sinew how?

[stuckinthemud]

I've spent far too much time putting off sinewing by reading and watching videos about it instead.  This has helped me avoid actually doing it quite wonderfully  Now I have made up the glue and bundled up the sinew and only need my better half to disappear for an afternoon....

So, it seems to me there are as many ways to apply sinew as there are bowyers - sinew in two parallel bundles, sinew in one strip down the centre and 'fill-in' the gaps, edges first, burnish the wet sinew, gently smooth it with fingers, etc, etc., etc...  So I was wondering, how do y'all apply your sinew?

[PatM]

Go to my tutorial and take all the shortcuts there.  It will eliminate all of those choices.  The backing will end up naturally crowned and smooth.  No need to do bundles of different lengths etc. either.

 Pics have been released  by Photobucket again.

http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,43246.0.html

[stuckinthemud]

Hi Pat, I love your tutorial and have virtually memorised it (and was very glad the photos came back), but there is one question  - right at the start you say to 'lay the sinew down thickly'- as someone with no experience whatsoever, what does that mean? I mean, I'm guessing but is that the equivalent of approximately 2 layers of sinew in one go? Two questions actually, do you size the bow as part of the preparation stage or is a sanding and de-grease enough?

[DuBois]

Yes, size the back first.
About 1/8 inch or more thick in first layer. Then narrower in next 1 or 2 to crown it up high with a nice domed shape about as round as your finger.
I keep the limbs even by having each limbs sinew laid out separately in the weighed bundles from bigger to little when I start. I start with a good bundle across the handle and work down center first, then outside of each limb from handle with bundles to cover sides and outer edges of back. Butt bundles in mid handle on second layer and then you're filling in down the middle with a nice taper to thinnest at tips. Do the next layer covering seams in the first one with bundles. I do all my sinew in one setting and have had no trouble.

If you do one bundle on one limb and then a bundle on the other limb it helps you keep mindful of how balanced limbs are and also gives the Knox glue time to gel some before the next. If you go all one limb it gets messy when you try to smooth bundles into each other cause they haven't gelled into place yet. I just use fingers to smooth it out and get it stretched out.

I know a lot of folks like Pat's method and it is good but a lot of trouble for what I consider not a lot of gain. Knox glue don't weigh a whole lot when dry does it? If you don't wrap it just right it will not get much glue out anyway or if too tight it will leave woopdie doos in sinew that have to be corrected. I prefer to just fill in a few little crevices with sinew pieces after it has had a week or so to dry and then  couple days later scrape it smooth with a knife, sand it a bit, and wipe it smoother with a wet rag before finishing.

[PatM]

I don't know. If you are having problems then I would say you are fighting the factors that the method is supposed to eliminate.

 I don't size with many coats and drying time. I just paint the back once and get to laying the sinew on.  I find sinew kind of self balancing in application. Just laying it on methodically seems to give an even amount on each limb and a natural taper to the tips just happens.

 By thickly I would say that about 3-4 layers go on at once, particularly in the center.

 I generally use a rubberized elastic bandage now which combines the cloth wrap and inner tube in one go.   By using black vetwrap or similar you can just place the bow in the sun and watch for the glue to start oozing through as an indication of it liquifying again.