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Blunting Effect Boring Carving Certified Source 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 Luster Mortising Moulding Movement in Service Nailing Natural Durability Numerical Data Odor Painting Planing Polishing Product Sources 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 Identification Tree Size Turning Varnishing Scientific Name Vitex cofassus Trade Name PNG Vitex Family Name Verbenaceae Common Names Afas, Ahsang, Anoano, Asang bitum, Bai-ah, Banafat, Banohoera, Beso, Biti, Bitum, Boepasa, Chan vit, Chan-vit, Fata, Garamut, Gawasa, Gofassa, Gupasa, Haleban, Hasara, Hata, Ka-ar, Katonde, Katondeng, Kulim papa, Kyeto, Leban, Milla, Molave, New Guinea teak, New Guinea vitex, Pasal, Solomons vitex, Taruma, Tato-o, Teen-nok, Vada, Vasa, Vasara, Vata, Vitex Regions of Distribution Oceania and S.E. Asia Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Solomon Islands, Vietnam Common Uses Agricultural implements, Bearings & bushings, Boat building (general), Boat building, Boat building: framing, Boat building: planking, Bridge beams, Bridge construction, Bridge joists, Building construction, Building materials, Bushing blocks, Cabin construction, Cabinetmaking, Canoes, Carvings, Chairs, Chests, Concealed parts (Furniture), Construction, Decks, Desks, Dining-room furniture, Domestic flooring, Dowell pins, Dowells, Drawer sides, Factory construction, Farm vehicles, Fine furniture, Floor lamps, Flooring, Flooring: industrial heavy traffic, Foundation posts, Furniture , Furniture components, Furniture squares or stock, Furniture, Hatracks, Heavy construction, Interior construction, Joinery, Kitchen cabinets, Lifeboats, Light construction, Living-room suites, Machinery parts, Mine timbers, Musical instruments: percussion, Oars, Office furniture, Piling, Plywood, Posts, Railroad ties, Shipbuilding, Sills, Stairworks, Turnery, Veneer Environmental Profile Status has not been officially assessed Distribution Overview The genus Vitex is very well represented throughout the Indo-Malayan region, including the Western Pacific Islands. The growth range of V. cofassus includes Papua New Guinea. Heartwood Color Red Pink Brown Yellow to golden-yellow to orange Greenish to greyish Dark brown Grey brown Olive Sapwood Color Yellow White White to yellow Paler than heartwood Color not distinct from heartwood Grain Straight Interlocked Crossed Figure Even Rippled (figure) Spiral Straight Interlocked Rippled figure Spiral Texture Coarse Medium Fine Fine to medium Medium to coarse Has Greasy feel Luster High Medium Slightly lustrous Natural Durability Perishable Durable Non-durable Non-resistant to termites Durable Resistant to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles Very durable Susceptible to marine borer attack Resistant to wood staining fungal attack Resistant to attack from pinworms (ambrosia beetles) Moderately resistant to termite (Isoptera) attack Moderately resistant to marine borer attack Moderately resistant to attack by termites Moderately resistant to attack by marine borers Moderately durable Odor No specific smell or taste Sometimes leathery odor Kiln Schedules Kiln Drying Rate (in days) is fairly rapid Drying Defects Distortion Collapse Slight twist/warp Moderate end spitting Moderate cupping Ease of Drying Slowly Rapidly Little degrade Easy Little degrade if stickers are closely spaced and stacks are weighted down Kiln Drying Rate Rapid (<10 days for boards < 32 mm, to <30 days for boards >= 63 mm) Tree Identification Bole/stem form is misshapen Bole/stem form is fluted Bole/stem form is buttressed Tree Size Tree height is 30-40 m Tree height is 50-60 m Trunk diameter is 150-200 cm Product Sources The species is one of the major sources of timber in Papua New Guinea. Certified Source Certified Source Comments General finishing qualities are rated as good Blunting Effect Moderate Little Boring Fair to good results Fairly easy to very easy Satisfactory properties Carving Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Fair results Cutting Resistance Easy to saw Easy to saw Cutting Resistance with green wood is moderate Cutting Resistance with green wood is easy Gluing Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Moderate gluing properties Figure Occurrence is variable Mortising Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Satisfactory mortising properties Moulding Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Good finishing results Movement in Service Stable Small