Species questions

[zinger]

I have questions about 2 species, one which I know is good - serviceberry, and the other, mimosa, which I haven't found any definitive info as to bow worthyness on. With service berry, I am wondering just how it compares to other bowwoods, what it's particular qualities are, etc. We have plenty around here (2 species, Downy and Allenghany) so I thought it might be worth a try. The one problem I see is that you would be hard pressed to find anything over 5-6" in diameter, so it might be like working with a sapling. With Mimosa I have done bend tests (bending a medium thickness branch/trunk) to get a feel for it's qualities, and it seemed to be a mixture of soft and springy -interesting. Hope someone here has tried it.

[blackhawk]

Juneberry will make a bow. Its elastic,tension strong,but weaker in compression and doesn't like short high stressed designs. So keep it more "normal" bow dimensions etc...I tried a short high reflexed bow with it back in my experimental stage and it fretted all along the limb. Its super duper hard to find a downy serviceberry that isn't twisted. Good luck finding one. If you have juneberry around you,you then should have easier to find clean straight species such as the hickories,oaks,hard maple,heck even hophornbeam is easier to find straight than juneberry. Leave the juneberries alone and save em to grow to eat there tasty deliciousness.

I've heard nothing but heartbreak from folks trying mimosa. But never tried it myself.

[Josh B]

That's the second time I've heard you refer to your "experimental phase" in the past tense Chris.   When did this phase end?  In the last year, you've used rhododendron, erc, hackberry, buckthorn, yew, black locust  and who knows what else.  The truth be told, I sincerely hope that you never get past your experimental phase and settle into one wood or one design.  I don't know if anyone will ever be able to fill the shoes of bowyers like Tim Baker or Steve Gardner, but you are as likely to as anyone I've seen.   Please don't stop experimenting, it would be a  loss to us all if you do.  As far as those two woods are concerned Zinger,  I'm afraid that I cant help you, never having tried either.    Josh

[blackhawk]

Lol josh....its more of a reference to when I had to try all the different types of wood to make up my own mind and opinion on them. Ill never stop experimenting with designs and seeing what wood can take what just for the sake of it,cus I find it enjoyable torturing woods. If i posted everything i did you wood see just how much "experimenting"..ehemm..i mean wood breaking ive been doing lately. And ill never settle into one type of bow and one type of wood even if osage is king and my main course for wood.

Zinger..I have two staves left and a few days ago I semi roughed one down and violated the grain in my layout cus it was pretty twisted. I plan on a simple mid 60's bend in the handle bow with it. Juneberry has pretty tight interlocking grain,so I was gonna test to see if it could hold being violated like hickory and elm can. I just didn't mention it in my previous post because I'm not done with it yet. There...hows that for "experimenting" josh..lol.