Author Topic: Yew help.  (Read 3025 times)

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Offline Tommytinker

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Yew help.
« on: July 10, 2014, 03:38:15 pm »
I've hot this piece of yew, 66" long, 3" wide at one end tapering to 2 1/4 at the other. Cut 3 weeks ago.

What should I do now?

Offline Tommytinker

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Re: Yew help.
« Reply #1 on: July 10, 2014, 03:38:32 pm »

Offline Tommytinker

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Re: Yew help.
« Reply #2 on: July 10, 2014, 03:39:12 pm »

Offline Tommytinker

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Re: Yew help.
« Reply #3 on: July 10, 2014, 03:40:09 pm »

Offline Del the cat

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Re: Yew help.
« Reply #4 on: July 10, 2014, 04:58:26 pm »
Paint the ends first, than spend ages looking at it trying to find the straightest cleanes face, or if not straight, at least where tips and centre line up.
Once you have done that saw or chop away the all the other side of the log (except leave some extra thickness where the grip will be. Then leave it somewhere dry and airy for about 9 months. After that start marking out a bow and roughing it down... start the serious work after a year.
You can always clamp it to some sort of former to help remove bends as it seasons.
IMO... don't remove the bark.....
It will fall off on it's oven whne you start to tiller the bow. It will leave a perfect back, as you have nice thin sapwood.
It's got the makings of a nice primitive... say 1 1/2" - 2"wide tapreing to as thin as you dare >:D
I recently finished one along those lines on my blog, starting here:-
http://bowyersdiary.blogspot.co.uk/2014/06/yew-primitives.html
Del
Health warning, these posts may contain traces of nut.

Offline DarkSoul

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Re: Yew help.
« Reply #5 on: July 10, 2014, 07:06:22 pm »
Yes, Del is spot on. Listen to him.
The only thing I can add is this: you could also leave this log whole - as is - and put it to dry slowly for at least a year before working it. It will take longer to dry fully, as opposed to reducing it, but at least it won't curl into deflex, which is very likely if you chop away the bad side of the log before drying.
I'm usually not a fan of leaving logs in the round for drying, but the only exception I make is for logs less than 3" across, as long as the bark is still on and you can dry it SLOWLY (not in a warm attic or shed now in summer!).
"Sonuit contento nervus ab arcu."
Ovid, Metamorphoses VI-286

Offline Aaron H

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Re: Yew help.
« Reply #6 on: July 12, 2014, 07:56:08 am »
Does most all yew take a natural deflex when it is split and seasoning?

Offline DarkSoul

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Re: Yew help.
« Reply #7 on: July 12, 2014, 08:34:35 am »
50/50
Yew NEVER takes reflex as it dries. It's either deflex, or it stays straight. A small diameter sapling, left as a half round log, tends to take deflex quicker than a quarter split stave. At least that's my experience.
"Sonuit contento nervus ab arcu."
Ovid, Metamorphoses VI-286