Monday 14 February 2011

Yew Longbow

I've just started to tiller the next Yew longbow, I'm aiming for 60 pounds at 28" but with the bow being tested back to at least 31".
I've got it braced to about 3" and I've pulled it back to 60 pounds, it's tough as old boots still and it's hell's own job to get a string on it. I've had to use a stringer, which I rarely have to bother with. You can see it's flexing a fair bit in the centre, (especially on the right limb) so I need to ease off the outer limbs, but it's fairly even.
The left limb looks like it is a bit stiffer, but then it started without that bit of deflex at the end.

I'm taking out that deflex at the end of the right limb as I just don't like the look of it, and it makes the tiller look uneven.
I'm doing it with my hot air gun rather than my usual steaming, I've got it jigged up with the hot air on it at 230 degrees and lightly clamped to apply some tension. I'll leave it under the heat for an hour and then give it a few days to settle back to it's normal temperature and humidity.
250 degrees is fairly gentle.

No comments:

Post a Comment