Heck if I know- My first with yew.

[radius]

jm is right:  i made a 57" yew flatbow draw 28" this year:  52# at 28"...mega fast despite set and string follow

[George Tsoukalas]

Sure go for it. Yew doesn't grow on trees ( at least not in NH). Let it bend in the handle 30" is pretty long draw for a  67 in ntn bow. Jawge

[HoBow]

Jawge- I'm curious as to why you think 30" draw on a 67" ntn bow may be too long.  I've always though you doubled the draw and added 10% and that is about as short as one should go.  I've learned a great deal from  your website and respect your knowledge, but I was curious....

[Mar]

Ok I still haven't received my book so another questions. I'm at where I think the thickness should be close to tuning it slowly, 5/8", though I think the wider limb should be thin down some more to kind of match the flexibility of the skinnier, but I'm not sure.

So question is anyway, when should I start rounding the edges?

[Jmilbrandt]

As soon as you start tillering or flexing the limbs.

[juniper junkie]

Ok I still haven't received my book so another questions. I'm at where I think the thickness should be close to tuning it slowly, 5/8", though I think the wider limb should be thin down some more to kind of match the flexibility of the skinnier, but I'm not sure.

So question is anyway, when should I start rounding the edges?

I would want to have both limbs the same width if possible.  put the long string on and start pulling on the tiller tree to see how it will bend. It looks like there is no sapwood on this stave, I would want to back it with rawhide.  if it were me, I would not start rounding the edges until you have the bow tillered close and are reducing to your draw weight. looks like a cool stave, I love the snake. keep us posted.

[Jmilbrandt]

That's more what I meant, but I personally would round the edges after floor tillering or after brace. I usually try to do it early on because it feels safer and can affect the wieght more then I predict sometimes. I also don't see any need to back it just because it's heartwood I have a couple heartwood only bows, one around thirty five and the other around fifty pounds, near the same dimensions as mar's and they're holding up fine. I would back it with rawhide or silk because the back looks slightly violated, just my opinion though.

[radius]

i think with all heartwood bow, longer is better.  The indians used to back all-heartwood bows with sinew, i think, and make shortbows.  But ravenbeak made a longbow, all heartwood, and he let me draw it:  it pulled strong and bent easily.  With a 68" stick of yew, Mar, you can probly make a bow pulling 65 pounds and never risk a blow. 

I round the edges off the back as soon as i get the whole thing bending evenly.   I try to do this as early as possible.  Then the rest of the tillering comes off the belly and the sides, occasionally returning to the back and rounding it over somewhat, when side-tillering has made it sharp again.

Let's see the nocks you made! 

[Mar]

Not so fast fellas! I'm learning a lot working with this wood and discovered it can easily get dings and what not. I did have one spot that was badly violated so, decided to chase the ring once more with my scraper I made out of a pvc pipe cutter. FREE!
I also narrowed the wider end and did some slight rounding and she's starting to flex, but still a bit stiff and will hit the wider side a bit more. Before I cut my nocks I would like to overlay them, I got hickory for that, guess I could rough them in just for the long string though. I still got to finish my tree some evening.

Man this is addictive, seems like every time I walk by it I need to touch it with something metal. Soon I'll show you all where I'm at.

This is friggin awesome.

[radius]

hahahahahahahahahahahah

[Mar]

Imagine that...using a spray bottle and wetting down the area you're about to scrape makes things way easier to chase.

[Mar]

Finished chasing but have these knots and splits I need opinions on.

Back, 1/4 of the way from tip. Back and belly shots, bottom limb.



Upper limb, above handle, back and belly.



Roughly 12" from the tip along the side.


6" from the tip on the side but might disappear depending on how much I can file away.


Nice and shiny and wavy.



 

[radius]

VERY COOL,MAR!   


likee...dontchoo worry about them knots, just get some superglue and some 2-part 5min epoxy and ur set. 

remember bow making is not the same as wood carving:  bow making is tillering.  Come by and i'll let ya have this tiller tree on my wall.  Moving soon.

Scott

[Mar]

I'm kinda free tomorrow.

[Mar]

Possible nock tip??? Arbutus and hickory.