White Oak high SG?

[punch]

I am working on a short bow. I picked up some white oak at home depot with pretty straight grain.  I noticed it was heavy but I didn't pay much attention to it. I got the bow roughed out and noticed it is still really heavy.   It feels good and dry and it is kindled dried so I had a small piece left over. I put some markings on it and put it in a bowl of water. It sunk until the top of the wood was just barely a millimeter above the water surface.   That would put it very close to 1 SG.  Is that normal or even possible for white oak?  I am in San Diego and the humidity has not been too high.  TBB 4 lists white oak around .67 SG

[Pat B]

I wonder if the white oak is truly American white oak or some other look alike.

[Josh B]

Is the wood diffuse porous?  It might be live oak.  Josh

[punch]

No it looks ring porous

[Josh B]

It was just a thought.  I've had some of my native bur oak (which is sold as white oak) test in the low .80s on rare occasion, but never quite that dense.  I'm sure it's possible.  There is a lot of variations within a specific species.  The .67 sg would just be an average for reference purposes only.  It should make a good bow anyway.  Josh

[Pat B]

Can you check the moisture?  The white oak I've dealt with has all had good physical weight but I never checked the actual weight or the S/G.

[punch]

I am quite happy it is so dense.  I was looking for hickory but didn't find any that had good grain.  I settled with the oak which looks like it will be better than the hickory

[punch]

No I do not have a moisture meter but it feels and cuts like very dry wood

[Pat B]

White oak is a pretty good but rarely used bow wood compared to other common woods. The white oak I've used is a lot better than the red oak I've gotten from Lowe's.

[punch]

Yes this is the first time I have seen it at home depot and it was a lot better than the red oak

[Hrothgar]

As mentioned earlier there are several different species of white oak and the density/weight can vary based upon other factors as well. You should have a pretty good candidate to work with.

[half eye]

I like the white oak as bow wood....but as an aside, the USS Constitution, a US Frigate had 12/14 inch hull planks of white oak and they would take a point blank shot from a British long barreled 12 pounder (naval rifle).....it's tough.
rich

[E. Jensen]

You can determine the moisture content without a meter.  Cut off a small sample.  Weight it.  Put it in the oven or toaster oven or in the sunshine or wherever where it will dry bone dry.  Weigh it again. 

(Green weight - dry weight) / dry weight

Much more accurate than a meter.

Are the rings very wide?

[bubbles]

I thought it was live oak they used on the constitution?