Greetings and a question

[paco664]

Greetings from Hialeah FL *(miami).

i have enjoyed shooting bows since i was a child. i'm 46 now, and have decided after seeing the beautiful work you guys have done to make myself a board bow.

i went to the local wood store *(shell lumber) and picked up a pretty piece of white oak and i'm gonna carve a bow out if come heck or high water.

my question is about backing.  i wanted to use sinew but couldn't find any here so i used drywall tape for this first attempt.  i think it will turn out fine but it's a bit UGLY 

http://www.google.com/aclk?sa=l&ai=CuBKU04TfVNKEFJK2hATAy4GYA-vT8uAGu8u5pIgBo93OlrECCAkQASDezc8eKB5gydash9yjxBCgAYPgru8DyAEHqgQnT9Aw5oAOhuqx_LJyVPRs9vC5GsWOUIVwFDsyg7bnyErAVI-ylj9uwAUFoAYmgAfln9EQkAcBqAemvhvYBwHgEuuP15PQiaecvwE&sig=AOD64_3XCtzboVYv1PJtVc9lmp7xkpWjQA&adurl=http://www.ecanyons.com/india-sinew-natural-gray-colored-70lb-8oz-300-yard-spool-p-1681.html%3Fcpid%3Dgdf100%26prod%3D1681&ctype=5&rct=j&q=&ei=04TfVOqNEdaSsQSu14L4BA&ved=0CHYQpyswAAy.

 will this sinew here be adequate for my next attempt?

[JoJoDapyro]

Save your sinew for a stave. I have backed boards with denim, seems to work well.

[SLIMBOB]

Why back it at all?

[arachnid]

Why back it at all?

If the grain runs straight end to end it doesn`t need a backing.
I`ve used brown paper bags for backing. Works great.

[paco664]

i backed it because i wasn't sure and being the first bow i have made since i was a kid i am trying to do everything i can not to have it blow up in my face.  lol.

it is 72" and i am hoping when all is said and done to be ~55-60#@70" with a 29-30" draw.   

but IF i can get my drawlength out of it without a face full of splinters i will take whatever #age it makes.  be it 40 or be it 100.

and if i end up with kindling wood out of it.  i guess i'll have to take slcwmnbma *(la cubanita who must not be made angry) on a camping trip.

thanks for any suggestions.  you guys wealth of knowledge is incredible.

[paco664]

also the grain is very very straight.

i guess the backing wasn't needed.

[cdpbrewer]

The disadvange to backing is the lost of a bit of arrow velocity and maybe a bit more hand shock if the tiller isn't correct.   You very likely won't notice either.   Twas wise of you to go with a 72" with your longish draw.     

c.d.

[adb]

Artificial sinew does not work well as a backing material... certainly nothing like real sinew.

[JoJoDapyro]

My firs is red oak. 70" tip to tip. Unbacked. My handle did pop and break, but the bow is still shooting. 54# @ 27"

[IndianKid]

welcome paco ! Funny, I had to double check to see who's post I was reading, yours or mine (From a month or two ago!)
We have eerily similar story's. I have made a few, but only 2 that survived 

When Im building bows,I don't concentrate on the finished product, concentrate on your work and the skills you gain.
If the bow fails your still enjoying yourself  I think I broke about 3 bows, but I learned something from every failure.

And I keep repeating, you aint makin if you aint breakin...

By the way, the two that lived are both unbacked white oak ...

[paco664]

Artificial sinew does not work well as a backing material... certainly nothing like real sinew.

noted on the artificial sinew.  that stuff in the link is supposedly natural sinew on a spool.

i bought a farriers rasp today at tractor supply over in Naples fl *(went to visit the family) and tomorrow before work i am gonna see about making a big pile of wood shavings.

one thing about the backing of drywall tape and titebond II,  it's ugly as homemade soap and i wish i could remove it.

now i have to find some Dacron and see if i remember how to twist a string *(if not i will see about a store bought one till i get by brain filled back up)

thank you guys for the suggestions and well wishes *(gotta feeling y'all gonna be seeing a lot of me)

[Chief RID]

Good luck paco. Thanks for taking us along. Send some pics when you can.

[adb]

Artificial sinew does not work well as a backing material... certainly nothing like real sinew.

noted on the artificial sinew.  that stuff in the link is supposedly natural sinew on a spool.

i bought a farriers rasp today at tractor supply over in Naples fl *(went to visit the family) and tomorrow before work i am gonna see about making a big pile of wood shavings.

one thing about the backing of drywall tape and titebond II,  it's ugly as homemade soap and i wish i could remove it.

now i have to find some Dacron and see if i remember how to twist a string *(if not i will see about a store bought one till i get by brain filled back up)

thank you guys for the suggestions and well wishes *(gotta feeling y'all gonna be seeing a lot of me)

If you read the description, it does state it's not natural sinew.
India Sinew Natural Gray Colored 70lb 8oz 300 yard spool. This sinew is 70lb rated and is used in a variety of Native American handmade items such as dream catchers, medicine wheels, pipes, bow and arrows and much more.  Also known as artificial, synthetic or imitation sinew.

[George Tsoukalas]

Burlap, linen, and silk make pretty good backings. Beginners should back their first few attempts for insurance.  More on my site.

http://georgeandjoni.home.comcast.net/~georgeandjoni/index.html

Jawge

[SLIMBOB]

Jawge has been at this longer than me, and built a bunch of bows, not to mention all the folks he has helped with his site.  He is of course right in that a beginner has a better chance of keeping one together if it is backed somehow.  My point on the "why back it at all" comment is not meant to disagree with his advice as much as it is meant to augment it.  Backing a bow can be used as a replacement for proper back preparation, design selection and good tiller.  These are more difficult to achieve early on, no doubt.  But they are the essence of this craft.  If you can accomplish these things, a backing is not needed to hold one together.  I remember Jim Hamm stating the same thought about backing all of his early attempts as a substitute for the above.  My early attempts were self bows.  Some broke as a result of my deficiencies and lack of skill.  But in those breaks I learned what not to do next time, probably sooner than if I had covered the flaws up.  Just food for thought.