Multiple Projects

I seem to have swung from nothing much to 4 things on the go!
The Yew primitive needed steam bending to get rid of the side ways bend before it can go on the tiller. First session didn't seem to relax the wood much so I immediately refilled the steamer and have it more time. I pulled it beyond straight and over night it did recover to some extent but was still slightly over corrected. Another steaming allowed it relax back a tad and it looks good now.

While I was waiting for the steaming and allowing time for it to cool I did some roughing out of Rob's Pacific Yew stave, a very nice piece with lovely consistent thin sapwood which won't need any reducing. That will be ready for first try on the tiller soon.

Meanwhile my Pacific Yew stave arrived, not such a nice piece and a less experienced bowyer would have found it very challenging. There was a good deal of deflex and sideways bend, there were muscular ripples running diagonally across the back which told tales of internal stress. I allowed some extra width when doing the first rough out, and as I took a little off the side the thin slice curved itself down towards the belly which is rather unusual.
As I took some off the belly it revealed some nasty worrying black manky stuff where there had been damage as it grew. This will probably be a bow for me and at about 90# maximum so there is still enough good wood, I was a bit concerned that the manky stuff went deep and continued along the whole stave, but it seems ok. The wood was also a bit brittle in parts splitting off too easily for peace of mind. Anyone who had tried to lay a bow out and cut it in one go would have been in trouble... mind there is still plenty of time for me to screw up, but then I like a challenge.

The above is a good illustration of why the buyer needs to beware even when buying from a reputable source and having viewed a video of the stave... no one knows what lurks deep inside the wood.
I blame the fact that it was ordered on Halloween (cue spooky music).

I've also been doing some to the portable bow weighing rig, but I'll post pics of that when it's all finished.

Update:- First video of the Yew Primitive on the tiller here.
https://youtu.be/8Vso6D7dQ_k