Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: willie on July 28, 2017, 06:26:51 pm

Title: Yew for backing?
Post by: willie on July 28, 2017, 06:26:51 pm

Tried searching the archives for any examples of a composite using Yew for a backing.

Has anyone tried, or seen a thread  showing a laminate bow using a yew backing over a belly of a denser or compression capable wood?

Title: Re: Yew for backing?
Post by: Marc St Louis on July 28, 2017, 06:37:05 pm

I would imagine there's not too many people willing to sacrifice a pristine piece of Yew for backing strips.

I have wondered about BL for backing strips though.

Title: Re: Yew for backing?
Post by: DC on July 28, 2017, 07:15:43 pm

I think Del did it. Check his blog.

Title: Re: Yew for backing?
Post by: penderbender on July 28, 2017, 07:48:22 pm

Del did for sure. They get some thick sapwood over there. He just ripped of a backing strip and made a bow out of the rest. Cheers- Brendan

Title: Re: Yew for backing?
Post by: Del the cat on July 29, 2017, 03:02:49 am

Yup, what they said.
I also made "Transatlantic" a bow from Oregon Yew billets that had bug damage in the sapwood, I took off the damaged sapwood and backed it with English Yew sapwood taken from a log that had waaay to thick sapwood. It's still going, done in 2013:-
https://bowyersdiary.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/steaming-sapwood-backing-strip.html (https://bowyersdiary.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/steaming-sapwood-backing-strip.html)
Del

Title: Re: Yew for backing?
Post by: willie on July 29, 2017, 11:38:03 pm

thanks for the input. I was actually hoping someone had tried yew backing over ipe or hickory or something much denser.

Title: Re: Yew for backing?
Post by: Hamish on July 30, 2017, 04:52:05 am

I reckon yew would work for a backing over ipe etc, but I would still go with hickory or boo. They are stronger and better matched weight wise.   Yew doesn't have as much tension strength  as hickory(good enough to do the job, but not as good as hickory, if you make a short or very narrow bow). Historically yew backing was really only used backing yew heartwood.