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Blunting Effect
Boring
Carving
Comments
Common Names
Common Uses
Countries of Distribution
Cutting Resistance
Distribution Overview
Drying Defects
Ease of Drying
Environmental Profile
Family Name
Gluing
Grain
Heartwood Color
Kiln Schedules
Mortising
Moulding
Movement in Service
Nailing
Natural Durability
Numerical Data
Odor
Planing
Polishing
References
Regions of Distribution
Resistance to Impregnation
Response to Hand Tools
Routing & Recessing
Sanding
Sapwood Color
Scientific Name
Screwing
Staining
Steam Bending
Strength Properties
Texture
Trade Name
Tree Size
Turning
Veneering Qualities

Scientific Name
Salix alba

Trade Name
Willow

Family Name
Salicaceae

Wood Image 1

Common Names
Black willow, Common willow, Cricket bat willow, Dudley willow, Goodding willow, Huntingdon willow, Pil, Sauce, Saule, Sauz, Southwestern black willow, Swamp willow, Vitpil, Weide, Western black willow, White willow, Wilg, Willow

Regions of Distribution
Africa, Eastern Europe, Mediterranean Sea Region, Oceania and S.E. Asia, Western Europe

Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP]
Switzerland, United Kingdom

Common Uses
Artificial limbs, Baskets, Bearings & bushings, Boxes and crates, Building materials, Casks, Charcoal, Cooperages, Core Stock, Decorative veneer, Figured veneer, Flooring, Flooring: industrial heavy traffic, Interior construction, Marquetry, Packing cases, Paneling , Pulp/Paper products, Sporting Goods, Toys, Vehicle parts, Veneer, Wainscotting

Environmental Profile
Generally secure within most of its natural habitat, but note exceptions.
Data source is World Conservation Monitoring Center
Abundant

Natural habitat includes Switzerland, but it currently classified as Endangered in the wild in Malta

Distribution Overview
Native to Europe, northern Africa, and central Asia, but is naturalized in southeastern Canada and eastern United States. The tree usually grows near cities in wet soils of stream banks and valleys.

Heartwood Color
White
Pale red to pink
White to cream
White pinkish


Sapwood Color
White to yellow
Whitish


Grain
Straight
Even


Texture
Fine
Even textured


Natural Durability
Non-resistant to termites
Susceptible to insect attack
Perishable
Non durable
Very durable

The heartwood has very little natural resistance to decay and is susceptible to attack by insects. The sapwood is vulnerable to attack by the powder-post and common furniture beetles. Trees and logs are vulnerable to attack by forest longhorn or Buprestid beetle.

Odor
No specific smell or taste


Kiln Schedules
Drying (speed) is fast
UK=H US=T10D4S/T8D3S Fr=7
UK=H


Drying Defects
Water pockets


Ease of Drying
Fairly Easy
Easy
Moisture content should be monitored to insure uniformity
Moderate
Dries fairly quickly with minimum degrade


Tree Size
Some trees are grown for cricket bats and these are harvested when they attain a diameter of about 18 inches (50 cm).

Comments
General finishing qualities are rated as good

Blunting Effect
Slight bluting effect on cutting tools
Blunting effect on machining is slight


Boring
Easy, especially when cutters are kept very sharp


Carving
The operation requires sharp cutting edges for best results
Good results


Cutting Resistance
Easy to saw
Low resistance
Cutting tools should be kept very sharp to prevent woolly surfaces


Gluing
Easy to glue
Excellent gluing properties


Mortising
To prevent rough surfaces, sharp cutting edges are required in most machining operations, including mortising

Moulding
The timber responds well to ordinary tools in moulding operations, with very good results

Movement in Service
Holds its place well in use
Dimensionally stable


Nailing
Good nailing properties


Planing
Requires sharp cutting edges to prevent fuzzy surfaces
Reduced cutting angles recommended
Planes and works well with ordinary machine tools
Easy to plane


Resistance to Impregnation
Sapwood is permeable
Heartwood is resistant
Heartwood is highly resistant
Sapwood is treatable


Response to Hand Tools
Easy to machine

Response to hand tools, with sharp cutting edges, is very good.

