Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Ryan C on November 19, 2015, 09:29:39 pm

Title: Getting tired of sawn yew staves
Post by: Ryan C on November 19, 2015, 09:29:39 pm
This is the second yew bow in a row I have had fail due to the grain being sawed through. I'm pretty mad because these staves aren't cheap and hand split yew is almost impossible to find. It was looking really good to. Can anything be done?(http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm165/jreefer454/1D9C9FBB-8322-4BC4-9A7F-26B343AFA0F7_zpshsntui9k.png) (http://s296.photobucket.com/user/jreefer454/media/1D9C9FBB-8322-4BC4-9A7F-26B343AFA0F7_zpshsntui9k.png.html)(http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm165/jreefer454/Mobile%20Uploads/E49DDF43-80AF-4DA0-ABA1-EB7AB83DED00_zpsoaiqvlly.jpg) (http://s296.photobucket.com/user/jreefer454/media/Mobile%20Uploads/E49DDF43-80AF-4DA0-ABA1-EB7AB83DED00_zpsoaiqvlly.jpg.html)
Title: Re: Getting tired of sawn yew staves
Post by: wizardgoat on November 19, 2015, 09:51:05 pm
Was it from a drawknife catching? It's better to play it safe with a rasp if your unsure of the grain.
Do you have much width to play with?
Looks a little sharp on the edge?
Title: Re: Getting tired of sawn yew staves
Post by: LittleBen on November 19, 2015, 10:26:47 pm
I would round the edges of the back a lot more.

Could also consider a backing.

I also wonder like Wizardgoat if that was a draw knife catch?
Title: Re: Getting tired of sawn yew staves
Post by: Pat B on November 19, 2015, 11:08:18 pm
The edges do look a bit sharp. I'd round them off also. You might even eliminate the splinter.
Title: Re: Getting tired of sawn yew staves
Post by: Bryce on November 19, 2015, 11:30:10 pm
All my yew is sawn staves. Grain runoff or not has never been a problem for me.
Title: Re: Getting tired of sawn yew staves
Post by: sieddy on November 20, 2015, 04:32:34 am
That is a bummer man- as it is indeed looking good. Hope you can save it!
Title: Re: Getting tired of sawn yew staves
Post by: Del the cat on November 20, 2015, 05:01:03 am
Rasp out a shallow scoop about 3-4" long and put in a patch of Yew sapwood.
You ought to see some of the stuff I have to work with! :o
Hers's on I did:-
http://bowyersdiary.blogspot.co.uk/2014/02/back-patch-and-tip-tidy.html (http://bowyersdiary.blogspot.co.uk/2014/02/back-patch-and-tip-tidy.html)
A guy showed me a bow I'd made for him about 5 years ago, it had a patch over a problem knot... we had trouble finding it as it had aged in with the other wood.
Here's the one:-
http://bowyersdiary.blogspot.co.uk/2011/05/repair.html (http://bowyersdiary.blogspot.co.uk/2011/05/repair.html)
Do it right and with the same wood if possible, and you'll barely be able to see it. Gotta use a decent glue, I use Resintite.
Del
Title: Re: Getting tired of sawn yew staves
Post by: Ryan C on November 20, 2015, 06:41:07 am
Thanks guys I'll see what I can do
Title: Re: Getting tired of sawn yew staves
Post by: blackhawk on November 20, 2015, 06:45:45 am
Bet it comes out after you round the edge well...which you shouldve done before bending it that far. Pea size radius on the back edge ;)
Title: Re: Getting tired of sawn yew staves
Post by: George Tsoukalas on November 20, 2015, 08:44:29 am
Ryan, I'll take your word for it but the grain looks straight to me. Yes, round the edges.

I've had that happen with hickory. I just went on the other side of the split with an edged tool and took it out and adjusted tiller accordingly.

The first thing I do when laying out  a stave of any wood is draw a line down the middle following that lateral grain that goes tip to tip.

It doesn't matter whether the stave is sawn or split.

Jawge
Title: Re: Getting tired of sawn yew staves
Post by: Ryan C on November 20, 2015, 06:27:31 pm
Got past it with a couple scrapes. I shouldn't have jumped to conclusions so fast.
Thanks everyone! Should have a nice yew bow posted soon.
Title: Re: Getting tired of sawn yew staves
Post by: Ryan C on November 20, 2015, 06:55:59 pm
(http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm165/jreefer454/0EEDD420-217E-4E93-8C29-EC8074FE58A0_zpstgy9qsdz.jpg) (http://s296.photobucket.com/user/jreefer454/media/0EEDD420-217E-4E93-8C29-EC8074FE58A0_zpstgy9qsdz.jpg.html)(http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm165/jreefer454/0DFD8378-97FE-4D5F-B448-6B7C12B9F724_zpsl1brx1g0.jpg) (http://s296.photobucket.com/user/jreefer454/media/0DFD8378-97FE-4D5F-B448-6B7C12B9F724_zpsl1brx1g0.jpg.html)

Spoke too soon haha. Pulled it to about 18 inches where it was pulling about 25 -30 pounds and it snapped . Back to Osage for me this yew isnt  nothing special in my opinion.
Title: Re: Getting tired of sawn yew staves
Post by: Weylin on November 20, 2015, 07:25:35 pm
That looks like some serious grain violation. a good sawed stave is one thing but that looks like someone took a yew tree with serious twist and just sawed out some straight staves completely ignoring the twist.
Title: Re: Getting tired of sawn yew staves
Post by: bradsmith2010 on November 20, 2015, 07:32:35 pm
i think backing the bow would be a positive solution, if it is a board,, it will help if there is a run out,, :)
I have not worked with yew,, but some of the greatest work and have worked with it,, I am sure there are very good reasons for that,,
Title: Re: Getting tired of sawn yew staves
Post by: PatM on November 20, 2015, 07:45:10 pm
    Do you not get hints of diagonal grain like that as you start working the sides?
Title: Re: Getting tired of sawn yew staves
Post by: Ryan C on November 20, 2015, 07:52:18 pm
It wasn't a board and ya I knew the grain was bad but I went the opposite way with the drawknife when working the sides so as not to split it.
Title: Re: Getting tired of sawn yew staves
Post by: wizardgoat on November 20, 2015, 08:01:35 pm
That's a shame, was looking nice. The corners still look a little sharp to me, but it's hard to tell in the photos.  I've made a lot of yew bows and all except a few have been sawn.
For sure looks like a twisty tree, I would of maybe left that one in the ground, but
I've made a few from sawn twisty staves and they are all still shooting