should I use spar varnish?
   Scott, I did use oil to straighten this bow but that was back in 2005 or 06. I had some sinew problems then also that I repaired with TBIII. I have used oil to straighten bow for years and on other sinew backed bows and I haven't had problems like this one or problems with tip overlays. I don't doubt that a veg oil could be absorbed into the cells. Never thought about that. I know it doesn't go very deep in the wood. I usually scrape it off while tillering. And, I don't add oil or heat to the back of the bow. I'm sure some gets on there anyway.

[artcher1]

I've used Tru-oil also under my sinew jobs Pat. But that takes several good coats to build up a finish. But works fine. Brush on spar varnish is probably the best but the spray Minwax spar urethane works great also. One thing about the Tite-bond glue, it seems to stick better (be sure to scuff up with sandpaper) to a varnish surface that bare wood itself...Art

[Knocker]

I wouldn't use sinew to hold the bow in reflex.  When it gets damp it will stretch and cause shearing forces between the wood and sinew layers again as it dries.  I'd use a few strands of copper wire.

Keith

[Little John]

I just can't believe that glue will not adhere to this bow, maybe I just can't understand why not. Scott's theroy  of it possibly being contaminated with vegetable oil from the straightening process seems reasonable but how do you know how to get it clean enough or when it is good enough or if tite bond would do better?  It is wierd that it would lift this time with out even being flexed. Pat don't loose your religion over all this or spend more time and effort than you have to spare and there is no hurry to get her done right away. I do have a bunch of sinue if you need it. After all the trouble and heartbreak I feel this bow really owes us an elk and will work extra hard to make it happen.                           Kenneth

[Pat B]

Kenneth, I think I'm gonna go with Art's suggestion and glue down the sheet that peeled off with TBIII. It fits the contour of the bow perfectly so should be fairly simple to do.    Where have I heard that before.      I have 2 good courses in the sheet and will add the last "filler" course just to even things out after the TBIII has cured.  I noticed the sheet is now about 1" shorter than where it was glued down. It had pulled the bow in reflex before it started lifting. 
  I am taking my time with Elkie. I can work on her up in the sunroom next to our livingroom and she's good sitting there where she's obvious. I can do a little here and a little there as I feel like. I'm not really pressured.
   

[Pat B]

I got the sinew sheet glued down yesterday. I wrapped it with strips of old bed sheets for a fewhours then removed that and will let her dry well before removing her from the form. I amm goinf to add a bit more sinew to even up the back before skinning her again.

[gstoneberg]

Here's to hoping that's the last glue that bow back sees.  Wonder how many hours you've played with that one??   Good thing it's a labor of love.

George

[Bullitt]

I don't know Pat, but maybe elkie never wanted to leave that Carolina Sunshine!

I know it sure looks good to me! Can you put a mirror to the window and shine some on Indiana, please?