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Clicking any heading in the main data area (at right) will scroll the page back to this top position. Use the following links to jump to the associated section in the main data. 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 Light-Induced Color Change Luster Mortising Moulding Nailing Natural Durability Numerical Data Odor Planing Polishing Product Sources References Regions of Distribution Resistance to Impregnation Response to Hand Tools Routing & Recessing Sanding Sapwood Color Scientific Name Screwing Silica Content Strength Properties Texture Trade Name Tree Identification Tree Size Turning Veneering Qualities Scientific Name Swartzia fistuloides Trade Name Dina Family Name Caesalpiniaceae Common Names Akite, Asomanini, Awong, Bannia, Boto, Dina, Gandoe, Icoje, Kiela, Kiela kusu, Kisasamba, Kusu, Mututy, N'guessa, Naranjillo, Ndina, Nsakala, Oken, Orura barrialera, Pao rosa, Parakusan, Pau ferro, Pau rosa, Sambo, Sambo-sambo, Sambu, Sassambo, Wamara Regions of Distribution Africa Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Angola, Benin, Cameroon, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Togo, Zaire Common Uses Agricultural implements, Boat building (general), Boxes and crates, Cabinetmaking, Carvings, Chairs, Chests, Concealed parts (Furniture), Core Stock, Decorative veneer, Desks, Dining-room furniture, Dowell pins, Dowells, Drawer sides, Drum sticks, Figured veneer, Fine furniture, Floor lamps, Flooring, Fuelwood, Furniture , Furniture components, Furniture squares or stock, Furniture, Hatracks, Joinery, Kitchen cabinets, Living-room suites, Mine timbers, Musical instruments , Musical instruments, Office furniture, Organ pipes, Piano keys, Pianos , Plain veneer, Plywood, Radio - stereo - TV cabinets, Railroad ties, Rustic furniture, Sounding boards, Sporting Goods, Stools, Tables , Tool handles, Toys, Turnery, Utility furniture, Veneer, Veneer: decorative, Violin bows, Violin, Wardrobes, Woodwork , Xylophones Environmental Profile Unknown status in natural growth range due to inadequate inofrmation Rare in parts of its natural range Generally secure within most of its natural habitat, but note exceptions. Data source is World Conservation Monitoring Center This species is relatively secure within its range in most areas including Cameroon and Congo, but it is officially classified as Rare in Ivory Coast. Its current environmental status in other areas within its growth range is unknown because of insufficient information. These areas are Angola, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, and Zaire Distribution Overview The genus Swartzia is composed of about 135 species, all of which occur in tropical America, except for two which occur in Africa. S. fistuloides occurs in small clusters in the dense rainforests from the Ivory Coast to Gabon and the Congo region. Heartwood Color Brown Yellow White Red Grey Dark brown Yellow to golden-yellow to orange Pale red to pink Yellow Reddish brown Red-Brown bands Red Pink Sapwood Color Brown Yellow White White to yellow Well defined White/Pale brown Sapwood can be very thick Different than heartwood Grain Wavy Interlocked Closed Figure Stripe (figure) Wavy Interlocked Wavy to interlocked Striped figure Texture Coarse Medium Coarse Medium to very coarse Fine Luster High Medium Natural Durability Perishable Non-durable Resistant to attack from termites (Isoptera) Very durable Resistant to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles Well suited for exterior applications Susceptible to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles Heartwood resistant to decay Good weathering properties Durable Odor No specific smell or taste Silica Content High Siliceous Light-Induced Color Change Darker Kiln Schedules Dry at a slow speed Drying Defects Distortion Discoloration Slight surface checking Slight end splitting Shakes may become extended Moderate surface checking End-checking is moderate Ease of Drying Fairly Easy Dries slowly with severe checking Tree Identification Bole/stem form is not buttressed Bole/stem form is misshapen Tree Size Bole length is 20-30 m Product Sources The ITTO reports that timber from this species is produced in limited quantities and exported in small volumes. Comments General finishing qualities are rated as good Blunting Effect Moderate Interlocked slightly to moderately Blunting effect on machining is moderate Boring Fairly easy to very easy Fair to good results Wood tends to char during boring Carving Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Generally good results Cutting Resistance Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult to saw May overheat saws