Gluing Sinew

[Kegan]

Okay, now I have to ask. Does sinew have to be applied with hide glue? From Yewarcher's last post, "56" of Osage..." I thought it was said that he applied his sinew with Titebond II, is that true or am I mistaken? If so then I don't have to wait and can start sinewing a new bow now ! Is there anything different in the application with a wood glue?

[D. Tiller]

Big debate ongoing about this. I think that Tightbond dries but does not shrink and contract like hide glue does. From what I understand Hide glue cantracts and shrinks at the same rate as the sinew does and pulls the bow into tension. Tightbond does not though and just holds the sinew on. Never done tightbond so I really dont know how it will work. Thats what I have heard though.

Guys when you apply the sinew do you soak the sinew in the glue and then aply it or do you put the glue on the bow and just aply the dry sinew to it?

David T

[Kegan]

Makes sense, but the Titebond does shrink, if only a little- where as hide glue shrinks dramatically. Hwich would then pull the sinew, which is stretching as it dries, tight. So it would make the sinew take on different backing characteristics... This is giving me something to think about!

[sonny]

there's no reason why you couldn't pull the bow into two to several inches of reflex as the sinew is applied and dries. you'll net a few inches of reflex whichever glue you end up using.

personally I don't foresee me ever using TB2 along with sinew but simply my preference to use hide glue. 

[Kegan]

Thing is- when the sinew dries it would stretch, and the hide glue, with it's massive shrinkage, pulls this taught. The wood glue would simply pull a little bit and the bow would be loose... unless you put it into a relfex. Huh- that makes sense. I had just been thinking in terms of a straight bow.

Okay, thinking done, it's sinew time!

[a finnish native]

hide glue definitely. It works like a Chinese nuclearplant, and has been used for thousands of years, so why break the tradition?

[Kegan]

Sorry native, the deed is already been done . I put the first layer of sinew on yesterday, and got a second one one today. It seems to be holding tight, but I haven't tried it yet. It is definately less work than hide glue, but like I hade beleived, it didn't hold it quite as tightly (though nice and tight ). I'll keep you noted on how it turns out, and actually might be able to post some pictures of it by the weekend (finally might get my primitve paws on one of those fancy digital cameras )

[tomm]

Dave I put  the sinew in warm water till its soft I then put glue on back of bow and them drag the sinew through the glue and put on back of bow . tomm

[a finnish native]

I do it so that I make groups of sinew with maybe 15-20 strands in one, (group them depending on the length). then I soak them in water, they soft immediately, then i squeeze the extra water out, and place the bundle on an a board or something flat and comb it. this way the layer becomes smooth. the method is used in Asian composite bows. after combing i dip the bundle in hide glue and pull it through my fingers lightly so that the extra glue comes off and place the bundle on the bow. then the same steps repeated again and again. works fine.

[Trapper]

Ive stated this before and would get no responce , but Ive used titebond liquid hideglue for yrs. and it works better than anything BAR NONE.  Just because some guy , and you all know who it was , says it wont work , is just a armchair opinion, they havent tried it. Dr. Bert Greyson uses it or did use it for his asiatic composites and they get loads of strain put on them , and If that old guy says it will work then you can take that to the bank that it does.If you havent used it , then too me you have no way of making a opinion at all. Trapper , OH yeah there is tricks to using it , but hey there is little tricks you have to use with anything.

[Kegan]

Well, her she is. Holds tight and she pulls well out to 24" (pretty sure she has 26" in her- did before the backing and heat treatment). Not as nice as hide glue, but alot easier than boiling down crystaline hide glue.

Trapper- I have been wanting to try Titebond hide glue for a while. Got to try and get some for some more experimentation !

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[D. Tiller]

Ok! My next bow is going with Tightbond!!! That looks like a great bow but Tiller looks a bit stiff just out of the handle and toward the tip on the left limb.

[Kegan]

Ok! My next bow is going with Tightbond!!! That looks like a great bow but Tiller looks a bit stiff just out of the handle and toward the tip on the left limb.

I like to make the top limb (right) bend more than the bottom. Over time it evens out. The tips actually bends nicely, but got cropped off in the picture  !

[tpoof]

Congrats on your titebond success! Thats a great lookin stick you got there! bends real nice!

I like my hide glue though,,,actually Knox gelatin,, it works so slick,, like a match made in heaven.. never tried titebond,,, yet,,lol

[Pat B]

The nice thing about using TBIII with sinew is that it is waterproof when cured. If you live in a humid climate your bow draw weight will stay stable. However when it gets cold you will pick up a few pounds(as much as 10#).
   I shot a sinew backed (with TBIII) bow that Art Butner made and it was a great shooter. Maybe not quite the zip you get from sinew/hide glue but it shot very well.   Pat