Sinew glue-a-long help

[Gus]

Cool Thread Y'all.

One thing that I keep missing in the glue recipes that I've read is the Water To Sinew Scrap ratio...
How much sinew and how much water are you putting in the pot to begin rendering?
Or do you just eyeball and pinch?

Thank You!

-gus

[mikekeswick]

Good thread here.  I won't address the making of the glue because you all have that covered.  As for the cracking of the glue once it is on your bow, I'll address that. 

In my experience, it has nothing to do with the quality of the glue or how you processed it.  It is a meter of how much glue you are using when applying the sinew bundles to the back of the bow.  First, the glue doesn't have to be Aunt Jemima syrup, thick.  When it is, it will set up faster causing your "glue balls".   Second, apply a very thin coat of hide glue to the bow back and allow to soak in slightly prior to applying any bundles to bow.  This is called, sizing.  Then, dip your bundle of sinew into the hide glue and squeegee off the bundle between your fingers removing excess glue.  Apply the bundles to the back of the bow as though you were shingling a roof, alternating bundles so as not to have a continuous seam across the bow limb.  The key to reducing the cracking is reducing the amount of glue.  There is a tendency to use too much glue and it is not necessary.  I've also seen some bowyers fill voids between sinew bundles with hide glue to get an even appearance.  This will also cause the cracks in your finished product.  Keeping a moist towel (not your wife's monogrammed his/her towel) near you to wipe your fingers between each bundle, helps with the "tar and feather" syndrome.

Sinewing is something that takes a bit of practice.  You'll get better at it as you discover your own little tricks.

Agreed - also don't make it too thick as this can also cause the ominous creaks/cracks.

[Oglala Bowyer]

Osage, I agree with JW; slow, long, and low is the best way.  No sense in getting in any type of hurry.  I keep my glue between 155-170 for appx 7 hrs.  Prior to this, however, I allow the hide to soak a few hrs, strain and then re hydrate and turn the heat on.  It has never failed me.  I know there other methods, but this one works fine for me.  Hope it turns out well for you.

[osage outlaw]

I checked it this morning and most of the sinew dissolved.  I was amazed at how little sinew was left.



My hillbilly strainer worked great.



I poured the glue into the aluminum pan to cool.  It is a clear amber color.  It is thin, and when I dipped my fingers into it it wasn't very sticky.  Maybe I added to much water to the sinew at the beginning.  Should it be sticky at this point?  Could I pour it back in the crock pot and let it steam off some water?  I hope I didn't just wast all of my scraps.

[Keenan]

Clint read my earlier post on page one about the stickiness. You may want to put it back in and cook a little longer. Even add some more scraps if you have them. However mine often looks just like yours but I never dry it. I just pour it in an old margarine container and put it in the fridge. When I need it I pull it out and trow it in the microwave until warmed. I have used some over and over that way and it just seems to get better each time I dip more sinew in it.

Mat, I totally agree about the glue amount and cracking. Perfect explanation.

[osage outlaw]

It already jelled up.  That was all the scraps that I had.  I have a bunch of small pieces of sinew that I can shred up and use.  I'll heat it back up tomorrow and throw the sinew in it.  I will leave the lid off so it can evaporate.

[osage outlaw]

Round 2:

The glue jelled up nicely today.  I put it all back in the crock pot and turned it back into a liquid.  I shredded up a few small pieces of sinew and thew in with it.  I'm going to let it cook overnight and see what it looks like in the morning.  I hope it evaporates some of the excess water out of it.  I was going to leave it on the high setting, but I could see some of the sinew curling up so I was afraid it was to hot. 

[Keenan]

Clint you might want to set the alarm clock and check in the middle of the night. Not sure you have enough liquid for an all nighter now.

[osage outlaw]

Clint you might want to set the alarm clock and check in the middle of the night. Not sure you have enough liquid for an all nighter now.

There is still quite a bit of liquid.  I think it will be OK.  I'll check it right before I go to bed tonight.  Thanks for the help Keenan.  The reason I made this post is so I could get some help along the way.

[JW_Halverson]

Jelling is gooooooood!  You will be surprised how little glue it takes to do a good job sinewing a bow.  This is definitely ok.  To avoid cracks or gaps in the sinew on the bow, comb it a little after wetting with glue.  Lay it on a piece of glass or somethign else very smooth and run a cheap plastic comb across the sinew bundle.  It will turn into a ribbon instead of a round bundle.  Lays on like shingles.  Then as you run your glue wetted finger across the ribbon of sinew applied to the back of the bow you push out air bubbles and slick it down in place.  Much prettier, much more consistent sinewing.

I really gotta do a build-along of this technique.

[osage outlaw]

Boy you were right Keenan.  I just went out and checked it.  The level had dropped a lot.  It has a slightly darker color to it and it is thicker.  I poured it into my strainer and it didn't just go right through it like the first time.  It looks a lot better.  I will let it jell over night and see what looks like in the morning.

JW, I would love to see a how-to on your sinewing technique.  Do you keep the piece of glass wet while you are doing it?

[JW_Halverson]

Boy you were right Keenan.  I just went out and checked it.  The level had dropped a lot.  It has a slightly darker color to it and it is thicker.  I poured it into my strainer and it didn't just go right through it like the first time.  It looks a lot better.  I will let it jell over night and see what looks like in the morning.

JW, I would love to see a how-to on your sinewing technique.  Do you keep the piece of glass wet while you are doing it?

A layer of glue builds up, but I don't keep it wet intentionally.

[osage outlaw]

I was able to pour the glue into 3 smaller pans instead of the big one.  I have 3 nice jelly blobs of glue this morning.  Keenan how long do they stay good for in the freezer?  I was thinking of freezing some of it and trying to dry the rest.  Does anyone dry their glue and store it that way?  I don't have plans on using it any time soon.  Maybe this summer I'll sinew another bow.  Thanks for the help guys 

[JW_Halverson]

If you are going to dry it, spend the better part of your day cutting it into the tiniest pieces you can.  Trust me, drying a block can lead to mildewed or molded hide glue at the best, or a mass of stinking rotten goop.  Once it is diced fine, put a fan close by to blow gently across it...it cuts your drying time drastically.  Once dried it really takes time and patience to rehydrate, you can't rush it. 

On the other hand, once gelled, wrap with plastic wrap and pop it in the freezer.  Pull it out the day before you want to use it and let it thaw in the fridge, warm slightly and it's ready to go.  I have stored some glue in the freezer in a margarine tub for over two years.  There were some water crystals on the surface, but they just rehydrated the thin skin of glue on the surface when they thawed. 

[JW_Halverson]

JW, I would love to see a how-to on your sinewing technique.  Do you keep the piece of glass wet while you are doing it?

IF I was going to the Tennessee Classic and IF someone was there to take good photos and IF someone had a bow they wanted sinewed, it's possible we could collaborate on an article for PA Magazine.