starting first sinew project, 200 yr osage?

[k-hat]

My wife's aunt posted on fb last year that she had this snake at her back door.  I said "I want it!", so she killed it and stuck it in the freezer for me haha.  So I'm thinking of using the skin on this bow.  Here's the pic she posted just postmortem. Oklahoma snake. Don't know the species...

[Stoner]

Common Garter Snake, they make a colorful bow back. If I can find pics I'll post hear. John

[PatM]

Thin syrup consistency @ around 140°, if it's too hot for your fingers, it's too hot for the sinew

   Gelatin glue actually doesn't have to be anywhere near that hot to be liquid.  The safest way to use it is a much cooler temp.  Not sure where the 140 standard became entrenched in sinewing technique.  Probably just to gain a bit of time before it cools and gels presumably.

 I only keep it at about the actual melting temp, which is close to body temperature.

[NorthHeart]

K-hat how is the bow coming along, have you added the sinew yet?  I just did 2 last night with TB3.  I sure hate the mess and tediousness, but i sure love the outcome.

[DuBois]

Very cool old wood and I agree, the profile is great as is.
 have been using 1/2 cup water to each little pack of knox and it seems about right to me.
Bryce, may have a challenge for ya man 

[k-hat]

240 I sure haven't, told y'all it'd be slow ;-)  My son is only with me on 1st, 3rd, and 5th weekends, and as I have had a time getting him into projects with me, I'm reserving as much as possible for us to work together.  We'll be on it next weekend, but will probably just finish prepping all the sinew. So maybe we'll be done by the end of March

I did find out after posting that  it was a common garter snake as you mention Stoner.  I had no idea they got as big as this one (36" plus).  I still need to prep that skin as well.  Kinda cool that one of the few NA bow artifacts that has snakeskin on it was... you guessed it, a garter snake skin.  So we're keeping it authentic I guess!

Thanks for the info Aaron, Pat, DuBois.  Good to have a starting place.  I have a cast iron pot I plan to use to keep it warm.  Now I just need a heat source.  On the lookout for hotplates on the cheap!  I suppose if all else fails I can heat the bottom of the pot with my heatgun

[Pat B]

Head to the local thrift shop and pick up a cheap crock pot. I got mine for $5. I put water in the crock pot and float a stainless steel bowl in it with the hide glue in it. If the crock pot doesn't have a control on it(mine doesn't) I just add a bit of cold water occasionally to keep the temp down. If the sinew shrivels, it's too hot.

[Bryce]

Garters are great. They tend to be a bit see-through like most snake skins. I like to put something that manages the color behind the skin. Silk is my favorite. But dying the back of the bow works wonders. I think someone said something about an example? I believe this one has a black dye behind these nw coast garters.

[k-hat]

Pat B, great idea with the crockpot, I'll keep an eye out for one.

Bryce that's a beauty!  The skin I have will be about 8" short of reaching the tips if I center it, so I'll likely do something like what you have there, unless it's wide enough to split in 1/2 lengthwise and cover both limbs completely without looking too asymmetrical.  I do have a rattler skin that I may use instead if it is long enough to cover ntn and put the garter on the sister to this bow (the sister is 60#@26", unbacked so no sinew to cover up).   I've yet to skin a bow, so that's a first as well.

Appreciate all the tips!