Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Will B on December 20, 2020, 10:52:53 am

Title: Yew Design Question
Post by: Will B on December 20, 2020, 10:52:53 am

I’m working on my second yew recurve and wanted some opinions on the design of the limbs. The bow is currently 68” with 1/4” sapwood. I’m shooting for a stiff handle, hunting-weight bow around 60# at my 29” draw. The bow is 1-3/4” wide from fades to mid-limb, tapering to 5/8” tips. Would you go less than 1-3/4”, or keep it wide at the fades and do a pyramid design?  I want to make sure I have plenty of heart wood when I hit my target weight and this stave with 3/8” heartwood is barely bending at floor tiller.

Thanks for any thoughts or advice.

Title: Re: Yew Design Question
Post by: PatM on December 20, 2020, 10:56:54 am

Narrower and thicker.

Title: Re: Yew Design Question
Post by: Will B on December 20, 2020, 11:04:13 am

Thanks PatM.  I saw in the TBB Volume 1 that 1-5/8” limb diameter was referenced for yew.

Title: Re: Yew Design Question
Post by: Pat B on December 20, 2020, 11:09:44 am

...also, as you are tillering let the bow tell you how wide or how thick it wants to be. If the heartwood starts looking thin compared to the sapwood you can reduce the width to counteract that.

Title: Re: Yew Design Question
Post by: Will B on December 20, 2020, 11:13:42 am

Will do Pat B. Thanks!

Title: Re: Yew Design Question
Post by: Del the cat on December 20, 2020, 02:22:14 pm

Could maybe take the sapwood down to 3/16" if you are worried about the heartwood getting too thin.
If it's a clean under-bark surface tho' may be best to leave it an go a tad narrower.
Tips can go a lot narrower once it coming back in a nice straight line to say 20"
Del

Title: Re: Yew Design Question
Post by: Will B on December 20, 2020, 03:32:39 pm

Thank you for that info Del. I was hoping to hear from you. Much appreciated!