Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: DuBois on November 19, 2013, 07:41:25 am
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Have these knots in the back and plan to sinew this bow. Am I wrong to think I could clean the cambium off the back and sinew the bow, skirting around the knots, and following how the wood has grown around them already?
Maybe build it up a little thicker around those areas which are naturally a little higher already?
I'm sure someone has tried this or at least thought about it before.
What you think, and thanks?
Doob
(http://i1311.photobucket.com/albums/s662/mdubois7/002_zps5074b0f9.jpg) (http://s1311.photobucket.com/user/mdubois7/media/002_zps5074b0f9.jpg.html)
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I would carefully carve the branch stubs out and fill the gorge with TBIII and saw dust. Then sinew. I want my sinew to be flat as a pancake and in total contact with the bow %100. That's my angle, Im sure there are 100 more.
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I'm sure there are other angles on this but I trust yours. I'll go that way PD. Thanks man.
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My personal preference is if I'm gonna sinew a piece of wood its going to be a good clean straight piece of wood ... after all that work I want the best odds and chances of it becoming a bow....just my opinionated view n two cents....n these days I'd only sinew osage,yew,juniper,or a horn bow....n most times I can still make a great bow without the wasted time of sinew.....that ought to stir the pot some >:D
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Sinew is for making a great bow better. I think it's a waste of time to use it as "duct tape". When I see the heroic lengths people go to in order to patch bows up and just get them to the point where they still have to cross their fingers before shooting, I have to wonder what the reasoning behind that is.
I do think the selection process for wood could be far more stringent in most cases. I have seen pictures where someone shows the tree that they have cut down or are about to cut down and there might be three better choices in the picture.
What is that wood anyway? Looks like Red Cedar. You are also going to have the potential issue of glue not really wanting to stick well to the denser branch stub sections and have sinew basically floating over them and not really bridging the gap.
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So how would you handle the knots Pat? You never answered. You just assumed he was covering up junk wood with "duct tape".
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I would draw a careful line around the circumference of the log at each knot and make a straight cut through the log at those points. I would then stack it in a dry area and leave it for about 6 months.
Then I would go and cut a better piece of wood and use the first log as a heat source to speed dry the second piece.
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Haha pat that made my laugh. As I was reading it I was like wtf is he talking about...
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His question is quite clear and concise. Not sure why folks are so eager to make him look like an idiot. None of us know where those knots are, none of us know his plans, none of us know what wood it is and none of us know what the rest of it looks like. He asked how to sinew with knots in his path.
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I would draw a careful line around the circumference of the log at each knot and make a straight cut through the log at those points. I would then stack it in a dry area and leave it for about 6 months.
Then I would go and cut a better piece of wood and use the first log as a heat source to speed dry the second piece.
Pat, this seems like real complex directions for simply stating "make firewood because that is crap wood".
This is ERC and it is roughed out to bow dimensions. It has beautiful purple heartwood and about 1/4" creamy sapwood and if it worked I think it would be an awesome looking and shooting bow at 65".
I have read on here how well sinew and ERC are matched so I don't think it would be just a "duct tape" scenario, although I know I am pushing it to hope for a good bow from ERC with a back like this.
You are also going to have the potential issue of glue not really wanting to stick well to the denser branch stub sections and have sinew basically floating over them and not really bridging the gap.
I think you missed the point of my initial question about not going over the knots at all, but I think if I take Pearlie's suggestion and go with it, it should be a mute point.
My personal preference is if I'm gonna sinew a piece of wood its going to be a good clean straight piece of wood ... after all that work I want the best odds and chances of it becoming a bow....just my opinionated view n two cents....n these days I'd only sinew osage,yew,juniper,or a horn bow....n most times I can still make a great bow without the wasted time of sinew.....that ought to stir the pot some >:D
This really does bring up a good point. I don't know exactly why I think I see a bow in a piece of wood and feel I have to try and make it, even though it is probably not the best selection. I guess I am fortunate to be able to experiment a little and try to learn while picking you guys brains at the same time. I am havin a blast so far, even when I fail it doesn't really bother me much. That is not normal for me in most other things. I will probably get tired of messin with sub prime wood and want to just focus on the best pieces after I bust a few more questionable staves ;)
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Haha pat that made my laugh. As I was reading it I was like wtf is he talking about...
You made my laugh too!
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PD, I was not in the least trying to make him look like an idiot. There is a very good chance that the back of the stave could be thoroughly sinewed and make a fine bow but it just looks like the deck is a bit too stacked with knots to make that really worthwhile.
Even if the rest of the stave is pristine there seems to be just too many crowded in one area.
Sorry if my attempt at humor came across as condescending.
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With junipers and yew to be sinewed I like to remove most(if not all if I can)of the sapwood....since your inisisting on going thru with it if it was me I would reduce the sapwood down in a decrowned fashion flattening it further...and in doing so you now have a nice flat smooth back all the way across with no ditches and dips....and don't worry about following a growth ring if your going to sinew back it with 3 layers or more cus the sinew will cover any ring violations...
WHERE ARE THOSE KNOTS LOCATED?
