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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 Family Name Gluing Grain Heartwood Color Kiln Drying Rate Kiln Schedules Luster Mortising Moulding Movement in Service Nailing Natural Durability Numerical Data Planing Polishing Product Sources References Regions of Distribution Resistance to Impregnation Response to Hand Tools Sapwood Color Scientific Name Screwing Staining Steam Bending Strength Properties Texture Trade Name Tree Identification Tree Size Turning Veneering Qualities Scientific Name Berlinia auriculata Trade Name Abem Family Name Leguminosae Common Names Abem, Agyemera, Apado, Berlinia, Ekpogoi, Essoule, Esule, Gbor-du-orh, Kibibi, Kpendeguli, Melegba, Obwa, Ponyere, Sau, Ububa, wepa Regions of Distribution Africa Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Nigeria Common Uses Agricultural implements, Cabinetmaking, Flooring, Furniture, Heavy construction, Joinery, Light construction, Marine construction, Millwork, Mine timbers, Paneling, Railroad ties, Vehicle parts, Veneer: decorative Heartwood Color White Brown Red Reddish brown Pale red to pink Pale brown Sapwood Color Red Brown White White to yellow Pinkish Clearly differentiated from the heartwood Different than heartwood Grain Figure Other (figure) Growth rings (figure) Interlocked Other figure Interlocked Clear growth rings (figure) Texture Fine Even or uniform Uniform Coarse Luster Medium High Dull Natural Durability Perishable Non-durable Sapwood non-resistant to furniture beetles Very durable Susceptible to attack from termites (Isoptera) Susceptible to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles Moderately durable Kiln Schedules Dry at a slow speed Drying Defects Distortion Moderate end spitting Ease of Drying Fairly Easy Rapidly Thick Stock Requires Care Slowly Moderately Difficult to Difficult Medium to High Shrinkage Kiln Drying Rate Naturally dries quickly Naturally dries at a moderate speed Tree Identification Bole/stem form is buttressed Bole/stem form is not buttressed 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 Product Sources The International Tropical Timbers Organization reports that only small quantities of timber are produced and exported from species in the Beilschmiedia genus. The two species with the highest source of timber for export are reported to produce Brown kanda. They are B. congolana and B. oblongifolia . Comments General finishing qualities are rated as good Blunting Effect Moderate Blunting effect on machining is variable Boring Fair to good results Fairly easy to very easy Carving Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Cutting Resistance Easy to saw Moderate to saw Cutting Resistance with dry wood is easy Gluing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Mortising Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Moulding Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Movement in Service Excellent Stability - Small Movement Fair to Good Stability - Medium Movement Medium Nailing Pre-Boring Recommended Fair to Good Results Easy to nail Planing Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Fairly Easy to Very Easy Planes to a poor finish Resistance to Impregnation Permeable sapwood Permeable heartwood Resistant heartwood Resistant sapwood Heartwood is extremely resistant Response to Hand Tools Easy to Work Fairly Difficult to Difficult to Work Easy to machine Variable qualities Screwing Pre-boring recommended Fair to Good Results Turning Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Very Good to Excellent Results Veneering Qualities Veneers easily Suitable for slicing Steam Bending Fair to Good Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Moderate Polishing Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Staining Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Strength Properties Shrinkage, Volumetric = large Shrinkage, Volumetic = fairly large Shrinkage, Tangential = large Shrinkage, Radial = fairly large Density (dry weight) = 46-52 lbs/cu. ft. Bending strength (MOR) = very high Bending strength (MOR) = medium Bending strength (MOR) = high Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Bending Strength 14597 21597 psi Density 47 lbs/ft3 Weight 46 37 lbs/ft3 Radial Shrinkage 5 % Tangential Shrinkage 10 % Volumetric Shrinkage 14 % Item Green Dry Metric Bending Strength 1026 1518 kg/cm2 Density 753 kg/m3 Weight 737 592 kg/m3 Radial Shrinkage 5 % Tangential Shrinkage 10 % References Chudnoff, M.,1984,Tropical Timbers of the World,U.S.A. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Forest Products,Laboratory, Madison. Clifford, N.,1957,Timber Identification for the Builder and Architect,Leonard Hill (Books) LTD. London Cooper, G.P., Record, S.J.,1931,The Evergreen Forests of Liberia,Yale School Forestry Bulletin,31,pp1-153 Erfurth, T., Rusche, H.,1976,The Marketing of Tropical Wood A. Wood Species from African Moist Forests,F.A.O. Forestry Department I.U.F.R.O.,1973,Veneer Species of the World,Assembled at F.P.L. Madison on behalf of I.U.F.R.O. Working Party on,Slicing and Veneer Cutting Jay, B.A.,1968,Timbers of West Africa,TRADA, Red Booklet Series Organisation for European Economic Co-operation,1951,African Tropical Timber (Nomenclature, Description,OEEC Spalt, H.A., Stern, W.L.,1956,Survey of Africa Woods 2,Tropical Woods 16(106) pp65-97