Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Del the cat on May 27, 2011, 04:52:34 pm
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My old fave' 75# Yew bow was getting too much for me so I've made a new self Yew ELB. I went for 50# but I've tried to get the same speed as the old fave'. I heat treated the belly and put about 2-3" inches of reflex in at the same time. It was a weird stave so I didn't mind experimenting, the sap wood seemed to be hidden under a layer of heart wood, e.g the tree went, bark, heart, sap, heart... or that's how it seemed (I'd had two normal staves from the same log, alread made in ELBs. This was the least attractive which is why I took it for myself)
I made it a tad longer than usual for me (I'm only 5'10") and went for side nocks too, just for the fun of trying something different.
I've gone for a 'faux medieval' look using white Waterbuffalo horn and natural veg tan leather and mother of pearl as I've been invited to the Robert Hardy Roving Marks shoot on Sunday, run by the Medieval society.
Stats:- 71.5 ntn, 50# @ 28", about 1/4 inch remaining reflex. 167fps with a 70gn point, but shoots smoother with 100g point and drops a few fps.
(http://i411.photobucket.com/albums/pp195/Del_the_Cat/Website%20stills/MyYew.jpg)
Whoops that's the 60# bow I've recently done.... :o , which is even shorter 68.5" ntn, as it's for a short guy. You can see it's bending harder than the slightly longer bow in the next pic (same arrow being used).
THIS is my 50# Yew bow... not so pretty but quick ;D
(http://i411.photobucket.com/albums/pp195/Del_the_Cat/Website%20stills/My50Yew.jpg)
(http://i411.photobucket.com/albums/pp195/Del_the_Cat/Website%20stills/Sidenock.jpg)
(http://i411.photobucket.com/albums/pp195/Del_the_Cat/Website%20stills/ownYew.jpg)
(http://i411.photobucket.com/albums/pp195/Del_the_Cat/Website%20stills/MyYewgrip.jpg)
I like the clean, simple medieval(ish) look and it certainly chucks an arrow. Indeed it is almost as quick as my old faithful.
Del
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This is a gorgeous bow, Del. Nothing not to like about it. I agree, it is a very clean look, very functional, and the mother of pearl arrow rest and the overlays just add to the overall beauty.
Only 5'10"? I'll take that extra 4" if you dont want them :)
Dane
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incredibly nice Mr. Cat. my favorite bow style. side nocks match the mother-o-pearl too. like the whole "lighter" color scheme on the bow even down to the leathers hue.
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Ahhh yes.....sweet and simple! I love it, very nice lines.
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Nice work. It really slings 'em out and is very classy with clean lines. Didn't happen by accident.
Lane
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An English yew longbow, at full draw.....the quintessential medieval thing of beauty sir.
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Very pretty!! Well done man.
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Very nice.
Looks wickedly fast to me.
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I'm not an ELB fan by any stretch of the imagination but this bow is just downwright inspiring. I've had a suspicion for some time that Red Mulberry might just make a good ELB for a yew substitute for those of us less fortuneate to have access to it.
The density is very similar; has the sapwood, heartwood element with bend properties a little better than most for its weight.
I've been thinking about the next project, I may have just found it. ::)
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I got a mulberry warbow in the works right now, not sure if it's red mulberry. It is very light wood, and colors close to yew after the sun colors it a bit. Saxon Pope said mulberry makes a very good longbow.
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Thanks for the comments guys.
Be interesting to see that Mulberry, there was some taken down near me a while back but it had been sawn up before I found out >:(.
Del
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Just noticed, the full draw pic is the 60 pounder I recently finished! I've been working on the two of them, that one's a couple of inches shorter as it's for a short guy.
I've added the correct pic... just popped out into the garden and got the camera on self timer... only took about 5 attempts >:( ;D
Del
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Very nice as allways!
That starnge sap is the compression wood. Here the yew is not so dense so I have to use that part of the staves. Find this kind of sap very often but it doesn't make problem yet.
