My second YEW bow. Help me make this one last:)

[DC]

Looks good to me too. Yes, use a heat gun. Watch it like a hawk so it doesn't get too dark. Don't go to pee don't turn away . Do a google search on "Heat Treating Bows". Lots of stuff comes up.

[NorthHeart]

Ok boys tonight i puller her back 100 times to 49# @ 27".  Pics are at rest prior, at rest after, and during the draw cycle.  Havent heat treated anything yet.  Got to thinking will that make it more brittle or less likely to hold up to a 28" draw?

Btw i intend the lower limb to be the one on the left, or exactly how it appears in my sideways pics lol.

[Badger]

  Excellent job, doesn't look like it took any set at all.

[DC]

I'd leave it. I only mentioned heat treating because you mentioned that it seemed to be taking set set and you thought the weight was down. It looks great as is.

[Weylin]

Beautiful tiller. I wouldn't change a thing. Don't heat treat it. I think it could potentially make it more brittle, not to mention you backed it with rawhide. I'd slap it, string it and call it a bow! 

[NorthHeart]

Ok ladies and gents...here she is drawn to 51-52#@28".  Which brings my next set of questions.

When you measure your bow for the official stats...do you use the first draw initial number which is inevitably higher by about a pound, or do you go with the lower number after its been pulled a few times???

Also, when you determine that you want a 28" bow for yourself or a buddy...how far over 28" do you pull it for safety?  28 and 1/4".  28 and 1/2"

Thanks for the helps guys.

[Pappy]

I guess I would go with what every number it settles in on. Never really though about it. Unless you pull it passed the intended draw which I usually do by about an inch at least once just to be safe and sure of the bow. After that I don't like them to be pulled anymore than they were tillered for. Who know how much more you can draw one before in best case harms the bow and in worst case break it. As For me I don't care to find out. Nice looking bow.
 Pappy

[NorthHeart]

Thanks for your advice Pappy!

[Weylin]

What Pappy said.

[BowEd]

Very nice looking yew bow you made there.I'd call it good.I too like to pull a little past intended draw length[close to an inch] and only then while tillering just for safetys sake.A top view of the bows' back would be nice.

[Pat B]

Nice yew bow. I think you have a keeper.
 Will you post a full draw pic with you drawing it? Sometimes the static draw from a tiller tree will be different than a hand drawn bow.

[NorthHeart]

Merry Christmas and thanks for the comments guys!  BowEd and Pat B ill see about getting those pics up.

I have pulled it a half inch over the intended draw length to 28.5" for safety. but some of yall are saying that you pull a full 1" past the DL?  Well, for the dimensions of this bow do yall think i should get it back to 29" just once....or do i leave it and not push my luck?

[Badger]

  This is one of the cases I would say the decision is strictly yours as to how far you want to pull it for safety. I usually go 1 inch over but if I told you to go over and it broke I would feel bad. Whenever possible I like to find out a guys true draw length and not take there word for it. I know a lot of guys who draw 26 or 26 1/2 who think they draw 28 The shorter you draw a bow the better it is for the bow.

[DC]

First rule is, if he is taller than you or looks a bit like a chimpanze don't let him pull your bow. Or if he's wearing a sweatshirt that say's "compound bows rule".

[High-Desert]

I'm not going to say to draw it to 29", but at 66" long and 1-3/4" wide, there's plenty of wood there for a 50 lb bow at that draw length. It looks like your stave is clean, and your tiller looks great and it doesn't look like you have any set.

And Merry Christmas everyone.