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With junipers and yew to be sinewed I like to remove most(if not all if I can)of the sapwood....since your inisisting on going thru with it if it was me I would reduce the sapwood down in a decrowned fashion flattening it further...and in doing so you now have a nice flat smooth back all the way across with no ditches and dips....and don't worry about following a growth ring if your going to sinew back it with 3 layers or more cus the sinew will cover any ring violations...
WHERE ARE THOSE KNOTS LOCATED?
(http://i1311.photobucket.com/albums/s662/mdubois7/001_zps21d730aa.jpg) (http://s1311.photobucket.com/user/mdubois7/media/001_zps21d730aa.jpg.html)
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:o Sweet Dear Jesus....please do a miracle here..Amen O:) :laugh:
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:o Sweet Dear Jesus....please do a miracle here..Amen O:) :laugh:
Yeah, your probably right ::) what the hell am I thinkin'?
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Use a rasp and decrown it so the knots are flush with the back. Don't use a draw knife. And use the finer cut side if your using a farriers rasp. When you get within an 1/8" of where you want the back to be, dope those knots good with super glue and let cure. This will stabilize the knots. After it's cured, take it down the remaining 1/8" to your back. Redope the knots with super glue, let cure and then course sand it to reduce rasp marks and remove any superglue on the surface. Sinew away! Josh
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Well there you have !
Gun Doc is the only one I know to pull something like this off !
We need at least one more to do it to prove it can be done !
And that one ain't me so go for it !
I lean toward Pats view of heat to dry out the next one cause I am more than a little lazy !
Have fun !!
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OK, now we're gettin somewhere! Thanks Josh. This is kinda your fault for making that ERC with the holes clean through it ;) I gotta try it ya know >:D
You guys are great on here. Thanks all!
Sorry if my attempt at humor came across as condescending.
It is hard to know for sure how people mean what they saying over a computer. No worries man.
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I won't tell ya not to play with firewood because if I did I'd be a hypocrite....but that doesn't mean I can't warn ya the odds are stacked way higher against ya when in doing so...a few years ago I made a hickory backed erc that had 18 nasty knots with many of them an inch or bigger in diameter..it was a firewood piece that survived.... its still in one piece to this day,but guess how much I shoot it? I've gone thru lots of "firewood" just to prove folks wrong,and show others what can be done with wood...and my first reply was an I've been there done that experienced reply,and why I think that way now.....but we all must learn for ourselves firsthand so carry on
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On further thoughts......I'd check and see how rotten,loose,or brittle those knots are...if they look weak in any of those ways I'd take it a step further than gun doc and drill and plug all those knots before sinew application....
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I would draw a careful line around the circumference of the log at each knot and make a straight cut through the log at those points. I would then stack it in a dry area and leave it for about 6 months.
Then I would go and cut a better piece of wood and use the first log as a heat source to speed dry the second piece.
Good one there Pat! I like how ya think. :)
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I would draw a careful line around the circumference of the log at each knot and make a straight cut through the log at those points. I would then stack it in a dry area and leave it for about 6 months.
Then I would go and cut a better piece of wood and use the first log as a heat source to speed dry the second piece.
Good one there Pat! I like how ya think. :)
Man I don't know what to think. A guy want to learn how to make bows and gets jokes instead. Is this a bow forum Jon or a joke fest? Just wondering if you have any input on the actual question about sinew to add. It would be appreciated.
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Jon was picking on himself Dubes. He was basically saying he'd burn it because he wouldnt try getting a bow from it. He wasnt picking on you, he wouldnt do that.....well, not until he knows ya' better!
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Sorry 'bout that Dube! I didn't mean to give you bad ideas like character ERC! >:D. Lol! Good luck with it and remember to take your time. You've already found out that it takes a lot of ERC to make a hunting weight bow. I still have to remind myself to slow down with the roughing in so i don't end up with a kids bow. Lol! Josh
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Bows / sinew backed juniper with eyes
« by loefflerchuck on July 05, 2010, 01:51:13 pm »
This was a great bow I made some time back. It only lasted 2 years but broke in the dry winter after being overdrawn all that time. The holes went all the way through
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This is just my opinion I'm by no means an expert with ERC, but I've found that it's rumored tendency to break with out reason or much provocation to be exaggerated I wouldn't worry about it that much especially if you follow the advice give I'm sure you'll have a fine bow
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A bow stave with knots in it is a great bow building teacher. Forget the sinew and tiller this stave out considering the knots. Take your time and make every scrape count. ;)
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A bow stave with knots in it is a great bow building teacher. Forget the sinew and tiller this stave out considering the knots. Take your time and make every scrape count. ;)
Too late Pat, I already decrowned it some.
Bows / sinew backed juniper with eyes
« by loefflerchuck on July 05, 2010, 01:51:13 pm »
This was a great bow I made some time back. It only lasted 2 years but broke in the dry winter after being overdrawn all that time. The holes went all the way through
Yes that was a beauty. Definitely made me feel like this could be possible. Thanks Chuck.
I forgive you Josh. I will take it slow so I don't have another light weight on the wall.
Thanks for the input Newindian.
I think I got some good direction and instructions, so I will let ya all know how it goes down the road a ways.
Thanks everybody, even you Jon and PatM ;)