YEW log into Billets and 3 BOWs - 3 FINISHED BOWS - Renamed title again

[globalmark]

1st coat of Danish Oil - will let dry for 20+hrs then sand most off and smooth with 400G or wire wool - label/name bow then continue with several more coats of oil ...
that's all today

[globalmark]

OK - just about finished -8-9 coats danish oil with 8hrs dry between coats then a good rub down with 000 wire wool
then Used hot glue to fix on the Arrow rest (this glue only temporary holds while wrap is done)
then used 1.4mm suede leather strip 1" wide (didn't skive the edge of the leather as thin anyway )

used Hot glue to hold leather strip - tiny blob on the leather and bow each rotation just to hold and stop slippage - sometimes use contact adhesive but thats more permanent ..
photo shows handle wrap finished - just need to smooth out tucked in bit and tidy up neatly
leather wrap

[globalmark]

Finished Bow

nice shooter - has lots speed and penetration power for a 42lbs bow its one of my favourite

[DC]

Nice one! That's a lot of layers!

[globalmark]

Finished Bow
me holding full draw - silly position i am as trying to hold for photo

so thats 3 bows all useable out of 1 dodgy UK yew log
couple things i learned myself - - when scrape the timber with saw blade don't go to the end as when you sand - you can see the scrape lines (IE my handle plate)
Yew also really good at heat treating with Dry heat - i used hot air gun


Thanks all guys for watching and COMMENTS please - if see something i can do better or you would do different i would LIKE to hear as I love learning how to improve myself and bow making

SO please critique and give info how you would do different or suggestions how to do things better ..or if you want any more specific info on any bows or how i do please ask happy to help ..

[DC]

You asked for criticism. I would have used a better back lam with less ring violations but I'm paranoid about backs. I'm very interested to see how it lasts. I've always wanted to make a multi lam Yew bow like that with all my scraps but I keep using them for stuff.

[globalmark]

Hi DC

Thanks for that yes Please critique away - I agree with the Back LAM - if you see the post before , I did have a Pure sapwood great Lam for the back but had a crack when Tillered - so did that long splice , and only Lam's I had left over were those ones with bits of heartwood also -
this whole Bow was made with left over rubbish wood that was NO good for the longbows - so was a sort of Pieced together thing from timber that was really destined for the Bin .. the Lams were not even cut for a laminated bow -i was considering using them for a GLASS bow as a mid layer to look nice is all ..
But 1 started with 3 lams - but ended with 5 for strength and repairs - in a perfect world i would use perfect wood - but UK yew is never straight or good and this was a 20 year old bit given to me full of crack, splits and woodworm-
i really used every inch of that Log - think i have 1 lamination left -


cheers Mark

 

[simk]

Hey Mark - that thread was a great show. Thanks. The laminating part was very interesting for me with good pic-documemtary and the result sure is rewarding! The only qustion I have is about the tiller on this laminated thing: Almost all of the bend is after the fades, not much midlimb/outers. Is it to challenge the lams or why is that so? First two bows were tillered completly different also. Cheers

[globalmark]

HI SIMK

First I am really No BOW expert - I was taught how to make UK longbows by the Late CHRIS BOYTON (one of Englands best Bowyers) but all the rest is self taught - internet and forums etc . So there are way way better experts on this site then me ..so if have a specific question make a specific post is best .
Saying that happy to help where i can -
the first 2 bows were solid YEW or even a tri-laminated longbows i taper the centre lamination towards the tips get dimensions correct then take off wood where need with a scraper mainly

Full Laminated Bows - you have to get the Tiller mostly correct first - then adjust a small amount from sides and a tiny Bit from the belly -
with this Lam YEW bow it started with 3 lams and due to the Low LBS i added a extra Lam - then due to the crack I added another one total 5 but ALL the Lams were equal perfect matching pairs as close as i could get this bad timber (so most bent evenly already before glue up - 
Originally the 3 Lams - i made the central one Tapered thicker in middle and thinner to tips but added 2 more parallel lams

Q.. Not much bend mid -outer  - I could have maybe tillered more BUT was worried about further cracks and shakes in the wood (remember this was BAD timber really destined for the fire) as well as the crack i had and having heartwood on the back and sapwood on the belly, Loads Knots in wrong place and Banana bent laminations, grain run offs on the laminations etc  - so I just made this specific bow a Hybrid English Longbow American Flatbow type thing - pure guess work until i was happy with its shape and bend ..Just a Marks shape let the wood tell me what to do

this Bow ended Up 18-19mm thick near the fades and 14-15mm thick near the tips, 68" long (approx 40mm at fades tapered to approx 12mm at string groove - slight TRAP to the belly , Back mostly flat but heavy rounded edges .
So what i am saying is this Bow is NOT conventional - its the wrong size and shape for a label ,

if i had good laminations I would not have used these I was originally just going to make them into Veneers and Put them under a Glass bow but the more i looked at them I thought why NOT try ..

not sure that was a answer hahahah but ask again anything i will do my best ..
Mark

[globalmark]

Just little bit Interest

Found a YEW branch on local Common (field and woods in the local village people live around allowed to take cut timber)
and you can see the sort of nice shapes we get from English YEW - give it a year to dry and might be a light spliced handle BOW from it -
this is what i do to UK yew

Drawknife - take all Bark off
decide where cut or split (cut this as so small) - hand draw line top limb
cut in half
seal ends with End seal (a wax) or PVA glue thick coat and about 1" down sides ( done this several times before and seasons without further splits .

If no good for a BOW - make some Laminations or use for Handles or make some Xmas pressies (spoons , spatulas , bowls etc etc )(i am wood turner and cabinet maker) so no wood ever gets wasted .