Author Topic: Ash backed Yew recurve  (Read 16736 times)

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Offline Marc St Louis

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Ash backed Yew recurve
« on: November 30, 2008, 03:34:54 pm »
This is a bow I made for a guy with long arms that wants a short bow to hunt big Pigs.  It's also my second attempt at making the bow, needless to say a short bow and a long draw are a difficult combination to make.  My first try was a Hickory backed Osage 60" long and 1 3/8" wide limbs and it was pulling about 75# @ 31"...it broke.  I had the bow fully tillered and was beginning to do the finish on it when I did a full draw with it again.  The bow exploded violently.  The Hickory let go on the top limb, it was a quarter sawn strip. You can see what happened here in this picture




I figured I would try the lower density and more elastic wood Yew for the second try.  Now I know that White Ash makes an excellent backing for Yew but I was a bit worried about using a quarter sawn backing after the first failure.  So I chased a good ring on a White Ash stave and ripped a flat sawn backing strip, a bit of a pain but worthwhile.  I steamed the recurves in a pair of Yew billets then glued them together in deflex.  Then I used dry heat to reflex the limbs and glued more reflex in with the Ash. In all it started with about 5" of reflex and after tillering the bow out to 31" it kept almost 3" of that.  I have drawn the bow out to full draw many times and it has settled to about 2" of reflex now.  I also shot it a couple times using a 550 grain arrow and a 28" draw.  It is fast, in fact probably as fast as any bow I have ever made.  The bow turned out at 60" long with 1 1/2" wide limbs and it pulls 63# @ 28", I can't pull it back any further with the hand held scale I have.  That should project out to about 70# @ 31".  Here's a couple pictures









The braced image is corrupted so I will have to upload it later
« Last Edit: July 15, 2017, 02:22:31 pm by Marc St Louis »
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Offline Marc St Louis

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Re: Ash backed Yew recurve
« Reply #1 on: November 30, 2008, 03:50:57 pm »
I must say photobucket has sure buggered up their site
Home of heat-treating, Corbeil, On.  Canada

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Offline sailordad

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Re: Ash backed Yew recurve
« Reply #2 on: November 30, 2008, 03:58:55 pm »
another awesome bow marc :o

thats one heck of a draw length too.love the curves


                                                                    tim
i always wanted a harley,untill it became the "thing to ride"
i ride because i love to,not to be part of the crowd

Offline DanaM

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Re: Ash backed Yew recurve
« Reply #3 on: November 30, 2008, 05:19:44 pm »
Marc your bows are not only are visually appealing but but also deadly weapons :) I feel sorry for the pigs ;D
I do have a question though is the bottom limb bending more or is it just the picture?
I would love to see a close up of the tip overlays. And I've also had some problems with photobucket lately >:(
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Offline Kegan

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Re: Ash backed Yew recurve
« Reply #4 on: November 30, 2008, 05:28:50 pm »
I think the term 'awestruck' would apply here :o :o :o!

Offline Keenan

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Re: Ash backed Yew recurve
« Reply #5 on: November 30, 2008, 05:41:23 pm »
 Another beauty Mark. I must say you are becoming the short R/D master. I second what Dana said that is a serious little rocket launcher. Congratulations and thank you for sharing the results of the first one. We all learn that way ;)

Offline Marc St Louis

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Re: Ash backed Yew recurve
« Reply #6 on: November 30, 2008, 05:45:38 pm »
Thanks guys.

Dana.  I'm always worried that I will hit the ceiling when I draw a bow back so I have tendency of angling the bow down.  It's hard to correct.  The bow is smooth and doesn't pivot when I draw it back.

Here is a braced/unbraced picture

« Last Edit: July 15, 2017, 02:21:52 pm by Marc St Louis »
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Offline George Tsoukalas

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Re: Ash backed Yew recurve
« Reply #7 on: November 30, 2008, 06:48:11 pm »
Very nice bow, Marc, as usual. :) Jawge
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Offline Badger

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Re: Ash backed Yew recurve
« Reply #8 on: November 30, 2008, 07:56:23 pm »
  Thats a classic mark, especially with that long draw, I think it is going to my buddy so I can't wait to see it in person. I have a feeling the combo of ash and yew will get along quite well for years to come. Steve

Offline bcbull

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Re: Ash backed Yew recurve
« Reply #9 on: November 30, 2008, 07:57:19 pm »
 awsome marc !!! i relley like the idea usin ash with the yew   have you put it on the cronograph  yet?  im wonderin  if  it outdoes white lightning ??? brock

Offline Badger

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Re: Ash backed Yew recurve
« Reply #10 on: November 30, 2008, 10:11:39 pm »
   Mark, I love how that bow is bending most of the work is right in the sweet spot! Steve

Offline Marc St Louis

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Re: Ash backed Yew recurve
« Reply #11 on: November 30, 2008, 10:14:42 pm »
Thanks guys.

Steve. Yes I made the bow for Steve Q

To cold and to much snow up here to be using a chronograph Brock

Steve. I was amazed at how fast the bow shot a 550 grain arrow at a short draw
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AKAPK

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Re: Ash backed Yew recurve
« Reply #12 on: November 30, 2008, 10:38:46 pm »
Nice recovery Mark, I never had good luck with ash They all 4 Busted.
and yes p-bucket is.PK
« Last Edit: November 30, 2008, 10:45:22 pm by AKAPK »

Offline Ryano

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Re: Ash backed Yew recurve
« Reply #13 on: December 01, 2008, 01:19:06 am »
Nice looking Bow Marc. Did you ever think of incorporating a reverse riser handle into a short bow for a long draw like that? You can add a couple inches of draw length pretty easily with a forward grip.
Its November, I'm gone hunt'in.......
Osage is still better.....

Offline Pappy

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Re: Ash backed Yew recurve
« Reply #14 on: December 01, 2008, 10:04:50 am »
Another very nice one Marc,great job. :)
   Pappy
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