Marc St Louis has some old threads & articles in PA magazine about stratigicly laying the sinew on for lighter mass that are well worth the read & there is some good old threads on glue over in the horn bow section also probably no better book written on the sinew process then Adam Korpowitcz composite bow book & Patm has a thread on wrapping in the stickys , depending on the quality of the job you want to do there is a lot of info out there.
Yeah Mark's is the last quote in the list of quotes I included. It makes sense, but I would love to read up more on it. You don't have any Link's to his strategy other than the quote I already have do you. I've already read over PatM's method but it is due for another visit. Maybe there is more there that I glazed over the first time.
You want to size the back a couple of times with 10% glue then do the sinewing with 30% glue. That is 30% dried glue weight to 70% water weight. Don't go thicker, it is unnecessary.
Mikeswick thanks for that ratio. That's good advice. You or anyone else happen to know why there's such a difference between dried glue and Knox? Or do I have a wrong mixing ratio for Knox (maybe a package isn't 2g like I was reading.)
For Willie, Bryce and others wondering about my bow plan, it is the juniper bow in the Fred Arnold bow trade. I can't remember how long it is right now, I know it's less than 58". I'm aiming for around a 28" draw and 50#. I heard that a good application of sinew should increase the poundage by 10# or so, and since I've only tillered to brace I was thinking maybe I should even out the tiller more, get it bending a couple more inches past brace, and reducing the weight to 45#, or 40#. Does that sound like a good plan?
As far as my sinew plan goes I was thinking of using around 2 oz or a bit more, and doing three layers. One over the whole back and two more concentrating on the crown and working sections. To prepare you clean the sinew and back of the bow with hot water and soap, then size the back with a thin layer, right?
The sinew I'm using actually came from another bow that I wasn't happy with. It had 3.5 oz on it. I went the "don't care about weight or amount just lay where ever I think it needed it" method before, and I ended up putting uneven amounts on each side, which threw off the tiller. I also put on more than I think I needed, and in places that probably could have done with less, like the tips, handle and sides. That's why I want to take a measured approach this time around.
I thinking the sinew from the old bow needs some more processing. I'm thinking of coming it out but am hesitent, because when I try coming out the sinew good in the past I've ended up breaking a lot of strands and creating a bit of waste. Is this normal or is there a secret coming method I don't know?
