Warbows and String Follow

[blackhawk]

Thanks Del and

  I think the reason they have so much set with VERY little shooting (the bow i posted recently on here is pushing about 2-3 inches of set/string follow and has never been shot!) is down to my impatience.  They came from the same tree and the wood had been cut almost a year and half ago, and left outside. 

Therein lays your majority problem...the moisture content of your wood is too high if it was left outdoors to season in the u.k. .....lots of off topic rambling going on here....make sure your wood is stored in 40-50% relative humidity if you can...and don't start bending it till its at the correct moisture content...even if you have a high ring count super dense naturally reflexed perfect piece of wood with too high of moisture content it'll still turn into a set stricken bow even if your design and tiller is spot on...which is another consideration...design is the ace...as long as your wood is properly dry and properly designed,you then should be able to tiller it and have a "healthy" belly to your bow that isn't set stricken no matter the weight it pulls

[WillS]

Thanks for the tips! I definitely agree - impatience when seasoning staves is my downfall.  I only got into bowyery last year, and having a lovely yew stave sitting there looking at me is just too much to take! I get excited by the prospect of working it, and that ends up resulting in a low performance bow from what is probably a very good stave!

For what its worth, I shot Ol' Setty on Saturday and it was spitting heavy arrows out like no other bow I've made before, so the prospect of doing it with a properly, carefully seasoned stave is pretty exciting!

[Davepim]

Glennan is really going for that, is this a new one you made him? I am sure I would have seen it by now, if it is new I hope to see it at Swindon, really spits them out.

Actually Ian, it was for him, but he thought that it was a bit short; at 73" it may not be acceptable for the MR class! I have kept it for me and made him another - you'll see them in Swindon for sure.

Dave

That's a real pity Dave as that is a very fine bow!! I remember seeing it when you first made it but in Glennan's hands you can really see how small it is! Again a pity about that because it looks like it is capable of some impressive distances! Have either of you shot it for them anyways? I would be very keen to know! Beautiful bend, nearly makes me cringe to see how far the bend extends! heh heh lovely mate!
-Jake

Hi jake, well I plan to try this out for distance next weekend However, I've barely touched a bow this year; been too busy making them for other people.

Dave

[Thesquirrelslinger]

Thanks for the tips! I definitely agree - impatience when seasoning staves is my downfall. 

+1

I have found it is a good idea to store staves inside.

[WillS]

All my staves are stored inside.  It doesn't speed up seasoning time when you're talking about numerous years with yew, unfortunately!

[Thesquirrelslinger]

All my staves are stored inside.  It doesn't speed up seasoning time when you're talking about numerous years with yew, unfortunately!

no, but with white woods, it keeps them from becoming wet.