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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 Schedules Luster Mortising Moulding Movement in Service Nailing Natural Durability Numerical Data Odor Painting Planing Polishing References Regions of Distribution Resistance to Impregnation Response to Hand Tools Routing & Recessing Sanding Sapwood Color Scientific Name Screwing Staining Steam Bending Strength Properties Substitutes Texture Trade Name Tree Size Turning Varnishing Veneering Qualities Scientific Name Bombax brevicuspe Trade Name Kondroti Family Name Bombacaceae Common Names Akagaouan, Alone, Kingue, Kondroti, Meguza, Mfume, Mungura, Munguza, Ogumalonga Regions of Distribution Africa Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Cameroon, Congo, Gabon, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Mozambique, Sierra Leone, Tanzania Common Uses Blockboard, Boxes and crates, Core Stock, Furniture components, Joinery, Moldings, Plywood Environmental Profile Abundant/Secure Status has not been officially assessed Distribution Overview Tropical west Africa, but sometimes in secondary savannah forests. Heartwood Color Brown Yellow Black Red Pale reddish brown Sometimes with darker markings, and is often discolored by fungal attack Sapwood Color Yellow Brown White Whitish Color not distinct from heartwood Grain Even Straight Generally straight, but not always Texture Medium Coarse Coarse Luster High Medium Non-lustrous and very dull Natural Durability Perishable Non-resistant to powder post beetles Non-durable Suceptible to attack by fungi and other wood destroying insects Odor No specific smell or taste Kiln Schedules UK=E (4/4) T6 -B3 (4/4) US Drying Defects Resin Exudation Checking Distortion Severe splitting Severe fungal staining Severe cupping Severe collapse and honeycomb Moderate surface checking Ease of Drying Slowly Moderately Difficult to Difficult Rapid drying is recommended to avoid fungal attack Dries rapidly with severe degrade Tree Size Tree height is 40-50 m Trunk diameter is 150-200 cm Substitutes Can be used a substitute for Okoume (Aucoumea Klaineana) Comments Generally stiff, moderate crushing strength, resistant to shock Blunting Effect Little Blunting effect on sawing is mild 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 Cutting Resistance with dry wood is easy Gluing Very Good to Excellent Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Glues well Mortising Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Moulding Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Movement in Service Fair to Good Stability - Medium Movement Stable Nailing Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Fairly Easy to Very Easy Holds nails well Easy to nail Planing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Good planing properties Resistance to Impregnation Resistant sapwood Resistant heartwood Permeable sapwood Wood is permeable The wood is highly absorbent, which compensates for its low durability since it is very easy to treat with preservatives. Response to Hand Tools Moderate blunting effect on cutting edges Easy to machine Routing & Recessing Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Sanding Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Screwing Very Good to Excellent Results Fair to Good Results Good screwing properties Turning Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Veneering Qualities Rotary cutting qualities are good at room temperature Steam Bending Fair to Good Results Moderate Painting Fair to Good Results Polishing Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Staining Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Stains well Varnishing Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Strength Properties Vulnerable to denting and marring Max. crushing strength = low Hardness = low Density = medium Compression strength (parallel to grain) = low Bending strength (MOR) = low Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Bending Strength 4224 6654 psi Density 29 lbs/ft3 Hardness 392 lbs Maximum Crushing Strength 2332 4371 psi Stiffness 715 862 1000 psi Specific Gravity 0.35 Radial Shrinkage 5 % Tangential Shrinkage 8 % Item Green Dry Metric Bending Strength 296 467 kg/cm2 Density 464 kg/m3 Hardness 177 kg Maximum Crushing Strength 163 307 kg/cm2 Stiffness 50 60 1000 kg/cm2 Specific Gravity 0.35 Radial Shrinkage 5 % References ITTO. 1986. Tropical Timber Atlas, Volume 1 - Africa. Prepared for International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO) by Centre Technique Forestier Tropical (CTFT, Division of CIRAD, 45bis, Avenue de la Belle Gabrielle, Nogent-sur-Marne Cedex, France. Chudnoff, M.,1984,Tropical Timbers of the World,U.S.A. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Forest Products,Laboratory, Madison. Keay, R.W.J. 1989. Trees of Nigeria. Revised Version of Nigerian Trees. Clarendon Press, Oxford. Lincoln, W.A. 1986. World Woods in Color. Linden Publishing Co. Inc. Fresno, California.