Author Topic: Yew longbow build FINISHED (Read 6935 times)

Bamboo-Bows · « **on:** June 09, 2021, 05:39:55 am »

Ready for the shredder or a brand new longbow? 🧐

This piece of yew was cut down a few years ago. The bark had a lot of damage and was starting to rot away. The trunk had a lot of drying cracks even before the tree was cut down. It was left for the shredder alongside the road untill lucky me picked it up.

I decided to split the old yew logs that I had laying around for some years. Most of the logs I cut into laminates but I saw a potential billet hidden in there. Maybe it would be cool to make a yew longbow. Before I started on laminated bows I always loved making a yew longbow because of its history. The wood itself is also easy to work with, just as long as you use a dustmask 😉
You can see a place at the end of the billet where the wood was rotting away. Hopefully this piece leaves just enough sap and hardwood that it won’t be in the finished bow. Now it is on to assembly and roughing out the profile. Will keep you guys posted on the progress! Because the end doesn't give a lot of wood to work with I will be looking for an easy target bow out of this one, let's see if it will work out.

Yew log by Bamboo Bows, on Flickr

Yew logs by Bamboo Bows, on Flickr

Billet by Bamboo Bows, on Flickr

Growthrings by Bamboo Bows, on Flickr

Split end by Bamboo Bows, on Flickr

Del the cat · « **Reply #1 on:** June 09, 2021, 07:35:53 am »

Some nice looking wood there

Any that has damaged or rotten heartwood will be great as backed yew heartwood. Boo Yew is a great combination and heat treated Yew which is then boo backed is superb!
Del

Hamish · « **Reply #2 on:** June 09, 2021, 07:48:12 am »

Nothing wrong with that yew.

I haven't had to need to try it but I have read some guys will split that crack right through, and re glue with resorcinol(which will take heat bending).

You could also saw it down the crack, plane the surfaces flat and re glue it back into a billet.

Bamboo-Bows · « **Reply #3 on:** June 09, 2021, 08:25:57 am »

Quote from: Del the cat on June 09, 2021, 07:35:53 am

Some nice looking wood there
Any that has damaged or rotten heartwood will be great as backed yew heartwood. Boo Yew is a great combination and heat treated Yew which is then boo backed is superb!
Del

Someday haha, going to back some yew with bamboo. Have not tried it yet, I am planning on putting yew in some cores. Lightweight but stiff, could give some nice shooting bows.

Quote from: Hamish on June 09, 2021, 07:48:12 am

Nothing wrong with that yew.

I haven't had to need to try it but I have read some guys will split that crack right through, and re glue with resorcinol(which will take heat bending).

You could also saw it down the crack, plane the surfaces flat and re glue it back into a billet.

Never tried or even heard of this! Interesting thought, I think there might be just enough wood left to go for a longbow without re-glueing this piece. But it is an option I will keep in mind on the next build, thank you Hamish.

Parnell · « **Reply #4 on:** June 09, 2021, 12:46:18 pm »

Good looking stuff, look forward to watching your progress with it.

pumarchery · « **Reply #5 on:** June 21, 2021, 07:53:29 pm »

I'm not only envious but also curious what the end result will be. Probably something pretty i bet (: Keep us posted and good crafting to ya

bownarra · « **Reply #6 on:** June 22, 2021, 02:14:50 am »

Nice logs

Yew works well for cores but it isn't stiff, it has very low bend resistance and needs to be thicker than most woods for the same stiffness.

Bamboo-Bows · « **Reply #7 on:** June 22, 2021, 08:48:37 am »

Stage two. I joined the two pieces with a simple v-slice at the handle giving it a slight pre-set. Glued with epoxy to fill any gaps. The growth rings on this piece is pretty tight and should make a nice bow. I plan to chase a ring on the backside taking the sapwood down to around 5-6 mm.

The stave has a little twist which will be gone once the profile is cut. I noticed at the bottom limb where the tree was rotting away that the wood was splitting. This gives me a little room to work with but should be just enough. I am aiming for a nice lightweight target bow.

