Backing Maple? (pics)

[woody]

Hi everybody!

It's good to be back after a long break - busy, busy!  There are some great looking bows on the message board.  I have a lot of catching-up to do.

Anyway, I've got a few questions about backing my latest project.  Here are the bow's stats:
   -maple 1x2 board (1 3/4" wide from fade outs to curves then tapering to 1/2" at tips)
   -static recurve with oak stiffeners on the curves (does that sound right?-look at the pics and I think you'll know what I mean)
   -64" long before recurving
I posted on this bow a while ago, but now I'm ready to do the actual backing.  I haven't sinew backed before, so here are my questions:

1) Since the back is perfectly flat, should I do anything to give it a slight crown?  I know I could add more sinew to the center of the limbs, but should I do anything with the wood?
2) How much if any should I tiller the bow before sinew backing?

Also, what does everybody think about using hickory as a backing instead of sinew for a bow of this design?  Will it hold up?  I think it would be a heck of a lot easier to apply, probably look a little nicer too.

Anything else you all can think of would be much appreciated.

Thanks a bunch,
woody

p.s. I know the curves may look a little big, but I wanted to try something different.


[attachment deleted by admin]

[mullet]

  Whew!,That's going to be a tillering challenge  . I believe I would go with sinew and hide glue.

[sonny]

how long is the working section of limb ??

my suggestion is that you deflex the limbs just past the handle and apply three or four courses of sinew.
looks like you could deflex the limbs at least 2" and the tips would still be ahead of the handle even after tillered.

   

[woody]

persimmon,

I am working with about 21.5" on the bending sections of the limbs, if my calculations are right.  Why deflex the limbs, to make sure the back won't break?  Anyway thanks for the advice. : -)

[sonny]

deflex the limbs to take away a bit of the stress.
nearly perfect limb timing (full draw tiller) on that bow will be essential so that it doesn't have teeth rattling handshock.
hopefully you already have plans to lighten those recurves significantly ??!

[a finnish native]

I would maybe thin the maple and put a horn belly or then just bulletwood or something. except if maple is a good belly wood. You don't have to do anything with the back of the bow. just add more sinew to the center. I suppose you will leave the recurved part or should I say Siyah's without sinew? I mean if they are meant not to bend then the sinew is completely useless there. no deflex is needed with that design. infact I would put some reflex if sinew backed, because then the other abilities of sinew will come to play along with the extended draw lenght.

that looks like a challenge to me

[makete]

Wow, interesting design. Looks stiff, infact looks like a texas longhorn. Not saying any thing bad about it, I like it.  

[woody]

O.K. I tried to do the sinew backing for the first time ever yesterday - it did not go so well.  I think a number of factors prevented me from doing a nice job on it (humidity, sinew wasn't processed enough, hide glue was not the right consistency, whatever).  It seems that everything which could have gone wrong did.

The long and the short of it:  I stripped off what sinew I applied and am probably going to give it another go some other time.  I have heard other guys say that they've used liquid hide glue or even normal wood glue (like Titebond).  Is wood glue natural stuff, and would it work for sinew-backing?  If so, I might consider using it instead of the hide glue.  What do you think?

persimmon, don't worry.  The curves will be reduced significantly.  I just didn't think I go any further on them without doing some tillering first, and I needed my backing in place before I did that.  I think left like they are, those curves would snap my hand off and send the bow flyin' right along with the arrow! 

makete, if it looks like a Texas longhorn, then I guees that gives new meaning to the word "hornbow."  (very cheesy, I know)