Ozbow

Some logs that were harvested about two weeks ago in the Adelaide Hills arrived on my driveway this morning.

They came off the base of a yew tree that was coppiced many years ago.

The largest log averages 6 inches in diameter and is 96 inches long. By my calculations the log has a volume of 1.51 cu.ft. As Yew averages 43 lbs. per cu.ft. at 12% moisture the log should weigh approximately 65 lbs. but the log in question feels a lot heavier [takes two to lift it without straining].

Perhaps with the foliage still green after this length of time could suggest high moisture content.

The growth rings look close but I will need to trim an end to do an accurate count.

The bark and foliage look correct and as there was no evidence of berries on the ground it is likely to be from a male tree.

Any input would be appreciated.

Daryl.

Looking promising, the cross section of the off cut from the damaged end of the log.
The growth rings in the late growth are extremely close together and hopefully this will hold for the rest of the log.

The timber is quite ‘wet’ so I am anticipating around twelve months before I can split billets.

If during this drying time the log starts to split naturally I may be able to split it into billets to speed up the drying time.

I have two small diameter logs which I may be able to work on in six months or so.

Daryl.

It looks like the right stuff and will hopefully make a couple of bows. The only Yew I have ever seen growing was in the Botanical Gardens in Hobart. I do have a few staves of imported Yew in my workshop at present.

Jeff

I dare say it is Baccata Daryl. Properties are near enough to be the same in Baccata and Brevifolia but growing conditions vary the density and ring count a heap!

The chaps I talk to in England that make Yew Warbows often use both English grown Yew which tends to be lighter and less dense and a lower ring count when compared to Italian, Spanish or Swedish Yew they get now and then.

How long are the logs you have? Look forward to seeing some nice Elb's in the future.

Hi Colin,

greybeard wrote: ↑Fri Jun 08, 2018 4:42 pm ......The largest log averages 6 inches in diameter and is 96 inches long. By my calculations the log has a volume of 1.51 cu.ft.........

hunterguy1991 wrote: ↑Wed Jun 27, 2018 7:45 am .......How long are the logs you have? Look forward to seeing some nice Elb's in the future.......

Still a lot of research to carry out and unfortunately artefacts of early bows are virtually non existent.

A longbow such as Otzis’ yew longbow and other northern hemisphere yew longbows, if I can find evidence of their existence are a possibility.

The English pattern longbow is at the bottom of the list. A warbow won’t happen.

Although not in the appropriate time frame a flat bow in the style of the elm bow found in the bog in Homlegaard could be an interesting project.

Yew trees did not appear in Denmark until a few thousand years after the elm bows were made.

North American native bows and the Lake Ledro [Bronze Age] yew recurve bows are to me more interesting.

A modern version as shown in the link may be a distinct possibility.

http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/inde ... ic=32546.0

Daryl.

There are definitely a heap of boy types that Yew works extremely well in. A replication of Otzi's bow would certainly be a challenge since the sap was removed.

Lots of chaps in the Us are making steam bend recurves from Yew.

Why wouldn't a Warbow happen Daryl? I'd test it for you

Would you part with a stave from that large log for the right price? Yew staves are hard to come by and I have a small (read massive) obsession with Warbows.

Keen to see what thy turn into never the less. Split them and they'll be read to go sooner as you know.

Colin

Colin,

There appears to be different schools of thought as whether to split yew logs green or dried.

It may be prudent for me to wait a while to see if the log wants to split along its own tension lines.

In the meantime I have some three and four inch yew logs to play with.

Daryl.