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Blunting Effect Boring Common Names Common Uses Countries of Distribution Cutting Resistance Drying Defects Ease of Drying Family Name Gluing Grain Heartwood Color Kiln Drying Rate Luster Nailing Natural Durability Natural Growth Defects Numerical Data Planing Polishing References Regions of Distribution Resistance to Impregnation Resistance to Splitting Response to Hand Tools Sapwood Color Scientific Name Strength Properties Synonyms Texture Trade Name Tree Size Varnishing Scientific Name Colophospermum mopane Trade Name Balsam tree Family Name Leguminosae Synonyms Copaifera mopane Common Names Balsam tree, Butterfly tree, Chanate, Iphane, Kapalamamba, Lipani, Lupanye, M'sano, Messanha, Moopaani, Mopaani, Mopane, Mopani, Mupane, Musania, Musaru, Musharo, Mwane, Mwani, Rhodesian ironwood, Sanya, Shanatsi, Turpentine tree Regions of Distribution Africa, Oceania and S.E. Asia Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Angola, Botswana, India, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe Common Uses Agricultural implements, Bearings & bushings, Boat building (general), Boxes and crates, Carvings, Charcoal, Chemical derivatives, Flooring, Fuelwood, Furniture, Handles: general, Heavy construction, Joinery, Light construction, Mine timbers, Piling, Poles, Posts, Railroad ties, Sporting Goods, Tool handles, Turnery, Vehicle parts, Wheels Heartwood Color Dark brown Black Reddish brown Red Greenish to greyish Brown, red, dark reddish brown with nearly black stripes after prolonged exposure Sapwood Color White to yellow Well defined Grain Interlocked Interlocked Texture Fine Medium Medium to coarse Fine Coarse Medium Luster Medium Low Natural Growth Defects Gum and mineral deposits Natural Durability Very durable Very durable Resistant to attack from termites (Isoptera) Resistant to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles Durable Drying Defects Splitting Checking Distortion Moderate surface checking Ease of Drying Fairly Easy Rapidly Difficult Kiln Drying Rate Naturally dries quickly Tree Size Tree height is 40-50 m Trunk diameter is 100-150 cm Tree height is 50-60 m Sapwood width is 5-10 cm Tree height is 20-30 m Tree height is 30-40 m Bole length is 10-20 m Sapwood width is 0-5 cm Bole length is 20-30 m Trunk diameter is 150-200 cm Blunting Effect Blunting effect in dry wood is severe Boring Fairly difficult to very difficult Cutting Resistance Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult to saw Cutting Resistance with dry wood is difficult Cutting Resistance with dry wood is easy Gluing Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Easy to glue Nailing Possible if prebored Difficult to nail Planing Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Very Good to Excellent Results Fair to Good Results Resistance to Impregnation Heartwood is extremely resistant Resistance to Splitting Very Poor Response to Hand Tools Fairly Difficult to Difficult to Work Difficult to machine Easy to machine Polishing Fair to Good Results Varnishing Good results Strength Properties Density (dry weight) = >75 lbs/cu. ft Density (dry weight) = 67-75 lbs/cu.ft Density (dry weight) = 61-67 lbs/cu. ft Max. crushing strength = high Shrinkage, Volumetric=very small Shrinkage, Tangential = very small Shrinkage, Tangential = fairly large Shrinkage, Radial = very small Shrinkage, Radial = moderate Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = medium Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = high Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = low Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = high Hardness (side grain) = very hard Bending strength (MOR) = medium Bending strength (MOR) = high Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Bending Strength 11442 17761 psi Density 65 lbs/ft3 Hardness 2940 lbs Maximum Crushing Strength 6899 9945 psi Shearing Strength 2525 psi Stiffness 1762 2031 1000 psi Weight 64 56 lbs/ft3 Radial Shrinkage 3 % Tangential Shrinkage 6 % Volumetric Shrinkage 6 % Item Green Dry Metric Bending Strength 804 1248 kg/cm2 Density 1041 kg/m3 Hardness 1333 kg Maximum Crushing Strength 485 699 kg/cm2 Shearing Strength 177 kg/cm2 Stiffness 123 142 1000 kg/cm2 Weight 1025 897 kg/m3 Radial Shrinkage 3 % Tangential Shrinkage 6 % References 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 Chalk, L., et al,1932,Some East African Coniferae and Leguminosae,Forest Trees and Timbers of the British Empire,Part 1 Fanshawe, D.B.,1962,Fifty Common Trees of Northern Rhodesia,Natural Resources Board and Forestry Department, Ndola Ferreirinha, M.P.,1955,Catalogo des Madeiras de Mocambique (pt 1,Min. do Ultramar Junta Invest. do Ultranar Memorias Serie Botanica, 2 Goldsmith, B., Carter, D.T.,1981,The Indigenous Timbers of Zimbabwe,Forestry Commission, Zimbabwe Research Bulletin No.9 Nation Research Council,1980,Firewood Crops Shrub and Tree Species for Energy Production,National Academy of Sciences, Washington D.C. Palgrave, K.C.,1977,Trees of Southern Africa,Cape Town South Africa Pardy, A.A.,1953,Notes on Indigenous Trees and Shrubs of S. Rhodesia -,Colophospermum,mopane,Ministry of Agriculture and Lands S. Rhodesia Bulletin,No.1711 Scott, M.H.,1935,Weights of South African Growth Timbers,South African Department of Agriculture and Forestry Bulletin,No.145,Forest Products Institute, Forestry Series No.1 Scott, M.H.,1950,Notes on the more Important African Timbers Imported into the Union with,Special Ref. to Port. E.A. Species,Journal of the South African Forestry Association,No.19,pp18-62,[South,African Forestry Journal] Sim, T.R.,1921,Native Trees of South Africa,Union of South Africa Department of Mines and Industries Memoir No.3 Storrs, A.E.G.,1979,Know your Trees - Some of the Common Trees found in Zambia,Zambia Forestry Department, Ndola Timber Information Assoc. Ltd.,1947,Notes on East African Timbers,TRADA, Timber Information, No.28 White, F.,1962,Forest Flora of Northern Rhodesia,O.U.P. London