Yew Flatbow Project (Trade Bow) Finished Pics on pg. 3-4

[coaster500]

That looks really promising Weylin....  keep it up ...

I love working Yew

[Weylin]

Thanks Coaster. I like working with yew as well, it's pretty sweet. 

[Weylin]

So I've ran into a problem. I have the bow ready to brace. The tiller's looking good (as far as i can tell...) and I've got the weight down enough that I can safely try to string it. But the few times that I have attempted to string it the tillering string starts to cut into the nocks. I filed the nocks using the method taught to me by John Strunk which leaves a little shelf at the top of groove to prevent that very problem. But clearly that's not enough in this case. I have repaired the beginning of the splits and filed the nocks in deeper but it happened again and I'm worried about ruining the bow. It's my intention to put overlays on the tips but i wasn't planning on doing it this early, my tips are still square and thick. So I guess my question is, can I fix the self nocks and continue to use them while I'm tillering or do I have no choice but to put on the overlays now?

[DarkSoul]

Any picture of the (damaged) nock? I've worked with yew a fair number of times, but never had a string 'bite' into the nock. If the wood is really damaged from only bracing the bow a few times, it would get worse over time. Is the wood really THAT soft? Is the string very thin?
A picture will definately help in determining how to solve the problem. A nockoverlay will certainly help, but if you don't like an overlay, we might come up with a better solution such as wrapping serving around the string loop. Try to take a picture of the nock in broad daylight, outdoors, with the camera set on macro mode (probably the icon with a little flower).

[Gordon]

Weylin, if you're planning on putting on overlays, you might as well do them now to avoid further problems. Yew sapwood is very soft...

[Keenan]

I always do my overlays first. I have heard people say that wait until a bow is near complete so they don't waist time with tip overlays on a bow if it doesn't make it.  My thoughts are this, I do the overlays first and only have to do the sting groves once. It is less waisted time and I rarely have a failure.  I guess I just hate doing things twice.
 You should be fine if you stop and do the overlays now

[Blacktail]

hey Weylin,i wish i was up there to help you...i am not the greatest bowyer.. but any who works with vm or yew makes me feel at home....i have a question for you...what kind of bow string are you using ...i hope every thing works out...john

[Weylin]

Thanks for all of the help and feed back, gents.

@Darksoul; Here are the pictures of the nocks. I am using a string made from fast flight plus with 16 strands. it is the same as my other yew bow has which has had no cutting problems yet. I was intending to do overlays any way so I'm inclined to just go that route. I have some ebony scraps that I have used successfully before.



@ Gordon and Keenan; I think I will just go ahead a put the overlays on. I don't like cringing every time I exercise the bow let alone string it. I had been putting off the overlays til last because of the questionable nature of the stave in general but it seems clear at this point that I can't go any further with the nocks in this condition. Keenan, here are some picks of the bow in general. I have rounded the edges down considerably. I wanted to know if that's what you were envisioning or if I need to do it even more. I hope the pictures show it well enough.

@Blacktail; Thanks for the encouragement.

[Elktracker]

Man weylin that is really looking nice I sure hope it works out for ya. I have also heard of guys adding a few strands in the loop section to fatten it up a bit .  Looking really nice so far and that character in that is awsome! Someone will be really happy with that bow when its finished up!

Josh

[dwardo]

Maybe i am just lucky but i have had string marks like that in many a bow and it hasnt worried me or broke at that point. As i pretty much add overlays to all my bows the cosmetic damage is removed later on. I tend to do overlays at about 23 inch where i know the bow has some chance of making it, seems like a waste otehrwise.

[Weylin]

Dwardo, did you see in the first picture where the back is splitting vertically below each nock? that's what's worrying me. seems like it has potential to continue travelling down the back.

I started filing down the tips in preparation for overlays last night. I might have enough ebony left from my last project but the pieces are kind of skimpy. I might go back to the woodworking store and see if they have any more cool scraps like that to use.

[Keenan]

Yes Weylin that is what I am talking about and looks great!  Youpulled those grain rings back towards the center very nicely.  That is certainly looking like it wants to be a dandy bow!

[juniper junkie]

that is coming along very well, you have followed the shape of the grain really well. on the last pic you posted there is a deflex curve in the upper limb just past the handle fades that is looking a little thin, be careful with that area as it has the most leverage from the limbs and wants to bend there, so you dont want a hinge to develop in that area because it is really hard to remove wood to get rid of it and you will end up with a much lighter bow, as others said just proceed carefully from here on and dont worry about measurements of limb thickness just go with what the bow needs for the correct tiller. love those character staves

[Del the cat]

You can always glue on a temporary overlay from a scrap of hardwood, when it's fully tillered rasp it off, flatten/angle the back a bit and do the final overlay. I do this on some of my ELBs as the Yew sapwood is abit soft.
Del

[turtle]

Looking great. Makes me want to give yew a try.