Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: rossfactor on December 16, 2012, 02:49:50 am

Title: Is Yew is or is Yew aint my new hunting bow? FD shot added on page 2!
Post by: rossfactor on December 16, 2012, 02:49:50 am: Yew Is!

Ok, so we all agree that Plumb is the only real bow wood O:). But I decided to try out some of this second string stuff called Yew. ;)

Cut this small tree on the most beautiful river on Earth (sorry Oregonians its in California). About 600 ft elevation. 40 RPI. The stave dried for two years, and in the drying process the stave developed a lot of deflex; around 4 inches. Having read and appreciated the work by Manny and Keenan with deflexed staves, and because its rare for me to get Yew, I decided to give it a go. As an experiment I decided not to try and create a RD bow, but simply to add some modest recurve in the tips and and tiller as is. I am now decidedly convinced that a deflexed stave (when the deflex is due to natural drying or growth, not set) is not only worth it, but may be advantageous. Steve Gardner sometimes talks about "hard deflex." This bow, though highly deflexed has very high early draw weight, shoots smooth and seems very fast relative to my other bows. Also it took very modest set, less than an inch.

I originally tillered it out to 80# at 30 inches. At some point my wife walks by and the following converstaiton occurs

Wife: "Honey, why would you make a bow you can't shoot"
Me:"What do you mean can't shoot" (as I draw back the bow, arms quivering, face turning red, for a wildy innacurate shot.
Wife: "never mind"

And so, after she left, I tillered it down to just over 60# at 30 inches and about 57# at 28 inches which is much more manageable for me. I wouldn't hesitate to take this bow hog hunting,

Anyway here she is, 57# at 28" (tillered out to 60+ @30") 60 tip to tip, 58" NTN. The bow is just over 1 3/8 at fades, tapers to just under 1/2 inch at tips. Overlays are rosewood. I counted pin knots and 9 of them go the whole way through the limb. Oh, full draw probably not till tmrw evening. Sorry.

GAbe

(http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g124/rossfactor/Sign_zps15611396.jpg)

(http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g124/rossfactor/Swirl_zps5f71f8e9.jpg)

(http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g124/rossfactor/Limb_zps02c99643.jpg)

(http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g124/rossfactor/Handle_zpsaab2d1c2.jpg)

(http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g124/rossfactor/DownNock_zpscd33310f.jpg)

(http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g124/rossfactor/UpNock-Copy_zps7d7a03ea.jpg)

(http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g124/rossfactor/PinKnot_zps6dd63c4d.jpg)

(http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g124/rossfactor/unbraced_zps93315b33.jpg)

(http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g124/rossfactor/Braced-Copy_zps590ac2e5.jpg)

Full draw to come.

Gabe
Title: Re: Is Yew is or is Yew aint my new hunting bow?
Post by: rossfactor on December 16, 2012, 03:11:32 am: Hmm photobucket is being weird. Let me try and fix.
Title: Re: Is Yew is or is Yew aint my new hunting bow?
Post by: rossfactor on December 16, 2012, 03:18:12 am: Ok, I think the links are fixed. Sorry,

Gabe
Title: wow
Post by: ionicmuffin on December 16, 2012, 03:20:29 am: wow, stunning! very nice, ive got to get me some of that yew!
Title: Re: Is Yew is or is Yew aint my new hunting bow?
Post by: steve b. on December 16, 2012, 03:38:03 am: Its really cool. You owe it all to your wife, even though she has no idea what she is talking about ;D
Title: Re: Is Yew is or is Yew aint my new hunting bow?
Post by: Bryce on December 16, 2012, 04:36:28 am: That's one good lookin stick Gabe!

FULL DRAW! FULL DRAW! FULL DRAW!
Title: Re: Is Yew is or is Yew aint my new hunting bow?
Post by: Del the cat on December 16, 2012, 04:44:20 am: Great bow, great story... out of the mouths of babes!
Del
Title: Re: Is Yew is or is Yew aint my new hunting bow?
Post by: Jodocus on December 16, 2012, 05:32:17 am: Handsome bow, I like it with the spikes on the back and its nice curve. Having a smart wife certainly helps with a lot of things, including bowmaking ;D
Title: Re: Is Yew is or is Yew aint my new hunting bow?
Post by: PaulN/KS on December 16, 2012, 08:47:46 am: That is a fine looking bow.
You could say it's byewtiful... ;D
Title: Re: Is Yew is or is Yew aint my new hunting bow?
Post by: okie64 on December 16, 2012, 09:25:54 am: That is a great looking bow! Yew is definitely some beautiful wood. What would we do without our smart wives to keep us lined out??? ;D
Title: Re: Is Yew is or is Yew aint my new hunting bow?
Post by: burn em up chuck on December 16, 2012, 09:39:16 am: I've got a short version of that, in the works, and I have to say what a curvaceous beauty you have
there. I'm looking forward to seeing more of her. well done

