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Author Topic: Hickory flat bow sinew problem  (Read 2204 times)

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Offline ojibwatbowyer

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Hickory flat bow sinew problem
« on: January 05, 2012, 10:57:56 pm »
I recently made a short hickory flat bow and got it to brace height and applied the sinew yesterday and finished in the evening. As i woke up this morning i went to check its progress, problem is the sinew had pulled the belly into its self and is now concave, i can try to post pics but not until a few days as I am out of town overnight and have a long drive home then straight to work when i return home.

My question is has this ever happened to anyone else and could you explain what happened and why.
 P.S. Ill post pics when i can
thanks,
Nate.
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Offline HickoryBill

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Re: Hickory flat bow sinew problem
« Reply #1 on: January 05, 2012, 11:02:49 pm »
Was the sinew applied across the whole limb or just down the crown(center of the limb)? What thickness are the limbs? What glue was used?How dry was the stave?Any pithe( a punky center) in the limbs? I'm just trying to get more info before I try to give ya an explination....lol
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"He who hesitates usually misses"
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Offline PEARL DRUMS

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Re: Hickory flat bow sinew problem
« Reply #2 on: January 06, 2012, 11:06:14 am »
I have heard of that before. Perhaps it will come back around as it cures and dries the next few weeks?
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Offline ojibwatbowyer

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Re: Hickory flat bow sinew problem
« Reply #3 on: January 06, 2012, 04:13:57 pm »
Well i just got home and to my surprise and relief the belly is no longer concave, the bow is drying nicely and pulling into reflex, but as it dried it exposed my sloppy sinew job, there are two or three places where the back is exposed by a few millimeters, about an inch long  :'(. oh well just have to better next time and learn from this one. I have tonnes of moose sinew and all winter so if the bow fails at least the sinew will keep it from exploding in my face  ;D
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Offline ojibwatbowyer

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Re: Hickory flat bow sinew problem
« Reply #4 on: January 06, 2012, 04:16:32 pm »
Oh by the way I am new to this site and would like to say salutations to all the members  :)

cheers Nate
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Offline Pat B

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Re: Hickory flat bow sinew problem
« Reply #5 on: January 06, 2012, 04:31:48 pm »
Welcome Nate.  You can add more sinew to fill in the blank spaces. I usually do this with a second course and sometimes with a third I even the whole back out neatly. You can do it anytime but you must let it dehydrate again before you stress it.
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Make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes!    Pat Brennan  Brevard, NC

Offline MWirwicki

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Re: Hickory flat bow sinew problem
« Reply #6 on: January 06, 2012, 04:36:34 pm »
Welcome, Nate!  Yes, what PatB said.  When I decide the sinew is cured enough to apply a 2nd sinew layer to the bow, I "fill-in" any voids that I may have left on the first sinew layer, then proceed with my 2nd layer.  Of course, I work harder to avoid voids the second time around.  Sinew is the kind of thing that gets better with practice.  Good Luck!
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Matt Wirwicki
Owosso, MI

Offline ojibwatbowyer

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Re: Hickory flat bow sinew problem
« Reply #7 on: January 06, 2012, 09:35:03 pm »
Hmmm after closer inspection of the belly under some light, there only appears to be one small area mid limb where there is a small split of the backing where the back is exposed. Now I did 2 courses of sinew, one after the other, now can i still apply more sinew to the affected area and if i did that it would not touch the back anyway because it would pull tight once dry? Could i even just fill the little space with hide glue?
Hmmm... I think I'll just take a few pictures tonight and post it, maybe a visual would help make sense of this and then figure out some solutions.
Just out of curiosity, If i finished tillering the bow and left that piece undone would the bow be ultimately doomed to failure?

Nate
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Offline JW_Halverson

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Re: Hickory flat bow sinew problem
« Reply #8 on: January 06, 2012, 11:32:05 pm »
I did just that once....ONCE.  I found gaps in my sinew job so I just puttied them up with hide glue. 

That bow was later christened "ExLax" because it caused you to S**T yourself every time you pulled it.  You wouldn't believe the loud cracking noises it made for over two years!!!

Hide glue by itself will crack, pop, and even fall out of the gaps in your sinew job.  Nowadays if I get a wide crack or gap in sinew, I fill it in with short little bits of sinew well soaked with hide glue. 

Next sinew job, use a cheapie plastic comb to comb out the strands of sinew as you lay them on the bow.  Just run it lightly over the bundle of sinew strands  to align the fibers.  Then dip a finger in the hide glue and rub it across the sinew to smear it all together.  You will have fewer gaps show up later in the curing stages. 

Post some pics of your bow while you are here, best way to introduce yourself!
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Guns have triggers. Bicycles have wheels. Trees and bows have wooden limbs.
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