Yew primitive Progress

 I've been cracking on with all sorts of stuff. The Hazel log has been sawn, ends painted, weighed and put on the shelves.

 Weighing a log is a handy way of keeping an eye on it's progress seasoning.
I don't usually bother, but I'm trying to season this one rapidly. I don't want to get it too hot too quick, so I'll leave it a few weeks keeping an eye on the weight, then maybe bring it indoors.

 I've improved the ventilation in the garage by opening up above the door (it was just blocked off with timber so it was a relatively quick easy job).



The Yew primitive...well it may not end up primitive, if I cut in an arrow shelf, but that's just another reason for leaving the grip wide.

 Anyhow, as I was saying, I've got it rough tillered (outer limbs still a bit stiff, but basically bending reasonably). I then put some reflex into the outer half of each limb.
 This was done by heating the belly with a hot air gun and then pulling the tip down onto the former and strapping it with rubber.
The belly was coated with vegetable oil to help stop it scorching and to hopefully help the heat conduct into the wood. The sapwood back was protected from the heat to some extent by a few layers of masking tape. For the same reason the sapwood was also left a little thick and will be reduced a bit more before the bow is finished.

 I should be able to do more tillering over the weekend.
It's meant to end up left handed, but I'm tempted to make it ambidextrous as I don't really want to end up with a left handed bow if it doesn't get taken up.
I haven't heard back from the guy who wanted the 40# Boo' backed Yew target bow, but I do realize we all have lives to live and there are plenty of things more important than bows. None of us knows what's round the corner.

Oh, by the way, I've flexed the back patched Bickerstaffe and shot an arrow through it. It looks fine and I've given it 3 coats of thinned Danish Oil now. Once the last has dried I'll wax it and shoot some more arrows. At 50# it still bangs out the arrows quite nicely despite a bit of set.