A few more sinew backing questions

[WhistlingBadger]

1.  All of my sinew pieces are only about 6-8" long.  Will that work OK for backing a bow, or do I need longer strands?
2.  How small do the threads need to be?  I'm using some large bison tendons, with the threads really interwoven.  I can get them down to a couple mm or so, but if I try to pull them apart more than that they break into glue scraps.
3.  When laying down the sinew on the back, do you overlap the pieces, or just lay them end to end?  Do you overlap the side edges, or just lay them side to side?

I plan on doing about three layers, if that helps.

[gutpile]

small pieces are fine.. you will find a need for them.I shred my sinew into small fibers always..can lay multiple fibers at once .. soak in glue and squeeze the excess out before laying on bow I lay mine end to end and come back for second course overlapping the end to end. I stagger like laying bricks.. after second course of covering the end to ends you will find that you have dips which I fill in those with the third course and that usually leaves a nice flat fairly smooth finish.. gut

[bradsmith2010]

I have used really thin pieces and larger strands as well, the chronograph,, could not tell the difference,, the large strands does not look as nice,, but if you cover with rawhide or snake skin,,it would not be an issure,, I think the thinner strands are easier to work with,, thats my experience

[WhistlingBadger]

OK, that's all good to know.  I plan to sand it semi-smooth then snake it, if I can find a nice, big bull snake or a couple of nice buzzies coming out of hibernation this spring.

[bownarra]

A comb and warm water are your friends
Weigh your bundles out so you have even amounts on each limb. Once you have even weight bundles , run them under warm water, once soft comb them straight. This step will make a huge difference in how neat your finshed layers are.
Size the back before laying anything down. 5 % glue - 10 coats, ok to use some warmth to speed drying of size coats (but not too much! Once the back is glossy you are ready to start. Mix up some 25 - 30% glue for the first layer. Best to lay down a thin layer over the whole back and allow it to dry before laying more. 3 layers total. Maybe 60 - 80 grammes of sinew total.

[BowEd]

+1 and excellent procedure and amount for sinewing and pretty much the way I do mine too.Sizing is very important here.My next layers are'nt as wide consecutively to get a more crowned effect.
Sinewing a number of bows over the years will get your procedure and outcome refined to a look that does'nt need a whole lot of sanding afterwards to get smooth.