ActionWood vs DymondWood

LongStick64 · December 28, 2009, 12:43:00 PM

What is the difference between Actionwood and Dymondwood ?

wingnut · December 28, 2009, 12:47:00 PM

Actionwood is laminated birch, Dymondwood is laminated birch that is impregnated with resin.

Mike

Dave Worden · December 28, 2009, 02:24:00 PM

And.....probably because of the impregnation, Dymondwood is heavier. It sure makes a nice riser!!

xtrema312 · December 28, 2009, 02:30:00 PM

I heard dymondwood is heavier, but is it stronger? I read impregnated wood can be brittle. Does this apply to dymondwood?

LongStick64 · December 28, 2009, 02:55:00 PM

So which one makes a better riser in your opinion, anyone have one that delaminated.

wingnut · December 28, 2009, 03:09:00 PM

Dyamond wood has a repretation of cracking and delaminating. We were considering using it in a future bow line but after talking extensively with the manufacture, we have decided not go that way.

Mike

xtrema312 · December 28, 2009, 03:29:00 PM

How is action wood compared to other quality hard woods? Birch doesn't sound all that tough, but if laminated I would guess all the glue would maybe make it stronger.

wingnut · December 28, 2009, 03:32:00 PM

Yep the multilam materials are much stronger and stable. Most wood gunstocks these days are made of one kind or another. I wish we could still get the maple actionwood. It is heavier.

Mike

legends1 · December 28, 2009, 09:48:00 PM

As Mike mentionaed above Dymondwood is not requamented for use in bow riser by the company.Mike also mentioned the diffrence of the two products.Actionwood is a slang name for the use in archery.Actionwood is called Stratabond by the manufacture.Actionwood (Starabond) when used in risers is most often seen in
black(gray)or brown.I use the black Actionwood in my new 60' Tornado recurve with a 17" riser,and use it upon request in my other recurves with 21' risers upon request.As Mike mentioned Actionwood is used in gunstocks and bow risers.Bowyers who use lamanated products use Actionwood.Such as Blackwidow,Palmer i believe.
I order the black (we call gray) from Rutland Plywood.I have it made in 16 1/2" x 51" sheets.In that size min.order is four sheets.For a riser or two it would be best to get it through Bingham projests.I have never had a problem with the Actionwood. Never used Dymondwood.Actionwood is very easy to work with.Take finish very well.

pdk25 · December 28, 2009, 10:10:00 PM

I think pronghorn risers are made from dymondwood. Anyone heard of any problems?

BigStriper · December 28, 2009, 11:21:00 PM

Hummingbird Bows also use Dymondwood in some of their Bows,and I Love mine,

Kurt

jacobsladder · December 28, 2009, 11:23:00 PM

Love my dymondwood firefly... Going to have another made soon...

Lots of bowyers use dymondwood.

30coupe · December 28, 2009, 11:33:00 PM

Both of my Kanatis have dymondwood risers. Jason has built lots of them with no issues. They are one piece bows though, but Herb Meland doesn't seem to have a problem making three piece bows out of them.

Both actionwood and dymondwood are resin impregnated, but dymondwood is impregnated under extreme pressure, which is why it is heavier.

OH Longbow · December 29, 2009, 12:03:00 AM

OH Longbow · December 29, 2009, 12:04:00 AM

I've used both and think they are both excellent. Though, I will say the Dymondwood was brutal on tools. Things got dull real quick. As some have pointed out, it is brittle. When I was cutting my riser, I used a router to shape the fades. The ends broke out a little from the beating of the cutting edges but, it wasn't anything a little smooth-on couldn't cover up. The build is posted on here and there are examples of both Dymonwood and Actionwood.

John

marlon · December 30, 2009, 08:28:00 AM

My old recurve bow was made of action wood strung it up to weight it slipped took it to far the limb broke but the handle wood was intact. The bow poundage was 155# @ 28.

wingnut · December 30, 2009, 08:36:00 AM

marlon,

Is that a typo? Dang 155 @ 28? My scale doesn't even go that high.

Mike

Charlie Lamb · December 30, 2009, 08:41:00 AM

Not a typo Mike. Marlon shoots some brutally heavy bows.

I almost sold him a 92# recurve I had in the shop. It was a little light for him. If I hadn't cut the shelf on the wrong side he'd now have a bow for his old age.
:D

wingnut · December 30, 2009, 08:43:00 AM

Dang it!

I'd have to double the number of lams and go to .060 glass to get something like that.

Bet it left a mark when it blew.

Mike

7 Lakes · December 30, 2009, 09:12:00 PM

I've used Dymondwood for years without any problems. It rasps well, smoothly without clogging & it's heavy which is what I'm looking for in a riser.

A scratched finish will have no effect, moisture is not absorbed like it would be in Actionwood.

I like it.