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Author Topic: wood veneer and hide glue  (Read 5180 times)

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Offline catfish john

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wood veneer and hide glue
« on: February 11, 2012, 10:43:09 pm »
Has anyone ever tried a wood venner over a sinewed bow using hide glue? I have some beatuiful maple burl I'de like to use.
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Offline Pat B

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Re: wood veneer and hide glue
« Reply #1 on: February 12, 2012, 01:10:01 am »
Glueing it down shouldn't be a problem but getting the vaneer to mold to the sinew back might be.
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Make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes!    Pat Brennan  Brevard, NC

Offline catfish john

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Re: wood veneer and hide glue
« Reply #2 on: February 12, 2012, 03:18:47 am »
I sometimes use the veneer on my archtop guitars. They have compound curves, so I've found that moistening the veneer with a spray bottle of water renders the veneer quite pliable. From that point, you can pre- mold it to whatever shape  your applying it too and let it dry. Once it's dry, you can glue it down. The veneer itself is only 1.5 mm  thick.
I'm going to give it a shot! If it works, it will look awesome, and be good camo!!
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Offline PEARL DRUMS

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Re: wood veneer and hide glue
« Reply #3 on: February 12, 2012, 10:24:43 am »
 I dont think it will work at all. Jut my .02 cents. Sure would suck to put all that time into sinew backing a bow only to have pick maple veneer splinters off it for a week to clean it back up.
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Offline MWirwicki

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Re: wood veneer and hide glue
« Reply #4 on: February 12, 2012, 10:33:14 am »
I'm with Drums.  My gut tells me you're going to struggle with it.
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Matt Wirwicki
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Offline Cameroo

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Re: wood veneer and hide glue
« Reply #5 on: February 12, 2012, 12:30:43 pm »
You'll have to have a super-smooth sinew job, or else you'll just be filling the gaps with a bunch of glue, which will add a bunch of dead weight to the bow.  It may look kick-ass, but probably won't perform the same.

Sounds like you're set on the idea though.  Let us know how it turns out!
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Offline Pat B

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Re: wood veneer and hide glue
« Reply #6 on: February 12, 2012, 12:34:42 pm »
You will have to consider the flex of the bows back. Can the vaneer handle that flexing?
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Make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes!    Pat Brennan  Brevard, NC

Offline adb

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Re: wood veneer and hide glue
« Reply #7 on: February 12, 2012, 02:48:03 pm »
I don't think veneer over sinew would work at all. The sinew is too uneven. The only thing I've put over sinew is snakeskins.
I've always wondered how a thin wood veneer, like maple, would work as a backing. I think if done correctly, it could work OK.
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Offline JW_Halverson

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Re: wood veneer and hide glue
« Reply #8 on: February 12, 2012, 05:15:31 pm »
Quote from: Cameroo on February 12, 2012, 12:30:43 pm
You'll have to have a super-smooth sinew job, or else you'll just be filling the gaps with a bunch of glue, which will add a bunch of dead weight to the bow.  It may look kick-ass, but probably won't perform the same.

Sounds like you're set on the idea though.  Let us know how it turns out!

Along with Cam's comment about the glue filling gaps and adding dead weight, the glue filler will crack as the bow is pulled and it may cause the veneer to become damaged too. 

However, If you were to make a really smooth sinewed backing a little extra thick and were to then block sand it smooth you might be able to veneer that.  Yeah, it will violate some of the surface sinew fibers, but that means nothing since all the fiber is in a glue matrix.  It's going to work like oriented strand fiberglass.  Intriguing idea.
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Offline catfish john

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Re: wood veneer and hide glue
« Reply #9 on: February 12, 2012, 06:01:42 pm »
Well, I still have time to think about it more, right now, I'm kind of on the fence with it. I know I've successfully veneered other intricate and odd shaped pieces, but none of those were subjected to any kind of stress.
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Offline sleek

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Re: wood veneer and hide glue
« Reply #10 on: February 12, 2012, 06:34:12 pm »
I have used Maple veneer on a bow for a backing. I would not do it again. The veneer over an elm belly failed horriably in tension. Opened up in many places. I think the reason is possiable grain violations ( even though I had straight lines running the length of the backing. I just dont think it can handle it. Too much tension. I did use knox jelliten for the glue. maybe that hurt it I dont know?
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Offline Pat B

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Re: wood veneer and hide glue
« Reply #11 on: February 12, 2012, 06:36:08 pm »
John, birch bark was a traditional covering for Asiatic horn bows. Have you considered that?
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Make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes!    Pat Brennan  Brevard, NC

Offline catfish john

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Re: wood veneer and hide glue
« Reply #12 on: February 12, 2012, 09:20:57 pm »
I think I'll trash that idea! I did think of the birch bark, but that's a little more rustic than I envisioned for this bow. I think I'll just cover it with deer rawhide and sand that very thin and then paint the whole bow like the finer turkish bows were done. I think black with gold leaf detailing will work for a super fancy bow. I could even use some of my abolone shell on the handle and siyahs. I have a nice maple stave trimmed out that I can use for a more rustic native style self bow anyway.
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Offline JW_Halverson

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Re: wood veneer and hide glue
« Reply #13 on: February 13, 2012, 03:50:33 pm »
Gloss black with gold leaf, abalone inlays...oh lord, the bow porn is going to be epic!  Keep posting pics as this bow develops!!!
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Guns have triggers. Bicycles have wheels. Trees and bows have wooden limbs.

Offline catfish john

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Re: wood veneer and hide glue
« Reply #14 on: February 13, 2012, 05:14:25 pm »
Well I scored some sinew, so it will develope further soon. I drafted a full color detail of the completed bow on corel draw last night. All I can say is : Henry Ford was right! "Any color as long as it's black!"  BUT,,, if he had added some gold and pearl, he would have sold even more "Tin Lizzies!"
Already working on matching arrows!
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