Side view by Bamboo Bows, on Flickr

Rotten core by Bamboo Bows, on Flickr

Endsplice by Bamboo Bows, on Flickr

Splice by Bamboo Bows, on Flickr

Profile by Bamboo Bows, on Flickr

Profile 2 by Bamboo Bows, on Flickr

Bamboo-Bows · « **Reply #8 on:** July 13, 2021, 12:52:51 pm »

Further progress on the yew longbow build. The bow is almost tillered so next I glued up some white cow horn nocks. I always wait with putting on the nocks until I am sure the tiller is good and the bow won’t suddenly break on me. Horn nocks like this cost a lot of time preparing but the end result will be awesome I hope.

I saved an offcut from the horn nocks for the arrowpass. Never throw stuff away

The yew is pretty soft and easy to work with, making it a little more easier for the arrowpass to be laid into the wood.

Foto 13-07-2021 14 50 53 by Bamboo Bows, on Flickr

Foto 13-07-2021 14 51 22 by Bamboo Bows, on Flickr

Foto 13-07-2021 14 51 48 by Bamboo Bows, on Flickr

Foto 13-07-2021 15 23 36 by Bamboo Bows, on Flickr

Foto 13-07-2021 15 33 22 by Bamboo Bows, on Flickr

Foto 13-07-2021 15 41 11 by Bamboo Bows, on Flickr

Foto 13-07-2021 15 42 17 by Bamboo Bows, on Flickr

Foto 13-07-2021 16 24 00 by Bamboo Bows, on Flickr

airkah · « **Reply #9 on:** July 13, 2021, 01:45:36 pm »

Nice work on the arrow pass

Dances with squirrels · « **Reply #10 on:** July 13, 2021, 03:11:08 pm »

I like the shape of the horn on the top limb. Looks nice.

Stixnstones · « **Reply #11 on:** July 13, 2021, 04:19:30 pm »

Love that inlay, bow is coming along nicely

Will B · « **Reply #12 on:** July 13, 2021, 07:36:07 pm »

Beautiful horn nocks and arrow pass. Looking awesome!

Bamboo-Bows · « **Reply #13 on:** July 16, 2021, 05:03:02 am »

Thanks guys! It has been so long building a yew longbow, haha. Can't wait to put a finish on it and shoot it!

Bamboo-Bows · « **Reply #14 on:** July 29, 2021, 03:50:51 pm »

Finished up the new Longbow!

It took me a while but I am very pleased with the result. From a log by the side of the road to a yew longbow with character. It is not that often Dutch yew has such deep orange heartwood. Most of the time the trees over here have a more softer colour and the growth rings are a lot less tight as well. I am grateful to have come to acquire this piece of wood. I took my time bringing some layers down on the backside as the sapwood was thicker at some places, it would almost be sapwood going into the nock so I brought it down to around 4-5mm. I love the look of thin sap on yew bows.

The bow draws 38lbs at 28 inches and is a smooth shooter. The string is 10 strand of Dyneema and the bow is 185cm nock to nock. I applied several layers of Tung oil finish and it is silk smooth. It has been a while for me building selfbows, mainly focussing on laminated bows, but it has been a great experience. It takes a little different approach as to laminated bows. Taking a closer look to the woodgrain and knots. The bow has some character to it and really stands out next to my bamboo composites. Maybe I’ll try my hand on some more selfbows in the future, just have to find other pieces of yew like this so the bow will get a brother or sister.

Top nock by Bamboo Bows, on Flickr

Handle by Bamboo Bows, on Flickr

Side view by Bamboo Bows, on Flickr

Front profile by Bamboo Bows, on Flickr

Side view 2 by Bamboo Bows, on Flickr

Handle longbow by Bamboo Bows, on Flickr

Yew nocks by Bamboo Bows, on Flickr

Yew full draw by Bamboo Bows, on Flickr

Profile yew bow by Bamboo Bows, on Flickr