YEW log into Billets and 3 BOWs - 3 FINISHED BOWS - Renamed title again

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Had Bit more time today - got one bow on the Tiller maybe 80% done(the bow i think not as good as other one) and 2nd Bow i chased all the sapwood rings - Unfortunately I had to cut the sapwood thinner as was over 1" thick - which means I have to chase rings -
best Tool for this is Rasp - File - cabinet scraper flat - Gooseneck scraper to get left over pieces ..

1st check on tiller tree -
few check on tiller - lots scraping with scraper in-between
last check on tiller tree today - little bit more but almost there - this stave was so uneven and had recurve and bent wrong way had to get a perfect arch .
scraping upper rings (whiter part) carefully around knots

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Orange part ring I want white part upper ring I am scraping away
side view showing Knots
this Limb mostly done
Using final scraper Gooseneck - so useful to get those slightly indented upper rings

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stave done for today - all my tools I use for this part in pic

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OK back to the Build - Hit a Snag - Bow B the one that had the odd shape NOT even shaped stave has been going good , But Stave A the one i said was better as a perfect sister billets started twisting the string off when tried to brace it - loose string was fine but shorter string caused problems -
Details of fixing the twist in stave A is
http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,65492.0.html

But thats fixed so continue with the build
where were we ??

cut temporary nock with small rasp file and started tillering - mainly with cabinet scraper but also file and rasp occasionally ..

Pics -
Bow B - pretty much tillered  - might need small touch up
Bow A on tiller loose string
Bow A first few pulls
Bow A tiller more and more pulls - remembering exercise limb 10-20 times or more every time i return to the tree.

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Scraping more wood off
Back to tree for bow A - it was about after this Point i tried a shorter string and it just twisted it's self off and caused a Issue (look at other post to see how was fixed if interested )

Bow B - laying out for horn Nock (this is How Chris Boyton showed me and pretty effective) - Hold drill bit in line with bow shaft - pencil Line , cut to a wedge shape
Bow B - shaping with Rasp/file (sometimes start with small draw knife)

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Layout drill Bit again - on wedge
Square point after cut shape - now knock of corners with file
looks like this
test fit Nock - Rotate fast with hand and push - this makes shiny spots on timber , which file off with small fine file , wobble twist and check -
Nock fits correctly when NO wobble is felt ..

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How I clamp on my Nocks - bike Innertube wound round then over the top horizontal , wound round then over top vertical wound round and tied - friction on rubber tube is great - Glued with PVA glue , horn absorbs this just Fine (Chris Boyton tip)
Shaping Nock (other end then just showed) - i am not a great Carver - so just make sturdy strong probably bit thick Nocks ..use Files mainly and small rasp , sometimes break out the dremel with sanding drum if feeling lazy ...
Horn Nock finish (sanded to 150G)
Horn Nock Finished (sanded to 150G ) - to be fine sanded and polished

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Decided to add a extra piece on the Bow Back (sapwood) as was recommended to me if a splice ever breaks it does so on the Back - and i always like the Belt and braces technic so decided to put a small piece 6-7" long of sapwood ontop -

Bow sapwood glued on with Smooth-on , probably 4-5mm thick only , flattened and scribed with saw blade the faces before glued ..
Clamped on while glue drys , cling film and the Inner tube
Arrow rest - didn't have mother of Pearl so used some offcuts of horn . Filed a very slight taper on the sides (wedge shape) cabinet maker trick so when clamp the Horn get tigher in the Hole and makes tighter joints ..
Clamped in Vice (5min epoxy)

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Forgot Pictures before - But after Glue dried , rasp, file the horn smooth same profile as Bow or just a tiny bit proud of the wood

Pic of filed Arrow plate, rest
Sanded Handle add-on -side view
Sanded Bow with OLD 60grit paper , 80 grit then some 150G , then I put some cellulose Sanding sealer and sanded that off with worn 150G
Danish oil coat all over except the Nocks (they will be polished)
all bow 1 coat Danish Oil - due to climate here in the UK needs full 8hrs to dry between coats then i bring inside house to cool room at night to dry

I will use fine wire wool , dry wipe down after and do several coats of oil , more coats shinier it will become ..

