Gluing other backings properly

[CB57]

Good morning, all. I'm in a quandary. I have an osage takedown bow in nearly complete form, yet I have misgivings about it. It's becoming my experimental bow. It is fitted to the sleeves, heat treated, and reflexed 3 1/4", narrow tips, pyramid design, with about 6" narrow, stiff tips. The wood is not good quality, with paper-thin growth rings that I suspect I did not faithfully follow. They're so thin I can't tell for sure. I want to back it for safety. I have lots of sinew, but don't really want to use a lot. Not looking for high draw weight. I also have linen cloth and linen string. I have sinewed bows before, so that I can do, but other, more experienced bowyers tell me sinew is wasted on a 64" bow. Should I back with plant (linen/flax) backing? If so, does it just need to be laid down on the bow unstressed, or should I find a way to stretch it into the glue by tying in the middle and tips and wrapping it into the glue? By pulling more reflex into the bow and laying it in? I'm only shooting for a 40-45# target bow. What say you?

[Stick Bender]

I really don't have a answer for your flax/Linen question but if you check some old threads Marc St. Louis has made some sinew backed 64 in.bows that are on par with FG bows by strategically  placing the sinew on the bow where needed & keeping mass down , other members here have also made sinew backed longer bows with good performance !

[steve b.]

It can be high quality with thin rings.  Some people would not worry about the violations but I would and I would back it with rawhide or a thin layer of sinew.  The sinew is not wasted if its holding down the back.  I would not do the reflex thing either.  My opinion only but the amount of reflex has diminishing returns--a little goes a long way and a lot is bad.  I'm sure the linen/flax would work great too if its done right but for me it would be rawhide.

[Aaron H]

I agree with Steve, I would just glue some thin rawhide to the back for add insurance

[bubby]

I agree with Steve, I would just glue some thin rawhide to the back for add insurance

Same here

[gfugal]

I'm no expert with linen backings but I've done it before. What I did is just put a generous coat of TB3 on the back and laid down the linen and smoothed it out with my finger and let it dry. After it dried I trimmed it with scissors then rasped the side to get it flush. It should serve a similar purpose as rawhide would. A little cheaper too. Linen isn't as good as sinew, since i'ts hard to prestress since it doesn't shrink like sinew. Hide glue shrinks though. I wonder if you applied it with hide glue instead of TB3 if you would get better results. It sounds like you're wanting to save your sinew for something better. I don't think there's any shame in using unconventional backings, especially if it's an "expiramental" bow and don't want to use more expensive/hard to obtain materials.

[CB57]

Hmmm...hide glue seems worth considering. I do have a coffee can chock full of sinew, but really more concerned about safety from splintering, and want to keep the reflex. The advantage of the linen or the flax is that I can dye it easier. Might want it darker. I will probably build a jig to pull a little more reflex while the glue sets and cures, so maybe stressing it won't be a problem.
It is rainy and humid in Michigan right now, so I have time to plan the backing and buffalo horn tip overlays. Handle after that. Every bow is a work in progress until you shoot enough to be happy with it, eh? Or until it breaks...

[jeffhalfrack]

Try silk and tite bond all most invisible good piece of mind too

[chamookman]

I would back it with Cherry Bark - love the contrast of the red & Yellow Osage  . Bob

[Springbuck]

  I would not do the reflex thing either.  My opinion only but the amount of reflex has diminishing returns--a little goes a long way and a lot is bad.

Agreed.  You can back with linen cloth or raw flax fibers laid down in a nice even layer, but either way the bow already has 3" of reflex, and if you reflex it further to back it, it's going to become even more "experimental".