Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: WillS on December 01, 2012, 12:21:58 pm

Title: Yew longbow
Post by: WillS on December 01, 2012, 12:21:58 pm
Apologies first off for the diabolical quality of photographs here, and the lack of a full-draw shot.  Will add that later if I can work out how to do it!

This came from a really dodgy S-bend piece of English Yew, and ended up at 60#@28.  Cow horn side-nocks, and just for the sake of it I added a pic with an arrow I made last night.  This is the first bow I've ever made (and the first arrow, incidentally) and was shooting it today at the club and she's perfect!

(http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb363/Will_Sherman/WP_000458.jpg)

(http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb363/Will_Sherman/WP_000455.jpg)

(http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb363/Will_Sherman/WP_000454.jpg)

(http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb363/Will_Sherman/WP_000453.jpg)

(http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb363/Will_Sherman/WP_000451.jpg)


(http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb363/Will_Sherman/WP_000459.jpg)

And here is the stave it came from!

(http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb363/Will_Sherman/WP_000428.jpg)

Title: Re: Yew longbow
Post by: Del the cat on December 01, 2012, 12:41:39 pm
Great job!
Got that lovely Yew ELB medieval look, fine job on the nocks, I think a lot of people have 'em waaay too chunky first off, I know I did.
Bravo from a tricky stave.
Can't wait for the FD shot... I wub that puddy cat too :)
Del
Title: Re: Yew longbow
Post by: coaster500 on December 01, 2012, 12:49:11 pm
Very, very nice.....  just need to see this one bent :)


Got to love Yew!!!
Title: Re: Yew longbow
Post by: killir duck on December 01, 2012, 01:02:16 pm
cool bow
Title: Re: Yew longbow
Post by: Weylin on December 01, 2012, 01:16:00 pm
Looks great! love me some yew. now we need the full draw!
Title: Re: Yew longbow
Post by: missilemaster on December 01, 2012, 01:18:13 pm
Beautiful!!! :)
Title: Re: Yew longbow
Post by: fishfinder401 on December 01, 2012, 01:25:06 pm
i love that bow, and you said it was your first? thats incredible
Title: Re: Yew longbow
Post by: ionicmuffin on December 01, 2012, 01:52:56 pm
Um.... Man you did AMAZING! first bow ever??? you must be a pro! the fact that you took something like yew, and turned it into that is just amazing! AND its your first. PearlDrums should be taking notes from you  ::)  (no offence pearl, last time i saw a post on you and yew you destroyed quite a few.)
Title: Re: Yew longbow
Post by: Keenan on December 01, 2012, 01:59:12 pm
Incredible. That looks way better then my first bow. Congratulations and I must say very very fine first bow ;)
Title: Re: Yew longbow
Post by: WillS on December 01, 2012, 04:39:17 pm
Wow, cheers guys! So glad it worked out in the end as I've had so many failures that I was about ready to throw in the towel! I honestly think it was joining here and reading this wealth of information that did the job!

I'm terrified of taking a full draw pic on a tiller, in case it explodes as im walking to a good distance. 
Title: Re: Yew longbow
Post by: Roy on December 01, 2012, 04:39:56 pm
Very nice work...
Title: Re: Yew longbow
Post by: Ifrit617 on December 01, 2012, 05:07:08 pm
Excellent looking bow. That yew has come really nice character.

Jon
Title: Re: Yew longbow
Post by: Del the cat on December 01, 2012, 05:20:18 pm
Wow, cheers guys! So glad it worked out in the end as I've had so many failures that I was about ready to throw in the towel! I honestly think it was joining here and reading this wealth of information that did the job!

I'm terrified of taking a full draw pic on a tiller, in case it explodes as im walking to a good distance.
Quite right, try to avoid keeping at full draw for more than a few secs. I then to video it being dynamically flexed on the tiller and then take the frame of video showing full draw. I have a diy camera mount screwed to the garage wall opposite my tiller rig.
Otherwise you have to train up family members to take decent pics.
Del
Title: Re: Yew longbow
Post by: steve b. on December 01, 2012, 09:19:47 pm
Well you can see how your failures has made you a bowyer.  You're over that hurdle now and those learning experiences will be with you forever.
Title: Re: Yew longbow
Post by: Dictionary on December 01, 2012, 09:31:31 pm
so this is or isnt your first?

Title: Re: Yew longbow
Post by: sharpend60 on December 01, 2012, 09:34:12 pm
I think the poster meant it was his first success, not attempt.

Title: Re: Yew longbow
Post by: WillS on December 01, 2012, 11:40:04 pm
Yeah, first actual bow that made it past the tillering stage.  All the others either weren't seasoned properly and took crazy set or chrysals, or I missed things like hinges during tillering and they broke.   I've got a couple of ash bows waiting to be finished, and another piece of REALLY frightening looking yew, but this is my first shootable bow.
Title: Re: Yew longbow
Post by: Carson (CMB) on December 02, 2012, 12:00:19 am
Nicely done Will.  Looking forward to a full draw pic, but like Del warned, don't leave it full draw on a tiller stick for more than a second or two.  What is the length on that?  And did you do your layout on the belly side?  I have never seen that before.  Again, nicely done, looks like a great shooter, and nice arrow too.
Title: Re: Yew longbow
Post by: WillS on December 02, 2012, 08:02:07 am
Will try and get a full draw pic done today!  It's 72" ntn.  Yeah, I did the layout belly side rather than on the back - just shows how ignorant I am with making bows!  I kept reading "you must always follow the grain" not realising it was relating to the back/sapwood grain.  I thought it was vital to follow every twist and turn on the belly, including the huge S-bend, so I carefully penciled along the central grain line and marked out my taper thickness in tiny increments using a formula.  Once it had been roughed out I spent about 2 weeks with a heat gun and 4 billion clamps to get the thing straight, and was finally able to string it and tiller it.  I have learned my lesson doing that!
Title: Re: Yew longbow
Post by: lesken2011 on December 02, 2012, 09:33:20 am
Definitely a nice job on that curvy piece of wood! 8)