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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 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 Natural Growth Defects 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 Synonyms Texture Toxicity Trade Name Tree Identification Tree Size Turning Varnishing Veneering Qualities Weathering Scientific Name Terminalia chebula Trade Name Alale Family Name Combretaceae Synonyms Terminalia tomentella Common Names Alale, Anale, Aralu, Black myrobalan tree, Chebulic, Chuglam, Gallnut tree, Hadra, Haira, Halra, Har, Harla, Harra, Harrara, Harro, Herrda, Hilikha, Hiloa, Hir, Hirda, Horada, Kadakai, Kadukar, Kadukka, Kadukkai, Kajo, Karaka, Karedha, Karka, Mahoka, Mai-mak-na, Mai-mannah, Mana, Myrabolan, Myrobalan, Nga, Rol, Rola, Samaw-tha, Samo-thai, Silim, Sra-mar Regions of Distribution Oceania and S.E. Asia Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Burma, Cambodia, India, Malaysia, Sri Lanka Common Uses Agricultural implements, Bearings & bushings, Boat building (general), Cabinetmaking, Chemical derivatives, Furniture, Heavy construction, Joinery, Light construction, Oars, Posts, Railroad ties, Structural work, Tool handles, Vehicle parts Environmental Profile Questionable Extinct Abundant/Secure Endangered Heartwood Color Yellow Orange Red Green/grey Pink Brown Purple Dark brown Greenish to greyish Reddish brown Purple Sapwood Color Yellow White Pink White to yellow Different than heartwood Grain Figure Interlocked Other (figure) Stripe (figure) Interlocked Other figure Striped figure Texture Fine Even or uniform Uniform Fine to medium Luster Lustrous Natural Growth Defects Whitish deposits in vessels Natural Durability Resistant to termites Durable Very durable Susceptible to insect attack Resistant to powder post beetles Moderately durable Non-resistant to marine borers Perishable Durable Non durable Moderately durable Susceptible to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles Weathering Good Toxicity Unspecified toxicity Kiln Schedules Dry at a slow speed Drying Defects Checking Discoloration Moderate end spitting Ease of Drying Fairly Easy Rapidly Reconditioning Treatement Difficult Kiln Drying Rate Naturally dries quickly Rapid Drying rate is fairly rapid to fast Tree Identification Bole/stem form is cylindrical Tree Size Bole length is 10-20 m Trunk diameter is 100-150 cm Tree height is 30-40 m Bole length is 20-30 m Sapwood width is 0-5 cm Tree height is 40-50 m Bark width is 5-10 mm Sapwood width is 5-10 cm Bole length is 0-10 m Trunk diameter is 150-200 cm Comments General finishing qualities are rated as good Blunting Effect Little 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 Moderate 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 Mortising Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Moulding Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Movement in Service Excellent Stability - Small Movement Fair to Good Stability - Medium Movement Nailing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Pre-Boring Recommended Very Good to Excellent Results Planing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Resistance to Impregnation Resistant heartwood Resistant sapwood Heartwood is resistant Response to Hand Tools Easy to Work Responds Readily Difficult to machine Routing & Recessing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Sanding Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Very Good to Excellent Results Screwing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Pre-boring recommended Very Good to Excellent Results Turning Fairly Easy to Very Easy Very Good to Excellent Results Fair to Good Results Veneering Qualities Suitable for slicing Veneers moderately easy Veneers easily Suitable for peeling Steam Bending Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Painting Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Polishing Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Satisfactory results Good results Staining Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Varnishing Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Strength Properties Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = medium Max. crushing strength = medium Toughness-Hammer drop (Impact Strength) = medium Shrinkage, Tangential = fairly large Shrinkage, Radial = fairly large Max. crushing strength = low Density (dry weight) = 53-60 lbs/cu. ft Bending strength (MOR) = medium Bending strength (MOR) = low Hardness (side grain) = very hard Density (dry weight) = 61-67 lbs/cu. ft Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = very low Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = low Hardness (side grain) = hard Bending strength (MOR) = high Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Bending Strength 8549 13346 psi Density 58 lbs/ft3 Hardness 2732 lbs Impact Strength 40 inches Maximum Crushing Strength 3155 5334 psi Shearing Strength 1221 psi Stiffness 1665 1923 1000 psi Weight 57 46 lbs/ft3 Radial Shrinkage 5 % Tangential Shrinkage 8 % Item Green Dry Metric Bending Strength 601 938 kg/cm2 Density 929 kg/m3 Hardness 1239 kg Impact Strength 101 cm Maximum Crushing Strength 221 375 kg/cm2 Shearing Strength 85 kg/cm2 Stiffness 117 135 1000 kg/cm2 Weight 913 737 kg/m3 Radial Shrinkage 5 % References Bourdillon, T.F.,1908,The Forest Trees of Travancore,Travancore Government Press Chopra, R.S.,1939,Punjab Forestry Notes No.4 Harar (Terminalia chebula) cultivation in the,Punjab,Indian Forester 65(2) pp126-9 Gamble, J.S.,1902,A Manual of Indian Timbers,Sampson Low, Marston & Co. London Limaye, V.D.,1933,The Physical and Mechanical Properties of woods grown in India (Third,Interim Report on Project 1,Indian Forest Records,18(10,pp1-70 Nazma,1981,A handbook of Kerala Timbers,Kerala Forest Research Institute Research Report, No.9 Pearson, R.S., Brown, H.P.,1932,Commercial Timbers of India,Govt. Printer Calcutta,2 vols Ramesh, Rao K., Purkayastha, S.K.,1972,Indian Woods - Their Identification Properties and Uses,Dehra Dun India,Vol. 3 Sallenave, P.,1955,Proprietes Phyiques et Mecaniques des Bois Tropicaux de l'Union Francaise,C.T.F.T Streets, R.J.,1962,Exotic Forest Trees in the British Commonwealth,Clarendon Press Oxford Tewari, M.C., Jain, J.C.,1980,Utilization of Secondary Species,Journal of the National Building Organization 25(2) pp1-6 Wood, B., Calnan, D.,1976,Toxic Woods,British Journal of Dermat 94 Suppl. 13