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Very nice as allways!
That starnge sap is the compression wood. Here the yew is not so dense so I have to use that part of the staves. Find this kind of sap very often but it doesn't make problem yet.
Cheers, yes, that makes sense it was one side of the log which was growing up at a slight angle, so it was maybe either the side it was leaning towards or the down wind side. It wlways amaze me how wood can vary round a long or in just a few inches.
Del
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"I've added the correct pic... just popped out into the garden and got the camera on self timer... only took about 5 attempts"
I know how you feel. :) What I started doing is taking a video with my camera, and then bringing the video into windows movie maker and saving photos off the video. I'm pretty sure most versions of wmm are free. Very nice bow btw. Yew is such a pretty wood. The white nocks are nice. Your an artist with some yew there del.
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very classy Del . i looked hard and couldnt find a single trace of nut in that one >:D
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Nicely done.
In light of my recent clumsiness on the tillering thread, please don't read anything into this post or these questions. They spawn from sincere interest, and no interest in carrying a grudge. Hope you feel the same.
I've always been intriqued by side nocks and yours seem executed perfectly. Have you opinion wrt to the possibility such nocks might induce limb twist? I realize their use is well represented in antiquity, from many cultures, and don't doubt their efficacy, just interested whether you have considered this.
Do you know offhand the total mass wieght of your arrows. I noticed your pile choice ranged lower than typical for the states, where 125 grains seems the standard and only rare exceptions to the heavier side usually. I think perhaps because our interest tend toward the hunting side, justification for higher FOC.
What are you thoughts/preferences on string material: all natural, dacron or newer hmpe? Elbs are probably my favorite form, but premium yew would cost me $200 while I have premium osage (virtually all other hardwoods including red mulberry and winged elm) literally growing on trees as suitable, in my view, candidates... Although it's admittedly hard to make a truly representitive elb (war versus Victorian yard) from osage, it being so dense it's perfectly unsuited to the design. Back to the point, on the long, narrow bows I've made (being careful not to tread upon the rigid definition of elb), I've found low mass, low stretch string to be particularly desirable and was curious about your experiences.
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Pure Awesomeness. I love that bow. er both of those bows! The white buffalo horn is such a good choice. I REALLY like the handle. The material is beautiful and your stitching job is so crisp. Excellent. The strike plate matches so well and just looks sweeet. Tiller looks perfect to me.
I've been wanting to try an ELB....I have some ash I was thinking of using just for that purpose. Hmmmm.
You are one of the people on here I consider on a whole other level. Nice work. AWESOME!
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Nicely done.
In light of my recent clumsiness on the tillering thread, please don't read anything into this post or these questions. They spawn from sincere interest, and no interest in carrying a grudge. Hope you feel the same.
I've always been intriqued by side nocks and yours seem executed perfectly. Have you opinion wrt to the possibility such nocks might induce limb twist? I realize their use is well represented in antiquity, from many cultures, and don't doubt their efficacy, just interested whether you have considered this.
Do you know offhand the total mass wieght of your arrows. I noticed your pile choice ranged lower than typical for the states, where 125 grains seems the standard and only rare exceptions to the heavier side usually. I think perhaps because our interest tend toward the hunting side, justification for higher FOC.
What are you thoughts/preferences on string material: all natural, dacron or newer hmpe? Elbs are probably my favorite form, but premium yew would cost me $200 while I have premium osage (virtually all other hardwoods including red mulberry and winged elm) literally growing on trees as suitable, in my view, candidates... Although it's admittedly hard to make a truly representitive elb (war versus Victorian yard) from osage, it being so dense it's perfectly unsuited to the design. Back to the point, on the long, narrow bows I've made (being careful not to tread upon the rigid definition of elb), I've found low mass, low stretch string to be particularly desirable and was curious about your experiences.
Hi, yup, good to move on.
