Sapwood heartwood

[timber wolfe]

Well, I finally got my first self-bow started.  It is made from Pacific Yew and it is 72" long, and will be an English-style long-bow with triangle belly.  The stave has a good 1/4 inch of sapwood.  My question is: when measuring for thickness, do you include sapwood?  (This probably sounds like a dumb question!)  The tip of the bow is 5/8 inch thick with 1/4 inch sapwood.  Is 3/8 heartwood thick enough or can I take heartwood down to 1/4 inch if I want to make the tips 1/2 inch thick?  I wish I could send photos, but I don't know how to do this yet as I'm computer illiterate!  I can build bows faster  than I can type about this topic!  I am working  on sending photos and hope to send pics during final tillering.   I am still floor tillering.   I have lots of wood to work with and I am taking my time.  I wish everybody a Happy New Year and lots of good staves and great bow-making for all in the New Year!

[M-P]

Timber Wolfe,  I don't feel like a real expert, esp on yew as all of my yew bows have broken sooner or later.  At least one most spectacularly right in the middle of a 3D shoot.  I think a couple chunks from that bow are going to be found in orbit someday.  Anyway I feel that the last 6 inches at the tips are under so little stress that they can be almost all sap wood.  I've seen differing opinions on wether it really helps to thin the sapwood at all.  I haven't bothered, although see above and if you spot any fast moving chunks of yew coming from the direction of CA, let me know.   Ron

[tom sawyer]

I understand that you can go either way and be just fine.  Thin the sapwood to maintain a fairly consistent ratio with the heartwood, or leave the sapwood alone and let there be more at the tip.  I was told that you can't have too much sapwood, just too little.