sinew question

[kid bow]

so I have a question. I have a friend who hunts a good amount and hes giving me the sinew. my main question is that if im building a board bow and I back It with sinew do I still have to bring the back down to one growth ring or can I leave it as is with the growth rings all violated? I wanna know this because if it gives me a bit leniency with that aspect then I can start putting out some bows for my teacher and his sons.

[JackCrafty]

Sinew does give you a bit of leeway with violated growth rings, but not much.  The more sinew, the more leeway.

[kid bow]

thanks jack nice to know. my friend is giving me all the sinew doesn't know what hes missing with the stuff. so would maybe 2 layers be enough for a good amount of leeway

[Pat B]

Do you not have access to staves?
  Even though sinew gives protection I still want to use the best piece of wood I can get for the project.

[kid bow]

No. Everything is to big to cut and I don't want the HOA for our housing Area to come knocking on my door. I was gunna use the sinew to trade for a stave

[BowEd]

Safest is to take it to one growth ring.Then sinew.Badly violated backs can still crack and crinkle a bit under the sinew especially if it's only two layers and that depends on how thick each of your layers is.

[BowEd]

By that I mean it all depends on the grain run out of your board bow.Will it have knots?An straight edge grain board can make a fine bow without sinew too.

[kid bow]

I was gunna pick up a quater sawn board where the grain runs lengthwise or up and down on the back I was gunna back it to make it safe for a friend to use to hunt big game

[BowEd]

Don't see why it would'nt work then.

[PatM]

To be safe, I would use Maple if you're going to go that route. Ring porous woods seem like a candidate to be pulled apart along the growth lines in that configuration.
 I would do some testing and practicing the application before "making something a friend can hunt big game with".

[kid bow]

They don't have maple in boards. I know a guy who runs a tree removal service in okalona and he might have some hickory or Osage or ash or something

[kid bow]

Don't see why it would'nt work then.

Would I need to back it if I used quarter sawn boards

[PatM]

No....... but the fact that you don't know makes me say yes.....

[BowEd]

The early wood on ring pourous woods does make people question the bond that hide glue has with it.Since it will occupy a certain percentage of space on edge ringed bows.Personally I've sinewed ring pourous wood with good success like hickory but it was from a stave and the early wood was like dots intead of a ring.I'm assuming you do know the difference between ring pourous and diffuse pourous wood.

[kid bow]

To a point. I know ring porous woods love moisture and they are harder to glue up than diffuse porous woods. But hey I'm always willing to learn If you wanna teach lol