Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Del the cat on March 18, 2013, 11:33:09 am

Title: Del's Bonkers Yew Bow (pic heavy)
Post by: Del the cat on March 18, 2013, 11:33:09 am
A few weeks back I posted about this slack jawed off-cut from the knotty edge of a Yew log dareing me to turn it into a bow.
Well, it only needed a belly patch, a back patch, an edge patch, half a dozen knots filled and a lateral bend at the handle and it was done ;)
Other than that it was a peach of a stave ::).
I asked if you thoght it would make 40#...
You guys showed great faith in this ol' cat sayin' I'd get past that.
Well here it is 45# at 28"
I'm giving it to a blacksmith friend in exchange for some forge time :)
It's 73" ttt. narrow deep tips (almost a hint of lever).
Triangular belly (from how it was sawed off the edge of a half log, and slightly concave back.
The grip is skinny as a super model to allow for a heat bend, this makes it sweet shooting with V little paradox.
In the shot of the grip, I like the diagonal line of pin knots.
Here's the pics...
FD shot in the next post... I hit the limit!
Del
Title: Re: Del's Bonkers Yew Bow (pic heavy)
Post by: Del the cat on March 18, 2013, 11:35:51 am
Money shot!
Title: Re: Del's Bonkers Yew Bow (pic heavy)
Post by: Pappy on March 18, 2013, 11:43:53 am
Very nice work on what sounded like a very challenging stave.  :)
   Pappy
Title: Re: Del's Bonkers Yew Bow (pic heavy)
Post by: half eye on March 18, 2013, 11:54:07 am
Very pretty bend, Is there anything you CAN'T make a bow from 8) Really like it Del.
rich
Title: Re: Del's Bonkers Yew Bow (pic heavy)
Post by: Slackbunny on March 18, 2013, 11:54:46 am
Nice one! That yew is some pretty wood.
Title: Re: Del's Bonkers Yew Bow (pic heavy)
Post by: blackhawk on March 18, 2013, 12:05:56 pm
 Meow....prrrrrr.....prrrrrrr....prrrrrrrr.... :D.   I knew there was a bow in there ;)
Title: Re: Del's Bonkers Yew Bow (pic heavy)
Post by: dwardo on March 18, 2013, 12:19:07 pm
Another sterling job on a poor excuse for firewood.  8)

I rekon if i gave you the contents of my shop floor, basically wood split and chips you would glue them all together and make a bow that works!
Title: Re: Del's Bonkers Yew Bow (pic heavy)
Post by: ErictheViking on March 18, 2013, 12:22:39 pm
Most impressive!..Great work Mr Cat, can't imagine a stave with more problems than that one.
Title: Re: Del's Bonkers Yew Bow (pic heavy)
Post by: Keenan on March 18, 2013, 12:35:20 pm
Great work on a very challenging stave. Awesome character in that bow and the tiller looks right on.
Title: Re: Del's Bonkers Yew Bow (pic heavy)
Post by: Onebowonder on March 18, 2013, 12:36:03 pm
Truly a bow fit for a blacksmith's hands, knarled, bent this way and that, patched and stitched here and there, ...they should be happy together!

OneBow

BTW - though we all expressed certainty that you could coaxe a bow out of that bit of yew, ...I think we were all kinda suspecious that it might not actually be possible!
Title: Re: Del's Bonkers Yew Bow (pic heavy)
Post by: Zion on March 18, 2013, 01:00:27 pm
Badass! Look at that bend! You did an awesome job with all those challanges....yew's a good wood!  :o
Title: Re: Del's Bonkers Yew Bow (pic heavy)
Post by: coaster500 on March 18, 2013, 01:07:24 pm
Very nicely coaxed Del !!!


Well done :)
Title: Re: Del's Bonkers Yew Bow (pic heavy)
Post by: Pat B on March 18, 2013, 01:14:41 pm
A bonkers bow from a bonkers bowyer!  ;D  Well done, Del!  8)
Title: Re: Del's Bonkers Yew Bow (pic heavy)
Post by: bubby on March 18, 2013, 01:56:34 pm
I've come to expect nothing less than a stellar bend from you, even with that hot mess of a stave, well done , Bub
Title: Re: Del's Bonkers Yew Bow (pic heavy)
Post by: Prarie Bowyer on March 18, 2013, 02:14:37 pm
Woa... how are you doing all those patches?
Title: Re: Del's Bonkers Yew Bow (pic heavy)
Post by: k-hat on March 18, 2013, 02:16:47 pm
I was just looking at the old post the other day wondering if you'd given up or been beaten!  Didn't figure you had ;)

