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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 Drying Rate Luster 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 Syzygium buettnerianum Trade Name Water gum Family Name Myrtaceae Common Names Aibu, Aimela, Aisarufa, Gelam, Jam, Kalek, Kelat, Makaasim, Malafio, Malangiso, Obah, Rufa, Satinash, Thabyegin, Train, Water gum, Yasiyasi Regions of Distribution Oceania and S.E. Asia Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Australia, Fiji, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Solomon Islands, Vietnam Common Uses Blockboard, Boat building, Cabinetmaking, Construction, Decorative veneer, Flooring, Furniture , Hardboards, Joinery, Piling, Railroad ties, Shipbuilding, Sporting Goods, Tool handles, Turnery, Veneer Environmental Profile Vulnerable Abundant/Secure Rare Status has not been officially assessed Distribution Overview The species occurs in Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, and the Santa Cruz Islands. Heartwood Color Brown Green/grey Yellow Black Red Orange Reddish brown Purple tinge Pale brown Dark brown Sapwood Color White Yellow Brown Red Green/Grey Grey Paler than heartwood Color not distinct from heartwood Grain Closed Figure Interlocked Irregular Wavy Wavy Irregular Interlocked Generally plain in appearance Figure shows flame-like markings Texture Medium Coarse Fine Moderately fine and uniform Luster Medium Slightly lustrous Natural Durability Durable Susceptible to insect attack Very durable Non-resistant to termites Moderately durable Non-durable Perishable Non-resistant to marine borers Non-resistant to powder post beetles Resistant to termites Resistant to powder post beetles Moderately durable Odor Has an odor No specific smell or taste Drying Defects Distortion Checking Splitting Slight twist/warp Slight cupping Moderate twist/warp Moderate surface checking Moderate cupping All degrade can be prevented by weighing down stacks Ease of Drying Fairly Easy Rapidly Slowly Reconditioning Treatement Moderately Difficult to Difficult Little degrade Requires carefully controled drying to prevent degrade especially in back sawn boards At the end of drying a high humidity treatment is recommended to relieve drying stresses Air drying should precede seasoning Kiln Drying Rate Naturally dries quickly Naturally dries at a moderate speed Naturally dries slowly Rapid Drying rate is fairly rapid to fast Tree Size Tree height is 20-30 m Bole length is 10-20 m Bole length is 0-10 m Tree height is 10-20 m Tree height is 0-10 m Tree height is 30-40 m Trunk diameter is 250-300 cm Comments The genus Syzygium is represented by a large number of species which are grouped and marketed collectively as PNG Water gum. The largest representation of species in the genus is in the forests of Papua New Guinea. As might be expected, there is a wide variation in mechanical and physical properties, especially in density within the group. General mechanical and physical properties are presented here for the group. It should be noted that although the information is indicative of the properties of the group, it should be used with the understanding that individual species properties may differ significantly Blunting Effect Little Interlocked slightly to moderately Boring Fairly easy to very easy Very good to excellent results Material with interlocked grain requires sharp cutting edges Generally good Carving Very Good to Excellent Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Cutting Resistance Easy to saw Easy to saw Gluing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Good gluing characteristics Mortising Fairly Easy to Very Easy Very Good to Excellent Results Moulding Fairly Easy to Very Easy Very Good to Excellent Results Movement in Service Excellent Stability - Small Movement Moderate stability Moderate movement after manufacture Nailing Pre-Boring Recommended Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Splitting is frequent near edge of board Possible if prebored Nailing properties are rated as moderate Planing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Planes well, to a good finish Easy to plane Areas of interlocked grain may chip and pick-up Resistance to Impregnation Permeable heartwood Resistant heartwood Permeable sapwood Resistant sapwood Sapwood is permeable Heartwood is highly resistant Response to Hand Tools Easy to Work Responds Readily Moderate blunting effect on cutting edges Easy to machine Routing & Recessing Fair to Good Results Sanding Fair to Good Results The sanding finish is generally good Screwing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Turning Fairly Easy to Very Easy Very Good to Excellent Results Fair to Good Results Veneering Qualities Veneers easily Suitable for peeling No drying degrade Veneers moderately easy Some water gum logs are sliced into decorative veneers Steam Bending Fair to Good Results Moderate Polishing Fair to Good Results Good results Staining Fair to Good Results Stains well Requires no grain filler Strength Properties Very heavy Compression strength (parallel to grain) = high It has superior properties in compression parallel to grain in the air-dry condition than Teak, White oak, or Hard maple Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Maximum Crushing Strength 5557 9624 psi Shearing Strength 1754 psi Stiffness 1764 2313 1000 psi Specific Gravity 0.73 Weight 46 38. lbs/ft3 Item Green Dry Metric Maximum Crushing Strength 390 676 kg/cm2 Shearing Strength 123 kg/cm2 Stiffness 124 162 1000 kg/cm2 Specific Gravity 0.73 References Eddowes, P. J. 1961. Commercial Timbers of Papua New Guinea - Their Properties and Uses. Office of Forests, Department of Primary Industry, Forest Products Research Center, Papua New Guinea. Lincoln, W.A. 1986. World Woods in Color. Linden Publishing Co. Inc. Fresno, California.