chuck
Title: Re: Is Yew is or is Yew aint my new hunting bow?
Post by: doulosparachristos on December 16, 2012, 10:23:47 am: I absolutely love the profile of that bow, both stung and unstrung. I have been working one nearly identical to yours for the last few days. you have inspired me, ill post pictures soon:) well done!
Title: Re: Is Yew is or is Yew aint my new hunting bow?
Post by: Badly Bent on December 16, 2012, 10:42:31 am: I'm with you on the side braced & unbraced profiles, graceful and beautiful. Good use of that stave, love the design. Bet its smooth to draw and shoot too.
Title: Re: Is Yew is or is Yew aint my new hunting bow?
Post by: lesken2011 on December 16, 2012, 10:49:37 am: That is a nice job on that one, ross!!
Title: Re: Is Yew is or is Yew aint my new hunting bow?
Post by: dwardo on December 16, 2012, 11:17:42 am: My missus said the same thing, if you cant pull that weight why did you make it? I am still trying to come up with an answer ;)

Stout looking bow and lovely finish. 8)
Title: Re: Is Yew is or is Yew aint my new hunting bow?
Post by: Keenan on December 16, 2012, 11:37:13 am: Fantastic looking bow Gabe. Great story and I'm very glad to hear you making use of the deflexed stave. When done right you can end up with a great bow with excellent early draw weight. Beautiful detail work, Full Draw please!
Title: Re: Is Yew is or is Yew aint my new hunting bow?
Post by: Bryce on December 16, 2012, 02:06:14 pm: I bet it has the smoothest release
Title: Re: Is Yew is or is Yew aint my new hunting bow?
Post by: JW_Halverson on December 16, 2012, 03:28:49 pm: I just felt my heart go pitty-pat!
Title: Re: Is Yew is or is Yew aint my new hunting bow?
Post by: vinemaplebows on December 16, 2012, 03:34:45 pm: Great example of what low elevation yew is capable of....nice bow! :D

VMB
Title: Re: Is Yew is or is Yew aint my new hunting bow?
Post by: Carson (CMB) on December 16, 2012, 04:07:37 pm: that is a sweet hunting bow right there. 60# at 30" in a recurved 58" yew bow...that sounds about perfect. Well done.
Title: Re: Is Yew is or is Yew aint my new hunting bow?
Post by: coaster500 on December 16, 2012, 04:16:35 pm: Great bow!!

I love working Yew, just wish it was easier to come by...

Your's is great on the eye and a I'm bettin smooth as silk!
Title: Re: Is Yew is or is Yew aint my new hunting bow?
Post by: bow101 on December 16, 2012, 05:09:06 pm: Very nice work, love the shape. :)
Title: Re: Is Yew is or is Yew aint my new hunting bow?
Post by: rossfactor on December 16, 2012, 06:16:29 pm: Sorry I'm late responding, been on Dad duty today. Thanks for the kind words yall. I am hoping for some outside pictures. Its been raining a lot up in HumCo and so haven't been able to get outside. But I think I should have something up by tonight.

Yeah, definitely impressed by the wood. I think this stave is giving me all she's got. I had two small longitudinal cracks form around pin knots, but they are stable, not growing and I'm not to worried about them, especially after reducing the draw weight. Its amazing how light and 'small' feeling this stick is compared to how much power the bow produces. I gotta try this again!

More coming...

Gabe
Title: Re: Is Yew is or is Yew aint my new hunting bow?
Post by: Will H on December 16, 2012, 07:05:14 pm: That bow looks like a great shooter! Well done!
Title: Re: Is Yew is or is Yew aint my new hunting bow?
Post by: Zion on December 16, 2012, 07:59:33 pm: Sweeeet! If you can't pull 80# now just hit the weights for a few weeks >:D >:D

Thats a sexy looking RD and i bet its smooooooth. Nothing wrong with 57#. Can't wait to see the full draw.
Title: Re: Is Yew is or is Yew aint my new hunting bow?
Post by: rossfactor on December 16, 2012, 08:59:27 pm: I do need to hit the weights. Although maybe curling a 16lb baby will start to pay off here! I was able to draw 80, barely, but I sure couldn't hit where I was looking. Too much strain. At 57 its a whole 'nother bag of rocks.

