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Author Topic: Heat treating ash after applying rawhide backing, will it work?  (Read 3110 times)

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Offline Colindemo

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Heat treating ash after applying rawhide backing, will it work?
« on: August 20, 2014, 01:00:10 pm »
I've been working on a holmegaard flatbow for which I decided to add a rawhide backing. The thing is, I also want to heat treat the belly like I did with my last ash longbow to strengthen it. Will heating the belly cause the glued on rawhide to let go of the back? And if so, should I first heat treat the belly before adding the rawhide? Any thoughts?
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Offline JW_Halverson

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Re: Heat treating ash after applying rawhide backing, will it work?
« Reply #1 on: August 20, 2014, 01:03:26 pm »
It will depend greatly on what type of glue you used.
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Offline George Tsoukalas

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Re: Heat treating ash after applying rawhide backing, will it work?
« Reply #2 on: August 20, 2014, 01:13:21 pm »
Yes, probably not a good idea. Jawge
« Last Edit: August 20, 2014, 08:50:32 pm by George Tsoukalas »
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Offline PEARL DRUMS

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Re: Heat treating ash after applying rawhide backing, will it work?
« Reply #3 on: August 20, 2014, 01:14:58 pm »
I wouldn't consider it myself.
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Offline Colindemo

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Re: Heat treating ash after applying rawhide backing, will it work?
« Reply #4 on: August 20, 2014, 01:32:06 pm »
I was planning on using Bison D3 water resistant glue mixed with water. This is what a local bowyer recommended and since he's been doing it for 10 years i think i'm going to follow his advice. I don't know whether the glue is heat resistant as well, it doesn't say so on the package so i guess it's not. When i heat treat the belly, will the wood get hot all the way to the back?
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Offline bradsmith2010

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Re: Heat treating ash after applying rawhide backing, will it work?
« Reply #5 on: August 20, 2014, 01:32:45 pm »
yes I think heat the belly first,, then add rawhide
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Offline mullet

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Re: Heat treating ash after applying rawhide backing, will it work?
« Reply #6 on: August 20, 2014, 02:27:37 pm »
Like said, heat the belly first then rawhide the back. If it doesn't cause the glue to release the heat will probably make the rawhide wrinkle up.
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Offline DarkSoul

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Re: Heat treating ash after applying rawhide backing, will it work?
« Reply #7 on: August 20, 2014, 06:55:26 pm »
Ash (especially European ash) is exceptionally strong in tension. It rarely needs a backing, and it is definitely not necessary when you've followed a ring on the back or just removed the bark carefully. Ash is easy to ring chase and then create unbroken fibers on the back. Rawhide will only add weight, slowing the bow down and lowering performance. It's only useful, in my opinion, to protect the back from scratches and dings when a hunter is walking in the woods with his bow. Unlikely in our country...except for maybe an outdoors 3D competition.
If you insist on a rawhide backing, you should tiller it to about 20" first. Make sure you are at target weight, or at least not far above. Then do the heat treatment and apply the rawhide backing once the wood is cooled down. The bow will have gained some weight again, which allows for minor tiller corrections to reach your full draw.
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Offline Colindemo

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Re: Heat treating ash after applying rawhide backing, will it work?
« Reply #8 on: August 21, 2014, 05:37:19 pm »
I was planning to do the rawhide backing because the first growthrings under the bark are quite thin which, as i've read around on this forum, is not a good sign for an ash log. I was unable to chase a thicker, deeper ring because there was one spongy ring which did not look right at all at around the depth my belly would end up when i chased a deeper ring. Therefore I opted to go for the first ring and now i was able to remove that awful bit without comprimising the thickness of the bow. The reason why I was considering rawhide is A. It looks cool and B. I saw it used as a backing by other people who made holmegaard bows. I just don't want to spend a lot of time and effort into a bow and then have the back exploding on me because i was trying to keep the weigth as low as possible
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Offline bradsmith2010

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Re: Heat treating ash after applying rawhide backing, will it work?
« Reply #9 on: August 21, 2014, 09:04:08 pm »
a rawhide backing is fine,,, if it is thin,, it will not slow the bow much ,, if at all,,, I used it on alot of bows,, and it does look nice and protect the back,, and even though my opinion is different than many,, I feel it does add  strength to a back that might not make a self bow,,,i normally put a deer hide back on all the bows I made for people back in the day,,,some of the best competitive shooters shot my bows with a deer hide back,,, :)
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