Search for

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 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 Light-Induced Color Change 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 Sapwood Color Scientific Name Screwing Strength Properties Synonyms Texture Trade Name Tree Identification Tree Size Turning Varnishing Scientific Name Trachylobium verrucosum Trade Name East African copal Family Name Caesalpiniaceae Synonyms Trachylobium hornemannianum Common Names East African copal, Gum animi, Gum copal tree, Masandarusi, Mnyanza, Msandarusi, Mtandarusi, Munyama, Sibile Regions of Distribution Africa Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania Common Uses Boat building (general), Cabinetmaking, Door, Flooring, Flooring: commercial heavy traffic, Flooring: industrial heavy traffic, Furniture, Heavy construction, Joinery (external): ground contact, Joinery, Light construction, Piling, Plywood, Posts, Railroad ties, Toys, Turnery, Vats, Vehicle parts Heartwood Color Red White Yellow Brown Orange Purple Pink Reddish brown Pale red to pink Pale brown Dark brown Sapwood Color White Yellow Brown Red White to yellow Well defined Pinkish Grain Figure Straight Distinct (figure) Interlocked Stripe (figure) Even Weak (figure) Straight Interlocked Distinct figure Striped figure Weak figure Texture Medium Fine Coarse Medium Luster Dull Natural Growth Defects Brittleheart is often frequent and extensive Natural Durability Perishable Non-durable Susceptible to insect attack Non-resistant to powder post beetles Non-resistant to termites Durable Resistant to attack from marine borers Non durable Moderately durable Very durable Susceptible to attack from termites (Isoptera) Susceptible to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles Light-Induced Color Change Darker Kiln Schedules Drying (speed) is fast Kiln Drying Rate (in days) is rapid UK=E US=T6D2/T3D1 Fr=5 Drying Defects Splitting Checking Moderate end spitting Slight surface checking Moderate twist/warp Moderate surface checking Moderate spring/bow Expect slight spring and bow Ease of Drying Fairly Easy Rapidly Kiln Drying Rate Naturally dries quickly 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 Tree Size Tree height is 30-40 m Bole length is 10-20 m Tree height is 20-30 m Tree height is 10-20 m Bole length is 20-30 m Trunk diameter is 150-200 cm Blunting Effect Blunting effect on machining is fairly severe Boring Easy Cutting Resistance Easy to saw Cutting Resistance with green wood is difficult Cutting Resistance with dry wood is difficult Gluing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Mortising Easy to mortise Finishes well Moulding Easy to mould Good finishing results Movement in Service Fair to Good Stability - Medium Movement Medium Nailing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Difficult to nail Possible if prebored Nails hold poorly Planing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Very Good to Excellent Results Fair to Good Results Planes well, to a good finish Resistance to Impregnation Permeable sapwood Permeable heartwood Resistant heartwood Resistant sapwood Softwood is extremely resistant Heartwood is extremely resistant Response to Hand Tools Easy to Work Easy to machine Moderate working qualities Difficult to machine Screwing Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Turning Poor to Very Poor Results Good results Easy to turn Painting Fair to Good Results Polishing Very Good to Excellent Results Fair to Good Results Satisfactory results Varnishing Very Good to Excellent Results Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Strength Properties Density (dry weight) = 46-52 lbs/cu. ft. Shrinkage, Tangential = very small Shrinkage, Radial = very small Density (dry weight) = 53-60 lbs/cu. ft Density (dry weight) = 61-67 lbs/cu. ft Max. crushing strength = high Hardness (side grain) = very hard Bending strength (MOR) = medium Toughness-Hammer drop (Impact Strength) = medium Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = very high Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = low Shrinkage, Tangential = small Shrinkage, Radial = small Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = high Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Bending Strength 9310 14566 psi Density 52 lbs/ft3 Hardness 2940 lbs Impact Strength 40 inches Maximum Crushing Strength 6899 9945 psi Shearing Strength 3100 psi Stiffness 1358 1568 1000 psi Weight 51 41 lbs/ft3 Radial Shrinkage 2 % Tangential Shrinkage 4 % Item Green Dry Metric Bending Strength 654 1024 kg/cm2 Density 833 kg/m3 Hardness 1333 kg Impact Strength 101 cm Maximum Crushing Strength 485 699 kg/cm2 Shearing Strength 217 kg/cm2 Stiffness 95 110 1000 kg/cm2 Weight 817 657 kg/m3 Radial Shrinkage 2 % References Battiscombe, E.,1926,A Descriptive Catalogue of some of the Common Trees and Woody Plants of,Kenya Colony,Crown Agents for the Colonies London Bengough, C.C.,1971,Commercial Timbers of Kenya,Ministry of Natural Resources Forest Department, Kenya Bois, P.J.,1966,The Strength Properties of Tanzania Timbers,Tanzania Forest Div. Util. Sec. Moshi Tech. Note, No.35 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 Bryce, J.M.,1967,Commercial Timbers of Tanzania,Tanzanian Forestry Division Util. Sec. Moshi Dale, I.R., Greenway, P.J.,1961,Kenya Trees and Shrubs,Buchanans Kenya Estates Ltd. Nairobi Hatchards London Grant, D.K.S.,1934,Some Local Timbers,Tanzania Forest Department Irvine, F.R.,1961,Woody Plants of Ghana,O.U.P. London Murira, K.,1984,Natural Durability Tests of Tanzanian Timbers 1955 - 1982,Tanzania Forestry Research Institute, Timber Utilisation Research Centre,,Moshi. Palgrave, K.C.,1977,Trees of Southern Africa,Cape Town South Africa Patterson, D.N.,1963,The strength of Kenya timbers, their derivation and application,Kenya Forestry Department Research Bulletin,No.23 Takahashi, A.,1978,Compilation of Data on the Mechanical Properties of Foreign Woods (Part,III) Africa,Shimane University, Japan, Research Report on Foreign Wood No. 7 Tanzania Forest Department,1963,Trachylobium verrucosum (Mtandarusi,Tanzania Forest Div. Util. Sec. Moshi - Timbers of Tanganyika Tanzania Forest Department,1966,Flooring Timbers,Tanzania Forest Div. Util. Sec. Moshi - Timbers of Tanganyika Tanzania Forest Division,1966,Kiln Drying Schedules for Tanzania Timbers Technical Note no.38,Tanzania Forest Div. Util. Sec. Moshi Tanzania Forest Division,1967,Pygeum africanum (Mkomotoyo,Tanzania Forest Div. Util. Sec.,Moshi - Timbers of Tanganyika Tanzania Forest Division,1967,The Weights and Shrinkage of some Local Timbers,Tanzania Forest Div. Util. Sect. Technical Note,No.25 Timber Development Association,1948,Some New Timbers and Their Uses No. 34,Timber Development Association Limited, London [TRADA] Wimbush, S.H.,1950,Catalogue of Kenya Timbers,Govt. Printer Nairobi Kenya