Looks like our faith in you is well placed Del, fantastic work in all respects, a stellar patch job and a beautiful bend :)
Title: Re: Del's Bonkers Yew Bow (pic heavy)
Post by: Del the cat on March 18, 2013, 02:19:50 pm
Woa... how are you doing all those patches?
I tend to do 'em with a flat join if possible or a much longer gentler curve than a Torges' patch.
This post on my Blog shows a couple of pics of the belly patch on this bow.
http://bowyersdiary.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/bonkers-yew-character-bow.html (http://bowyersdiary.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/bonkers-yew-character-bow.html)
And here's one showing a back patch:-
http://bowyersdiary.blogspot.co.uk/2011/05/repair.html (http://bowyersdiary.blogspot.co.uk/2011/05/repair.html)

You can see the feathered out edge of the back patch on Bonkers in the pic where it hows the grip & writing 'Bonkers' at the extreme right edge of the pic.
I'm particulary please with how I blended in the edge patch (last but one pic in first post of this thread). I tried to match the heart sap boundary, but didn't quite get it... but the blend on the back of the bow is all but invisible. :)
Del
Title: Re: Del's Bonkers Yew Bow (pic heavy)
Post by: PEARL DRUMS on March 18, 2013, 04:18:49 pm
 Great bow Del, great tiller and on one nasty piece of wood.

GOOD JOB!
Title: Re: Del's Bonkers Yew Bow (pic heavy)
Post by: Bryce on March 18, 2013, 05:20:15 pm
Excellent! Love your bows bud!
Title: Re: Del's Bonkers Yew Bow (pic heavy)
Post by: danny f on March 18, 2013, 05:32:23 pm
great job it turned out nice.
Title: Re: Del's Bonkers Yew Bow (pic heavy)
Post by: Jmilbrandt on March 18, 2013, 06:17:39 pm
That's a beautiful bow del!
Title: Re: Del's Bonkers Yew Bow (pic heavy)
Post by: Badly Bent on March 18, 2013, 08:55:48 pm
Very nice Del, a real beauty. Tough job to take a stave with so many issues and make such a unique and striking bow.
Title: Re: Del's Bonkers Yew Bow (pic heavy)
Post by: Dvshunter on March 18, 2013, 11:02:08 pm
Nicely done del. Way to rise to the challenge.
Title: Re: Del's Bonkers Yew Bow (pic heavy)
Post by: SLIMBOB on March 18, 2013, 11:21:01 pm
Impressive.  Very impressive indeed my good man! :)
Title: Re: Del's Bonkers Yew Bow (pic heavy)
Post by: simson on March 19, 2013, 04:52:49 pm
Beautiful bow and awesome work on that patches!
Title: Re: Del's Bonkers Yew Bow (pic heavy)
Post by: bushboy on March 19, 2013, 05:44:13 pm
Wow,nice work!
Title: Re: Del's Bonkers Yew Bow (pic heavy)
Post by: Carson (CMB) on March 19, 2013, 06:38:31 pm
Way to take that piece of gnarly yew and show it who is boss.  Looks like you are getting pretty good with those patches.
Title: Re: Del's Bonkers Yew Bow (pic heavy)
Post by: JW_Halverson on March 20, 2013, 11:53:48 pm
Only thing better than Del posting a new thread of a new bow, is when Del's thread warns us it is pic heavy!

Simply astounding, sir!  Thanks!
Title: Re: Del's Bonkers Yew Bow (pic heavy)
Post by: Arrowind on March 21, 2013, 12:14:19 am
Sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet!!!!!
Title: Re: Del's Bonkers Yew Bow (pic heavy)
Post by: Jesse on March 21, 2013, 04:50:23 am
Great job Dell. That bow has almost as much "character" as you ;D
Title: Re: Del's Bonkers Yew Bow (pic heavy)
Post by: Prarie Bowyer on March 21, 2013, 02:09:23 pm
I'd like to see a video of the process some day.  Especially working around the funk parts.
Title: Re: Del's Bonkers Yew Bow (pic heavy)
Post by: Del the cat on March 21, 2013, 03:20:31 pm
I'd like to see a video of the process some day.  Especially working around the funk parts.
Next time I need to do a patch, maybe I'll try and video it. One problem is the damn auto focus on the camera, you get it all set up on the work, and then it starts trying to focus on your hands, because they are moving >:(... software that's too clever for it's own good. Should have a focus lock facility. (Maybe superglue would hold the sucker :o)
Del