Found some yew! What to do?

[Accipiter]

So, on a recent trip to the Blue Mountains of Eastern Oregon I finally got myself some yew, in the form of a nice straight log about 40" long. Ring count in between 22 and 30 rpi depending on where you count and while there's a few knots, overall its a pretty nice log. Split it today and thankfully it split straight and clean, which is a rarity for most of the wood I've tried to split. There's been some incredibly nice yew bows posted here recently (looking at you Weylin and Nomadic Pirate) and i'm pretty excited to try my hand at a yew bow.  They'll have to season for a year or two before I get to really work on 'em, but my question now is whether its worth bandsawing the two billets I have now to try and get 4. The pieces are each only about 2" thick by 4.5" wide, but I know you can get a lot of bow out of a narrow piece of yew and I'm decent with a bandsaw. I don't want to screw this piece up, but it also seems like a waste to only use half of what I could potentially get. Any thoughts on whether to saw (or split) again or keep these intact? Also, what width would you recommend at the fades for a 66", 50# at 26" pyramid bow?

Thanks,
Bridger

[WillS]

I'd split them again, personally.  Could saw it up but splitting lets the wood do what it wants, and at that width and with previous straight clean splits you're looking very good for a nice outcome.  The more experienced guys will know if that's a bad move or not...

I'm biased, but with each billet 40" long you could splice at the handle and make a very nice simple yew longbow.

[DarkSoul]

Make sure you seal the ends of the wood ASAP.
Since the first split runs straight, there's no reason why the second split would run off or twist. You could also bandsaw it into quarters. That would give you a slightly cleaner surface and effectively result in slightly wider billets. Not that it's needed, though. You have plenty of width for a nice yew longbow. Yew excels in a longbow design. You really shouldn't want to make a pyramid! You can make pyramids from any wood...
And now go back and seal the ends

[Accipiter]

Ok, looks like I can go either way with the splitting or saw and it should work out. 4 billets will be sweet! Darksoul, isn't an ALB like nomadic pirates basically a narrow pyramid bow? It looks like his starts tapering (and bending) pretty close out of the fades. I cant really do a bendy handle longbow with these, but it would be fun to try an ALB, I think thats kinda what i meant by pyramid bow, maybe!    My goal is one simple take down with no backing, and then maybe a spliced ALB with bamboo backing with the other set. Maybe get real crazy and try to glue up some reflex!    But, thats all at least a year off. Any chance I'll have much trouble with warping with billets about 2" wide?

[Accipiter]

Oh, and they're definitely sealed, twice!

[Del the cat]

Here in the UK I'd leave it somewhere dry and airy for about 9 months, then I'd rough it out or turn it to quarters on a bandsaw.
Why risk a split running off and wasting wood, when your drawknife and eye will tell you where the wood grain is going later?
I'd then give it another few months. I generally start working it down to staves after about 11months and the working on an actual bow after 1 year.
Over in the US you may want to put something on it too keep the bugs and borers out of it.
I once read that borers won't attack Yew... who ever wrote that nonsense didn't realise that borers don't read
Alternatively, simply ship it to me, I'll do it all for you... 

Each log would give one English longbow (or AFB ) when sawn into 2 billets. Wider styles (pyramid) bow may be trickier near impossible to get 2 from each log. (there is always more scrap that you anticipate , and it's better to have one good billet than two bad ones)
This post on my blog shows how I've maybe screwed up, being greedy... not sure yet!
http://bowyersdiary.blogspot.co.uk/2014/05/yew-from-last-june.html
When you saw (or split) the half, the 2 quaters will generally open up and curve away from each other slightly.
I've just finished a Yew primitive which is near as dammit 2" at the widest (see latest blog entries...).
Note that bow has a waggle in the top limb, yet it was all done on a bandsaw, which show that sawing doesn't have to be straight or ignore the flow of the wood!
I'm glad you left the bark on, I even leave it on as I make the bow if the sapwood doesn't need reducing, it will pop off as you tiller the bow giving a perfect back (and making you jump as it goes crack )
Del

[wizardgoat]

No harm in waiting a little longer before you split them again. Yew has a tendency to deflex as it dries, at least mine has. I now leave them split for a few months or longer before I cut off staves

[WillS]

I cant really do a bendy handle longbow with these

Yeah you can.  No problem with splicing them together and making it bend in the handle.  The splice will be stronger than the wood if done properly and it will bend safely if you want it to.  Or keep it stiff in the middle like a Victorian sporting bow, but that's still a longbow.

[Accipiter]

Will-Dang, I would not have figured a bendy handle splice was possible! I don't trust my splicing skills right now that far though, so I think I'll end up sticking with a stiff handle and backing it. Good to know for the future though.

Del-Thanks for the advice, I'll probably end up sawing them in in August sometime, as I'm not sure when the next time I have access to a bandsaw will be. hopefully they will be dried out enough at that point they won't flex too much. Looking forward to that popping sound!

Wizard- hopefully these wont deflex, but if they do I guess I could go for a sweet D/R design.

Thanks for the advice everyone! I've got a few bows to work on this summer, so I don't think I'll get too antsy with these staves. Happy to have them though!

[vinemaplebows]

One word....SAW!

[WillS]

Will-Dang, I would not have figured a bendy handle splice was possible! I don't trust my splicing skills right now that far though, so I think I'll end up sticking with a stiff handle and backing it. Good to know for the future though.

Yeah I thought exactly the same until I heard about Joe Gibbs making 150# bows with a spliced handle, bending full compass.  It makes sense though - with a good solid glue up there's no reason for it to pop, and its more likely the wood around the splice will go if anything does.

I'm with you though - with no bandsaw and no experience splicing by hand (it always goes wrong!) I wouldn't trust myself yet either!  Best of luck with whatever route you take.

[mikekeswick]

A pyramid taper from fades to tip will be fine. Just start off narrowish at the fades 1 1/4 being plenty. I would definately leave them as is for now - they could well warp if reduced too soon.
A simple v -spliced handle can be made to bend quite safely and it's not too difficult to cut them perfect, just work on the male sections once the females are smooth enough.
Nice yew by the way!

[Accipiter]

Thanks guys, Mike, that sounds like solid advice on both accounts