I've used lots of cypress in various kinds of woodworking. When I was a kid I even made a C/L rat racer from solid cypress. It was quite a lead sled. But the wood was free.

According to the wood density database at http://www.worldagroforestry.org/sea...s/AFDbases/WD/ bald cypress (Taxodium distichum) has a medium density of about 500 Kg/m3. Basswood runs from 365 - 460 and spruce is 440. So it actually looks a little heavier than either spruce or bass.

For mechanical properties look at http://www.fpl.fs.fed.us/documnts/fp...tr113/ch04.pdf. I'm no structural engineer but I was surprised that the compression, shear and tension of cypress compare favorably with basswood and spruce. However in static bending work to maximum load it falls between the two.

So it looks like the strength is there but it's heavier than either basswood or spruce.

Dave