Build along hickory Buffalo horn belly/ sinew backed bow (pic heavy)

[superdav95]

Looks like a great start!  I'll be following along.

thanks man!

[BowEd]

At 70 grams or around 1100 grains on the length of limbs and handle it should be a strong 1/8" thick or maybe 5/32".You've got plenty of width there I'd say.
At least 5 months.Better 6 months.

It's a waiting game for sure.In the past I would just make other bows while it's curing.I do have some roughed out ready to tiller.
You can bend it some after 3 months to adjust questionable tiller or alignment if you want without hurting anything and let it cure more.I've never needed to do that though.

Measuring it thickness wise after a couple of months should reveal things to you.It'll continue to cure a good 10 months or more all together.There's more that goes on curing than just physical weight moisture loss.A bonding process so to say.All those little molecules bonding and aligning finding their place....ha ha.

I've got one sinewed here on a 3' stretch of handle and limbs with the first layer put on in the middle of august.3rd layer on in the middle of september.2 weeks apart for each layer.Just before hunting season here.About the same amount of sinew.It's coming to 6 months of waiting now on that one.

Tiller it soon within a month here.As soon as it warms up in the shop....ha ha.No horn on this one.62" TTT.Reflexed a bit.Going for a happy medium length bow.Levers are around 13 inches long 3/4" wide at base/9/16" thick and a scooch under 1/2" wide/1/2" thick at tips.Working portion of limbs are around the same length wise.A scooch under 1 and 3/4" at fades and a scooch over 1 and 1/4" at fade base of lever.

Overall a little more aggressive width taper on the working limb.It's winged elm.Not quite as dense as my hickory.
Don't want to hi jack your thread here as your project deserves all the exposure it deserves.Good project showing attention to detail etc.

[bjrogg]

Looking good Dave. I’m watching 

Bjrogg

[superdav95]

At 70 grams or around 1100 grains on the length of limbs and handle it should be a strong 1/8" thick or maybe 5/32".You've got plenty of width there I'd say.
At least 5 months.Better 6 months.

It's a waiting game for sure.In the past I would just make other bows while it's curing.I do have some roughed out ready to tiller.
You can bend it some after 3 months to adjust questionable tiller or alignment if you want without hurting anything and let it cure more.I've never needed to do that though.

Measuring it thickness wise after a couple of months should reveal things to you.It'll continue to cure a good 10 months or more all together.There's more that goes on curing than just physical weight moisture loss.A bonding process so to say.All those little molecules bonding and aligning finding their place....ha ha.

I've got one sinewed here on a 3' stretch of handle and limbs with the first layer put on in the middle of august.3rd layer on in the middle of september.2 weeks apart for each layer.Just before hunting season here.About the same amount of sinew.It's coming to 6 months of waiting now on that one.

Tiller it soon within a month here.As soon as it warms up in the shop....ha ha.No horn on this one.62" TTT.Reflexed a bit.Going for a happy medium length bow.Levers are around 13 inches long 3/4" wide at base/9/16" thick and a scooch under 1/2" wide/1/2" thick at tips.Working portion of limbs are around the same length wise.A scooch under 1 and 3/4" at fades and a scooch over 1 and 1/4" at fade base of lever.

Overall a little more aggressive width taper on the working limb.It's winged elm.Not quite as dense as my hickory.
Don't want to hi jack your thread here as your project deserves all the exposure it deserves.Good project showing attention to detail etc.

Thanks Ed.  Very similar specs to my current build.  Like you suggest I’ll give it a good 6 months to cure.  I’m gonna try a thin raw hide backing or a hog gut backing when a couple weeks and then set it aside to cure.   Have you ever used hog gut backing.   I saw a guy online using it and I reached out so he has sent me some to test out. Not sure if I’ll use on this one yet and may just stick with rawhide.  Any experience with hog gut? 

[superdav95]

Looking good Dave. I’m watching 

Bjrogg

Thanks brother!   

[BowEd]

Nope no hog gut using experience.Let us know what you think of it.
I've used thin deer rawhide,goat hide,snake skin,and birch bark in the past.

[bownarra]

Looks cool! Hope it works out for you.
Drying times and sinew rely on a few things. Not just final thickness but how you laid it down.
The Koreans lay their sinew in 1mm thick layers. 2 weeks drying time inbetween layers. This drastically shortens drying time and is a centuries proven method. I use this method now.
The long drying times are only necessary when you don't give the bow drying time inbetween layers. There is no difference in the finished bow.
1 mm thick  - 2 weeks
2mm thick - 4 weeks
3mm thick - 9 weeks
4mm thick 16 weeks
5mm thick - 25 weeks
Drying times = thickness squared.

[superdav95]

Thanks bownarra.  This is a great rule of thumb to go by. Thanks for the info!  I’m gonna give it 4 weeks before I put my next layer on which will be my final layer.  I saved my longest bundle for this.  The sinew I put down already would have been close to 2 mm thick when I weighted it layed it down.  I’ll give it 4 weeks like you say and stick with that schedule.  Better safe then sorry.  I’ll tighten up the reflex a bit upon laying last bundle.  What are your thoughts on covering with thin ride hide, birch bark or leather after laying final layer?  Should I give an addition 4 weeks before covering. 

A few pics of the side profile of layers after 4 days drying. 

Thanks again. 

[superdav95]

Update on this bow build.  Just put last layer of sinew on which brings my total sinew up to 75gr. Little more then I thought with goal of 70 gr but just the way it worked out in the end.  Final layer of sinew was super long and cover the entire bending section of each limb.  This particular sinew came from a deer back strap I harvested last season.  It was a mature doe and kept every little bit of the silver skin I could from each strap.  26” long for both limbs.   Served each end again with few loose strands to keep it down as it dries now.  I’ll increase the reflex again too as it continues to dry with final layer.  It currently close to 7.5-8”.   I’d like to get close to 10-11” when dry.  Spent the time to really comb well 2 layers first and soaked them with fish glue as before and allow to gel slightly then laid it on.  Went smoothly.   All sinew carefully measure dry weight prior and divided up for each limb.  Glue was a dream to work with.   Love this stuff. Gonna have to make more of this.   I’m really enjoying this build.  Would be a shame if it exploded!   Anyway I digress…   

Here’s a few more pics. 

Cheers

[BowEd]

Sweeeet looking sinew job.

[superdav95]

Thanks. Ed. 

[bassman211]

Nice clean neat  work. That one should  make quiet the shooter.

[superdav95]

Nice clean neat  work. That one should  make quiet the shooter.

Thanks bassman.  I’m enjoying this build.  This will be my best bow so far I think.  I’ve got a few ideas for cosmetic touches later but I’m going for Ferrari on this one speed and performance as well as the beauty. I suspect it will be very fast and smooth shooting bow.  Time to wait is killing me though.  This final layer was crucial one to get perfect so I spent the time to get it rite.  Just and waiting game now before I finish it up. 

Thanks for looking

Cheers

[PaSteve]

Excellent sinew job. That bow is going to be fast. Your attention nto details is to be commended. Looking forward to the finished bow. Great job so far!

[bjrogg]

I like how that’s looking Dave. That should be a fast bow that’s very durable.

Thanks for sharing

Bjrogg