Routing & Recessing
The material responds readily to sharp cutting edges to yield good results in routing operations

Sanding
Good characteristics


Screwing
Good screwing properties


Turning
Sharp cutting edges necessary to prevent woolly surfaces
Easy to turn


Veneering Qualities
No drying degrade. Dries flat without splitting
Easy to cut


Steam Bending
Poor


Polishing
Satisfactory results
High finish


Staining
Finish is generally satisfactory


Strength Properties
Max. crushing strength = low
Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = very low
Bending strength (MOR) = low
Toughness-Hammer drop (Impact Strength) = low
Toughness (total work) = medium
Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = very low
Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = low
Bending strength (MOR) = very low
Weight and density are about average
Toughness-Hammer drop (Impact Strength) = medium
Toughness (total work) = low
Surfaces may dent easily
Hardness (side grain) = soft
Bending strength (MOR) = medium
Air-Dried condition about 12% moisture content


Numerical Data
ItemGreenDryEnglish
Bending Strength46438153psi
Density25lbs/ft3
Hardness568lbs
Impact Strength3731inches
Maximum Crushing Strength20363898psi
Shearing Strength1138psi
Stiffness95211251000 psi
Toughness222inch-lbs
Work to Maximum Load812inch-lbs/in3
Specific Gravity0.340.38
Weight2525lbs/ft3
ItemGreenDryMetric
Bending Strength326573kg/cm2
Density400kg/m3
Hardness257kg
Impact Strength9378cm
Maximum Crushing Strength143274kg/cm2
Shearing Strength80kg/cm2
Stiffness66791000 kg/cm2
Toughness255cm-kg
Work to Maximum Load0.560.84cm-kg/cm3
Specific Gravity0.340.38

References
Armstrong, F.H.,1960,The Strength Properties of Timber,Forest Products Research Laboratory, London Bulletin,No.45

Farmer, R.H.,1972,Handbook of Hardwoods,HMSO

Forest Products Research Laboratory, U.K.,1937,A Handbook of Home-Grown Timbers,HMSO

HMSO. 1981. Handbook of Hardwoods, 2nd Edition. Revised by R. H. Farmer, Department of the Environment, Building Research Establishment, Princes Risborough Laboratory, Princes Risborough, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire.

Howard, A.L.,1948,A Manual of Timbers of the World.,Macmillan & Co. Ltd. London 3rd ed.

I.U.F.R.O.,1973,Veneer Species of the World,Assembled at F.P.L. Madison on behalf of I.U.F.R.O. Working Party on,Slicing and Veneer Cutting

Lavers, G.M. 1966. The Strength Properties of Timbers. Forest Products Research Bulletin, No. 50. Ministry of Technology, Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London.

Lavers, G.M.,1983,The Strength Properties of Timber (3rd ed. revised Moore G.L.,Forest Products Research Laboratory, Princes Risborough, Building Research,Establishment Report (formerly Bulletin No.50)

Lincoln, W.A. 1986. World Woods in Color. Linden Publishing Co. Inc., Fresno, California.

Little, E.L. 1980. The Audobon Society Field Guide to North American Trees - Western Region. Published by Arthur A. Knopf, New York.

Redding, L.W.,1971,Resistance of Timbers to Impregnation with Creosote,Forest Products Research Laboratory, Princes Risborough, Building Research,Establishment Bulletin No.54 pp.43

Scott, M.H.,1953,Utilisation Notes on South African Timbers,South African Forestry Department Bulletin No.36

Smith, D.N.,1959,The Natural Durability of Timber,Forest Products Research Laboratory, Princes Risborough, Building Research,Establishment Record,No.30

T.D.A.,1942,Timber Leaflet - No.67 Willow,TRADA Timber Leaflet

T.R.A.D.A.,1942,Home-grown timber trees - their characteristics, cultivation and Uses,TRADA

WCMC. 1992. Conservation Status Listing: Trees and Timbers of the World. World Conservation Monitoring Center (WCMC, Plants Program, 219 Huntingdon Road, Cambridge, CB3 ODL, United Kingdom.









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