Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: ccase39 on December 09, 2015, 08:26:55 pm
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Some time ago I posted about a red oak board bow that I was going to back with hickory and faux snake skin for a friend of my wifes boyfriend or some such. I finally got the hickory in after a month and emailing the company I purchased from several times with no response. Anyhow last night I glued it up and put a little straight reflex in it by propping the tips up and just clamping down the handle. I have looked around online and can not seem to locate a video or tutorial on applying this faux snakeskin. Seems to get pretty good reviews and I know you can use titebond but thats about all I know. Anyone use this and have some tips?
This is also the first bow I have backed with hickory. Should I sand the edges of the backing to prevent splintering or would that be counterproductive?
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I've applied one with TB 2. It turned out ok. I got the backing wet or damp and applied glue to both surfaces laid the backing on and smother it out. And then wrapped it with an ace bandage. I wouldn't use the ace bandage because it was hard to clean up afterwards. You might be able to use bed sheets. Tab will shrink so keep and eye out for gaps. Anyway that's what I did it turned out ok. It might have done better if I had done it before. Good luck!
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I assume this is cloth with a snakeskin pattern on it. Do you know what the cloth is? Polyester?
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I assume this is cloth with a snakeskin pattern on it. Do you know what the cloth is? Polyester?
Yes they are cloth. I am not sure what material but I assume polyester
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I used cotton rattler skins on a bow last winter. I used TB glue. It set up fast. One thing I would have done different was to put a coat of finish on the cloth backing before sanding the edges. It wanted to fray a little bit when I was trimming them up. Here is a link to the build-a-long with the cloth skins
http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,44744.135.html
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I used cotton rattler skins on a bow last winter. I used TB glue. It set up fast. One thing I would have done different was to put a coat of finish on the cloth backing before sanding the edges. It wanted to fray a little bit when I was trimming them up. Here is a link to the build-a-long with the cloth skins
http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,44744.135.html
Thanks again!
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I used cotton rattler skins on a bow last winter. I used TB glue. It set up fast. One thing I would have done different was to put a coat of finish on the cloth backing before sanding the edges. It wanted to fray a little bit when I was trimming them up. Here is a link to the build-a-long with the cloth skins
http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,44744.135.html
You just put the TB on the back of the bow and then the back of the fabric and pressed it on?
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Yes and work it from end to end and side to side just to be sure you get all the air bubbles out, also as Clint said be careful with the edges, the will fray and kind of thread out if you sand or file like you would on a normal snake skin. :)
Pappy
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Got it glued up. I think it will come out ok for my first time. Clint was right that TB dried fast in thin layers like that. Once it dries should I spray the skin with deft first and let it dry before I trim the edges? I figure to use an exacto.
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No reason you cant get that fabric wet just like we do real skins. It will allow more work time.
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What do you think about a thin layer of TB on the outside of the skin to give it some shine? Would this work or just turn out dull?
I kind of forest gumped my way into doing a great job on it. When I glued it up and was getting the air bubbles out I kind of wrapped the excess around the sides. It adheared by the excess glue that dripped down the side. The backing was completely dry but the glue on theexcess glue that dripped down the sides had not completely dried. It was firm and the white was gone but not hard. All I had to do was put my exacto flush with the side as to shave the glue off and off came the overlaping "skin" It is seamless with no fraying. I probably went about the whole thing wrong but the end result was a lot better than I expected.
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I don't think TB will give it any shine.
I mix a few drops of water in my TB glue when using it for gluing down backings. It gives it a bit more working time before it sets up.
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What about salad bowl varnish? I have some I use on cutting boards. Dont know how it would look over fabric but it dries clear and shiney. The Deft didnt do much for it.
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What about salad bowl varnish? I have some I use on cutting boards. Dont know how it would look over fabric but it dries clear and shiney. The Deft didnt do much for it.
No clue. I've never used that stuff.
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Do you have any scraps of the fabric? Glue it on a piece of wood and use that to experiment on.
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Do you have any scraps of the fabric? Glue it on a piece of wood and use that to experiment on.
already done lol. ill let it dry and see how it looks in am
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I've only used 1 fabric copperhead skin. Just last year on a Osage bow. My first and last I couldn't stop the fraying. Sucked ended up OK after I but a boarder on each side.
You don't back selfbows. I do but on snake skins now and then but for camo.
Backing a bow only shows you suck at picking stave's ,designs or you need to slow down, shape bows ac oarding, then slowwww downnnnnnn and learn to tiller.
Not cracking on you or anyone else for that matter.
Just saying if you have to back a selfbow your doing something wrong.
Unless your at that stage in your bow building. Or your one of people how just can't write it off and build another bow. You just have to save it. Nothing wrong with that I guess.
Just not my way of looking at and building selfbows.
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I've only used 1 fabric copperhead skin. Just last year on a Osage bow. My first and last I couldn't stop the fraying. Sucked ended up OK after I but a boarder on each side.
