sinew processing questions

[upstatenybowyer]

Okay. Soaked that greasy, knarley, nappy, nasty, @##$, removed all the stuff that shouldn't have been there, and now it kinda looks like Outlaws pics. I've got 5 legs worth.

I want to back this short (45") apple bow that's tillered just the way I want it minus about 5 lbs. of draw weight and 3" of draw length. I heat treated it into even more reflex than it naturally had (which was a lot). It's holding it's unbraced profile to about 24" but will inevitably loose the reflex without sinew. Think I'll have enough with 5 legs worth to do the job? Here's a pic of the bow as it is currently... 

[Danzn Bar]

Did you say you tillered that.... to what draw length?  I'd like to see a braced, and front profile.. before I can make any suggestions....
DBar

[upstatenybowyer]

It draws to 24" right now and returns to that unbraced profile, which I don't want it to loose, thus the sinew. Here's it braced and from the front. The kid still can't take a pic of me drawing the bow otherwise I'd show you the 24". Just the boys at home tonight!

[Danzn Bar]

Wow that's a fine unbraced profile to be pulling a 45" lg bow to 24"....I don't think I can contribute to this thread anymore I've never been there.....Good job and good luck...
DBar

[upstatenybowyer]

I wasn't expecting to get here either. I'm surprised this wood is taking it.

[bradsmith2010]

well weigh the sinew,, if it is about 1000 grains,,, thats a good start,, or should work fine for that bow to hold reflex,,

[BowEd]

Swoop dang buddy that's some kind of wood you got there upstate....lol.Personally I'd call it good enough at 24" but that's up to you.Like your thinking farther will need sinew.Got any idea what the poundage is at 24"?

[mikekeswick]

I would also recurve the tips on that thing! Problem with short bows is stacking, a bow which stacks hard ain't no fun to shoot, and that will stack! Short, sharp recurves will allow you to have a nice shooting bow and be able to test out your wood/sinew combo to the full.
For that bow 60 grammes of processed sinew will be enough.
Sinew thickness is all about how nice the finished bow will look. Wooden bows aren't straining the sinew much so thicker pieces are no problem as long as you soak them well enough. Obviously there comes a point where too big is too big and you won't get full glue penetration into the whole fiber.
Sinew prep gets easier the more experience you get with it. Different sinews process differently. I like mine as fine as possible but then I'm like that

[upstatenybowyer]

Bead, this wood must have some fairy dust on it or something.  I kinda just assumed it would break with all that stress, so I figured "what the heck" and just kept on reflexing it. Low and behold... it doesn't want to die! It feels like there's at least 40# of draw weight in it at 24"

Mike, you're right on about the stacking. Hadn't considered the short sharp recurves but it makes a lot of sense. Now that I think of it, Simson posted a really short sinewed bow a while back that had tons of reflex and recurved tips. Thanks for the insight on applying the sinew. I'll be sure to look back at this thread before laying it on. 

[Parnell]

I'm really stunned at that little bow!  That's amazing...

[osage outlaw]

You need to make a small bow for that little ninja turtle

[JonW]

I don't break it down nearly as much as most people do. I don't believe it needs to be as fine. It will still soak up glue and stick to adjacent strands just fine.

Agreed. We end up trying to eleminate excessive glue anyway.

[upstatenybowyer]

You need to make a small bow for that little ninja turtle

It's in the works 

[Stick Bender]

I dont process mine all at once do a couple hours here & there but pulling into thread part is kinda relaxing to me like chasing rings I have only done white tail legs and it can be labor intensive to do all at once but I try to get them into as fine of threads as I can so they go on neat.

[upstatenybowyer]

Do the threads have to be completely fluffy? I noticed if I rehydrate strands that have a little stiffness dry they become soft and seem like they'd lay on a bow smoothly. The problem I'm having is, even after much pounding and pulling apart the strands are still stiff. If I run them through my fingers too much they break into much smaller parts.