Author Topic: My horn bow build-a-long  (Read 111194 times)

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Offline DC

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Re: My horn bow build-a-long
« Reply #225 on: February 01, 2020, 11:46:21 am »
I put on another layer of sinew yesterday. I'm not sure if it really needed it or whether I'm just too chicken to start bracing it ;D. I put 84 grains on each limb. It now has a smooth layer of continuous fibers. With the existing sinew being 90% cured how long do you think I have to wait for this to cure? The full 3 months again?

Offline Deerhunter21

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Re: My horn bow build-a-long
« Reply #226 on: February 01, 2020, 01:36:45 pm »
How would you even brace something like that!!!!
Life before death. Strength before weakness. Journey before destination.

Offline DC

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Re: My horn bow build-a-long
« Reply #227 on: February 01, 2020, 03:40:38 pm »
Now you know why I'm chicken. I can use either a peg board or I'm thinkin I'll modify a broken 3" sgueeze clamp(like the Irwin Quick grip) I've got.

Offline WhistlingBadger

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Re: My horn bow build-a-long
« Reply #228 on: February 01, 2020, 09:01:40 pm »
Wow, quite a project!  I have no intention of ever building one of these, but it's fascinating reading.  Hope it works for you!
T
Thomas
Lander, Wyoming
"The trail is the thing, not the end of the trail.
Travel too fast, and you miss all you are traveling for."
~Louis L'Amour

bownarra

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Re: My horn bow build-a-long
« Reply #229 on: February 02, 2020, 01:59:53 am »
2 weeks is plenty and yes it was necessary. As I said before broken fibers, ends of fibers  in the sal will lift.
Peg board is the way to go. It allows you to work under full control,no danger and it is good for the bow.
Whilst they seem daunting to begin with....that is the wooden bowyer in you! Don't worry, be happy and just do it haha! It either makes it or it doesn't and that is mostly already decided by your previous work. Hence why every step is very important to get right. The final working bow is simply many,many relatively simple steps one on top of the other that add up to the whole.

Offline DC

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Re: My horn bow build-a-long
« Reply #230 on: February 02, 2020, 10:27:31 am »
Do you clamp the handle on your peg board so it won't move? Where do you locate the pegs? A picture would be nice :D

Offline DC

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Re: My horn bow build-a-long
« Reply #231 on: February 02, 2020, 06:35:41 pm »
I just noticed that Adam suggests painting the back with a layer or two of glue when you've finished sinewing as an aid to finishing. Wouldn't that excess glue just crack?

bownarra

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Re: My horn bow build-a-long
« Reply #232 on: February 04, 2020, 01:49:51 am »
Ok, I'll try and take a picture of my board today. I'm busy doing a complete re-wire on the whole house at the moment but I should be able to take 5 mins later.
No need to clamp the handle as the bow keeps itself there.

bownarra

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Re: My horn bow build-a-long
« Reply #233 on: February 04, 2020, 01:51:40 am »
That glue layer fills any low spots but also serves as a 'sizing' for covering with leather. I personally only give it a cover with some 20% glue once.

Offline DC

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Re: My horn bow build-a-long
« Reply #234 on: February 15, 2020, 04:12:31 pm »
Is there a best tool for feathering out/ smoothing the sinew? It has a tendency to fray.

Offline DC

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Re: My horn bow build-a-long
« Reply #235 on: February 16, 2020, 02:08:35 pm »
It's time. After the last layer of sinew dried the tips were touching. I made a pegboard which I now have to remake after seeing where the holes actually have to go. :D Anyway here are the first two stretches. Should I leave it on the board for some time to stretch out? Adam suggests "working" the bow as you stretch it out. I guess I could do that in between pegs. Is this a long term project? Like stretch it out over a few days or? It wasn't very difficult to get it open this far.I don't see any sign of twisting but I'm not sure it would show up on the peg board.

Offline DC

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Re: My horn bow build-a-long
« Reply #236 on: February 16, 2020, 05:58:52 pm »
I puttered away at it. I decided to try the tepliks as my pegboard wasn't giving me a warm fuzzy feeling ;). I can still go back. The fades seem stiff, there doesn't seem to be any bend in the first  5" from the centre but Adam says there's not supposed to be much bend so maybe it's OK. You can see where it starts to bend in the middle of the teplik. From the teplik out it looks horrible. I think there is too much reflex in the sal and I'm wondering if I can use heat to sort that out. Adam says not to heat the sal because you'll lose reflex but that's what I want in this case. You'll notice that I have to use a pipe to bend it so I don't think it will come in too light if I take some reflex out. The other limb behave exactly the same and the thickness taper looks OK on both.
« Last Edit: February 16, 2020, 06:02:38 pm by DC »

Offline Deerhunter21

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Re: My horn bow build-a-long
« Reply #237 on: February 16, 2020, 07:33:16 pm »
i would wait for a second opinion before heating it
Life before death. Strength before weakness. Journey before destination.

bownarra

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Re: My horn bow build-a-long
« Reply #238 on: February 17, 2020, 01:29:37 am »
The teplics are the wrong shape. They should have a slightly tighter radius than the strung bow. Don't heat the sals there is no need whatsoever and you will reduce the performance too much. This is what I meant about breaking cores :) Don't bend the bow over them.
I'm sorry but I was going to take some pictures of my pegboard for you. All the other stuff i'm busy with kicked that thought out of my mind....I will definitely take some pics for you as soon as I get back in from my morning run.
You want the pegs to sit at or just past the kasan eye.

bownarra

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Re: My horn bow build-a-long
« Reply #239 on: February 17, 2020, 07:11:10 am »
Here are some pictures.