You don't back selfbows. I do but on snake skins now and then but for camo.
Backing a bow only shows you suck at picking stave's ,designs or you need to slow down, shape bows ac oarding, then slowwww downnnnnnn and learn to tiller.
Not cracking on you or anyone else for that matter.
Just saying if you have to back a selfbow your doing something wrong.
Unless your at that stage in your bow building. Or your one of people how just can't write it off and build another bow. You just have to save it. Nothing wrong with that I guess.
Just not my way of looking at and building selfbows.
Really? I try to ignore your posts because they are mostly nonsense but this one I can't. There are many bow designs that need a sinew or rawhide backing. Why did the Native Americans sinew back their short horse bows or P.N.W. paddle bows? I don't think it was because they sucked at picking out staves or didn't know how to tiller. Maybe you only build one style of selfbow that doesn't need a backing but that doesn't mean everyone else does. And the bow he is backing is a board bow, not a stave. The fabric backing is for cosmetic reasons. It isn't for adding protection.
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Yep Clint, me also. ;)
Pappy
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I've only used 1 fabric copperhead skin. Just last year on a Osage bow. My first and last I couldn't stop the fraying. Sucked ended up OK after I but a boarder on each side.
You don't back selfbows. I do but on snake skins now and then but for camo.
Backing a bow only shows you suck at picking stave's ,designs or you need to slow down, shape bows ac oarding, then slowwww downnnnnnn and learn to tiller.
Not cracking on you or anyone else for that matter.
Just saying if you have to back a selfbow your doing something wrong.
Unless your at that stage in your bow building. Or your one of people how just can't write it off and build another bow. You just have to save it. Nothing wrong with that I guess.
Just not my way of looking at and building selfbows.
It is a board bow backed with hickory if you bothered reading. Im definitely no expert but just about every self bow I see pictured on this site by people who DO know what they are doing has had a backing of some kind weather it is for aesthetic purposes or not.
Anyhow Clint, I used the salad bowl finish on the skin and it looks good. Shined it up a bit but not glossy enough to reflect light. Im not hunting with this one anyway.
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Im definitely no expert but just about every self bow I see pictured on this site by people who DO know what they are doing has had a backing of some kind weather it is for aesthetic purposes or not.
I wouldn't say that but those that are backed with non-aesthetic material would not be considered selfbows anyway.
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By aethetic I meant backing one with sinew, or real snakeskins, or rawhide or something for looks as well as functionality even if it doesnt necessarily HAVE to be backed. If a bow made from a stave is backed with one of these does that technically not make it a selfbow? I have always been a little confused as to exactly what makes a bow a selfbow. I have seen some refer to it as a bow made from a stave and others refer to them as any bow made by oneself. I always thought it was the first one.
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If bow is backed with snake skins I'd say it is a selfbow with a snake skin decoration. If with rawhide I call it a rawhide backed selfbow and with sinew I call it a sinew backed bow(self is a given for me unless otherwise indicated). Rawhide adds no performance but good protection and sinew is added for performance but will protect also.
Bows with other backing materials like silk, linen, burlap, etc. I call silk backed selfbow or whichever. Bows with wood or boo backing I call hickory backed(or whatever wood)bow or boo backed bow.
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I wouldn't sweat the differences or what anybody thinks about your bow build. Build what you like. Who cares what classification it fits. Its simply your bow with whatever backing you choose or don't choose.
Roy doesn't mean any harm, he just struggles getting his words across.
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By aethetic I meant backing one with sinew, or real snakeskins, or rawhide or something for looks as well as functionality even if it doesnt necessarily HAVE to be backed. If a bow made from a stave is backed with one of these does that technically not make it a selfbow? I have always been a little confused as to exactly what makes a bow a selfbow. I have seen some refer to it as a bow made from a stave and others refer to them as any bow made by oneself. I always thought it was the first one.
A selfbow is a bow that stands on its own made with one working material. A person isn't that likely to add anything unless deep down they think the wood needs a little help.
Unless there is some contest where the types are separated into classes it's not worth worrying about.
If there was a class for selfbows made with one material you're going to have a hard time convincing anyone that your bow is sinewed just because you like the look of it.
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By aethetic I meant backing one with sinew, or real snakeskins, or rawhide or something for looks as well as functionality even if it doesnt necessarily HAVE to be backed. If a bow made from a stave is backed with one of these does that technically not make it a selfbow? I have always been a little confused as to exactly what makes a bow a selfbow. I have seen some refer to it as a bow made from a stave and others refer to them as any bow made by oneself. I always thought it was the first one.
A selfbow is a bow that stands on its own made with one working material. A person isn't that likely to add anything unless deep down they think the wood needs a little help.
Unless there is some contest where the types are separated into classes it's not worth worrying about.
If there was a class for selfbows made with one material you're going to have a hard time convincing anyone that your bow is sinewed just because you like the look of it.
gotcha