Author Topic: yew sapling flatbow (with big pics)  (Read 12563 times)

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Offline leonwood

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yew sapling flatbow (with big pics)
« on: June 12, 2017, 07:15:28 am »
This was a fun bow to make! I recently broke a mulberry bow in the handle (big hole at handle area but I thought it would make a cool feature, oops) so I wanted to start another bow quickly to forget about the mulberry.
A bowyer who lives near me gave me a small diameter yew sapling. He did not want to mess with it since it developed some sideways bend while drying (see pic below). He roughed it out on his bandsaw already so I could start with it immediately. (I don’t have a bandsaw or any other power tools so roughing out takes me some effort/time usually)
I had it braced within an our or so but of course the string did not line up at all. I clamped it belly up in my heat treat form and heat treated each limb for about 30 minutes. This aligned it good enough to finish tillering to 28 inches. After narrowing the handle a bit the string still did not line up enough so now I clamped it sideways to bend the handle with some dry heat. I got lucky because it worked in one 10 minute session.
The bow ended up 68 inches nock to nock and exactly 50 lbs at 28 inch. If it keeps some reflex I might pike it a bit but it shoots really smooth now so not sure yet.
Because is has a lot of sapwood and the heartwood is really light coloured I decided to give it a little color on the fades to light it up. Took some water colour markers from my daughter and just blended it directly on the wood.
Handle is some leather from an old jacket I got for 2 euros at the flea market. Finished with danish oil and an old fast flight string which happened to be the right size.
Below some pictures, I hope you like the bow!

// unbraced profiles







// details






// braced




// stave


// handle






// fulldraw


Offline Pat B

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Re: yew sapling flatbow (with big pics)
« Reply #1 on: June 12, 2017, 08:19:43 am »
Very nice bow. Like osage I guess it doesn't take much yew to make a good bow. Tiller looks good to me too.  8)   :OK
Make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes!    Pat Brennan  Brevard, NC

Offline Pappy

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Re: yew sapling flatbow (with big pics)
« Reply #2 on: June 12, 2017, 08:20:05 am »
Very nice bow, well done in all aspects. :)
 Pappy
Clarksville,Tennessee
TwinOaks Bowhunters
Life is Good

Offline Aaron H

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Re: yew sapling flatbow (with big pics)
« Reply #3 on: June 12, 2017, 08:53:17 am »
Excellent bow, you do very clean work.  Great photos too.

Offline osage outlaw

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Re: yew sapling flatbow (with big pics)
« Reply #4 on: June 12, 2017, 08:56:08 am »
That is a great looking bow! 
I started out with nothin' and I still got most of it left

Offline ksnow

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Re: yew sapling flatbow (with big pics)
« Reply #5 on: June 12, 2017, 08:58:21 am »
Sweet looking bow.  And the tiller looks spot on.  Good on you for turning someone else's not so desirable stave into a fine bow.

Kyle

Offline PEARL DRUMS

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Re: yew sapling flatbow (with big pics)
« Reply #6 on: June 12, 2017, 08:59:33 am »
Very nice bow.
Only when the last tree has died and the last river has been poisoned and the last fish has been caught will we realize we cannot eat money.

Offline BowEd

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Re: yew sapling flatbow (with big pics)
« Reply #7 on: June 12, 2017, 09:20:19 am »
Sweet job done on that stick.
BowEd
You got to stand for something or you'll fall for anything.
Ed

Offline DC

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Re: yew sapling flatbow (with big pics)
« Reply #8 on: June 12, 2017, 09:21:11 am »
Gotta like that one!

Offline GlisGlis

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Re: yew sapling flatbow (with big pics)
« Reply #9 on: June 12, 2017, 09:35:41 am »
i got 6 or 7 yew sapling waiting me to do something
Will try to make them look as good as your bow
i like it alot   :OK

Offline leonwood

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Re: yew sapling flatbow (with big pics)
« Reply #10 on: June 12, 2017, 03:12:52 pm »
Wow thanks for the awesome replies! I must admit I was surprised by the result as well considering there is still sapwood on the sides. I guess the heat treatment worked very well on the narrow limbs

Offline bradsmith2010

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Re: yew sapling flatbow (with big pics)
« Reply #11 on: June 12, 2017, 03:34:55 pm »
yes I like it,, :OK

Offline Del the cat

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Re: yew sapling flatbow (with big pics)
« Reply #12 on: June 12, 2017, 05:03:51 pm »
Nice job :)
Del
Health warning, these posts may contain traces of nut.

Offline George Tsoukalas

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Re: yew sapling flatbow (with big pics)
« Reply #13 on: June 12, 2017, 05:40:24 pm »
Excellent tiller. Nicely done. Jawge
Set Happens!
If you ain't breakin' you ain't makin!

Offline upstatenybowyer

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Re: yew sapling flatbow (with big pics)
« Reply #14 on: June 12, 2017, 07:34:30 pm »
That's a beauty!  :OK
"Even as the archer loves the arrow that flies, so too he loves the bow that remains constant in his hands."

Nigerian Proverb