wood properties for archery
DESCRIPTION
A list of woods, and their value and characteristics with a view of archery. Describes the traditional bow woods, as well as many other common and exotic woods. This includes available data from various sources, including densities, moduli of elasticity, and other physical properties.TRANSCRIPT
Sheet1ADD MOR & MOEWood - Common
Name(s)BinomialSGPorous?NotesTBBv4DRon Knife
: Mostly from TBBv4-Tim PiatekWood DB
: All at 12% MC-Tim PiatekPrimitive Ways
: These are generally the most divergent numbers. Still, important
to remember how much densities can vary.AcaciaAcacia0.66Over 1000
species. See Koa.Black/Australian Blackwoodmelanoxylon0.600.64Treat
as if SG 0.50 for safety. Steam-bends
well.AlderAlnusRedrubra0.410.410.45Diffuse-porousGreyincana0.470.47European/Black/Commonglutinosa0.50Closed
poresWhiterhombifolia0.47AlmondPrunus dulcis0.67ApricotPrunus
armeniaca0.67Semi-ring-porousAppleMalus
spp.0.680.650.830.70Diffuse-porousTends to check and warp while
drying.AshFraxinusTakes an abnormally large
set.Blacknegra0.490.490.55Ring-porousWeakest of the
ashes.Greenpennsylvanica0.560.560.64Oregonlatifolia0.560.560.61Bluequadrangulata
0.580.580.64Whiteamericana0.590.590.67Ring-porousThe heaviest
American ash, almost all sapwood. Oregon looks and acts like
white.Europeanexcelsior0.610.610.68Ring-porousAspenPopulusQuakingtremuloides0.380.45Diffuse-porousBigtoothgrandidentala0.390.43Diffuse-porousAvocadoPersea
americana mill0.70BaldcypressTaxodium
distichum0.460.51Non-porousBalsaOchroma
pyramidale0.160.15Diffuse-porousBamboo
: Pseudosasa japonica for arrows, Phyllostachys bambusoides for
Korean bows. Tonkin cane (Arundinaria amabilis or Pseudosasa
amabilis) also works.0.50-0.85Many varieties. Takes more set per
mass than any hardwood. Can heat treat. Use outer surface as belly.
Bamboo fibers tend to split and pull out when being cross-cut; use
masking tape over the cut line to prevent this.BasswoodTilia
americana0.370.370.42Diffuse-porousBay, California Laurel, Myrtle,
PepperwoodUmbellularia
californica0.570.560.630.56Diffuse-porousBeechFagusAmericangrandifolia0.640.640.72Diffuse-porousUsually
excessively twisted and
gnarly.Europeansylvatica0.640.71Diffuse-porousBeefwood/BulletwoodSee
MassarandubaBirchBetulaLighter birches somewhat tension-brittle,
and fret in compression. Served well by a rawhide
backing.Riverpopulifolia0.56Diffuse-porousGraynigra0.59Diffuse-porousPaperpapyrifera0.550.550.61Diffuse-porousSilver/Europeanpendula0.590.590.64Diffuse-porousWhite/European/Downypubescens0.590.590.62Diffuse-porousYellowalleghaniensis0.620.620.69Diffuse-porousSweet/Cherry/Blacklenta0.650.650.74Diffuse-porousBlack
Locust/Robinia/False AcaciaRobinia
pseudoacacia0.690.690.77Ring-porousStronger in tension than
compression. Frets and chrysals easily, making this wood ideal for
teaching you how to tiller.BlackthornPrunus spinosa0.87Blue
Beech/American HornbeamCarpinus caroliniana0.79Diffuse-porousNot
Hophornbeam, as Tim Baker indicates.Box ElderAcer
nigundo0.460.460.490.42Diffuse-porousA maple.Brazilian
Cherry/JatobaHymenaea
courbaril0.910.91Diffuse-porousBrazilwood/PernambucoCaesalpinia
echinata0.980.98Diffuse-porousBuckeye,
Aesculus0.40Diffuse-porousYellowoctandra0.360.36Diffuse-porousCaliforniacalifornica0.41Diffuse-porousBuckthorn/Cascara/ChittamRamnus
purshiana0.520.61Treat like a medium-density birch. 6-8" diameter
trunks, so not commercially avail.ButternutJuglans
cinerea0.380.380.43Semi-ring-porousButtonwood/Button
MangroveConocarpus erectus0.850.85California NutmegTorreya
californicaBehaves like lower-density yewCatalpa, NorthernCatalpa
speciosa0.41CedarChamaecyparisCedars are brittle, typically poor
wood. Pick densest, oldest growth possible.Atlantic
Whitethyoicles0.32Port
Orfordlawsoniana0.430.43Alaskanootkatensis0.440.44CedarThujaVery
light and brittle.Northern White/Eastern
Arborvitaeoccidentalis0.310.35No resin canalsWestern Red/Giant
Arborvitaeplicata0.330.320.64Yellow???0.44According to Wikipedia,
yellow cedar is also Thuja occidentalis.CedarCupressus Leyland
Cypressx leylandii0.50No resin
canalsAlaskan/Yellownootkatensis0.50No resin
canalsCherryPrunusBlack/Americanserotina0.500.500.56Semi-ring-porous
to diffuse-porousExcellent bow wood.Sweetavium
L.0.66Bitteremarginata0.66European Wildavium0.65Common
Chokecherryvirginiana0.65Western Chokecherryvirginiana var.
demissa0.65Easternvirginiana var.
virtinianaHollyleaf/Evergreenilicifolia0.93Not a typo for
SGChestnut, AmericanCastanea
dentate0.430.43CottonwoodPopulusBlacktrichocarpa0.350.45Easterndeltoids0.400.40Crepe
MyrtleLagerstroemia spp.0.75Dogwood-like.Desert WillowChilopsis
linearis0.61Not a willow.DogwoodCornusTough and strong. Endures a
large set before
breaking.Floweringflorida0..730.73Pacificnuttallii0.75Americansericera0.55EbonyDiospyros
spp.0.90See also Persimmon.Eastern Red CedarJuniperus
virginiana0.480.47A juniper. Exceptional potential. Elastic, but
weak in tension (?). Heartwood is purple-red. Thin rawhide will
help compensate for tension weakness.Elderberrysambucus
velutina0.50