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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 Kiln Schedules Mortising Moulding Movement in Service Nailing Natural Durability Natural Growth Defects Numerical Data Odor Painting Planing Polishing Product Sources References Regions of Distribution Resistance to Impregnation Resistance to Splitting Response to Hand Tools Routing & Recessing Sanding Sapwood Color Scientific Name Screwing Staining Steam Bending Strength Properties Texture Trade Name Tree Identification Tree Size Turning Varnishing Veneering Qualities Scientific Name Testulea gabonensis Trade Name Izombe Family Name Ochnaceae Common Names Ake, Akewa, Akewe, Isombe, Izombe, Magnenti, Mogongou, Mugongu, N'Gwaki, N'komi, Ngron, Rone, Zombe Regions of Distribution Africa Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Cameroon, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, South Africa Common Uses Baskets, Bedroom suites, Boat building (general), Boxes and crates, Brush backs & handles, Building materials, Cabinetmaking, Carvings, Chairs, Chests, Clogs, Concealed parts (Furniture), Cooperages, Decorative veneer, Desks, Dining-room furniture, Domestic flooring, Door, Dowell pins, Dowells, Drawer sides, Excelsior, Figured veneer, Fine furniture, Floor lamps, Flooring, Flooring: industrial heavy traffic, Furniture , Furniture components, Furniture squares or stock, Furniture, Hatracks, Heavy construction, Interior construction, Interior trim, Joinery (external): ground contact, Joinery, Kitchen cabinets, Light construction, Living-room suites, Mathematical instruments, Millwork, Mine timbers, Moldings, Office furniture, Paneling , Paneling, Parquet flooring, Plywood corestock, Plywood, Radio - stereo - TV cabinets, Rustic furniture, Skis, Stools, Sub-flooring, Tables , Toys, Turnery, Veneer, Veneer: decorative, Windows Environmental Profile Status unknown in some areas due to inadequate information Generally secure within most of its natural habitat, but note exceptions. Extinct, Endangered, Vulnerable, or Rare within parts of its range Data source is World Conservation Monitoring Center Classified as either Extinct, Endangered, Vulnerable, or Rare in Cameroon. Its status in the wild in Equatorial Guinea and Gabon is listed as unknown due to insufficient information Distribution Overview Found mainly in Gabon. It also grows in Cameroon and throughout the equatorial forests of West Africa. usually scattered in dense primary forests and transitional zones. Heartwood Color Brown Red Yellow Purple Pink Yellow to golden-yellow to orange Reddish brown Pale red to pink Greenish to greyish The heartwood varies from orange-yellow, gray-yellow, to pinkish-yellow with a gray hue. Sapwood Color White Brown Yellow Green/Grey Pinkish White to yellow Not clearly differentiated from the heartwood Grain Straight Figure Closed Even Stripe (figure) Wavy Interlocked Weak (figure) Straight Striped figure Weak figure Wavy Interlocked May occasionally be slightly interlocked, producing a ribbon or wavy figure Texture Fine Medium Coarse Fine Even textured A dark resinous substance is sometimes present in some cells. Natural Growth Defects Gum/resin exudation Natural Durability Durable Perishable Moderately durable Resistant to termites Non-durable Non-resistant to powder post beetles Susceptible to insect attack Resistant to attack from termites (Isoptera) Resistant to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles Durable Very durable Sapwood is susceptible to wood staining fungal attack Resistant to wood staining fungal attack Susceptible to marine borer attack Sapwood is prone to stain Resistant to attack from pinworms (ambrosia beetles) Heartwood resistant to decay Good weathering characteristics Odor No specific smell or taste Kiln Schedules Drying (speed) is fast Kiln Drying Rate (in days) is rapid Drying Defects Collapse Distortion Moderate surface checking The sapwood is prone to develop blue sap stain Ease of Drying Moderately Difficult to Difficult Easy Dries easily with little or no degrade Kiln Drying Rate Rapid (<10 days for boards < 32 mm, to <30 days for boards >= 63 mm) Tree Identification Bole/stem form is straight Bole/stem form is cylindrical Bole/stem form is buttressed Bole/stem form is fluted Tree Size Tree height is 20-30 m Bole length is 10-20 m Tree height is 10-20 m Bole length is 0-10 m Trunk diameter is 100-150 cm Product Sources The timber is available in lumber form from large importers in the United States, and is usually priced in the moderately high range. The ITTO reports that timber from this species is produced only occasionally and exported in negligible quantities. Comments General finishing qualities are rated as good Blunting Effect Slight dulling effect on cutting tools Blunting effect on machining is slight Boring Fair to good results Fairly easy to very easy Good boring qualities Easy Bored surfaces are usually clean. Carving Fair to Good Results Good results Cutting Resistance Easy to saw Cutting Resistance with green wood is easy Cutting Resistance with dry wood is easy Low resistance to sawing Cutting Resistance with green wood is moderate Gluing Easy to glue Glues well Mortising Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Easy to mortise The wood responds well to mortising operations with ordinary machine tools. Moulding Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Responds well to ordinary machine tools in moulding operations Good finishing results Easy to mould Movement in Service Fair to Good Stability - Medium Movement Excellent Stability - Small Movement Stable Stable when seasoned Holds shape well after manufacture Nailing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Holds nails well Easy to nail Possible if prebored Planing Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Planes well, to a good finish Good planing properties Easy to work with all types of tools Easy to plane Ease of planing is moderate Resistance to Impregnation Resistant sapwood Resistant heartwood Heartwood is resistant Resistant to preservative treatment Heartwood is extremely resistant Resistance to Splitting Satisfactory Poor Response to Hand Tools Easy to Work Responds Readily Easy to machine Responds well to hand tools Routing & Recessing Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Routs well Routing is easy Sanding Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Good sanding finish Yields relatively smooth surfaces Good sanding properties Screwing Screwing yields good results Easy to screw Possible if prebored Good screwing properties Turning Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Good results Easy to turn Yields clean surfaces Veneering Qualities Bolt preparation requires steaming Suitable for slicing Moderately easy to veneer Easy to cut Steam Bending Moderate Good Painting Satisfactory results Good results Polishing Fair to Good Results Good results Staining Good staining qualities Varnishing Satisfactory Good results Strength Properties Bending strength (MOR) = medium Shrinkage, Radial = small Max. crushing strength = high Bending strength (MOR) = high Shrinkage, Tangential = moderate Max. crushing strength = medium Density (dry weight) = 46-52 lbs/cu. ft. Shrinkage, Tangential = small Shrinkage, Radial = moderate Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = medium Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = medium Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = low Density (dry weight) = 38-45 lbs/cu. ft. Very heavy Shrinkage, Tangential = fairly large Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = low Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = very low Density (dry weight) = 53-60 lbs/cu. ft