Yew stave (problem help needed please!!) (pics added)

[wood_bandit99]

I got a yew stave that was split right as it was cut down in the first of July 2013. It has been 4 months and I was wondering how long until I scrape the bark off? How bad does it check? I got a design for it too. Never working with it and hearing how soft it is I though I would go 64" or so ntn 6-8" handle, 1.75" @ fades, fading down to 1 1/4" or so 8" from tips. The sap going from .5" at handle, 1/4" at mid and 1/8" at tips. Does that sound too wide? How does that sound?

[Weylin]

what draw length/weight are you shooting for? Leave the bark on until you're ready to make a bow from it. Depending on how big the stave is I'd probably wait around a year. Don't be in a hurry or you'll just get lots of set from wet wood.

[wood_bandit99]

I am shooting for 55-65# @ 26" it has 20+ gpi

[steve b.]

I'm not the yew-go-to-guy for sure but I've owned and operated a couple and have some staves.  I cut down a tree this summer and made staves.  I peeled the bark while the staves were green and none of the staves checked.  I kept them in a cool basement over the summer and I wouldn't hesitate to make them into bows at any time.  But with any bow I make, I look for moisture during floor tiller and determine how much more drying time I want before proceeding.   I dry as I go.

As far as dimensions, I owned a 62" flatbow that was 55@27, stiff handle.  It was high quality wood.  yew is light so you can get away with longer bows, especially with an 8" handle.  Personally, I would start out at least 66-68" with the rounded belly.  Width wise you are fine.  For 64" I would go flatbow and 2" wide for starters.

[Badger]

     I have taken fresh cut yew and worked it into a rough bow and then let it dry with no checking. That does not allow for seasoning obviously but the way I look at it is the bow will season as it ages just like it would have anyway. Yew dries very fast. In a warm dry place no more than 3 weeks it will be ready to finish. After 4 months yours has dried out somewhat allready. I would go ahead and start reducing it.

[wood_bandit99]

I took badgers advice and took the bark off. Is it normal to have random dark spots on the sapwood? My sapwood is white then transitions to dark gray in areas without any knots or anything. How many growth rings can be violated? I violated quite a bit in some areas just because of the weird shape of the stave. How do you follow the grain if it is white on white? And along with the violated back confusing me? Can anybody help me or did I get a junk stave?

[wood_bandit99]

Pics

[steve b.]

Well while we are waiting for badger I'll just say I think the dark spots are water spots and I wouldn't worry about it.  You need to thin the sapwood anyway so just start making a bow out of that thing and see what you have when its time to start bending.  If its not twisted its a good stave.  If it has a low ring count you can heat treat it and make it better.

[BowSlayer]

if ya don't want it ill. have it i had this same problem when experimenting with yew it could be a bit of wood that isn't Heart or Sap. once i cut some yew and when i looked at the end the sap looked like it had a strip of heartwood in it.

[Badger]

  I have no idea what that dark spot is. I guess you could chance it. A lot of guys don't chase a ring on yew, they this the sapwood to a somewhat even thickness and then just build th ebow. I like to keep a solid growth ring. I use a scraper and a rasp and just slowly remove one ring at at ime until I have one ring. Almost like erasing because the rings are so thin. You really need to just take your time and clean the back up while it continues to dry.

[BowEd]

 I've seen pinecone chase a 30 rpi stave once.Maybe he'll comment on here too.

[adb]

I had a yew stave that looked like that once, and it had been laying on the ground dead for a long time. Ended up being junk... the sapwood, anyway. I managed to salvage some of the heartwood.

[Bryce]

Does the dark spot look like it has a bit if blue to it?

[wood_bandit99]

Yeah it is a little blue

[vinemaplebows]

Rawhide back it.