Yew ELB tiller check request?

[sieddy]

Hi guys yet again I'd appreciate some input on the tiller of this Yew stave. It's 71" long and it's currently pulling 36# @ 17". There is quite a lot of twist in one limb which I've not been able to steam out so I flipped it to show both sides. Thanks in advance 

[E. Jensen]

Tips are stiff

[sieddy]

Ta! 

[sieddy]

I took quite a bit off the tips but it's still looking a bit stiff. Also there's not much heartwood near the ends now and I don't really want to cut into the sapwood on the back. Any thoughts? 

[Del the cat]

You can reduce the sapwood gradually, there is no need to religiously follow a ring as long as you avoid any abrupt changes.
I have bows where I've had to step down through about 8 rings.
Try to keep a fairly even thickness of sapwood and don't go less than 1/3 heartwood in my opinion.
Del

[WillS]

How wide are the tips? You can tiller from the sides to make them work more. 

The ideal solution is to chase a new ring on the back, as this will reduce sapwood thickness all over.  I do it very often with yew bows - leave it reasonably thick to start with, in order to see how the bow behaves, and once I'm happy I take the back down more.

If you're not comfortable doing that, don't worry too much about tillering the belly at the tips - you might end up with mostly sapwood there, but that's not the end of the world.  Or you could knock down a few rings at the tips - say 8" from the tips down to the ends - and feather the violations back along the bow. 

Yew will take pretty much anything you throw at it, so just pick the option that appeals to you most

[sieddy]

Cheers fellas ideally I want to leave the back alone but of course I might start reducing it. Do I want to get it bending more anywhere else?

[Del the cat]

It looks like how I start my bows, you've got the middle working, it's all about getting the outer half 2/3 of each limb coming round now.
A little bit of work on the outers, then get it braced.
I don't narrow the tips until it's moving a bit more and you know it isn't going sideways.
Del

[sieddy]

Cheers Del much appreciated!

[mikekeswick]

Be careful to get the mid limbs/tips moving properly before you brace it. They are still very stiff. Remember you are going for an elliptical tiller with this bow. You should have a little bend in the middle gradually increasing as you go along the limbs. As it is it gradually decreases!

[sieddy]

Thanks Mike! 

[sieddy]

Hiya I'm a bit embarrassed to be posting next to such stunning ELB's  but nonetheless!
I've took quite a lot of material (including sapwood) of the outer halves. It's braced at 2" and I've drawn it to 20" where it's pulling 44#. Should I just keep scraping the tips and mids and brace it higher? Thanks 

[randman]

Looks to be a slight flat spot mid limb on the right in second pic (which is left in 3rd pic)
Also tip on left in second pic (right in 3rd pic) is still a bit stiff.
Other than that it's looking good, it's coming around.

[sieddy]

Thanks mate that's really helpful! 

[sieddy]

More of the tip off one side and mid of t'other. It's braced 3" and I've had it back 22" where it's pulling 46#. Should I continue along the same lines? Thanks