yew sapwood / heartwood separation while curing

[Dakota Kid]

I was lucky enough to find some wild Canadian Yew here in PA this winter. I managed to harvest around a dozen staves. I debarked and split them. After sealing them with poly I put them in the basement rafters. The two nicest/cleanest staves had the sapwood separate from the heartwood. It didn't completely pop off, but in over half the stave there's a gap.

What is the best course of action if I would like to save the sapwood? If it's a lost cause I'll just use the heartwood, but I love that two toned look.

Thanks in advance for all advice.

[wizardgoat]

You could try to put some thin glue in the cracks and clamp it all tight

[Dakota Kid]

Do you think I should thin it down so it gets better coverage? I was even considering loading a syringe with thinned glue and flooding it. It only happened with the two completely clean staves. I suppose those pin knots help hold it together.

[Dakota Kid]

oops. I missed the thin part of your response.

thanks goat

[bubby]

Use some thin runny ca glue

[Pat B]

My question would be why did it delaminate? Is it wind shear, something attacking the early ring or was it just separate while drying?

[Del the cat]

I'd say don't risk it.
Saw off the sapwood, clean it up leaving the underbark surface untouched. E.G flatten it from the belly side to make a sapwood backing strip.
Similarly clean up the heartwood and then use the sapwood as a backing strip.
It's the only way you'll get a clean sound controlled glue joint with sound wood IMO.
I've done a couple of Yew sapwood backed Yew heartwood bows and if there are hint of sapwood left visible in the heartwood belly it's hard to tell it's not a solid stave.
There is another advantage in that you can glue in reflex.
Del

[PatM]

How large are the pieces? I've never seen it much larger than an inch or so in diameter although we have tons of it up here.

[Del the cat]

How large are the pieces? I've never seen it much larger than an inch or so in diameter although we have tons of it up here.

Oh... If it's that skinny, then my suggestion is no good.
Del

[PatM]

Canadian Yew is a ground spreading shrub that apparently evolved to cope  with the Ice Age.

[WillS]

I've seen a couple of 150lb bows made from Canadian yew.  Definitely smaller in dimension than a Pacific yew bow of the same weight.

Always wanted to try some, as the stuff I've seen looks incredibly dense.  Lots of variation within the same species I suppose, as with all wood.

[PatM]

 It does apparently rarely form an upright stem but I have never seen a single one in decades of searching. Possibly in areas  where it has been less impacted by ice?

[Dakota Kid]

They were about 5" -6" in diameter. I managed a four way split on most of the staves. Del's idea could work for the one log I only halved.

I suppose it may be a hybrid that somehow found it's way into the woodland. There was the small low to the ground yew in the same area. I wonder if the low stuff reaches a certain maturity and they shoots for the canopy. Either way it was unexpected and pleasant surprise at that.

I finished one bow out of the batch already, but it had significant deflex to to start with. The sister stave is the one I'm excited about finishing. Where's there's deflex there's reflex.

[Dakota Kid]

Pat

If I had to guess at the cause I would say it was due mostly to the drying. The staves that it happened to were really clean/ no pin knots even. I think the pin knots do a lot to keep the sap wood attached.

[PatM]

They were about 5" -6" in diameter. I managed a four way split on most of the staves. Del's idea could work for the one log I only halved.

I suppose it may be a hybrid that somehow found it's way into the woodland. There was the small low to the ground yew in the same area. I wonder if the low stuff reaches a certain maturity and they shoots for the canopy. Either way it was unexpected and pleasant surprise at that.

I finished one bow out of the batch already, but it had significant deflex to to start with. The sister stave is the one I'm excited about finishing. Where's there's deflex there's reflex.

Apparently it can only form an upright shoot from the initial sprouting. The flat lying stems don't change direction. Not sure if it would naturally hybridise with some  planted yew.