Got my first Yeeeeeeeeew!!!!

[mspink]

Hey guys got some yew from a logger in the mountains of Idaho. The biggest hes ever seen. Top end is 7 inches across and bottom is 10 or so. about 10 feet long. Not too twisty. But will be a challenge. will be posting a pic soon. But cant wait to try it. High ring count.

[mspink]

heres the pics.

[mspink]

Has white aint on te ends. You can see the heart wood soaking through. Was cut four years ago.

[Joec123able]

Wow ! Wish I could get my hands on some yew

[Bryce]

Looks as twisted as it gets. But will still make a sweet bow!

[Del the cat]

I can see the ELB right there, just layin' along that twist.
Use it well grasshopper... become the Yew
Del

[DarkSoul]

Not trying to dampen your spirits, but I can see severe drying checks and some pretty good twisting. Not beyond salvation, though. Spend a long time just looking at the log, and figuring out where the cracks and knots are. Then make a plan for where the bows are laid out in this log. Split it along the checks, with a maximum yield.

[Del the cat]

Not trying to dampen your spirits, but I can see severe drying checks and some pretty good twisting. Not beyond salvation, though. Spend a long time just looking at the log, and figuring out where the cracks and knots are. Then make a plan for where the bows are laid out in this log. Split it along the checks, with a maximum yield.

Yeah, but if you wait for the perfect log you'll never get any wood.
You should see the haul I got on Thursday, some very marginal wood and nothing anywhere good as that, but still worth harvesting.
I'd swap my haul for that one log any day.
http://bowyersdiary.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/early-fathers-day-adventure.html
BTW. I'd prob run it through the bandsaw to get the two best halfs. There's plenty of length for some adjustment of where the bows sit in the wood. Once you have halves it's easier to lay out and manage.
Del

[DarkSoul]

True, this log should still yield some very usable wood. It's far from perfect, but much better that nothing!

Running a 10 inch diameter log through a bandsaw is far from easy. I'd split it myself. If you bandsaw it, you'll also run a risk that a drying check will be running across a future bow limb. Splitting it does mean you need to heat correct the twist out, but it would be my preferred method for this particular log.

[mspink]

Its definitely not as twisty as it can get. The bottom of this tree which was cut off spiralled like crazy. This is very doable. Ill get a few out of it. Sure is some heavy stuff.

[Bryce]

Never said it wasn't doable.

[Carson (CMB)]

lucky yew   just want to caution that just beacuse it was down for 4 years does not necessarily mean it will be nice and dry.  Be sure to dry the stave at least a week or two after you unlock it from that log and have it reduced to near bow-dimensions.  If you are not experienced splitting yew, and you have access to a bandsaw that can handle that, then I would vote for band saw.  Splitting logs with twist and large branches like that can be quite tricky.  look forward to the bows tha come of it. 

And keep billets on your mind when cutting it.  Long logs tend to get me thinking warbow and elb, but don't step over three nice pairs of billets for one stave. 

[Hamish]

Not really any point running it through a bandsaw, with the amount of twist, and checks that it has.
Definitely split it at least into quarters, before you even think about sawing out staves,  sawing along the grain rather than down the trunk in a straight line.
 The base section might be best used in a billet length section. Crosscut  off 3&1/2ft, then try  riving from the existing split/check, and use it as an experiment before attempting to tackle the stave length section.

[vinemaplebows]

Now you know why you pay a premium for straight yew.

[juniper junkie]

this brings up something that I am somewhat undecided about...when you have a twisted log and band saw it straight into staves, with the twisted grain  wouldnt that cause some issues when building your bow??? would it be better to split so you can tell how the grain lays and work with that? like to see what others think. that is a good score you have there and should get some nice bow wood out of it. it also make nice wood for picture frames etc. good use for scraps.