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Author Topic: Yew Longbow for my Father  (Read 5783 times)

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Offline Weylin

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Yew Longbow for my Father
« on: March 04, 2012, 10:42:21 pm »
30 years ago my dad was a post grad student in N. California. He found a stand of yew trees high in the coast range. He cut a couple trees and quickly learned how heavy yew was as he carried them back down the mountain through knee deep crusty snow. He started making a long bow out of one of the staves but ran into some difficulty and there it sat for 30 years. Recently he moved out to W. Oregon to live near me and my family. He gave me the half made bow and the two staves that he had left from his haul. I finished tillering the bow that he started and this is the result. After I finished it, I regifted it to him as a welcome to Oregon present. There are a couple of qualities that aren't ideal but I couldn't do much about them given how little wood I had to work with when I got it. the sap wood is about 1/2" thick and I couldn't reduce it because the bow was too close to the target weight and still needed tiller corrections. This means that the heart wood gets pretty darn thin at the tips. Aesthetically I would have narrowed the outerlimbs and tips more but it was already to weak out there to begin with so I had to leave them alone and focus on the inner limbs. But aside from these details I'm quite please with how it turned out. It is 67" ntn, around 45# at 28". The tip overlays are ebony. Thanks for looking. Any comments or critiques are welcome.  :)





« Last Edit: March 05, 2012, 12:05:34 am by Weylin »
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Offline coaster500

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Re: Yew Longbow for my Father
« Reply #1 on: March 04, 2012, 11:15:03 pm »
I think that is pretty darn cool Weylin...  to build a bow from wood cut and started by your dad, I mean that is cool...  Looks like a real nice shooter to!!!
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Inspiration, information and instruction by the ton and it's free,,, such a deal :)

Offline vinemaplebows

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Re: Yew Longbow for my Father
« Reply #2 on: March 04, 2012, 11:23:11 pm »
Very, very nice...  :D
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Offline ErictheViking

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Re: Yew Longbow for my Father
« Reply #3 on: March 04, 2012, 11:37:02 pm »
You did your dad proud with that one I think. sweet lines and great job on the tips.
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"He that but looketh on a plate of ham and eggs to lust after it hath already committed breakfast with it in his heart"  C.S. Lewis

Offline Weylin

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Re: Yew Longbow for my Father
« Reply #4 on: March 04, 2012, 11:57:26 pm »
Thanks for the kind words.  :D
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Offline Cameroo

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Re: Yew Longbow for my Father
« Reply #5 on: March 05, 2012, 12:03:01 am »
Good story, good pictures, and great bow!  Man, I want to move to Oregon!
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Offline Elktracker

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Re: Yew Longbow for my Father
« Reply #6 on: March 05, 2012, 12:49:55 am »
Great job weylin! Thats awsome and you definately did that wood justice! I bet your dad is happy!


Josh
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my friends think my shops a mess, my wife thinks I have too much bow wood, my neighbors think im redneck white trash and they may all be right on the money!!

Josh Vance  Netarts OR. (Tillamook)

Offline country

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Re: Yew Longbow for my Father
« Reply #7 on: March 05, 2012, 01:41:22 am »
very cool....!
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Offline Gordon

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Re: Yew Longbow for my Father
« Reply #8 on: March 05, 2012, 01:41:34 am »
Weylin, I am so pleased what you did with that piece of wood. She's a terrific bow and I'm sure your dad is proud to have her.
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Gordon

Offline portlandfire

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Re: Yew Longbow for my Father
« Reply #9 on: March 05, 2012, 02:35:24 am »
  Congratulations.  A Beautiful job on a piece of family history.  Your dad is proud!
Dave H.
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Offline medicinewheel

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Re: Yew Longbow for my Father
« Reply #10 on: March 05, 2012, 04:43:59 am »
COOL!
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Frank from Germany...

Offline soy

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Re: Yew Longbow for my Father
« Reply #11 on: March 05, 2012, 04:52:04 am »
Really enjoy a great story with a great bow...good job ;)
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Is this bow making a sickness? or the cure...

Offline Del the cat

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Re: Yew Longbow for my Father
« Reply #12 on: March 05, 2012, 07:48:39 am »
Nice bow. After all that time it was just dyin' to become a bow.
Del
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Offline lesken2011

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Re: Yew Longbow for my Father
« Reply #13 on: March 05, 2012, 09:13:00 am »
I bet it brings back a lot of memories for him, Weylin. Great job!
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For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.

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Offline PEARL DRUMS

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Re: Yew Longbow for my Father
« Reply #14 on: March 05, 2012, 09:35:05 am »
Very cool story and bow Weylin. I love yew wood's color.
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