CORE WOOD SPECIES
If the blade is the "soul" of your table tennis game, in terms of equipment selection, the the core of the blade is undoubtedly, the physical backbone of the soul. Below, I have a list of the suitable, available core woods I have to offer, along with their attributes, and typical properties.
Balsa
Average Dried Weight: 9 lbs/ft3 (150 kg/m3)
Specific Gravity (Basic, 12% MC): .12, .15
Janka Hardness: 67 lbf (300 N)
Modulus of Rupture: 2,840 lbf/in2 (19.6 MPa)
Elastic Modulus: 538,000 lbf/in2 (3.71 GPa)
Crushing Strength: 1,690 lbf/in2 (11.6 MPa)
Kiri (Paulownia)
Average Dried Weight: 18 lbs/ft3 (280 kg/m3)
Specific Gravity (Basic, 12% MC): .25, .28
Janka Hardness: 300 lbf (1,330 N)
Modulus of Rupture: 5,480 lbf/in2 (37.8 MPa)
Elastic Modulus: 635,000 lbf/in2 (4.38 GPa)
Crushing Strength: 3,010 lbf/in2 (20.7 MPa)
Ayous (Obeche)
Average Dried Weight: 23.8 lbs/ft3 (380 kg/m3)
Specific Gravity (Basic, 12% MC): 0.32, 0.38
Janka Hardness: 440 lbf (1,960 N)
Modulus of Rupture: 8,680 lbf/in2 (59.8 MPa)
Elastic Modulus: 934,000 lbf/in2 (6.44 GPa)
Crushing Strength: 4,310 lbf/in2 (29.7 MPa)
Basswood (Lime)
Average Dried Weight: 26.0 lbs/ft3 (415 kg/m3)
Specific Gravity (Basic, 12% MC): 0.32, 0.42
Janka Hardness: 410 lbf (1,820 N)
Modulus of Rupture: 8,700 lbf/in2 (60 MPa)
Elastic Modulus: 1,460,000 lbf/in2 (10.07 GPa)
Crushing Strength: 4,730 lbf/in2 (32.6 MPa)