Bending Yew

[Yorkist]

I just got back from a friend's place and he had some yew in his basement that he graciously let me have.  One piece is quite nice and will make a good bow from, albeit it is too short to make a longbow.  The other two are long enough but bent.  My question is is there a way to straighten them out, such as soaking or using steam?  Has anyone tried anything similar before?  I'd like to find a way to use them but if not I'll have to work with something else.

[seminolewind]

Steam or a heat gun will work. If youre gonna use steam put it on top of a boiling pot with tin foil covering the limb let it steam for about 40 mins before clamping. Depending how old the wood is be careful with steam, because letting it cool too fast can induce checking. If youre gonna use a heat gun be careful not to scorch the wood sometimes using olive oil on the portion of the limb you are heating will curb scorching. Just remember to de-grease if you are planning on sinew backing.

I aint a pro by no means but thats my 2 cents  have a good n' !

[Bryce]

Steam or boil

[Weylin]

Steam or boil

What Pinecone said. Dry heat can work but yew likes to open up lateral cracks on the belly when you bend it with dry heat.

[adb]

I've used steam, boiling, and a heat gun. All worked well. Yew loves to bend to heat.

[mikekeswick]

I've used steam, boiling, and a heat gun. All worked well. Yew loves to bend to heat.

Yep you can make it like rubber. I prefer boiling over just steaming for any wood.

[Yorkist]

For me I think steaming is the most accessible option, as I have no access to a heat gun.  I'll try it out as soon as I can get over to my friend's place as my 1 bedroom apartment is not suitable for steaming staves as big as these.

[Pat B]

Is the bend through out the entire stave or isolated to an area or two? Its hard to bend the entire stave using steam or boiling because the wood cools before you can get it clamped.

[Hamish]

I don't know how experienced you are as a bowyer, but if you haven't already made some good bows from other woods I would hold off using the yew for now. If you have plenty of experience making bows but just not heat bending, then by all means try the yew. Its best to learn basic bowyery on less valuable wood.

I'm guessing the staves are dry, I would then rough one out to floor tillered dimensions, with slightly wide tips, keeping the sides and belly flat and square so you have surfaces that a clamp will hold on to. I would then get a heat gun, they aren't too expensive(a lot less than a good yew stave), and use cooking oil to make sure the wood doesn't scorch or crack.
Whilst steaming and boiling will work with dry wood(especially air dried yew), its not a good idea to reintroduce a lot of moisture into already dry wood in the working area of the limb. Boiling and steaming are fine(best options) if you want to recurve the tips or bend a stiff non working  handle.

 I would also use a Gary Davis type bow form which allows you to put in a reflex and take out side bends simultaneously.Gary has a dvd available, if you do a google search. Yes its a lot of effort, but it gives you maximum control over the process and will deliver the results you want.

Good luck.
                     Hamish.

[Yorkist]

I am a complete novice and I agree about starting off on another material.  I was planning on making my first one out of ash since it is readily available at the local lumberyard and was a period material for medieval English warbows.

The wood is quite dry having seasoned for about 3 years in my friend's climate controlled basement.

I'll look up some videos on using a heat gun, it does sound better than steaming or boiling.

[Del the cat]

Check out my Bowyers Diary (mr Google will find it for you), there are plenty of posts on there about steam and dry heat bending Yew.
Del