Main Discussion Area > Bows
Thinking about sinew
bjrogg:
--- Quote from: PEARL DRUMS/PEARLY/PD/DRUMS on December 16, 2022, 03:28:44 pm ---I always use back tendons. So much easier, but, still a ton of work. That stuff is looking really good BJR.
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I always use the back sinew for my other projects to Drums. I remember talk with Matt W and he said he preferred the leg sinew. I think I can see why now. It is definitely easier to get the back sinew, but I like the evenness of this leg sinew and the length is pretty decent.
Bjrogg
bjrogg:
--- Quote from: Deerhunter21 on December 16, 2022, 03:43:40 pm ---cant wait to see the finished product! (-P
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Me too Russell, but don’t wait up.lol
I’m going to have to gather some other stuff too and it’s going to be a problem finding the time to do this job, but I’m going to give it a try.
Bjrogg
bradsmith2010:
you can do it a little at a time,,
superdav95:
--- Quote from: bjrogg on December 16, 2022, 02:42:23 pm ---Thanks Dave I was hoping you would give some advice.
I did wash the tendons in soapy dawn dish water when I first harvested it. That really helps with removing some of the sheath that surrounds it and a lot of the fat.
It does still have a little
If I understand correctly next I should continue separating it and then wash with dawn? I’m thinking I will have to comb it out then, get it straight and let it dry again. Or should I just wait until I’m ready to apply it to wash it again?
Hoping to avoid learning things the hard way.
Bjrogg
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BJ. I would let it dry well now after you gave it initial wash then pound it good to loosen up your fibers and separate by hand and use your combs or wire brush to get it to hair like strands. Then I would weight it in matching bundles for each limb by weight and same length. Wash it again after soaking it in warm water in your measured bundles in separate tubs. In the mean time you would have sized your bow back surface really well to prep for sinew and let dry. Sizing is many coats of very thin glue 5%. I keep my bundles in the little separate tubs with water till ready to put down on my limbs. I squeeze out little of excess water place on hard smooth clean surface like a counter top and comb it while wet to get fibers aligned and somewhat flat. I work on one limb at a time so that my glue doesn’t gel too quick on me before I get my bundle on the bow. Only but 30% glue layer on one limb at a time as you want to glue to be pre gel state when you apply your bundle to that limb. I take the bundle in hand and dunk the bundle into the 30% glue kept hot in double boiler. I found doing half at a time is less messy. I use a large wide mouth mason jar for my glue and after dunking half of my bundle I use my finger to lightly press the bundle against the inner wall of the jar to squeeze out excess glue. Repeat for remaining half of your bundle the lay it down. Move fairly quickly but not panicking. Have a little warm water nearby to wet your fingers to smooth out your bundle. I’ll sometimes use my standard plastic comb to keep the fibers aligned after laying bundle. Repast for other side. I place a smaller shorter bundle to overlap the longer bundles at the handle. Save your longer sinew bundles for final layer if doing multiple layers. I find doing 2-3 thinner layers allowing to dry hood in between layers goes the best. About a week or two this time of year should do it for each layer. My second layer is already pretty much dried after a few days. It’s good to wait for a week or two between for good measure though. I’ll find the thickness to dry time formulas rule of thumb and post it here too. I’ve got it here somewhere. This is basically from Adam’s book on ottoman bows.
superdav95:
Here’s the small section from Adam’s book detailing dry times and thicknesses…
“As the sinew and glue dry, the
moisture travels through the layer
by diffusion. For a bow with one
layer of sinew about 1mm thick.
the time of drying is commonly 1
to 2 weeks, depending on ambi-
ent humidity. The time of mois
ture diffusion through the layer
increases with a square of thick-
ness. It means, if 1mm thickness
requires a minimum of 1 week,
then 2mm require 2 squared
equals 4 weeks. Then 3mm
requires 9 weeks. The bow's
sinew is actually 4 or even 5mm
in some places, for example the
limb sides and possibly the grip.
4mm will dry in 16 weeks and
5mm in 25 weeks - six months,”
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