Mini hornbow - started on fullscale hornbow (pics p.2)

[Kviljo]

Will Araldite work instead of hide glue for the sinew?

I'm going to make a normal size hornbow, but thought it would be helpful to make a small one first, to quickly get some cheap experience.

[cowboy]

I can't answer any of your question's kviljo - just wanted to comment on your stuff. That's a neat looking bow (I know nothing of horn bows) and those arrows are very nice too!! You do good work.

[welch2]

Looks good so far. I don't know what Araldite is, but I wouldn't skimp on any of the steps in making a horn bow. I use hide glue and fish bladder glue 50/50 myself. And to be safe I would sinew wrap the handle and siyah splices between sinew layers.

You got a nice bow in the works, please post more pictures as you go.
By the way ,I think shorter is harder. 

Ralph

[Kviljo]

It's an epoxy. I just tried to put on a couple of strands with it, and it doesn't seem to work very well.

I'll try some hide glue tomorrow. How long do you think it needs to cure with only a 2-4 mm thick layer of sinew?

The core and the grip is ash, and the siyaths are hickory. And the horn came from a single horn tip

[Dane]

Ivar, a very pretty little bow. I imagine stringing it is going to be a nightmare, though.

Dane

[Kviljo]

Yep, I think it's going to be a 20-30 pounder, hehe. Bet I'll have to take of some horn to get it bending. It is quite stiff as it is, and with sinew on, it should be a tough one. But it is and was all about gaining a little experience working with horn and sinew. So no worries if it doesn't become a bow.

[a finnish native]

when applying the wet sinew 2-4mm is not going to do any good. when shrunken the sinew would be good to be at least 4mm. Thus you should apply at least 10 mm of wet sinew I think..
I would let it cure at least for a month as in the traditional hornbows. as it is drying you can add reflex.
I have also red that the sinew should be applied in layers. and letting each layer dry for a month. I would put only 2 layers on a bow so small. of course you can apply it all in one thicker layer an let it dry for a month. here's a really nice vid. though they speak korean you will get the point.   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E3cjk3-AHcI&mode=related&search=
 and part 2  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=93EoM77bCVc&mode=related&search=

[Dane]

Those are great videos you posted. Thanks! I love the bowyer's workshop, and really interesting to see how he braces the bow at the end. Interesting too how both craftsmen (and craftswoman) do thier work sitting on bamboo mats.

The arrow making video was great, too. Slick how he applied glue! And impressive how he hand burned the feather shapes.

[Pat B]

I have only built a few sinew backed bows and none with horn but I put down 3 courses of sinew on each bow with a month drying period between each course. Even after 6 months the bows would get stronger as the sinew cured. Possibly a few years of curing before it would be fully cured. Also, each time you add sinew, you are adding moisture, not only to the sinew/glue mix but also the wood is absorbing some of the moisture and all of that has to go before you get the full effects of the sinew.
  At least a dryer time of year is coming up which will help with the curing.      Pat

[a finnish native]

indeed in hornbows it is way more than a month. I have heard that one bow takes easily 5 years in the making. have also red that it takes for about 10 years of shooting before you will know that is the bow really a good horn bow. and the tillering I have heard takes a year approximately. but that's just the way it is.
Compare to a board bow which can be made in a few hours.. 

[Justin Snyder]

Im no expert on sinew or horn bows, so my advice is probably worth what you paid for it, nothing.  After just completing the little sinew backed Ipe bow I did, I would say 3 or 4 layers would be best for this bow.  The good thing about using hide glue to put it on is, if it don't work out, you can soak the sinew back off and re use it on the next bow.  I think seizing the back of the bow with hide glue will help keep the wood from absorbing to much moisture.  Seize the back, apply one layer and wait a couple of weeks, then add the second layer, dry a couple of weeks then add the third, and so on.  After the last layer, wait at least a month before you draw the bow. Justin

[Ekwos]

Kviljo,looking good so far but if I may,this is going to be a bear to string eventually.Four mm dry sinew would seem enough on that little bow.This is intended as a scale model , right? Is the horn about 3 mm thick? To get scale performance the bow could be much narrower in my opinion.I'm just being constructively critical  .Ekwos

[Kviljo]

This helps

Although I see that I might just as well start on a full scale bow right away. I won't be able to wait even a whole month to finish this little bugger, hehe.
Think I'll postpone the sinewing till I've got a large one too.

I totally agree Ekwos, it is overly wide, including the siyaths. But I thought it would be easier to get it stable if it was a bit wider, so it wasn't ment to be a scale model. Just a test on working with the materials and gaining a little experience. Hoping to get more constructive feedback when I start on the large one

[Ekwos]

Still,Kviljo,do you think a scale model would be a bad idea?To spend all that time on a baby hornbow with all the waiting time involved............Now,if one would build it along with a full size hornbow........I've still got some shorter horn pieces that would be well suited for a side project.
That would make it a 3 hornbow project for me.Eppo Ekwos

[Kviljo]

You may have a point there. Think I'll make it a bit narrower before I put the sinew on. That way it won't be too impossible to string either Though I bet I'll be struggeling to get it stable.