Medium Retain its shape well after manufacture Nailing Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Holds satisfactorily Good nailing properties Easy to nail Planing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Easy to plane Yields a clean surface Planes well, to a good finish Planes to a smooth surface Resistance to Impregnation Permeable sapwood Permeable heartwood Heartwood is resistant Sapwood is moderately resistant Sapwood is extremely resistant Response to Hand Tools Responds Readily Easy to Work Easy to machine Moderate working qualities Routing & Recessing Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Routing rated as fair Sanding Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Satisfactory sanding results Easy to sand Screwing Screwing yields satisfactory results Good screwing properties Easy to screw Turning Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Turns with moderate ease Steam Bending Good Painting Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Satisfactory results Figure Occurrence is variable Polishing Fair to Good Results Staining Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Very Good to Excellent Results Varnishing Satisfactory Strength Properties Density (dry weight) = 38-45 lbs/cu. ft. Density (dry weight) = 46-52 lbs/cu. ft. Shrinkage, Radial = very small Shrinkage, Tangential = small Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = medium Crushing strength = high Shrinkage, Tangential = moderate Bending strength (MOR) = medium Hardness (side grain) = soft Density (dry weight) = 53-60 lbs/cu. ft Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = low Crushing strength = medium Bending strength (MOR) = low Bending strength (MOR) = high Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Bending Strength 10809 15652 psi Crushing Strength 1553 psi Density 47 lbs/ft3 Hardness 1135 lbs Maximum Crushing Strength 6440 8983 psi Shearing Strength 2271 psi Static Bending 7958 11074 psi Stiffness 1614 1912 1000 psi Toughness 103 inch-lbs Specific Gravity 0.6 0.67 Weight 46 34 lbs/ft3 Radial Shrinkage 3.5 % Tangential Shrinkage 6 % Item Green Dry Metric Bending Strength 759 1100 kg/cm2 Crushing Strength 109 kg/cm2 Density 753 kg/m3 Hardness 514 kg Maximum Crushing Strength 452 631 kg/cm2 Shearing Strength 159 kg/cm2 Static Bending 559 778 kg/cm2 Stiffness 113 134 1000 kg/cm2 Toughness 118 cm-kg Specific Gravity 0.6 0.67 Weight 737 544 kg/m3 Radial Shrinkage 3.5 % References Bolza, E. and N.H. Kloot. 1966. The Mechanical Properties of 81 New Guinea Timbers. Division of Forest Products Technological Paper No. 41, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Organization, Melbourne, Australia. Bolza, E., Kloot, N.H.,1976,The Mechanical Properties of 81 New Guinea Timbers,C.S.I.R.O. Div. Building Res. Tec.Paper (2nd series) 11 Bolza, E.,1975,Properties and Uses of 175 Timber Species from Papua New Guinea and West,Irian,C.S.I.R.O. Div. Building Research Report,no.34 Brown, W.H.,1978,Timbers of the World, No. 8 Australasia,TRADA, Red Booklet Series Budgen, B.,1981,Shrinkage and density of some Australian and South-East Asian Timbers,C.S.I.R.O. Div. building Res. Tech Paper(2nd Series) No.38 Chudnoff, M.,1984,Tropical Timbers of the World,U.S.A. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Forest Products,Laboratory, Madison. Da Costa, E.W.B., Osborne, L.D.,1967,Comparative decay resistance of 26 New Guinea timber species in,accelerated laboratory tests,Comm. Forestry Review 46(1) pp63-74 Eddowes, P.J. 1977. Commercial Timbers of Papua New Guinea - Their Properties and Uses. Forest Products Research Center, Office of Forests, Department of Primary Industry, Papua New Guinea. Eddowes, P.J.,1977,Commercial Timbers of Papua New Guinea: Their Properties and Uses,Hebano Press, Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea Keating, W.G., Bolza, E.,1982,Characteristics properties and uses of timbers. South East Asia, Northern,Australia and the Pacific,C.S.I.R.O. Div. Chemical Technology,Inkata Press,1 Kraemer, J.H.,1951,Trees of the Western Pacific Region,West Lafayette, Indiana U.S.A. Papua New Guinea Department of Forests,1972,New Horizons,Forestry in Papua New Guinea,Jacaranda Press PTY Ltd, Brisbane Pleydell, G.J.,1970,Timbers of the British Solomon Islands,United Africa Company (Timber) Ltd, London Solomon Islands,1976,Solomon Islands Timbers - Major Species,For Div. Min. Nat. Resources, Honiara, Timber Booklet 1 The Ecological Trading Company Limited (ETC, Newcastle upon Tyre, United Kingdom.