Monday 24 November 2014

Splice and Riser Block Glued

I've got the heat treated Yew billets spliced and glued and the riser block glued on. I'll be planing down a slat of bamboo and hopefully  get that glued on over the week.
A couple of guys are coming over at the weekend with some Yew staves with a view to having one made into a bow, so if this boo backed Yew progresses well, I'll be able to jump onto that bow. They sent pictures of the staves and it looks like V clean N American Yew. I like it when people turn up with their own Yew as it doesn't deplete my supply.
Here's a couple of pics.

The riser block is cut from a Yew offcut, I like to keep it all one wood. If I was doing a fancy laminated recurve I might add laminations of contrasting woods to look good, but the essence of a longbow is simplicity. The Boo' backing, leather grip and mother of pearl arrow plate will be fancy enough.
The purpleheart lam' I got from my friend Matt will be saved for that fancy laminated recurve...
You can see the darkening of the heat treating on the belly.
It wasn't really necessary, but I want this bow to be a little special performance wise.
Someone on one of the forums was asking about belly woods for laminated bows (not that I know much about laminates) and asked what my top choice would be. I said heat treated Yew. Ipe is a common choice, but is heavy, this allows for a narrow bow. I like the lightness workability and springiness of Yew.
I find people are impressed with the performance of a self Yew bow even when they are used to laminates.

I wash out the salsa & houmous tubs for use as glue pots, I have a plentiful supply that way. The glue is my usual Resintite.
Made a start planing the 'Boo. Happiness is a sharp plane!

Note:- you can see in the picture of the splice, I've used the knotty gnarly end of the billets as the centre where the splice is, They are thicker here and will also be reinforced/supported by the riser block. Being in compression the belly can be less perfect than the back, but putting the scruffier wood at the splice leaves the cleaner wood for the working limbs and maximises wood usage. Always better to have a bow a little too long than too short, it gives some room for adjustment.

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