hickory/horn/sinew

[Marc St Louis]

Ed
If you compare your bow to an Asiatic horn bow then you didn't put very much reflex into it.  I think that when you make a highly reflexed Asiatic horn bow then that is where hide glue would hold better than epoxy.

[BowEd]

The mention of an Asiatic bow to Lee was in response to him inquiring as to the thickness of horn I used on this bow.The amount of poundage gained.This bow by no means is getting the stress that an Asiatic bow gets and I did not mean that.I said it was a scaled down version of thickness laminations compared to an Asiatic bow.The amount of reflex I started with this bow was 7 and 3/8" before tillering.After it has shot somewheres of between 300 to 400 arrows it holds 4 and 3/4" resting overnight reflex.3 and 1/2" reflex is being put to the arrow after at least 2 hours of being braced and shot 50 times or so.Would you call that very much or not much?
My concern to keeping this bow reseilant through damp weather was the reason I tried to use multiple layers of barriers  on the back and on the belly to slow that down.What was the reason you used epoxy to glue your birch bark on?That is where the smooth on came in to use for me.I knew from the very beginning that this bow was not going to get the reflex that an Asiatic bow has.
I do see your point about the glue though.It is very possible the same amount of protection finish of lacguer could protect it using hide glue too.

[BowEd]

I call it an Ed bow ok?.........LOL.

[Lee Slikkers]

Hey Ed, been thinking more on the horn prep part of your project.  Other than the youtube link, do you have any tips for thinning or prepping the horn?

[BowEd]

At this time this bow shoots a standard weight arrow 577 grain with 4" fletching with a standard weight string 172 grain in the low to mid 170s.After being shot at least three times before testing.Not excellent but good anyway.It started in the upper 170s before shooting it in.That is with my release too which I'm sure could be improved.Personally I am satisfied.Until the next bow.....LOL.That is part of what I was going after too.Along with the durability.

[Marc St Louis]

Actually Ed the point I was also making was that TB3 will hold a bow together when glued into reflex of around 5 or 7 inches as I have done it but it will not hold with 10 or more inches of reflex that an Asiatic has.  That is why I suspect smooth on will not hold under those conditions.

[BowEd]

Yes I see your point, and quess you see mine.A good performing efficient long bow type of bow or semi recurve or recurve is what I like at this stage for hunting and goofing around with my friends at 3D shoots.Nothing much shorter than 56".I guess it is still out there yet then as to whether smooth on would hold an Asiatic bow together on the belly.My glass bow making friends make R/D and recurves.The recurves work in a very small portion of the bow and mostly are their faster bows.The shortest in the 52" range.What did the titebond 3 failure look like?
By the way how much back set did your sinew backed birch bow retain after shooting three to four hundred arrows through it and being braced for hours at a time?I know in the article you said you started with 11" before tillering.

[MWirwicki]

Very nice bow, Beadman.  Very nice....   

[Trapper Rob]

How do you tiller a bow with horn on the belly.

[BowEd]

I don't know how someone else might do it but in order not to lose the actual thickness of horn I belly trap,side tiller,and maybe if need be very slight reduction in thickness of horn by sanding.Now in order to be able to do this you must start out with enough width in your limbs to accomplish this.

[Dvshunter]

Don't know how I missed this one but I'm glad I got to see it. Beautiful work. Great looking bow.

[BowEd]

Thanks Mike and Dvshunter.Sometimes little rewards come to those who wait.....LOL.

[Onebowonder]

Wow!  You've definitely created a lethal thing of beauty there.  I really love the full draw look...

[Trapper Rob]

Where do you get your horn at for the belly.
Rob

[BowEd]

Thanks onebownder.