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Blunting Effect Boring Carving Certified Source Common Names Common Uses Countries of Distribution Cutting Resistance Drying Defects Ease of Drying Environmental Profile Family Name Gluing Grain Heartwood Color Kiln Drying Rate Kiln Schedules Luster Mortising Moulding Movement in Service Nailing Natural Durability Numerical Data Painting 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 Varnishing Veneering Qualities Scientific Name Swartzia madagascariensis Trade Name Kampanga Family Name Caesalpiniaceae Common Names Kampanga, Kasanda, Mucherechese, Mucherekese, Mudyamhembge, Mukosho, Mulundu, Mushakashela, Mutseketsa, Naquada, Ndale, Pau ferro, Pau rosa, Snake bean, Snake bean tree, Swartzia, Umketsheketshe, Umtsakatsha, Umtshakatsha, Umtsheketshe Regions of Distribution Africa Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Mozambique, Sudan, Zimbabwe Common Uses Agricultural implements, Boat building (general), Boxes and crates, Cabinetmaking, Carvings, Charcoal, Flooring, Fuelwood, Furniture, Handles: general, Heavy construction, Joinery, Ladders, Mine timbers, Musical instruments, Plywood, Posts, Railroad ties, Sporting Goods, Toys, Turnery, Vats Environmental Profile Endangered Abundant/Secure Heartwood Color Brown Yellow Orange Red Green/grey Pink Purple Green Red Purple Brown Black Reddish brown Dark brown Sapwood Color White Yellow Brown Red White to yellow Grain Even Closed Figure Straight Wavy Distinct (figure) Wavy Straight Distinct and very fine figure Texture Coarse Medium Fine to medium Luster Medium Low High Natural Durability Susceptible to insect attack Durable Non-resistant to termites Non-resistant to marine borers Moderately durable Resistant to termites Very durable Non-resistant to powder post beetles Non-durable Resistant to powder post beetles Resistant to marine borers Resistant to attack from termites (Isoptera) Very durable Susceptible to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles Kiln Schedules Dry at a slow speed Drying Defects Distortion Checking Splitting Slight surface checking Slight end splitting Moderate surface checking Moderate end spitting Ease of Drying Fairly Easy Moderately Difficult to Difficult Rapidly Kiln Drying Rate Naturally dries quickly Tree Size Tree height is 30-40 m Trunk diameter is 100-150 cm Bole length is 20-30 m Sapwood width is 0-5 cm Sapwood width is 5-10 cm Tree height is 40-50 m Bole length is 10-20 m Tree height is 20-30 m Bole length is 0-10 m Sapwood width is 10-15 cm Tree height is 10-20 m Certified Source Certified Source Blunting Effect Moderate Little Blunting effect on sawing dry wood is severe Boring Fairly easy to very easy Fair to good results Carving Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Cutting Resistance Easy to saw Cutting Resistance with green wood is difficult Cutting Resistance with dry wood is difficult Gluing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Easy to glue Mortising Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Moulding Fairly Easy to Very Easy Poor to Very Poor Results Very Good to Excellent Results Fair to Good Results Movement in Service Fair to Good Stability - Medium Movement Nailing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Pre-Boring Recommended Very Good to Excellent Results Poor to Very Poor Results Possible if prebored Difficult to nail Planing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Poor to Very Poor Results Very Good to Excellent Results Fair to Good Results Planes well, to a good finish Easy to plane Resistance to Impregnation Resistant heartwood Resistant sapwood Permeable sapwood Heartwood is highly resistant Response to Hand Tools Easy to Work Responds Readily Difficult to machine Routing & Recessing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Sanding Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Screwing Pre-boring recommended Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Turning Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Poor to Very Poor Results Very Good to Excellent Results Good results Easy to turn Veneering Qualities Suitable for peeling Veneers easily Veneers moderately easy Difficult to veneer Suitable for slicing Steam Bending Poor to Very Poor Results Painting Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Polishing Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Satisfactory results Good results Staining Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Poor results Varnishing Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Satisfactory Strength Properties Density (dry weight) = 61-67 lbs/cu. ft. Shrinkage, Radial = small Shrinkage, Tangential = moderate Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = high Max. crushing strength = high Density (dry weight) = >75 lbs/cu. ft. Density (dry weight) = 67-75 lbs/cu. ft. Bending strength (MOR) = high Shrinkage, Tangential = small Shrinkage, Tangential = fairly large Shrinkage, Radial = moderate Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = very high Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = medium Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Bending Strength 13576 20956 psi Density 60 lbs/ft3 Maximum Crushing Strength 6899 9945 psi Shearing Strength 2695 psi Stiffness 2167 2494 1000 psi Weight 59 53 lbs/ft3 Radial Shrinkage 3 % Tangential Shrinkage 7 % Item Green Dry Metric Bending Strength 954 1473 kg/cm2 Density 961 kg/m3 Maximum Crushing Strength 485 699 kg/cm2 Shearing Strength 189 kg/cm2 Stiffness 152 175 1000 kg/cm2 Weight 945 849 kg/m3 Radial Shrinkage 3 % References Banks, C.H. and J.P. Schoeman. 1963. Railway Sleeper and Crossing Timbers. Bulletin No. 41, Republic of South Africa. The Government Printer, Pretoria, South Africa. Banks, C.H., Schoeman, J.P., Otto, K.P.,1977,The Mechanical Properties of Timbers with particular reference to South,Africa,South African Forestry Research Institute Bulletin,(Ed.,Schoeman, J.P. 1973 & Otto K.P. 1976,No.48 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 Fanshawe, D.B.,1962,Fifty Common Trees of Northern Rhodesia,Natural Resources Board and Forestry Department, Ndola Goldsmith, B., Carter, D.T.,1981,The Indigenous Timbers of Zimbabwe,Forestry Commission, Zimbabwe Research Bulletin No.9 Irvine, F.R.,1961,Woody Plants of Ghana,O.U.P. London Pardy, A.A.,1954,Notes on Indigenous Trees and Shrubs of S.Rhodesia - Swartzia,madagascariensis,Ministry of Agriculture and Lands S. Rhodesia,Bulletin,No.1778 White, F.,1962,Forest Flora of Northern Rhodesia,O.U.P. London