Yew selfbow with rawhide backing...DONE

[Rich Evans]

Here is my yew flatbow I have been working on literally for years.  I got this piece from Mark Smeltzer (spelling?) several years ago. I was really scared of this yew. I guess I treated it like it was something very special.  It is 66" NTN, 54 @ 28".  Need to do some final sanding and put a finish coat on it. Don't have a full draw pic as of yet. I will post more pics when I get the finish and leather wrap on it.

 

 

[Silent Bear]

good job, cant wait for the full draw pic

[Pat B]

Looks good. Also looking forward to full draw.
  Isn't yew a nice wood to work with...and it makes a very nice selfbow!  d;^)

[carver]

nice one, Rich.  I've made a fair few bows of pacific yew, but i have yet to put a rawhide backing on any of them.  (check out my thread from yesterday, english yew wonky bow).  

Do you by any chance have pics of the process of applying the rawhide?  I'd love to see those?  Or simply pictures of the back with the rawhide on it?  Front shot?

So far i find yew flatbows take more set than yew bows with a d-shaped cross-section, rounded belly, "narrow and deep of core" rather than wide and thin.  Any thoughts on this?

Again, nice one.

[Roy Steele]

Caever I've made a couple yew bows[3].Set comes from moisture,excess stress on your limbs.I built like my white wood bows.Keep them 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 wide mine were 2 64" and a 66" I put them I a hot box as I built them.Low heat and cracked the lid.Stay a few poinds under your target weight untill the last couple inchs.Untill you hit your target weight.Made them for other people all 3 of mine were shooters when they left.

[carver]

thanks Roy.  i have a yew longbow 1" wide at the grip, 72" long, took almost no set, pulls about 80# @ 29".  Never even occured to me to make the flatbows as wide as 1 3/4".  Have to try that in the future.

[Mark Smeltzer]

Rich,
Good to hear from you here. You're doing a great job.
I have only had the time to lurk a littler here and there. I moved to N. Utah and am just now getting settled in enough to start building again.
Keep in touch. I'm anxious to see it complete.
Take care,

Mark

[George Tsoukalas]

Looks great! Jawge

[bigcountry]

Fine piece of yew you got.

[Rich Evans]

This was a tough bow to tiller. I think the upper limb is a bit stiffer than the lower one. The upper has a bit of a whoopti do in it and made the tillerin a bit tough.  Perhaps it just looks stiff to me. I am gonna leave it that way and hope for the best. This wood is a pleasure to work with. I probably will do another out of yew in the future. I like how it shoots, its very smooth to draw and absolutely no hand shock. Hits where I look.

Mark, I sent you a PM.

[Mark Smeltzer]

Hey Rich, no PM yet.

Mark

[shamus]

looking good.

[SoNevada Archer]

Looking good! Can't wait to see you shoot it...
Bring it over!

[Rich Evans]

Finished the bow. came in just over 50@28". prairie rattlers installed over rawhide backing. i think 5 coats of wipe on poly. leather grip wrap from a coach purse i found for $3.00.  Lots of good leather in those things.  Hope you guys like it. Thanks again Mark.  

 

 


 

 


 

[Osagetree]

       

[frank bullitt]

Rich, nice job! Wally Miles would be proud of you!  

[ishi1archer]

Nice looking bow, like the skins!!

[bigcountry]

Man, I hope to try another yew bow.  Broke my first one.  Tried to make a 1" wide round belly bow.

Could you throw out your width and handle length.

Does it shoot well?  I think next time I will try to make more of a flat bow like you made.

[Rich Evans]

It is about 1.5" wide. The handle is 5" with fades about 2" long.  I could have made the handle a bit shorter, but I have big hands and the 5" handle is just more comfortable to me.

[carver]

i like it.  could've used a little more love outside the fades, but i can see you stayed away from that knot.  Is that pacific yew?