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Author Topic: how do I deal with knots in yew  (Read 2219 times)

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Offline stuckinthemud

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    • avenue woodcarving
how do I deal with knots in yew
« on: August 29, 2015, 03:48:22 pm »
Hi All,
I have dug out some rotten knots in a character yew short-bow I am nearing completion on, ranging in size from pin-knot up to a half-inch wide by 1/4 inch deep. None go all the way through. Any suggestions on how to deal with them would be welcome :)
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Offline Del the cat

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    • Derek Hutchison Native Wood Self Bows
Re: how do I deal with knots in yew
« Reply #1 on: August 29, 2015, 04:05:36 pm »
If they are in the belly, pick out all the black loose manky stuff plug 'em with a yew plug or with epoxy and yew sawdust, mix it up fairly dry as when you pack it in it becomes wetter as the epoxy squeezes out.
If a hole is a weird shape, you can plug it with epoxy/yew dust then, when it's set drill it out and fit a round peg.
Here is an extreme example in the side of a 90# warbow.
http://bowyersdiary.blogspot.co.uk/2012/01/mystery-knot.html
http://bowyersdiary.blogspot.co.uk/2012/01/filled-knot.html
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Offline wizardgoat

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Re: how do I deal with knots in yew
« Reply #2 on: August 29, 2015, 04:43:09 pm »
I do what deal said, if they're real punky dig out all traces of it. I use thin super glue and fine dust from my belt sander. Do it in a few layers rather than all at once, and use a little tooth pick or something to squish it all in there
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Offline Markus

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Re: how do I deal with knots in yew
« Reply #3 on: August 29, 2015, 04:47:59 pm »
I have done it a bit differently.I dug out the the soft wood or blackish stuff and left the  hole as it was.
Then I soaked sinew threads in water so they became soft, then saturated the sinew in warm hide glue and stuffed the hole hard until it was filled up. I sometimes make a sinew wrapping on top of this.
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Offline stuckinthemud

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Re: how do I deal with knots in yew
« Reply #4 on: August 30, 2015, 10:15:02 am »
The knots are in the back of the bow, in the sapwood
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Offline Del the cat

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    • Derek Hutchison Native Wood Self Bows
Re: how do I deal with knots in yew
« Reply #5 on: August 30, 2015, 02:06:20 pm »
If they are V big you can plug right through, rasp down the sapwood a bit ( 1/8" - 3/16") leaving some of the original sapwood in place for continuity of fibres, and put a sapwood patch over it.
Example on my blog where I've patched over some damaged sapwood here:-
http://bowyersdiary.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/feel-heat.html
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Offline wizardgoat

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Re: how do I deal with knots in yew
« Reply #6 on: August 30, 2015, 02:23:05 pm »
I usually just saturate any knots on the back with thin super glue
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Offline Del the cat

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    • Derek Hutchison Native Wood Self Bows
Re: how do I deal with knots in yew
« Reply #7 on: August 30, 2015, 03:27:20 pm »
I should have said... you can just ignore them if you have enough sound sapwood around 'em.
Have a look at this one  :o
http://bowyersdiary.blogspot.co.uk/2015/06/second-chance-signed-off.html
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