Money Well Spent

I've bought myself a decent facemask with replaceable filters from Toolstation (a JSP Professional ). Yew dust hasn't worried me too much in the past, but with a history of sinus problems I thought better safe than sorry (also better late than never) It fits well and my glasses don't mist up, I'm pleased with the investment. I also splashed out on a better grade of abrasive paper, MIRKA, it's brilliant, I can cut off a long thin strip and use it diabolo fashion pulling really hard and it doesn't tear, it also stays clog free and has vastly speed up the sanding and reduced waste. I just got the 80 grit to try it, but I'll certainly get some 120 too as I get through about half a roll of the cheaper stuff on each bow. It's a rather cheery yellow colour too.

It's very difficult to get good pictures of the bow showing the heart/sap wood contrast,  or the growth rings in the sapwood.
I've had another go before wiping it with Danish Oil to see if they come out better. My bows invariably look better in the hand than in pictures, which is probably just as well as it avoids disappointment!

I've shot a few more arrows through it, and it seems to group very well, I had a go with the 11/32" 100gn points and they flew cleanly too hitting home hard.
Mick the blacksmith will be over tomorrow to test shoot it with his arrow so we can see if it needs some tweaking.

AFB Full Draw

I've made a decent string for the AFB and shot a few arrows through it. It feels pretty quick and my second arrow hit the small white piece of foam on my target which was V satisfying. I'm still adjusting the grip for optimum comfort.
I put it back on the tiller and took some video, here's a couple of stills, unbraced and full draw.
It looks slightly stiff in the outers, but that's due to the unbraced shape, but maybe the outer 1/3 of the left limb could have a few scapes off it.

I'll see once it's had a few more arrows through it.

Yew AFB Ready for a String

I've slimmed the tips, glued on Waterbuffalo horn nock overlays and roughed 'em out and adjusted the arrow pass a bit.
I'm near as dammit to full brace and full draw. I noticed the draw length is actually 1/2" more than I've been measuring due to the deep grip making the bow sit high on the tillering tree. My measure can actually be adjusted up and down to compensate, but I rarely bother as it's usually only + or - 1/4" out.
I couldn't resist giving the grip a quick sanding with 80 grit and a wipe of Danish oil just to get an idea of how it will look. You can see the central pith of the stave on the fade of each limb and the drying cracks radiation out from the pith towards the belly, these are not a problem, the cracks are just taking the path of least resistance and are not going into the working limbs at all.

Putting a short arrow on the string to check the arrow pass and shelf revealed it was out of alignment, a few minutes (see wrist watch!) with a rasp and files soon sorted that out... see before and after pics. Top pic the arrow is making contact near the belly, second pic it sits much flatter against the arrow pass. There will doubtless be some more fiddling and fettling before it's finally finished.
Lots of cleaning and finishing, but she's just about there. I'll post a full draw pic when it's got a decent string and is all prettied up.

Effect of Heat Treating One Limb

I'm re-heat treating the limbs to put back a hint of reflex and stiffen 'em up before final narrwing of the tips and tillering it back the last few inches.
I did a brief video to show some of the process:-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kM1_A2A0_TI
Here's a pic of the bow braced after having done just one limb. The difference between to two limbs is very obvious. Note:- I didn't draw the bow as it would over strain the untreated (weaker) limb.
Why does it need heat treating a second time? The heat treatment probably only penetrates 3 or 4 mm and during tillering some of that wood has been removed, also the bow will inevitably take a little set.
I'll go out and do the other limb now.

Yew AFB Getting Close

I've done some more work, tidying up the libs, easing off the lower limb a little and shaping the grip, I've taken some video of it flexing. I'll post it on youtube later. Here it is:- https://youtu.be/ZmENtv8l7HA
For now here are a couple of pics... looking good.

Grip Roughed Out

I always say don't shape the grip and arrow pass until the bow is near finished, well I've got it to 45# at 21" from a low brace and so I've just roughed out the grip. It needs doing as the throat of the grip where it sits in the hand will be cut away by maybe 1/2 - 1" or so and this is where the draw length is measured from. Here's a pic' after first rough out, I've done more rasping and filing and it's getting to feel rather nice. the arrow pass will need to be cut away much more, but that really will wait until the tuning the bow stage when its shooting.
I've really got my mojo back and Sophie the cat is much more active today, rubbing everything and purring which has cheered us all up!

I'm really enjoying this bow as it's a style I've not done before, I think the heart/sapwood running through the grip will look stunning. Hopefully it will be a bit special.

Back in the Saddle

That's back on both the bicycle and on the shave horse.
I cycled in to work this morning, a bit chilly but I took it easy and it was quite enjoyable, plenty of bird song to cheer me along.

I did the deflex bend on the AFB at the fades with steam last week.
Yesterday I sketched out the reflex for the rest of the limbs on some plywood and cut out a template to heat treat it with an aim to having zero or maybe a whisker of over all reflex. E.G Placed with back towards a straight it would touch at the tips and the handle or maybe with the handle just a little raised.

I combined the heat bend with some heat treating and the combination of the added reflex and the heat treating has brought the draw weight right up. With just the deflex it had dropped considerably as I could almost slip a string on at a low brace.
It's looking pretty good, as at brace and full draw it shouldn't have any visible reflex,
E.G The limbs should only curve in one direction.
Here are some pics. The middle one shows it after one limb has been reflexed

Thanks for all the kind wishes about my health. Soph' and I are both pretty much back to our old selves, although Soph' seems to be a tad withdrawn, but she's got her appetite back and is contented enough.