Differences in Yew Sapwood

[SDBurntStick]

I just finished up a bow that has more of a brown sapwood and seems to work a little differently than the other few pieces of yew I acquired.  It does not seem to be as creamy (not sure how to describe it) as the other pieces.  Really just want to make sure it will hold up and curious anyone else experience.  I got the bow to 27" and it took maybe a 1/2" of set and the bow seems to be doing well but I'm nervous to go to 28" with it.  The stave was pricey and Im probably being conservative so as not to have it go bang lol.  I will attach a picture so that you might get an idea.

[Hamish]

Hard to tell from the photos, it looks like you have some heartwood coming through onto the back. This can happen when you cut through rings when thinning sapwood, flattening a crowned back. Not a problem for the bow.

[SDBurntStick]

I will post a few more pictures.  I should have explained a bit more too, so I started to thin the sapwood and had a typical white sapwood after removing the bark but as soon as I got one ring down I noticed it was more of a brown shade and seemed harder, so all in all I really only took off one maybe 2 rings and gave up trying to chase one because they are so thin and I have read that it's not an issue with yew.

[SDBurntStick]

More pictures

[Hamish]

From what I've seen in the photos , I can't see any issues. You have tillered it 27", and its only taken a small amount of set, so that suggests its not already overstressed, too short or too narrow. I would take it to full 28".

[SDBurntStick]

Thanks for the input.  I'll go ahead and take it to 28.  I just wasn't sure if the discolered and harder sapwood was normal.  This stave could be seasoned longer than the other ones I had too.  I haven't worked with yew much so just taking precautions.

[Pappy]

Looks good to me, do you need 28 for your draw length or just want to go to 28 because you think you are supposed to ? Just curious, seems everyone wants to go to 28 but very few draw that much.   I only go to what ever draw the bow is going to be shot and maybe a little more just for confidences. 
 Pappy

[simk]

I see whitish and brownish areas on the back of your bow.

My interpretation of these pics: The brown areas is where you exactly hit the ring. The whitish areas are either areas where you left small amounts of the ring above or removed the brown separation layer and dug into the ring beyond.

Yew has this brownish layer between the sapwood rings (just look the sideview) and that's what you want to establish when chasing a ring. This brown layer is not distinct the same way in yew. I feel that the very good yew has it more pronounced. So your piece to me seem a very good one.

On the other side when sapwood is overdried and brittle it also gets a brownish color cast as a whole - thats very bad, but not the case here. If the sapwood was brittle that way you clearly feel it when you work it.

cheers

[Allyn T]

Oh what simk says rings true to me. I've never worked yew but I've chased the rings in eastern red cedar and it's the same way, dark thin winter wood and lighter cream colored summer wood.

[SDBurntStick]

That makes sense with the darker brown being the layer between the rings.  I think you may be right that this is just a better stave than the other ones I've worked.  The other ones I worked did not have any brown at all that I could tell.  It was very white and easily worked.  This sapwood seemed tougher.

I wanted to get the bow to 28 or possibly 29 just for added insurance that it could be drawn that far.  You are right that I only need a 27" draw but occasionally shoot with others and like to allow friends to try out the bows I make.

[George Tsoukalas]

There really is no need to go past your draw length.
Trust your instincts, JD. Jawge

[Del the cat]

Looks fine to me. Rather than a clean crisp heart /sap boundary, you often get Yew with indistinct sapwood, where it looks like it goes heart, sap, heart, sap or has some rings a darker colour.
As long as you have a reasonable thickness of the paler stuff you'll be ok.
A yew primitive I finished a while back has a patch on the back that looks like I've gone through the sapwood, but when you look at the edge you can see there is plenty.
Del

[SDBurntStick]

Well, I'm sad to report that this will end up as just another burnt stick...and I really liked this bow.  It shot great but for no apparent reason decided to go kerbang! on me at full draw this evening.  I've shot at least 500 arrows through it.  Maybe it was dry and it's a little chilly today.  There was a small pint knot that could possibly have been the culprit.  Who knows but I questioned the sapwood on this one from the get go.  Oh well, yew almost had me, but I think I still prefer osage and hickory lol.  It sure did shoot sweet though.

[Muskyman]

Man that stinks. I’m just getting ready to start on my first yew project and was looking at your bow and then got to your post about it blowing up on you. My kids gave me my stave for my birthday. And as you said in your original post there pricy.
Sorry for your loss, it looked like a sweet bow.

[superdav95]

Feel your pain.  I’ve had this too with yew.  When you get them right they are great shooting bows.  Sometimes it’s nothing you did wrong in construction. It’s just wood at the end of the day that fails.  I find yew to be like that more often then other wood species.