Fake Snake backing with a little extra push

[Dean Marlow]

Looks good but was wondering can you take the cloth skin off the sides with a flat file like I do real skins? And is it o.k. to use Tru Oil for your finish?

[Easternarcher]

OK, I'm currently doing a test run with a cut-off section on boo...
Do you need to lay a glue layer over top of the fabric as well as between to saturate the fabric?
I'm using TB3

[paoliguy]

I've been wondering about that stuff. That looks pretty realistic. Think I'm going to try it. I'm curious about the finish you use over over it too.

[JW_Halverson]

I used shellac from a can and a cheap paintbrush.  The finish was not up to par, as far as I am concerned.  I sanded it out a little and went over with a spray can of shellac.  Still not up to my preferred standard, either.

I know exactly what you are saying, 4Dog.  Since this fabric won't stand up to anything but the most cursory glance, I was not intending on making it more realistic.  I was just fooling around with making a bow a little more showboat-style.  It also has black horn tips, red fox silencers on the strings, and a couple black and red thread wraps on the limbs.  It was more about the BLING, than anything.  Kinda the opposite of my usual tastes.

[4dog]

dont get me wrong Jdub!!  it looks good,, my eye is just tuned to the little details...which is kinda funny considering i love utilitarian bows...its the curse of dichotomy in me!   lol

[JW_Halverson]

You and I like the same kinda bows, I have noticed, 4dog. You have a refined and excellent taste! 

[4dog]

yeah..were kinda awesome you and me!   

[Pappy]

Turned out nice JW. 
Pappy

[ohma2]

i advised a friend the other day that i didnt think they would look very good, after seeing your bow i would retract my warning and give them a try myself.

[Josh B]

That certainly does make it pop.  They can be made to look pretty decent from about five feet away.  That's way closer than the rest of my finish work would bear scrutiny.  When I put em on, I use tbIII to stick em down and then put a few coats of watered down tbIII over the the cloth to get a good saturation.  I use a flat file on the edges, but you have to continually redope the edges to get a clean edge.  After that dries, I use spray poly and lightly sand it it every fifth coat or so until the weave of the cloth is filled in.  Here's a hackberry with that treatment.  Josh

[iowabow]

Wow that is very nice josh