Beginner what wood should I use??

[Chris W]

I have never made a gun before but would like to make one and I am wondering what wood characteristics are needed. I am guessing nonporous and light but I don't really know. I am pretty handy so building it is no problem. I just need to gather sufficient materials, color or grain is of no real importance to me. I guess I am asking for some beginner pointers like what not to do etc. Oh and what trigger mech is recommended, I live in Wisconsin and do not need anything too fancy.
Any input is much appreciated.

Thanks,
Chris

 

[Alfie]

teak wins because it is almost completely impervious to seawater, but AFAIK anything dense and durable will work if it's treated right.

 

[Chris W]

Thanks so much for your response, it is greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Chris

 

[foxfish]

Teak is a fantastic wood to use but to be honest it is not the most reliable wood to glue up!
Teak has a high oil content & as Alfie points out is very resilient & impervious to water but by that very fact you need to prepare the surface very carefully when bonding laminates together.
I believe that before modern glues & water proof finishes were available, teak & iroko, were the best woods to use but, nowadays the choice is broader & teak is one of the most expensive woods to buy!!
Find out what is available in your area - for instance you might find your locale hardware store sells 2" x 1/4 hardwood strips or something similar?

 

[scottie3030]

I spoke to a joiner I know when I made mine n he had a peace of teak left over from a job. I got it for half the price every where else was asking and he cut into the laminates I wanted! So it's worth looking around


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[Chris W]

Thanks so much for all the responses guys it is much appreciated.

Thanks,
Chris

 

[blaiz]

As stated above teak is the standard. Check to see if you have North American teak available. Its actually hickory that has been kiln dried and then impregnated with resins and oils in order to give it the same properties of teak.

Its a bit more buoyant than teak but harder as well and wears out blades rather quickly. Plus its sustainable!

Another wood you might want to look in to is Paduak. Very nice to work with though as with all hardwoods you should wear a dust mask when cutting or milling. Saw dust from a lot of hardwoods especially teak and paduak can be very harmful to your health.

Bubinga, oak, mahogany, purple heart, canary wood, yellow heart, the list goes on. Some woods take more care when finishing as they are not as resistant to water as teak but still suitable for gun making. The biggest thing to take into consideration IMO is the density as that will determine how much ballast you need to put into the gun in order to balance it properly.

 

[Alfie]

I just finished my first gun in maseranduba which was lovely to work, and is bloody dense - it only just floats!

 

[Chris W]

Awesome guys I really appreciate it.

Thanks,
Chris