backing bows with deer sinew

[luke the drifter]

for those of you who are experienced in communicating in the primitive archer community, bear with me as i have just joined recently and am new to this.  my question is this--after you rough out a bow stave, can you or do you apply the deer sinew before or after you start the final tiller?

[Susquehannock]

Hi Luke,

I've backed one bow with sinew, and I floor tillered the bow first, and then applied the sinew. After it was thoroughly dry (a couple of weeks) I then finished my tiller. I wouldn't stress the wood any more than you have to initially since the sinew will help draw the bow into reflex and add strength. Goodluck.

[Hillbilly]

With the few sinew-backed bows I've made, I've done pretty much like Susquehannock said. Get it bending good and evenly, somewhere between floor tiller and brace-height. If you put it on when the stave is still stiff or bending unevenly, the sinew can't pull the bow into even reflex. If you wait too long, you're defeating the purpose of sinewing it to begin with, as the typical sinewed bow is too short or too stressed to hold up well without the sinew.

[adb]

I guess I do it a bit different, because I apply the sinew more towards the end. Not after final tiller, but more about half way. I get the bow bending very even from a low brace height, and then final tiller with the sinew in place.

[TRACY]

I get it just past floor tiller and put it on. After a couple of months of drying I start closing in on final tiller. If you want more/less reflex then put it on with less wood for more and vice versa.

Tracy

[luke the drifter]

i am beginning to get a good feel about this.  i appreciate the responses.  they have been most helpful.

[Pat B]

Luke, I've made 3 sinew backed bows. Two were tillered to about mid draw before adding the sinew and the third was tillered completely and shot before adding the sinew. In all cases I added 3 courses of sinew with a one month drying period between each layer and I had the bow braced backwards to about 4". I know others do the sinewing all at once or with a short waiting period between layers.
  One hint: keep a bowl of warm water and a wet towel handy while adding the sinew to the bow. Hide glue and sinew strands can make for a messy operation and the water and towel will be very handy for keeping your hands clean.

[mullet]

  I've Tillered mine to finish or very close to it. When I've used multiple layers, I've let it dry till the milky look was gone untill I applied the next layer. That's with hide glue. If I'm using TB3 I'll put sinew on for wood violation protection. When you use TB3 it does not let the sinew shrink, so really all you are doing is protecting the back integrity and adding a little extra weight.

[NOMADIC PIRATE]

.....not fully tillered, but pulled enought to make sure the bend is nice and where I wanted it to be, .....one thing I do before sinewing is I do a real good belly temper adding a bit of reflex if needed.

[bigcountry]

I have fully tillered a bow then sinewed and let me tell ya, it was a mistake.  The tiller totally changed.  And ended up having to do a bunch more it.  Actually still not done.  If I had it to do over, I would have sinewed right when I wanted too, and then tillered.  I myself would floor tiller first.   But I have not done too many bows and only sinewed one.  Some tell me I didn't lay the sinew down smooth enough.

[Pat B]

If the sinew is put down smoothly and evenly the tiller shouldn't change that much.

[bigcountry]

If the sinew is put down smoothly and evenly the tiller shouldn't change that much.

It was harder than I thought to put down smoothly.   As everything I do with primitve bows, nothing is easy as it looks.  I think I got my glue too thick, and maybe my garage was too cold.  Paniced a bit when I would take out bundles and it would be a glob of mess.  I was trying to use a small crockpot warmer that was about 5" in diameter.  I wish ed it was bigger.  Learned alot, bet I could do better second time around.

[Pat B]

     ...ain't it fun!