Sinew after 12 hours

[Mesophilic]

I put 22 grams of sinew on each limb of a current bow project.  This image is 12 hours after application,  double wrapped with ace bandages and sitting in the coolest, least drafty closet in the house.   Moisture meter may be useless, but for what it's worth, on the hardwood setting it read 35%, a raw elk backstrap sinew reads 1%.

Does this look right for these conditions?  Or still drying too fast?

[maitus]

What kind of glue did You use? Too wet glue gives cracks and You should comb the sinew befor laying. Sorry, but there is a big mess on Your bow

[Marc St Louis]

I've always believed that fast is good so I always left my bows in a cool and very drafty spot for the first 12 hours then warm with lots of air movement after that.

Looks good besides that

[Mesophilic]

What kind of glue did You use? Too wet glue gives cracks and You should comb the sinew befor laying. Sorry, but there is a big mess on Your bow

Used hide glue by cooking down rawhide and sinew scraps in a double boiler.

Thanks for the feedback.  I tried using a dog comb,  still learning and actually appreciate candid criticism so I can improve.

ETA: are you referring to mess as the blob in the lower portion of the pic or the whole thing? The lower portion is the handle where the sinew overlaps from each limb.

[bradsmith2010]

Hard to tell from photo,..seems to be drying fine,,.a snake skin or rawhide,,,can pretty it up,....if needed

[bradsmith2010]

U might consider pulling it into reflex...as it dries

[maitus]

I tell You how i do it . I don't claim that its the best way but my result are good. After soaking sinew in water i comb them before soaking them in glue. I do it very diligently to get out all open fibers and dirt and get the fibers separated. After combing the one side i turn the other side and comb again and then turn the bundle around and do it again. You must hold the one end strongly in hand. The comb must be strong. I made mine from water buffalo horn. Only then i soak them in glue many times and squeeze glue out after every soaking. Then i lay them on to the table and comb again. Now is enough if You comb just couple of times and even the fibers with level side of the comb. So You will get very smooth bundle with straight fibers You can lay on to the bow. I lay bundles with about 5cm overlap.

[maitus]

ETA: are you referring to mess as the blob in the lower portion of the pic or the whole thing? The lower portion is the handle where the sinew overlaps from each limb.

Yes....especially the handle area .  You could try to make smooth every part. I usually work with short sinew because its hard to get longones and there will be one or two overlaps on the limb and its hard to find where these places are...good luck ....

[bassman]

If you are entering bow of the month you should not see the diagonal ace bandage lines, but if your looking for a sound sinew backing yours looks ok. You can back that one with snake skin ,or a cloth pattern snake skin. For better performance you should induce some reflex into the bow as Brad Smith has said while the sinew  is drying. A simple way that works for me is to tie 2 loops of thin, strong rope on a horizontal 2x4 or pipe, and hang the bow with the loops at the nocks. Hang 2 gallon jugs of water in the middle of the handle.You can see it pulling reflex into the bow, and let it dry for at least a month,or so before tillering ,or shooting.Some guys say 10 days will do it ,but I let mine dry for at least a month, and some times 2 or 3 months. For the next one you can do it as mentioned above with the combing ,and etc.It does make a much neater looking  job.

[Mesophilic]

Thanks for all the tips, guys.  Not trying for bow of the month, just something functional and furthering the learning process.

It is reverse strung to induce reflex while the sinew dries. 

[bownarra]

Follow Maitius advice it is spot on. That is how you get a good sinew backing.
No need at all to wrap with bandages you risk squeezing too much glue out, not too mention the ugly lines that are left. The correct amount of glue is quite easy to determine once you have the necessary practise. A sinew backing can be made to look like glass without any wrapping.
The absolute failsafe, works 100% of the time method to stop any lifts is - once you have finished laying down your layer and are setting the bow aside to dry. Make sure the glue is gelled THEN pull it into reflex. Not once it has started drying,not when the sinew is still wet but right when the glue has gelled. This 'presses' the now temporarily 'stuck' backing into a concavity. When you do this properly you completely eliminate the chance of sinew lifting regardless of how much reflex.

The 'cracks' in your sinew are just visual, they won't affect anything. Again as Maitius says the problem is incorrect thickness of glue.
Use 5% to size the back until glossy.
Use 30% on the first layer.
Use 25% after that for the rest of sinew.
Once finished coat with a thin coat of very hot 10% glue.
Measured by dry weight of glue/ weight of water.

[Marc St Louis]

Thanks for all the tips, guys.  Not trying for bow of the month, just something functional and furthering the learning process.

It is reverse strung to induce reflex while the sinew dries.

Been awhile since I sinew backed a bow but I always reflexed before adding any sinew adding more with each course.  I found that anything that was added after that would just pull out anyway.  I also never combed my sinew

[PatM]

Don't comb, wrap and re-heat and you'll get a glass smooth back.  It just works.

[bradsmith2010]

A good performing,,hard shooting sinew bow,,.is beautiful

[bassman]

End results is what counts. Never had one pull apart ,or break, and they do maintain reflex,and shoot good.