Update, rain back in effect. It can really rain here. A place an hour north of me holds the continental US record for annual and daily rainfall. They got 24" in 24 hrs one time. Hard to breath in rain like that! Nothing like that right now, but enough to discourage a photo. If it lets up I'll take pics, but otherwise might be tmrw.

Gabe
Title: Re: Is Yew is or is Yew aint my new hunting bow?
Post by: Pappy on December 17, 2012, 08:36:04 am: Beautiful bow.If it shoots as good as it looks it's got to be a great bow. :)
Pappy
Title: Re: Is Yew is or is Yew aint my new hunting bow?
Post by: rossfactor on December 18, 2012, 01:42:45 am: Finally got outside to take some pictures, enjoy! Please excuse my funky looking elbow! I busted as a kid and it grew back with some extra bone. Very useful in basketball, but it looks like my arm is still bent when I'm holding it out straight. :o

(http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g124/rossfactor/bracedpost_zps48a58a9b.jpg)

(http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g124/rossfactor/anglepost_zps7b09841b.jpg)

(http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g124/rossfactor/fdunbraced_zpsfd42ee33.jpg)

(http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g124/rossfactor/FDbraced_zps94f019f8.jpg)

(http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g124/rossfactor/fdfd_zps1d521c76.jpg)

(http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g124/rossfactor/fdfd2_zpsd7041626.jpg)

And an action shot!

(http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g124/rossfactor/fdstump_zps5ee52cb5.jpg)
Title: Re: Is Yew is or is Yew aint my new hunting bow? FD shot added on page 2!
Post by: _Jon_ on December 18, 2012, 02:36:46 am: Pappy broke his a long time ago and his arm looks the same as yours. He claims that's why he has a 26 inch draw. Otherwise his would be 29! ;D ;D
Title: Re: Is Yew is or is Yew aint my new hunting bow? FD shot added on page 2!
Post by: Bryce on December 18, 2012, 03:15:34 am: That's as perfect as it gets!
Well played!
Title: Re: Is Yew is or is Yew aint my new hunting bow? FD shot added on page 2!
Post by: BowEd on December 18, 2012, 09:43:33 am: Good lookin shooter!!!!
Title: Re: Is Yew is or is Yew aint my new hunting bow? FD shot added on page 2!
Post by: Shaun on December 18, 2012, 10:26:16 am: Poor little blacktail deer with their big brown eyes. Only way to avoid a terrible tragedy would be to mail that off to the Midwest.

Very nice bend and well done photos.
Title: Re: Is Yew is or is Yew aint my new hunting bow? FD shot added on page 2!
Post by: rossfactor on December 18, 2012, 02:22:48 pm: Thanks Shaun, I had to use the 'timer' setting on my camera because nobody was around to take some pics, and I imagined folks grumbling about the lack of an FD shot on this thread ;D

Gabe
Title: Re: Is Yew is or is Yew aint my new hunting bow? FD shot added on page 2!
Post by: Badly Bent on December 18, 2012, 07:46:42 pm: Love the bow at full draw. If dad duty has you to busy to get out and hunt send that bow my way and I'll get it out in the woods for ya.
Thats a hunting bow if I ever saw one. ;D
Greg
Title: Re: Is Yew is or is Yew aint my new hunting bow? FD shot added on page 2!
Post by: Zion on December 18, 2012, 07:51:05 pm: Nice draw! Definitely a sweet yew bow. its awesome how many varieties of designs you can get from this wood.
Title: Re: Is Yew is or is Yew aint my new hunting bow? FD shot added on page 2!
Post by: bubby on December 18, 2012, 07:59:36 pm: that is sweet, me likey, Bub
Title: Re: Is Yew is or is Yew aint my new hunting bow? FD shot added on page 2!
Post by: Will H on December 18, 2012, 09:15:08 pm: Well that's about what I figured it would look like...PERFECTION! All around awesome bow Ross! Great photography as well :) thanks for sharing it with us :)
Title: Re: Is Yew is or is Yew aint my new hunting bow? FD shot added on page 2!
Post by: Carson (CMB) on December 18, 2012, 09:36:33 pm: Wow, Gabe. That looks perfect. I would just want to shoot that thing all day long.
Title: Re: Is Yew is or is Yew aint my new hunting bow? FD shot added on page 2!
Post by: rossfactor on December 18, 2012, 10:05:06 pm: Hey thanks guys! It really is a blast to shoot. Wish I could shoot it more, but by the time I been getting home from work its pushing dark. Looking forward to a couple of days off to spend some quality time with it. I appreciate the comments, this site is easy on a guy!

Gabe