From: john@cirrus.com (John Wishneusky)
Newsgroups: rec.woodworking
Subject: Re: Hard versus soft maple... HELP identifying
Date: 21 Jan 93 15:22:43 GMT
Organization: Cirrus Logic Inc.  Fremont, California

In article <keating.727549527@galena13> keating@rtsg.mot.com (Edward Keating) writes:
>I show hard maple as 35-44 lb/ft3.
>Your samples of .26 oz/in3 cooresponds to 28 lb/ft3  (multiply by 108)
>The hard maple sample of .51 oz/in3 is 55 lb/ft3.
>
>If the measurements were accurate, then the hard maple is a bit heavier
>than the typical range.
>Here are some densities from my pocket ref:
>
>pine (northern) 25 lb/ft3
>     (western)  27
>spruce          28
>willow          26
>basswood        25-28
>birch           40-45
>hickory         40-55
>elm (american)  35
>elm, rock       44
>fir, douglas    35
>fir, white      25
>maple           35-44
>oak,red         45
>oak,whit        47
>poplar,yellow   30
>walnut,black    38
>
>Hope this helps...
>
>-- 

I've a reference titled "The Encyclopedia of Wood - Wood as an
engineering material"  published in 1977 by Drake Publishers.

Under the Heading Maple in the table of "mechanical properties of some
commercially important woods grown in the United States" it lists 5
species for which I'll copy 3 of the tables many columns, Specific
Gravity, Impact bending- height of drop causing complete failure -
inches, and compression perpendicular to grain - fiber stress at
proportional limit

            Specific Gravity   Impact bending    Compression perp to grain
Maple                               In.                   P.s.i.
   Bigleaf      _/ .44               23                    450
                 \ .48               28                    750
   Black        _/ .52               48                    600
                 \ .57               40                   1020
   Red          _/ .49               32                    400
                 \ .54               32                   1000
   Silver       _/ .44               29                    370
                 \ .47               25                    740
   Sugar        _/ .56               40                    640
                 \ .63               39                   1470

Some selected other entries for comparison:

Alder, red      _/ .37               22                    250
                 \ .41               20                    440

Cottonwood:
  Balsam poplar _/ .31               --                    140
                 \ .34               --                    300
   Black        _/ .31               20                    160
                 \ .35               22                    300
   Eastern      _/ .37               21                    200
                 \ .40               20                    380

Oak, red:
   Black        _/ .56               40                    640
                 \ .61               41                   1470
   Cherrybark   _/ .61               54                    640
                 \ .68               49                   1470
   Laurel       _/ .56               39                    640
                 \ .63               39                   1470
   Northern red _/ .56               44                    640
                 \ .63               43                   1470
   Pin          _/ .58               48                    640
                 \ .63               45                   1470
   Scarlet      _/ .60               54                    640
                 \ .67               53                   1470
   Southern red _/ .52               29                    640
                 \ .59               26                   1470
   Water        _/ .56               39                    640
                 \ .63               44                   1470
   Willow       _/ .56               35                    640
                 \ .69               42                   1470


    I just didn't want you to think categorizations are as simple as
    the quoted density guideline suggests :-)

    This table also lists Modulus of rupture, Modulus of elasticity,
    and Work to maximum load under the heading Static bending.  There
    are also values for Compression parallel to grain, Shear parallel
    to grain, Tension perpendicular to grain and Side hardness.

    Under "Pine" are listed 16 species by their common names, with a
    wide variance of these parameters.  The lowest specific gravity
    for a pine species is .34 the highest is .59.  The lowest
    Compression perpendicular to grain value is 190, the highest is
    1020.

    It does sound like what Tom has isn't a maple.


(with apologies for any typos :-)
John