Wood Description 6

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 etc. 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.

	Jatoba Color: (Brazilian Cherry) reddish brown. Detail Description
	Kingwood Color: purple with streaks of light and dark violet. Detail Description
	Koa Color: medium brown wood which looks like Teak. Detail Description
	Macassar Ebony Color: bands of dark brown and black. Detail Description
	Madrone Weight: 50 Grain: Madrone is known for its burls and rarely found as lumber. The grain in lumber is straight to slightly wavy. Figure: is an even light pink to a reddish brown. Sapwood is a cream color with pink tint. Madrone resembles a dusty rose colored Swiss Pear wood. Texture: is fine, uniform and dense. Properties: the wood is strong and somewhat brittle. It works well with hand and power tools. It finishes to a very fine smooth and polished surface. Use: for small fittings, rails, trim work and delicate turned items. The wood makes nice framing and hull timbering. Suitable for carvings.
	Mansonia Weight: 38 Grain: straight to interlocking. Figure: a light brown with a slight yellowish tint. Sometimes found as a darker chocolate brown. The color is even with no distinguishing patterns. Texture: is medium. Properties: this is an excellent wood for bending and it holds its shape. It is an easy wood to work with both hand and power tools, also has good gluing and finishing properties. The surface takes on a silky appearance when finished. Use: is for framing and heavy timbering, suitable for hull planking.