Birch Bark

[Brainbruise]

I am new to this bowsite but have made several bows. One of the bows I made is an osage/sinew static recurve with snakeskin pictured below. I amgoing to make a horse bow with birch bark and was thinking of using pine pitch to glue it to the sinew. For the snakeskin I used hide glue of course. Has anyone used this combination, it makes sense as this was a combination in bark canoes.
   

[Pat B]

Pine pitch is very temp sensitive. I don't think you will be satisfied with the results.  The hide glue should work fine for the birch bark.
   That is a beautiful static recurve. Will you share the dimensions and stats?     Pat

[Brainbruise]

53" 47@28 The siyahs are a bold 60 degree swoop. She shoots like a dream. My current string, endless loop at 16 strands works great but I will make another at 14 strands to see if I can squeeze out another foot per second. A few pics of the creation
 
 
 

 

 

[Izzy]

Dang your good.Love that bow!

[TimZeigler]

The Pine pitch that I've used building arrows has become brittle when dry, be careful if your gonna put it on something that will flex.  Also I agree with what was mentioned above, it is very temperature sensitive.  Let us know how you make out.

[Falk]

Well, I never build a canoe - only paddles for them, but I think "they" had to use what was at hand AND somewhat waterproof. Whit emphazise (spelling?) on the later, right?
I used pine pitch often as "natural hot melt" for points and it worked okay. Though, with hard hits, points often get loose, because it really is brittle stuff and will break if flexed. I can't think of it as being usefull in any bow backing.

BTW: Nice bow there! If you "need" more FPS and already plan to do an other string (12 strands B-50 will be more then enough IMO) what about dropping brace high a bit, to get more power stroke?

[Pat B]

On the tip pic it looks like some other type of material. Does it cover the entire limb or is it just at the tips.  
  Pine pitch can be made less brittle with some bees wax added but it still wouldn't be appropriate for gluing a backing down. When I use it for hafting arrows I mix 1/3 pitch, 1/3 bees wax and 1/3 charcoal powder or fine wood dust.  
   Were the sayahs added to the limb(if so what wood are they)or bent with heat.    Pat

[Brainbruise]

Siyahs were cut and shapped then added to the bow. I have heard of a pine pitch recipe that is supposably very strong. 5 parts pitch, 1 part ashes, and 1 part tallow. I may experiment just to see what happens. I have no problem securing the bark to the sinew with hideglue. I did use pine pitch on top of the sinew wraps that re-enforced the siyahs to the limb tips, hence the greenish color.

[tim-flood]

It does look like you have some fiberglass on the pic of the tip

[Brainbruise]

That is medical tape I used to keep the hide glue/sinew off the tips cleanly. I glued the siyahs onto that spot later.

[Brainbruise]

A few more pics, I love to show this one off.
 
 
 

[Pat B]

Very nice bow. Does the string rest on a bridge at brace?    Pat

[Brainbruise]

Given the 60 degree angle the siyahs themselves are the bridge.  I made string guides somewhat similar to the grumley style on the siyahs. The string makes contact and lift off at the extreme bend where siyah and limb meet. I was very lucky in that only one limb had slight limb twist of which a clothes iron remedied in 10 minutes

[Gene Roberts]

SWEET,that is one nice bow,i wish i had that.