Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Will H on December 10, 2012, 10:12:00 pm
-
I was wondering you count rings per inch with yew. Is the sapwood included in the count or just the heartwood? I have a stave that I'm working at the moment that has 67 rings in an inch of heartwood but if I counted the sapwood would be more like 80-90. Thanks in advance for any insight :)
-
I don't know, that sounds pretty iffy. Better send it to me and I'll count them for you. ;)
-
I may be a simpleton, but I'd count the rings that are going to part of the bow.
Gabe
-
And 67 RPI is some pretty sweet stuff. :) :)
-
I hear ya Weylin! :D I'll get right on that fella!
Thanks Ross, that was kinda my thinkin as well but the rings are so hard to distinguish in the sapwood I'm not sure if I can count em. I'll get a magnifying glass and try again.
-
Well the recount including the sapwood is 82RPI. I was told the wood was cut around 3500 feet in Washington. It's got a bit of character to it as well. Just like I like em :)
-
ask Keenan,he will know.
-
It's just about impossible to count rings on high elevation yew sapwood. That ring count is great and is the premium stuff. most above 3000 gets anywhere from 40-80 depending on the moisture and size of the tree helps as well. Trees growing right next to a river or stream will have generally have a little less per inch and thicker sapwood, then trees in the same area a little farther from the water. I usually just count the heartwood, but anything above 60 is hard to count even with my new glasses :o
-
Thank you Keenan! They are pretty hard to see for sure. The sapwood is just shy of 1/4" thick and pretty even along the length of the stave. Chuck said this one was split from the bottom of the tree. Pappy got two staves from the same tree that are much cleaner than mine. John got one as well that's clean but a bit narrower. Sounds like we ended up with some pretty good stuff! Thanks again for the info guys :)
-
If all the other staves are cleaner then you got the best one in the bunch :o >:D 1/4 sapwood is perfect
-
happen to have any clean 80in staves of that ring count laying around ::)
-
I've never had much luck counting yew sapwood growth rings. Too hard to see, so i just count the heartwood rings.
-
I was thinkin the same thing Keenan! >:D
Sorry fishfinder ::) I traded an Osage stave for this piece and it's all I got. I've only ever worked yew once before and it ended with a BANG due to some unforeseen bug hole... I'm hoping this will turn out a little better ;)
-
well i hope this one has no bug holes, i am also working on my first yew and it better not have any bug holes
:'(
-
No bugs in this stuff :) I got the bark off last weekend and roughed out a bow. This wood was cut 3 years ago and treated right! The last stave I had was over 30years old and was eat up with bugs...
-
That is some good slow-grwoing stuff right there. I am looking forward to what you turn out of it.
-
I think there is a certain seriousness or maybe gratitude when you're making a yew bow just because of its ring count. A 4 or 5 inch diameter stave can be 100 to 200 years old. I am working on a smaller yew bow, from a small diameter tree (4.5 inches); but this tree started growing maybe decades before Ishi was even born! Makes you appreciate whats in your hands.
Gabe
-
Ignore the ring count...
Most Yew I've seen shows huge variation even in a one inch section.
What difference does counting 'em make? You can't adjust them >:D
As they say up North "You don't fatten a pig by weighing it"
I've made good bows from high and low ring count Yew.
Del
-
Just to be sure i think you should try chasing a sapwood ring >:D
Then give up and get on with the bow ;D
-
Any chance of a pic?
-
Ignore the ring count...
Most Yew I've seen shows huge variation even in a one inch section.
What difference does counting 'em make? You can't adjust them >:D
As they say up North "You don't fatten a pig by weighing it"
I've made good bows from high and low ring count Yew.
Del
+1
-
YES, low ring count yew will make a great bow.Still one of the best woods possible. Seems there are always some who think I am saying low ring count is not good. Not the case at all. High ring count is even better in my book. Much denser wood, period! There is a reason I will go the extra miles and work allot harder to get it. But that is OK, you go right on using the low ring count stuff and I'll gladly take your high ring count in trade. :o ;D >:D
-
Here's a couple pics of what I'm workin with. :)
(http://emob1320.photobucket.com/albums/u523/harrisonbows/photo_zps750cdbd2.jpg)
(http://emob1320.photobucket.com/albums/u523/harrisonbows/photo_zpsd65a32ac.jpg)
(http://emob1320.photobucket.com/albums/u523/harrisonbows/photo_zps29412298.jpg)
-
Upon further inspection it looks like junk to me...set her in the junk pile till spring,and ill be down there in may to take out the garbage >:D
-
Thanks, Will. That's some nice looking yew.
Sure wish I had a good buddy who lived on the West Coast to send me yew. Shucks. *kicks a pebble.
-
That is about as perfect as it gets IMO.
Gabe
-
Thanks y'all, I was thinkin we hit the jackpot :o
Blackhawk, hope to see ya back down here ;) but I think I'm gonna have to go ahead and work this one for yew :)
-
Will, yew and ERC were the only woods that the Bowyers Edge work on for me. I even used a spoke shave on both with good results ...but neither on other woods! I'm glad it found a good, appreciative home! ;)
-
Decent enough:)
-
That is looking great Will.
-
Ignore the ring count...
Most Yew I've seen shows huge variation even in a one inch section.
What difference does counting 'em make? You can't adjust them >:D
As they say up North "You don't fatten a pig by weighing it"
I've made good bows from high and low ring count Yew.
Del
+1
+2
-
right... screw that ring count crap :P >:D...heres a 30ish rpi stave grown right here in the promised land flowing with osage and yew(pennsylvania baby!!!)at~1100ft elevation(no joke). 71"ntn 100+ warbow >:D
-
Not bad Dude.
-
That's freakin nice there blackhawk!
-
Meh.... 8) :P
-
Very nice bend,you shooting that on Chris ?
Pappy
-
Pfhahahaha :laugh:....yeah right pappy...I'm a wuss,I can't pull that thing back to full draw..I get 28" n that's it :laugh: there just fun to make
-
OK,Man I was thinking I need to be careful around you,stout young man, ;D I would be lucky to get it to 25 inches and then would probably pull something. ;) :)
Pappy
-
right... screw that ring count crap :P >:D...heres a 30ish rpi stave grown right here in the promised land flowing with osage and yew(pennsylvania baby!!!)at~1100ft elevation(no joke). 71"ntn 100+ warbow >:D
Wow, that's really good looking bend on that baby. What drawlength are you aiming for?
71" seems a tad tight on length if you are going for the full 31-32" medieval draw.
Del
-
I just hurt myself thinking about pulling something that heavy back! :)