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

[Flem]

Don't want to hijack your thread, but here are some 3/16" slats I cut out of some terribly twisted staves.

 Did cut them on the Bandsaw first and managed not to violate the grain. But of course they still have all the twist. They will make lams once they get down to about .150". Getting them there is the problem. I will try your method, Mark and run them thru the thicknesser on a sled

[globalmark]

hey flem

Is that that Pacific coast YEW you get over the pond ? - wow compared to mine looks straight mine all look like Bananas even thickness Bananas though -

With the Thicknesser - not sure what type you have but i have a small one and have a home made extended table like a meter long piece of 38mm (1-1/2") thick worktop (MDF with melamine on top) - this just gives a really good base that doesn't flex - but a 2x4 or if a bigger old style thicknesser has a solid base should be ok - just some these cheaper portable machine's don't really have a long bed - so not enough support for thin timber .

[globalmark]

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 Mid layer or just Laminate loads together and make a Laminated Yew Bow ?

Photo - i drew lamination shape (from 40mm x 36" template) then I bandsaw one edge, after hand planed (no.7) same edge before table saw to 40mm wide make perfect Parallel lamination .. if i will use them i will use my lamination sander to get perfect ..

[globalmark]

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

[globalmark]

Bow B Finished
Bow B Finished _ this was the Dodgy Wood - 2 limbs different shapes - one with reflex and one with deflex , has a funny Brace as looks like has set - plus hell of a twist - but at 41Lbs seems shoot ok - not a great Bow but certainly not bad ..

Bow A - after straightening again - was 52lbs - but really Fast and a lot of shock - so decided to reduce this - did 20 strokes with Cabinet scraper on each limb , mainly flat on the belly and reduced to 43lbs - goes to show how much LBS reduce with such a small amount of wood . - had to tiller again little also ..
Bow A - Polish Nocks - after again 4-5 coast Danish Oil .

[globalmark]

Bow A - after finished all Danish oil - use some CORK self adhesive tile cut strip stick on then shape with a rasp GENTLY
BOW A Braced
Both BOWS finished - Bow A did a wrap with 1.4mm suede (didn't skive the edge of leather just cut the end tapers and glued with Spray contact adhesive)
Both Bows Finished

[globalmark]

Both Bows Finished

[globalmark]

Both finished Bows

Thanks for all those who gave Help - enjoy

However Not finished as have all those Laminations making a bow so more to come

[globalmark]

Ok
What to do with all those twisted bad laminations - Make a bow what else hahah i was thinking they were to bad and thought maybe under some glass - but decided maybe get enough good wood if made a pyramid bow as can carefully cut out the bad bits and several layers might NOT break - lets hope ..

Made a Pine Template - mainly sport can see what parts of the dodgy Laminations can use - took ages spinning the lams and moving around
Many of the Lams were so twisted - i heated some to Straighten -make the grain as straight as possible
Cut out enough Laminations - i stacked them so one strip of all sapwood on top - and the edges of sapwood I reversed so didn't have sap wood on one side only (where possible anyway)
Made a solid bit Pine Base to Glue to approx same size as template (as didn't have enough spare wood to shave down after glue up - so needed it close as i could) - covered in Tape and will glue one limb to each side .

NB - Middle Lamination I put through Thicknesser again with Tapered Sled so Middle Lamination is Tapered slightly too the tips (same as my recurved bows)

[globalmark]

Laminations - scraped with saw blade give more glue area -
Limbs or laminations on my Glue stick covered in Clingfilm
Limbs wrapped in Innertube - all i had (also small pressure strips made from thin timber) - ready for heat cupboard - Smooth-on used
Limbs ready to clean and shape

[globalmark]

Limbs again - can see the splits and knots - but plenty of glue squeezed into all the defects - I hope
Limb Splice layout
Splice cut on Bandsaw
Splice cleaned up so perfect fit - and Handle overlays ready as will glue up all together (mainly all YEW , but used one bit oak and elm also)

[globalmark]

Lots clingfilm and inner tube 
Dry and out of clamps and cut and sanded Handle sides
Shaping Handle
Couldn't be bothered with Tempory Nocks so glued on some IPE and slice of Horn just basic flat as bow might not work ?

