What would you make from this yew stave?

[poplar600]

I've got a nice yew stave of 56 inches long. It really clean and has a real low amount of knots, though it's only 13rpi (heat treat?). Seasoned 5 years.

Thinking of removing the sap and making a short flatbow, and then getting a few layers of deer sinew on it to increase the power and draw length. Would like it ideally between 45-50lb at 27. Could make a nice Turkey/small game bow.

What would you do???


 

[Pat B]

Will you post a pic?  If you're gonna remove the sapwood and sinew back you might get 2 bows out of it; one sapwood and one heartwood. How thick it the stave?

[poplar600]

Saying the files are too big 

Around 2 1/2 wide and deep. Lots of sap, but plenty of wood for a heartwood sinew.

[Bryce]

You could just do a short bent handle, with flipped tips. Or if your careful and have a really thin bandsaw blade. Slice it down the middle for a billet set. And make a nice longbow.

[Badger]

     At 13 rings per inch I think I would go for a wider flatbow design. If you have enough depth I like the idea of splitting it down the middle and splicing the two billets for a longer bow. Either that of a shorter drawing indian style bow sinew back, I would narrow the handle to at least 1". You could still have a little flex in it. I would just tiller it out at about maybe 50# until it started to show signs of taking set and stop.

[bubby]

I would build a paddle bow

[poplar600]

Tempted to go for a sinew backed paddle bow

[BowEd]

Sure and steam kink he last 3 to 4 inches.I'm sure they'll be someone saying you won't need to but I tell ya you'll like it.

[wizardgoat]

This bow is 58" NTN, not a full recurve, just enough though.

http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php?topic=49101.0

[poplar600]

This bow is 58" NTN, not a full recurve, just enough though.

http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php?topic=49101.0

OK! That is the exact design I want to go for. Nice bow. I still want to sinew it though, but I like the idea of flipping the tips slightly also.
I think I'll leave 1-2mm of sap also under the sinew, just for show.

Would like to know the full dimensions 

[Badger]

This bow is 58" NTN, not a full recurve, just enough though.

http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php?topic=49101.0

  Thats a beauty, how many rings per inch roughly is the yew?

[wizardgoat]

Poplar- that bow is just over an inch for the middle 1/3rd of the bow, and tapers to the tips from there. Pretty simple design, but I wouldn't recommend so narrow if your yew isn't very dense.
Badger - cheers, the bow has pretty tight rings, in the 50-60 rpi range. One of the cleanest pieces of yew I've worked though almost looked like a hickory backed yew glue up

[steve b.]

Yes, heat treat.  Keep it wide and flat.  Heat the whole limb at a time, slowly, until you smell the cooking.  Clamp it at the fade or handle and at the tip but not in between.  Let it arch up in between, no clamps.  After a few days of some humidity, tiller and then back with rawhide or sinew.

[Jodocus]

I'd certainly make a nice paddle bow from that, as hubby suggested

[Carson (CMB)]

That is a little long for traditional paddle bow, whichever around 2" wide. Of course the stave could be cut down in length, but any yew over 45" with true paddle style design will not be strained enough, in my opinion. Keep it a little narrower and deeper for a snappy yew bow. I would make it closer to something like that sweet yew bow of wizardgoats than I would a paddle bow with that length. Heat tempering low density yew is a great idea in my book.