Do wooden arms warp


I hate to sound stupid or pedantic, but I have historically done a lot of woodwork - turning/routering/bedmaking. The single biggest problem is locating wood that does not warp.
Wood cut and left to settle over 50 years continue to warp, likewise, even very old wood warps as well. In my experience when a piece is smaller/thinner it is more pronounced unless there is some lamination (not always a cure). I am yet to come across or find a treatment which stops warping. It would be nice if a manufacturer of such an arm chimes in on this thread, because arms such as: Durand, Shroder, Reed etc all have wood arms/options and they really are the most expensive arms out there.
lohanimal
I am but lowly wetland scientist, not a material scientist, but after some initial skepticism, I am now quite convinced by both theoretical and empirical evidence that wood's "instability" need not automatically disqualify it from being used in a perfectionist analog set-up:
Theoretical- metal also is dimensionally unstable and has a coefficient of thermal expansion that can be quite a bit higher than certain kinds of wood. Same is true for some ceramics. Assuming that the wood is properly dried, we see the following coefficients (units are 10 minus 6th inches change per inch length per degree F), rounded to the nearest whole unit:
Aluminum 12
Brass 10
Copper 9
Steel 8-10
Stainless 6
Magnesium 14
Glass 5
Glass fiber/plastic 14
Porcelain 4
Titanium 5
Fir 2
Fir (cross grain) 17
Oak quarter sawn 30
Diamond 1
So if dimensional stability in terms of temperature change is the most important parameter, then diamond would be best. It's cheaper than unobtanium but it's a bitch to machine ;-)

The issue with respect to humidity is much more complex. My only comment is that I believe some wood tonearms are "stabilized" by impregnating the wood w resins or epoxies, not just by sealing the outside with a varnish or polyurethane finish.

Empirical- Others have noted that several of the finest tonearms wands are made of wood. We also see Lewm's report that his 2 wooden tonearms are dimensionally stable enough that over the course of 2 years, their alignment, when measured using the most precise (and most expensive) alignment jig currently available, has remained on the gnat's a$$ (my words not his). We also see that the physical properties of cartridges vary enough over time that in a highly resolving system, it is possible to hear changes in the sound with changes in VTA, VTF, and AS that are far less than anyone would previously have suspected.

As with most of these complex designs, esp. w transducers, it comes down to establishing design goals, optimizing the design to achieve those goals, and properly implementing the design. And then of course there is the subjectivity that the listener/user imparts to the process. So there will almost never be a single "best" material or "best" drive mechanism, or "best" stylus profile, or "best" circuit topology, etc., etc.

To get back to the OP's ?, the simple answer is that yes wooden tonearms can warp, but it appears that a properly designed, properly manufactured, and properly maintained tonearm wand can be made from wood, without warpage being a major constraint on its performance. However, I don't think I'd want to buy one if I lived in the Amazon ;-) Although now that I think about it, constant high temp and humidity is probably less harmful to alignment than the changing New England weather.
The question was 'Do wooden arms warp?' The answer seems
to be 'no problem at all'. The problem however seems to
be that we don't like simple answers while the philosophical
possibilties of the 'If... then' construction are endless.
Well I already own a cart with diamnod/stylus combo made
from one piece of diamond. What then can we expect 'if the
whole arm wand would be made from this material?'
The pseudo-intellectuals on this thread crack me up. A person with an analytical mind asks a question and gets attacked for asking the question; but no one offers any answers. Even better, someone like Mr. V can make non-sensical, ludicrous statements like this:
"The problem is the heat generated by dragging the record grooves against the stylus generates huge temperature swings. How much heat is contested but 500 degrees F peaks might be conservative. There goes those micronic adjustments. "
Yet no one questions that. I have been waiting to see if anyone would question this outrageous statement; but no one did. All the pseudo-intellectuals seem to accept his statement as fact. First, think logically about this statement. I have been playing records for almost 4 decades and I have yet to see one of my records burst into flames. Second, vinyl melts at 480F, so that would mean our records are melting and re-solidifying every time we play them. How long do you think a record would last under that kind of punishment? I'm sure the highs would be gone after the first play.
The facts are that the stylus exerts about 300-400 psi on the vinyl surface based on VTF and contact area. The coefficient of friction is about 0.22. Heating of the vinyl is going to be in the 18F range. Conclusion: It is perfectly safe to play your records indoors.
Bravo that someone can turn a pencil into a tonearm and receive accolades for it. But as in any hobby and in life, "Caveat Emptor".
Tony, Notwithstanding all the other provocative elements of your last post, I don't think anyone has "attacked" the OP. The OP's rhetorical question elicited a lot of strong opinions on either side, but no one has directed any venom in his direction. Can you say where this really happened? I think the question he raised is a perfectly valid one, worth discussing in a civil manner. (Yes, I can be faulted for not being so civil, once or twice. Mea culpa.)