Wood Description 4

Definition of Terms:
Weight: the number given to a wood is the average weight per cubic foot. The larger the number the denser and harder the wood is. The denser the wood the more brittle it becomes, making it harder to bend and carve. Advantages to hard woods are that finer detail can be achieved and the wood can be polished to an ultra smooth finish. Balsa has a weight of 8, Oak is about 45 and Ebony weights in at 80.
Figure: the term is often confused with grain. By definition, the figure of a wood refers to the pattern caused by color differences in the wood. The figure is also the pattern created by different types of grain.
Grain: is the direction in which the fibers of the wood are running. Types of grain are: straight, wavy, irregular, spiral, curly, interlocking and birds-eye. The fibers of interlocking grain have a weaved structure, thus making the wood strong and less apt to split and suitable for bending. Irregular grain is caused by an interruption in the growth of the tree by branches or crotches. For ship building irregular grain is used for natural curved members such as knees.
Texture: a woods' texture is directly related to the suitability for carving and the fineness of detail which can be achieved. Texture ranges from coarse to medium to fine and to ultra fine. In ship building, coarse and medium textured woods are suitable for heavy timbering such as hull framing and deck beams. Fine textured wood is used for planking, moldings, rails ect. Fine and ultra fine texture is for carving small fittings and delicate parts. Texture is also uniform or uneven. An uneven textured wood has different size cell cavities giving the wood hard and soft spots. When machining or carving a piece and it suddenly breaks, it is because you hit a large cell cavity or a soft spot. Uniform texture is like cutting a soft plastic like material.

	Pencil Cedar Weight: 34 Figure: is a cream color or very light yellow. Texture: is fine and uniform. Properties: soft and easy to cut and/or machine. Uniform grain in all directions, making it suitable for carving. Takes a very smooth surface from machining. A good wood for gluing. Use: a good wood for masting, deck and hull planking and also hull timbering. A good wood for solid hulls. Pencil Cedar is in a rapid decline and supply due to the over-lumbering of the tree.
	Chakte Kok Color: dark brown with streaks of black. Detail Description
	Chechin Color: marble like figure of shades of reds and maroons. Detail Description
	Cherry Weight: 35 Grain: straight, also found as curly. Figure: color is a light red to pink which darkens with age. Texture: is close, firm and uniform. Properties: the wood is very stable in use with little to no warpage or movement. Capable of a smooth surface. Works easily with hand and power tools, carves nicely with a clean sharp edge. Use: a good wood for hull framing and timbering. Suitable for small fittings and hull planking.
	Cocobolo Color: streaks of dark maroon, black, purple and red brown. Detail Description
	Cypress Weight: 28 Grain: straight. Figure: for the most part the color is a yellow with reddish tint sometimes found with streaks of darker color. Texture: is close and even. Properties: for a softwood this wood has excellent durability and strength. Finishes smooth with a waxy looking surface. It is a stable wood and it will not warp or move. Glues well and takes a good painted finish. Cypress is an easy wood to work with hand and power tools. Use: for all aspects of model work, especially where a lot of hand cutting of joinery is done. Masting and spars, planking and timbering. It is strong and light weight making it suitable for RC models.
	Dogwood Weight: 53 A heavy and dense wood, also known as American Boxwood. A light cream color with a slight pink tint. Takes a super smooth finish. A top notch wood for machining and carving.