Mimosa

[Jim Davis]

I've been  casting a baleful eye at an 8" mimosa by my creek for a dozen years. Cut it yesterday and split some staves from it. It was amazingly easy to split.

No idea whether this wood will make a bow, but when it is dry, I'll find out. Looks interesting.

[Mo_coon-catcher]

Hmm, we’ve got a few in our yard. So I’m curious to see how it works for you.

Kyle

[Badger]

   I have only done one and I would say it is not a suitable bow wood. But! I hope you prove me wrong. I found the wood to be light and not very strong in tension and it splintered very easily.

[Pappy]

Never used it but always exciting to use a new kind of wood, if anyone can pull it of you can. Look forward to seeing it in the works. Pappy

[Hamish]

Mimosa, Acacia Dealbata, average dried weight: 40.9 lbs/ft3 (655 kg/m3).  Haven't used it either. I do know that many acacia trees make good bows. If in doubt start at 2" wide limbs, for a 40-50lbs bow and see what happens from there.

[Selfbowman]

Hamish that sounds about right on width. And 66-69” on length if you have  a stave that long. Good luck with it Jim I’m watching.

[Hamish]

In the back of my mind I'm still thinking, if Badger couldn't get a good bow out of it, it probably isn't going to make a good bow.
I have used Acacia Melanoxylon, which is supposed to be similar in properties to Mimosa(but looks more like Koa). You can make a bow out of it, but it was liable to chrysalling. That one was about 2" wide or little less. A 3" wide pyramid bow would probably be a little safer, in tension and compression. That design works well in many poor, otherwise marginal bow woods.

[sleek]

Mimosa seems to have a very low density. Running it through the bow program I built, you will need  67.43 sq inches of wood in the bending section to hold up against set.

[Mo_coon-catcher]

I wonder how it would do as a core in a Trilam with it so low density

Kyle

[Jim Davis]

...That one was about 2" wide or little less. A 3" wide pyramid bow would probably be a little safer, in tension and compression. That design works well in many poor, otherwise marginal bow woods.

I usually make pyramid bows. Plan on 2-1/2" to 3" width at fades. Only thing clearly in the favor of mimosa is that it often has long limb-free sections.

I've made bows from spruce and yellow pine, so I'm hopeful. I also have a stave of tree of heaven, which has little to recommend it. Got to let them dry first. I may try to hurry them a little.