I got the side nock info' from Alan Blackhams (non commercial) website. some excellent stuff there http://www.alanesq.com/sidenock.htm (http://www.alanesq.com/sidenock.htm)
I'd think they could induce twist on a shorter flat limbed bow, but seem ok on the longbow, the angle is so slight at that length. Although I do notice the string seem to creak a little as I draw!...
I did weigh some arrows but can't put my paw on the data ::). I think you are right about the hunting bias in the US giving you the tendency towards heavier arrows. I use the 70gn piles for anything upto about 40# and 100gn above that unless handshock/vibration becomes an issue. I like the flatter trajectory for field shooting. Mind there is a guy at our club shooting 125gn piles from 38# ELB...dunno why.
String material, I've previously used Dacron (or elastic as it is sometimes know... joke) I just bought some Angel Majesty and I feel it gives more speed without making my accuracy any worse than it already is. I have made a Flemish twist linen string for one bow justfor the heck of it, but I prefer the continuous loop style (possibly a hang over from my early days making crossbows ... oooh I said the C word :o). The Angel Majesty caught me out being sooooo low stretch I made my first string too short, which persuaded me to finally get round to making a string making jig from some old Dexion.
I'd love to try some Osage and Hickory, but I s'pose I should consider myself lucky that I eventually found some decent Yew growing where I could borrow it with impunity O:), I also lucked out when I got talking to a tree surgeon who was just about to to out some nice old Yew at a big old country house near me ;D, that'll keep me going for a year or two.
I think that about covers it!
Del
(BTW, I had a look at some of your old posts and found the short Osage bow you'd made, very handsome with perfect tiller (with the whole limbs working hard, which is how I think it should be) and great looking grip, just the sort of bow I'd like to make if I had some Osage)
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A beautiful classic ELB. Well done Del. I love it.
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Nice longbow as usual Del. The finish suits it perfectly.
Were you lucky with the sapwood ratio and the clean back? Or were you scraping under a strong light for hours?
Also what was the rpi like being English yew? :)
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impressive bow deal has a nice smooth look to it.Wish we had yew in Wisconson or Osage for that matter anyways great work-Hammertime
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Nice job Del!
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Nice longbow as usual Del. The finish suits it perfectly.
Were you lucky with the sapwood ratio and the clean back? Or were you scraping under a strong light for hours?
Also what was the rpi like being English yew? :)
Hi, I took of a fair bit of wood to get down to a nice ring. rpi ~14.
The colour and ring count is very variable, I've had another bit grown within a few hundred yards which is completely different...
Here's a pic of the one I mean from a shoot yesterday.
(http://i411.photobucket.com/albums/pp195/Del_the_Cat/Website%20stills/RovingMarks.jpg)
Del
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Great picture Del all that lovely Yew.
So you took off a lot of sapwood? Did you bother to chase a ring or just flatten it off even thickness?
Leon.
Sorry for all the Q`s mate i just have a nice bit sitting here waiting for someone to lend me a saw :)
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Beautiful bow in all aspects,very nice work.
Pappy
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Great picture Del all that lovely Yew.
So you took off a lot of sapwood? Did you bother to chase a ring or just flatten it off even thickness?
Leon.
Sorry for all the Q`s mate i just have a nice bit sitting here waiting for someone to lend me a saw :)
Yes I followed a ring, it's not too bad once you've had a bit of practice and don't try to do too much in one sitting.
The trick is getting the light right, sometimes you just can't see what's happening and then you shift the light source and it really shows up. I find that as you get through one ring the last bits are whiteish and almost crumble off like Chicken breast meat ;D exposing the slightly yellower next ring. Sometimes just V light strokes across the grain with a rasp will crumble off the last bits of 'chicken meat'.
Del
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Del,
Your bows are always exquisite! I'd be happy to get a piece of one of your failed bows as a gift. Keep posting, sir!
-john
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A classical beauty
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That is an absolute beauty. Simple, clean..........and the color scheme is so mild with the light horn and leather wrap. The side nocks are cool too. You have my vote already for BOM. :)
Darcy