Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: VenomBOWslinger on February 17, 2010, 09:55:26 am
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Howdy PA members going to give rawhide a try for the first time. My story is as follows. Bought the puppy some of them bones, I soaked them in water for a few days, I then un wraveled them and scraped off the bits.... My question is do I splice them together using like finger joints? This would make the most sense to me oh by the way I found Beef tendon/ Sinew at feed store for under $2.00 thought that was kinda neat. THANKS GUYS!
Cheers,
Russ
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i have always wondered about using that stuff... let us know how it turns out
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How long are they ? I usually just butt them in the handle,never used any that wasn't at least long enough for one limb. :)
Pappy
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I do like Pappy and butt join it at the handle. If you have to join it along the limb a scarf joint with a wrap would be preferred. The dog chew rawhide is usually pretty thick. It would be best if you can thin it some as to not add excess weight to the limbs. I have not had to thin any so someone else ought to suggest a good method.
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I might be able to get away with butting it up at the handle I'm backing a holmegaard so I imagine I dont need to back the levers!
Thanx!
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Adding the rawhide to only the working portion and not the levers will certainly help with the physical weight but I would still try to thin it out some. If I remember correctly they vary in thickness also. Maybe you can stretch it and tack it down to a board and sand and/or scrape it when it dries.
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Pat it is pretty clean and yeah it varies in thickness from what I see BUT, it is not that bad some sanding and that ought to do it. I read about using them from off the internet they are cheap and figured why not give it a whirl. The only downside is the prep and also the varying thickness but I have lots of tools should make light work of it. I'll post pics along the way to show my progress!
Cheers,
Russ
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That stuff is way too thick for backing.
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That stuff is way too thick for backing.
Yes, the ones I have seen I would never put on a bow; buckskin and goat, that's it...
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Yes, I agree... those dog chews are way too thick for backing bows. Here in The Great White North, there are several leather supply wholesalers that sell buckskin and goat skin full rawhides. From a full buckskin, I can usually cut about 4 or 5 pairs of 2"X38" strips. They're nice and thin, and either nearly clear, or white.
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Both Crazy Crow and 3Rivers offers rawhide for bow backing. Also ask on the Trading Post thread. Deer and goat have both thin and strong rawhide.
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I've made use of the table belt sander to thin down rawhide. Worked out well.
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I've made use of the table belt sander to thin down rawhide. Worked out well.
I always thin down even buckskin and goat. Beltsander, yes!
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Its ok I'm only expirementing I read about someone who has used them and got good results I stretched them and 2 pieces fit fine. They are roughly 3/16'' thick wet when all said and done I know its going to work in my favor! Hey I did find one at the pet store which was really thin rolled up in a tube shape. I was going to get that one but it was translucent and thought it was too thin. Also I would like to say if I did the exact as everyone else does like go to 3rivers and such where would the fun be in expirementing. I know where to get backing but its all good I know some of you are trying to help... But as some of you know me by now I am like the mad scientist coming up with a lot of different stuff. Anyway thanks for the input here is what it looks like so far ...its not trimmed yet ok!
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make sure you smooth those wrinkles out
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Hmm maybe I should leave it just like that... LOL maybe I'll get BOM.... ;D ;D :D ::)
Cheers!!!
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cheers! ;D
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Josh I only draped them on there to see what it would look like Im going to trim them before I glue and wrap them. I'll post up a trimmed pic to show the progress!
Cheers
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cool beans! I thought you glued them on like that... Just make sure when you do glue them down to keep wrinkles out or it will separate on you... didn't mean anything bad.. just from your post and the pics I didn't know it hadn't been glued down yet. ;)
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Thanx Josh I will!!!
Cheers!!
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No harm in experimenting I suspose. That thick stuff will no doubt protect the bow's back - but it will also add a lot of unnecessary mass.
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I just did the same thing, I bought rawhide bones about 16 inches long. I sorted through the pile and got the thinnest, most-transparent ones in there. Soaked them until I could undo the knots, soaked them some more, cut them into strips, stretched them by pulling them back and forth over a door opening, then soaked them some more. I got strips over 3' long, and I think stretching them aligns the fibers lengthwise (like stretched rawhide string) for extra strength and less thickness. I sized the back of my bow with knox, soaked one side of the rawhide with knox, and tied one end to a tip of the bow before wrapping with string while holding tension on the free end for maximum tightness. Seems to have worked really well, and now I intend to file or sand it down until the pressed-in string grooves disappear. Hope there's a tip or two in this ramble you can use!
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UPDATE hey guys I'm impressed on how a dog chew worked out. It wasnt as thick as I thought it was when dried it shrunk to about 1/16'' and sanding was a breeze! I have to adjust the tillering in the top limb but I'd recomend anyone who is willing to give it a try or gets in a pinch and needs to use a rawhide patch to try it out. I'm on my way to trying out the Beef sinew stick the petshop has next. Thanks guys! I will post up final pick of bow when its done.
CHEERS,
Russ
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sweet!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Very nice! Jawge
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Hey glad it worked for you Russ!! ;D ...sorry if I came across as rude before, it really wasn't my intention.. If we didn't have people to challenge the set rules of bow making, then we would all be making the same designed bow over and over again... same dimensions and same materials. Good for you for going against conventional wisdom and turning out a shooter. Cant wait to see it finished up! ;)
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Did ya use a belt sander to thin that hide on the flesh side, just curious, last time I did that I left the handle side thicker than the mid and tip portions.
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Josh its cool thanx! As far as beltsanding I used a random orbital sander with 80 grit worked like a charm maybe it was luck of the draw picking out dog chews that were relatively thin. It did not take much effort at all and can't wait to finish this and on to the next. I'm thinking of making some real old design like a Bodman or a traditional Viking long bow.
Russ
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just saw this thread for the first time. I used those dog bones once. i did work just fine. when the rawhide was dry i used my cabinet scraper to thin it down. actually once rawhide is try you can treat it just like wood, use a rasp or file or sandpaper or scraper, whatever. looks great venom.
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Sulpher ur absolutley right once dried it seemed no different than wood thats why the 80 grit worked so well. This went so smoothe and easy to work with I am actually amazed. I now know where I can get materials to back a bow. Thanks for all the responses. Glad to share all my efforts with all of u...will post finished pics!
Russ