Yew Bow Help

[bigcountry]

Is your stave still green? It will pack up most rasps in a hurry if its green. I havent found any wood, even the hardest woods like seasoned hickory that I couldnt work with my fariers rasp. After all it was designed to cut horse's hooves.

Ryno, she is very dry.  She has been drying out in WA state for a few years.  Almost wonder if she is too dry.

[bigcountry]

I guess you will leave a little "meat" around a larger knot on the belly just so it doesn't over stress there but if you leave too much around the knot the area, on either side of the knot will be more susceptible to over stressing.(   )     A evenly bending limb is more important. The stresses are shared by the entire limb. That is why I add super glue to most knots to help support the knot and surrounding wood.
   I have not dealt with an area as long as your knot is so I don't know as a fact it will work. This is how I would handle the problem. Experimentation is a part of the process of wood bow building.    Pat

Hey pat, I heard you used all kinds of terms when you built your yew bow.  Like Hoopdy or something like that.  Is this what you are referring too?  Is it pretty normal to see a small pin knot on the sap to be like this?  Just trying to learn more about yew.

I have did a two part approach.  I put crazy glue in to fill in the real fine places and epoxy with sawdust in where the gaping hole is.

I was looking at this this morning and don't think it will create much issues because runs the length of the bow and lot of wood on either side.  Well, time will tell.

[Pat B]

If you look at the pic on post #19 you will see how the sapwood makes a "hoop-t-do" above the knot. This is natures way of strengthening the wood around the limb (knot).  The belly should follow, to some extent, this wave in the sapwood. Usually on the back there is enough "natural" meat so an island of extra wood is not needed and can cause problems as they are basically a violated ring. On the belly some "island" of wood will be necessary but that is different in each piece of wood. What you want is a good even bend throughout each limb. Any extra wood left on the belly can cause a stiff spot in the limb.

What I call hoop-t-dos are up and down waves in the surface of the stave. Snakes go side to side. When you get hoop-t-dos and snakes you really got something!      Pat

[bigcountry]

Ok, I have got the bow floor tillered but its stout.  I put a tiller string on (One you don't have to cut in nocks)  and pulled about 4".  I am not sure this bow should be braced yet even 3".    She seems to want to twist some.    Should the bow be stiffer side way?  I rounded the belly. 

I never faced this on my flatbows.  But this by is 1.25" at fades by 1" thick going to 1/2" tips.  I suppose the thickness should be less than the width?   I kept the back completely flat.  Maybe I should start flattening the belly some.  She is stiff.  I bet around 80lbs or more now.  I just don't want to go too far with the belly and get a lightwieght bow.

[majsnuff]

Yeah what every one else said.
1. Reduce that back with a scraper to about 1/4 to 3/8". Go slow.
2. Wrap that bandsaw "oops" with a couple layers of Electricians tape. (I do this to remind me where not to scrape.)
3. Work the belly down with scraper and rasp till it floor tillers good. Then remove the tape and work on that section.
4. Switch to scraper and sandpaper only for final tiller.

 For rounding the belly, I like to use the old "Chattanooga shoe shine boy" method of sanding, with coarse grit emmory cloth. (a 
    sanding belt works well too)

That is a nice looking stave and should make you a mighty fine bow.