rapidly Cutting resistance with dry wood is moderate Blades have short life and tend to vibrate Gluing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Easy to glue Good gluing characteristics Mortising Fairly Easy to Very Easy Slight to moderate blunting effect on cutters Easy to mortise Moulding Fairly Easy to Very Easy Good finishing results Easy to mould Nailing Possible if prebored Planing Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Satisfactory planing qualities May be occasional pick up of grain Easy to plane Difficult to plane Resistance to Impregnation Permeable heartwood Permeable sapwood Heartwood is highly resistant Highly resistant Response to Hand Tools Easy to machine Poor response Moderate working qualities Routing & Recessing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Routing characteristics are generally good Sanding Easy to sand Screwing Possible if prebored Turning Poor to Very Poor Results Moderate blunting effect on cutting edges Fairly good response to preservative treatment Easy to turn Veneering Qualities Bolt preparation requires steaming Polishing Satisfactory results Good results Strength Properties Shrinkage, Radial = moderate Bending strength (MOR) = very high Shrinkage, Tangential = small Shrinkage, Radial = small Max. crushing strength = very high Density (dry weight) = 61-67 lbs/cu. ft. Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = high Bending strength (MOR) = high Shrinkage, Tangential = moderate Shrinkage, Radial = large Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = very high Density (dry weight) = 67-75 lbs/cu. ft. Density (dry weight) = 53-60 lbs/cu. ft. Density (dry weight) = 46-52 lbs/cu. ft. Very heavy Shrinkage, Tangential = large Shrinkage, Tangential = fairly large Shrinkage, Radial = fairly large Hardness (side grain) = very hard Density = very high Compression strength (parallel to grain) = very high Compression strength (parallel to grain) = medium Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Bending Strength 17175 24736 psi Density 57 lbs/ft3 Hardness 2940 lbs Maximum Crushing Strength 10035 13389 psi Shearing Strength 3185 psi Stiffness 2167 2537 1000 psi Specific Gravity 0.8 Weight 58 58 lbs/ft3 Radial Shrinkage 4 % Tangential Shrinkage 6 % Volumetric Shrinkage 10 % Item Green Dry Metric Bending Strength 1207 1739 kg/cm2 Density 913 kg/m3 Hardness 1333 kg Maximum Crushing Strength 705 941 kg/cm2 Shearing Strength 223 kg/cm2 Stiffness 152 178 1000 kg/cm2 Specific Gravity 0.8 Weight 929 929 kg/m3 Radial Shrinkage 4 % Tangential Shrinkage 6 % References Bolza, E., Keating, W.G.,1972,African Timbers - the Properties, Uses and Characteristics of 700 Species,C.S.I.R.O. Div. of Building Research Chudnoff, M.,1984,Tropical Timbers of the World,U.S.A. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Forest Products,Laboratory, Madison. Covington, S.A.,1972,The Strength Properties of Native Timbers used by the Mining Industry in,Zambia,Mining Timbers Project 8:3:3 Report, no.1 Erfurth, T., Rusche, H.,1976,The Marketing of Tropical Wood A. Wood Species from African Moist Forests,F.A.O. Forestry Department Erfurth, T., Rusche, H.,1976,The Marketing of Tropical Wood B. Wood Species from S. American Tropical,Moist Forests,F.A.O. Forestry Department Freitas, M.C.P.G. de,1961,Madeiras de Angola Series 1,Reprint from Garcia de Orta Lisbon,9(4,pp699-711 Hughes, J.F.,1971,The Principal Timber Trees of Cameroon,Unpublished data Irvine, F.R.,1961,Woody Plants of Ghana,O.U.P. London ITTO. 1986. Tropical Timber Atlas, Volume 1 - Africa. International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO) and Centre Technique Forestier Tropical (CTFT, 45bis, Avenue de la Belle Gabrielle, Nogent-sur-Marne Cedex, France. Keay, R.W.J. 1989. Trees of Nigeria. Revised Version of Nigerian Trees. Clarendon Press, Oxford. Keay, R.W.J.,1964,Nigerian Trees Vol.2,Nigeria Federal Department of Forest Research, Ibadan Kennedy, J.D.,1936,Forest Flora of Southern Nigeria,Government Printer Lagos Monterio, R.R., Pimenta de Franca, O.F.,1965,Tres Especies Florestais de Angola,Bol. Inst. Invest. Cientifica de Angola Reprint (Luanda, 2(2,pp209-18 Saint-Aubin, G. de,1963,La Foret du Gabon,CTFT Publ., No.21 Sallenave, P.,1955,Proprietes Phyiques et Mecaniques des Bois Tropicaux de l'Union Francaise,C.T.F.T Savill, P.S., Fox, J.E.D.,1967,Trees of Sierra Leone Takahashi, A.,1978,Compilation of Data on the Mechanical Properties of Foreign Woods (Part,III) Africa,Shimane University, Japan, Research Report on Foreign Wood No. 7 WCMC. 1992. Conservation Status Listing - Trees and Timbers of the World, World Conservation Monitoring Centre, Plants Programme, 219 Huntingdon Road, Cambridge, CB3 ODL, United Kingdom.