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Back to Bow A while oil is drying

tiller was pretty much there - so next step Nocks (try not to repeat Pics as same process)

Drilled Horn with 16mm Spade Bit (ground to point)
got my 4 sided point then round it off , test fit wiggle , twist and wobble when happy Glue

NB -(see Hole ) had a Large knot just along from the handle went at 45% through to where arrow plate will be - had a dig and it fell Out , so made a pin to fit hole (not dowel as grain runs in same direction as bow wood inc sap wood and heart, probably overkill But i like that) glued that in with smooth-on then put my Handle add-on on top - rest of pin sticks out side and will get covered with arrow plate when do that .

Handle Add On - Flattened Bow Sapwood 6-7" long scrapped Sawblade alone for better glue grip
Clamped on handle with Inner tube

So Bow A is now in the heating cupboard letting smooth-on cure the handle - and the Nocks are also clamped and drying

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Todays Installment

Bow A Handle Add-on - out of clamps
Bow A Handle Shaping - can see the Peg i put in the KNOT hole - how grain runs same direction as Bow -
Bow A Handle Add-on shaped
Bow A Nock 1 before shaping

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BOW A Other Nock end before shaping
BOW A While shaping
BOW A Shaped and sanded to 400G - polished later
BOW A other end shaped

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Bow A Arrow Plate - Bone today as didn't have big enough offcuts of horn and run out of mother of pearl - but bone is harder then horn so should be fine .its bigger then Usual as i wanted to cover that Knot Plug i put in .

Bow A , Arrow plate clamped using vice - epoxy glue

Back to bow B while glue drys -
I like to use some left over CORK tiles (self adhesive backed) - just cut to rough size peel of backing and stick on , then can shape with rasp easily , can also layer it to make thicker which i do a lot if making a thin tri-laminate bow .

didn't photograph - try remember when do Bow A - but a simple leather grip  (ends folded and glued together then mark the back and punch holes in leather and the stitch or glue and stitch on .

NB- will take off leather Handle again to oil Bow as easier and restitch later - might stain the leather also as bit light colour for me .


Thats Bow B mostly finished - need to Put name and weight (ordered new scale and wire wool, waiting for post) then will need rubbing down with fine wire wool and 4-5 more coats danish oil, rubbing down in-between .Then polish Nocks before final coat danish oil ... Made a string for Bow B today also - but Brace height is 6-7" and strange due to there being a lot Deflex in one LIMB and without tension i have maybe 3-4" brace already , but seems to shoot fine - considering this was my bad pieces of wood and wasn't sure i would even make a bow out of this -..

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Bow B - is in process being Danished Oiled - so far 6 coats - takes a while 8hrs between coats but looking nice .

Bow A - i filed the bone arrow plate - but still was not happy how the string sat - the limbs had to much Lateral movement still causing twist - so spent lots time with Heat Gun heating few spots and leaving over night to cool - but finally this morning string sits there really Happily ..

so Not much to report so Far - will upload more pics when sanded and oiled ..

In the Mean time been making few Bamboo Arrows as cut some bamboo from bush on local Common .
and cut the laminations straight that had left over as off cuts these also terrible timber - but possible use under glass or Bamboo as Mig layer or just Laminate loads together and make a Laminated Yew Bow ?

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Hi Guys
No post for a few days as takes Time to Danish Oil the Bows - 8hrs between coats with a fine wire wool rub down between , but today both finished .
AND decided make a Pyramid or flat bow with laminations that's also almost finished ..

Bow A - still was not happy so heat and straightened more like 5 times (this is my clamping and holding while cools)
Bow A after cooled still some wiggle but much straighter
Bow B - Polishing the Nocks ( had like 4-5 coats Danish Oil, then masked and polished nocks after will put 1 -2 more coats on ) _ pillar drill with polish mop on)
Bow B - polished Nock