a couple beginners questions

[STRAYARROW]

Im in the process of making my first board bow,i want to back it with something but was not sure when to do this.also i hear people say there bow is a certain weight at say 25 inches. what kind of brace height are we working with at this stage?
  thanks for any help.

[STRAYARROW]

ttt

[BigRonHuntAlot]

TTT

[TexMex]

http://groups.msn.com/ferretsarcherywebpage/makingrawhideforbacking.msnw

 http://groups.msn.com/ferretsarcherywebpage/bigbird.msnw

[Eric Krewson]

Back it before you start tillering

Brace height doesn't matter when you are checking poundage, it all come out the same.

[STRAYARROW]

Thanks Eric,its not too late to back it if I already started tillering is it?
I was thinking of backing it with artificial sinew,would it be better to use strands the length of the bow or shorter sections of sinew?
thanks again.

[Eric Krewson]

Artificial sinew is not good for backing and gives you little or no benefit. Heavy linen cloth or even strips of blue jeans soaked in glue would be a better alternative. I have always used hickory or real sinew backing. Of course there is always rawhide.