Sinew backing

[Jakesnyder]

I am fairly new to making bows but have made a few and want to try my hand at a sinew backed hickory shortish bow. I have some staves but they are not fully dry yet. (My moisture reader read around 12%) I am wanting to rough it out and get it floor tillered. So my question is can I apply a couple of layers before the bow is completely dry or do I have to wait till it gets to about 8% to start applying the sinew?
One thing that making bows has taught me is patience and sometimes it is best to wait than regret it later on. But I wanted to see what some experienced bowyers had to say about it.

[Pat B]

You can add sinew now as long as the tiller is OK. You'll have be sure the wood and sinew are drier before stressing the bow. You'll add more moisture to the wood by adding the sinew.

[Jakesnyder]

Ok and i cant heat treat the belly after the sinew is on right? If I sinew back it should I worry about heat treating the belly?  Hickory is a little weaker in compression than tension right?

[Pat B]

The sinew will help relieve the belly stress but if you want to heat treat the belly, do it before you add the sinew.

[RandyN]

Like Pat said heat treat the belly before the sinew goes on. Don't forget to seal the belly  after heat treating, before putting the sinew on.
Good luck

[JW_Halverson]

Like Pat said heat treat the belly before the sinew goes on. Don't forget to seal the belly  after heat treating, before putting the sinew on.
Good luck

Tell me why you would want to seal the belly after heat treating and before applying sinew.  I have always felt it was best to leave a newly sinewed bow as UNsealed as possible to allow the new moisture more opportunity to leave the wood. 

[PatM]

Like Pat said heat treat the belly before the sinew goes on. Don't forget to seal the belly  after heat treating, before putting the sinew on.
Good luck

Tell me why you would want to seal the belly after heat treating and before applying sinew.  I have always felt it was best to leave a newly sinewed bow as UNsealed as possible to allow the new moisture more opportunity to leave the wood.

 There is some thought that sealing the belly will prevent longitudinal splits from developing as the backing shrinks.

[JW_Halverson]

Like Pat said heat treat the belly before the sinew goes on. Don't forget to seal the belly  after heat treating, before putting the sinew on.
Good luck

Tell me why you would want to seal the belly after heat treating and before applying sinew.  I have always felt it was best to leave a newly sinewed bow as UNsealed as possible to allow the new moisture more opportunity to leave the wood.

 There is some thought that sealing the belly will prevent longitudinal splits from developing as the backing shrinks.

OK, fair enough. Since they do not effect performance, I would not worry. I have never had belly splits on a bow I have sinewed. I do have an osage that was built at 52", 52 lbs draw at 26 inches, inch and a half at the fades.  And those belly checks go all the way to the sinew!  Some of the checks are wide enough you can stack up to 7 playing cards in the cracks!  Hehehe, ate a lot of venison off that bow!

[Mark Smeltzer]

If you heat treat the belly and then sinew you will most likely be retillering the bow and removing the heat treated belly.

[Aaron H]

If you heat treat the belly and then sinew you will most likely be retillering the bow and removing the heat treated belly.

Unless you balance it using side tiller.

Personally, I would tiller out to 24" or so, then heat treat, then sinew nice and even limb to limb, then finish balancing it using the side tiller approach.   

Expect to gain a significant amount of draw weight with the heat treat and sinew (depending I the amount applied)

To answer your question though, I think you would be fine to go ahead and work the stave now just as long as you give it several months to dry after sinew

[trail walker]

so can the bow dry to much while you dry the sinew in the western climates? because i have sinew backed bow that is finishing curing. do i just lather it with oil or fat until it quits absorbing it after the sinew drys?

[Jakesnyder]

Is Pennsylvania too humid for a sinew backed bow? Would a polyurethane finish seal it to where the sinew is not effected?

[Pat B]

All you can do is slow down the hygroscopic rate with different sealers but you can't eliminate the moisture. If you keep the bow inside your house with a/c  while not shooting it you can keep it drier.

[Jakesnyder]

What is the best sealer to use for that?

[Marc St Louis]

I wouldn't seal the belly after sinew backing.  There is no logic in thinking that sealing the belly will prevent the wood from splitting.