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Offline joachimM

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cut some yew logs
« on: March 16, 2015, 06:54:53 pm »
Hi folks,
I found a straight yew without a lot of side branches for the first few meters inside a thick grove of other yew on an abandoned industrial site, and cut it. It’s my first encounter with yew for bow-making purposes and would like your opinion on the quality of the logs for bow making. I cut two logs of c. 230 cm long, right across a big knot that stood in the way anyhow. That long to give me room to choose the best parts once split. the bottom log is pretty straight and seems to have few and only small knots. The upper log has quite some big knots from side branches, so I guess only the bottom 1 m will yield useful billets for a beginner. There seems to be a separation between juvenile and younger heartwood growth rings at the end of the log.
At its widest, the log is about 20 cm diam (8”), tapering to 15 cm in the large log and 15 to 12 in the other log. sapwood is c. 2 cm thick. Sapwood growth rings are about 1.5 mm wide, heartwood growth rings are sometimes wider. I sealed the ends with glue for the time being.
Should I try to split the logs right now and seal the staves, or let it season as is for some time before splitting it? Does it look like decent yew to you folks or does it have rather wide growth rings? Anyway, I’ll oven dry a separate part to determine SG of sapwood and heartwood. I’m in no hurry to turn it into bows. I have a dozen or so other staves seasoned to keep me occupied for the next few months.

Thanks for your input.
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Offline wizardgoat

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Re: cut some yew logs
« Reply #1 on: March 16, 2015, 07:18:53 pm »
Nice logs for sure. I like to leave my logs whole for at least 3 months. Then I'll saw them in half, and leave them for another 5 or 6 months. Then cut into smaller staves. I don't rough out bow blanks till the wood is at least 9 or 10 months old. Then they usually take another 3 or 4 months to stop losing weight.
Other yew guys will chime in im sure, this is how I've had the best luck.
« Last Edit: March 16, 2015, 09:53:40 pm by wizardgoat »
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Offline vinemaplebows

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Re: cut some yew logs
« Reply #2 on: March 16, 2015, 07:44:39 pm »
Yes cut, don't split. :)
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Offline E. Jensen

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Re: cut some yew logs
« Reply #3 on: March 16, 2015, 09:20:35 pm »
I'm jealous.  Are you going to take green volume for determining SG or oven dry that as well?
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Offline sieddy

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Re: cut some yew logs
« Reply #4 on: March 17, 2015, 06:53:45 am »
That is a pair of lovely looking logs! The heartwood on the one in the bottom pic is almost heart shaped!   :)
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Offline Del the cat

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Re: cut some yew logs
« Reply #5 on: March 17, 2015, 08:10:34 am »
Nice haul
Del
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Offline joachimM

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Re: cut some yew logs
« Reply #6 on: March 17, 2015, 09:05:07 am »
Quote from: E. Jensen on March 16, 2015, 09:20:35 pm
I'm jealous.  Are you going to take green volume for determining SG or oven dry that as well?

I'll determine volume of a sample and measure dry weight after oven-drying
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Offline Del the cat

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    • Derek Hutchison Native Wood Self Bows
Re: cut some yew logs
« Reply #7 on: March 17, 2015, 11:35:01 am »
Errrr, why would you want to know the SG?
There is a saying up North in the UK...
"You don't fatten a pig by weighing it"  :laugh:
Del
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Offline Carson (CMB)

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Re: cut some yew logs
« Reply #8 on: March 17, 2015, 12:06:47 pm »
Quote from: Del the cat on March 17, 2015, 11:35:01 am
Errrr, why would you want to know the SG?
There is a saying up North in the UK...
"You don't fatten a pig by weighing it"  :laugh:
Del

 ;D
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"The bow is the old first lyre,
the mono chord, the initial rune of fine art
The humanities grew out from archery as a flower from a seed
No sooner did the soft, sweet note of the bow-string charm the ear of genius than music was born, and from music came poetry and painting and..." Maurice Thompso

Offline Carson (CMB)

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Re: cut some yew logs
« Reply #9 on: March 17, 2015, 12:12:18 pm »
Looks like some nice T. baccatta
I do as Wizardgoat does on logs of this size.  I don't seal the ends initially, but I also cut them long. I do seal the ends of sidebranches and especially any little nicks or scratches in the bark that happen from felling and hauling. Store them flat on the ground in a cool, stable place, such as your garage floor.
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"The bow is the old first lyre,
the mono chord, the initial rune of fine art
The humanities grew out from archery as a flower from a seed
No sooner did the soft, sweet note of the bow-string charm the ear of genius than music was born, and from music came poetry and painting and..." Maurice Thompso

Offline joachimM

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Re: cut some yew logs
« Reply #10 on: March 17, 2015, 04:01:42 pm »
Quote from: Del the cat on March 17, 2015, 11:35:01 am
Errrr, why would you want to know the SG?
There is a saying up North in the UK...
"You don't fatten a pig by weighing it"  :laugh:
Del

Ha good one. I do this for all my bows. I like to keep stats of every bow i make: wood species and type, sg, mass, length, width/shape, thickness profile, backing if any, force-draw curve, speed at 10 gpp (or the closest match i have in store), reason it eventually failed... Hope it will help me learn faster from my mistakes.
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