Silk backing glue?

[Sidewinder]

Is titebond III good for silk backing if not what might work better? Also would one of you guys just briefly describe the process or better yet correct me where I'm wrong.
1) cut out the silk piece to fit length
2) apply glue to back ( how thick?) no excess, a little excess or alot of excess?
3) apply silk and smooth out all kinks and make sure silk is properly centered and adherred up to just past the side edges of the back maybe 1/16 up the sides
4) after letting it dry ( how long?) trim excess silk to glue line.
5) decoroate with paint ( what kind?)

Is that basically it? Thanks in advance to my bowmaking sensei's. Danny

[Auggie]

Yep, thats pretty much it,other than using hide glue.I like the TB myself.

[Sidewinder]

Augie,
          Does the TBII dry as dark as the TBIII? Also do I want to saturate the silk with it or just get it wet enough that it soaks through and is smoothed out with no kinks or bubbles?

[Justin Snyder]

Apply a generous layer of glue first.  Start at one end and make sure you get all the air bubbles out as you lay down the silk.  After the silk is down apply another layer of glue to saturate the silk. Smooth and remove all the extra glue.  Justin

[adb]

I do silk just like SSs, only I don't wet it. TB2 for me.

[Pat B]

I would cut the silk in half and do each limb separately. It makes it easier to deal with. Just overlap it at the handle.
  After about an hour or so the glue has set up but is not completely cured. If you have to trim excess from the edges, now is the time. A sharp razor blade works well for this.  After the glue has dried completely(tomorrow) you can use a file to dress up the edges.
   As far as paint, any acrylic paint will work. Craft stores , WalMart, etc usually carry it in the craft section and in many different colors.
In the most recent PA Magazine, Billy Berger did an article on making mineral paints and using an acrylic base to carry the pigments.    Pat

[DanaM]

The only thing I can add to the advice already given is to make sure the back is clean,
either wipe it it with acetone of freshly sand it before applying the glue.

[Sidewinder]

Thanks guys. Yeah cutting it in half makes sense. Is TBII lighter in color than TBIII when dry?   Danny

[Dano]

Yep TBII is lighter in color, but TBIII gives you more working time, which is great, and it is water proof.

[Ryano]

Actualy, I thought titebond II gave you more working time? Titebond III sets faster in my opinion, but I still like it better than II.

[George Tsoukalas]

Here's some stuff on silk. Jawge
http://mysite.verizon.net/georgeandjoni/silk.html

[Dano]

Here's their site, the working time for TBIII is almost double of what TBII is.
http://www.titebond.com/IntroPageTB.ASP?UserType=1&ProdSel=ProductCategoryTB.asp?prodcat=1

[mullet]

  I cut it in half and work one limb at a time and overlap like Pat. I also dilute TB3 in a bowl of water and drag the silk through it after sizing the limb with glue. I'm like Ryan, I have to work a lot faster with TB3 than 2. But I like it better because it is waterproof.

[tom sawyer]

On the few I've done, it seemd like straight glue was too thick so I added some water to thin it.  I think the idea to prewet the silk with water sounds like a good idea.

[Pat B]

I always pre-wet any cloth that I use as a backing. I believe it helps the glue adhere to the silk by breaking the surface tension of the cloth.       Pat