[globalmark]

OK - tried this Bow on the The Tiller TREE but was only 17lbs but seemed OK , so decided to Glue another Lamination on top and one limb had tiny bit recurve and one had tiny bit reflex - probably due to the twisted Lams , so glue on a mother Lamination I made a simle Jig to make both recurve limbs approx the same .
See the Jig ( covered in Tape ) just a  2x1 and small blocks cut to the recurve shape on bandsaw and held on 2x1 with Tape)
Ready for Cooking
Out of cooking and cleaned and Shaped

[globalmark]

Nocks
Last Lamination - looks ok bit sapwood but layer underneath is on opposite side so hopefully stress out evenly ..
All Bows from that ONE log -

The Flat/pyramid bow mostly finished , maybe some light Tillering but i like to wait a few days before tiller make sure the Smooth-On is 100% cured first
i had it lightly on tiller with the 3 laminations and shot couple arrows But with the 4th going up the Handle i will leave it a day or so longer ..

there is a lot of defects in this Log generally and these Laminations were Cut as could not get a Longbow out of the pieces - shakes , cracks , splits Knots - all in this Flat Bow , but hopefully they are buried in the laminations and strong enough now ...

that's all for now until get to Tiller the Bow and finish it up - will post when Can ..

[Flem]

Well I thought I had some crappy Yew, but you got me beat by a long shot! Great job on getting some Bow's from firewood. I feel the same way as you, it's special wood and should not be wasted. I followed your lead  ran my slats through my planer. Worked great!
I was able to run them through the drum sander and get them tapered after planing.From garbage to golden. Thanks for the idea

[globalmark]

Hi Flem

Glad that worked Out - lot of mine had grain running in several directions was really bad stuff - but the 3rd bow made from Laminations I think will be quite good bow , will have to see

as in my post many Laminations were not straight but surprise dry heat (heat gun) straighten a fair bit ..

yes Good Yew Hard to come By in the UK also and most is not straight and the tree surgeons just Log it straight away -
so definitely a Special wood - and this piece kept by who gave to me for 20 years I tried damn hard to make something ..

Are you making something from your Slats/Lams , or just going to hold onto them ??
Mark

[Flem]

I have not made myself a bow for a long time, so these lams will be for me.
They are from small trees salvaged in wildfire burnt areas. High altitude Rocky Mountain Yew. They don't get very big here, harsh environment, short growing season. The big, clean trees are near the west coast of the U.S. Most of it would be considered garbage, but I have been making things from it when I can.

[globalmark]

Hey Flem

That sounds more similar to UK Yew not great stuff for bows -due to size and shape -except the mountain bushfire bit haha to wet in UK for those - mountain Yew sounds could be good though - cold grown timber always better

Most of the yew bows made here in medieval times were from the Alps or Pyrenees , but can use if do lots more effort - best luck with yours ..

[globalmark]

ok Bow 3 - laminated one , decided to put on the Tiller this Afternoon just to see where we were at -
and even though 4 laminations of Yew still only had a 25lbs draw weight seems to shoot fine BUT
due to using all the left over laminations and even as careful as i was -
the bow has a developed a crack in the Back and some shakes opened little on the belly -

Plan - i have glued there crack and the shakes - warm smooth-on while bow was drawn i pushed glue into the cracks for a few mins so hopefully some will get inside . let that dry - then Belly Maybe ok but the Back i am thinking about putting a 2nd Back on it (only 25Lbs) so happily can add some thin layer
unfortunately don't have enough yew Sapwood left so either might Buy something Hickory , Ash or maybe even some glass ?

Pics
Tiller - not great - was a large Knot in 4th lamination causing a bend , so did very gently tiller .
Tiller - getting better
Belly - Shakes coming through
Back Crack in sapwood (have 3 other layers so not as serious as think) but still needs fixing. is also only 2/3 width of 1 lamination ..


 NB _ if anyone has other suggestions what can put on the Back - timber or other material to repair or stop this Crack getting worst would be appreciated
as been trying to decide best way -

Thats all for today -

[Flem]

Yow!  Thats a bit rough looking. Maybe somebody will have some positive advice for you. If that was mine, I think I would make make my wife some knitting needles with it.