Rawhide?

[SiongSA]

hey guys,
i would like to incorporate different materials into a 53" pyramid bow i'm working on, i've already got it down to floor tiller and i brought some rawhide strips in the super market about 5" l x 2" w and some two part epoxy, what can i do with the rawhide, i was thinking adding a small riser maybe or something for decoration, any tips for preparation or ideas?

Thanks   

[Pat B]

First off forget the epoxy and use TB glue or hide for the rawhide. The rawhide strips you bought are probably pretty thick and should be thinned before adding them to the bow. They can be reduced some once on the bow but you will have better control of the thickness doing this before you glue the rawhide down.
  Rawhide makes a good pallet for decorations so the sky is the limit there.

[SiongSA]

First off forget the epoxy and use TB glue or hide for the rawhide. The rawhide strips you bought are probably pretty thick and should be thinned before adding them to the bow. They can be reduced some once on the bow but you will have better control of the thickness doing this before you glue the rawhide down.
  Rawhide makes a good pallet for decorations so the sky is the limit there.

can't get TB or hide glue in SA without ordering it, i no epoxy isn't the best but will it work?

[Pat B]

Any white or yellow carpenters glue should work.

[SiongSA]

Any white or yellow carpenters glue should work.

does epoxy fall in the range of yellow or white carpenters glue

[Rick Wallace]

no

[Pat B]

These carpenter glues are one part glues not two part like epoxy. Do a Google search for Franklin International(TB parent co) and Elmer's Products, Inc(Elmer's carpenters glue or Elmer's Glueall) and find out what theirs chemistry is. From there locate a singular SA product or one that is available in SA.
 Also try to find unflavored gelatin(Jello or Knox in the US). Gelatin is refined hide glue and works well with rawhide backings. Unflavored gelatin is used for making home made jelly.
You can also make your own hide glue by boiling rawhide scraps until you have reduced it to the animal protine that makes it up; this is hide glue.

[sailordad]

siong, were you planning on backing the bow with those 5"x2" strips?
or where you just gonna use them for building up the handle?

if you were gonna use the for the handle i think epoxy would work
but i would not recomend it for a backing with the raw hide
not to mention thats alot of little pieces to back a bow with 

[SiongSA]

siong, were you planning on backing the bow with those 5"x2" strips?
or where you just gonna use them for building up the handle?

if you were gonna use the for the handle i think epoxy would work
but i would not recomend it for a backing with the raw hide
not to mention thats alot of little pieces to back a bow with 

no not planning to back, i'll see if the epoxy works well enough of samples,

Pat, whats the exact process to making the hide glue, because i have loads of the dog treats and i would like to use a traditional glue like that?

[Pat B]

OH! I read that as 5 1/2" wide rawhide.     Short pieces will work but you will have to overlap at the joints and add a strong wrap on each for them to be effective and that's a lot of work and extra physical weight which can make your bow sluggish.

  I think Keenan puts the pieces in a crock pot or slow cooker, covers it with water and cooks it low and slow over night. You will have to skim the impurities off the top but the syruppy liquid that is left is hide glue.

[SiongSA]

OH! I read that as 5 1/2" wide rawhide.     Short pieces will work but you will have to overlap at the joints and add a strong wrap on each for them to be effective and that's a lot of work and extra physical weight which can make your bow sluggish.

  I think Keenan puts the pieces in a crock pot or slow cooker, covers it with water and cooks it low and slow over night. You will have to skim the impurities off the top but the syruppy liquid that is left is hide glue.

awesome! i'll definitely use this for backing a bow but i think its alot of working just to stick two things together so i'll use commercial glue on this bit but homemade hide glue later, cheers:)

[IndianGuy]

Good advice Pat..
On making hide glue here is what I do. I put rawhide scraps cut into small pieces, and sinew cut into small pieces as well in water, I let it soak up the water for several hours. I then add more water and boil it for abut 5 hours adding water as needed, I then dump the whole mess into a strainer and drain out the liquid which will be a medium thick smelly brownish color. Put that into a shallow cake pan and let it sit. It will turn to a gel substance within an hour or so and should harden over night. You can then break that up in smaller pieces  and reheat in a little hot water (not boiling) in a double boiler. This is your glue. Apply with fingers or brush to rawhide then glue pieces in place. You should wrap the sections with cordage or something until the glued pieces dry...NOTE.. if your glue does not harden you didnt boil long enough. Also never boil finished glue only get it as hot as your fingers can stand.

good luck.

Eric