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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 Comments Common Names Common Uses Countries of Distribution Cutting Resistance Drying Defects Ease of Drying Family Name Gluing Grain Heartwood Color Kiln Drying Rate Luster Movement in Service Nailing Natural Durability Numerical Data Painting Planing Polishing References Regions of Distribution Resistance to Impregnation Response to Hand Tools Sapwood Color Scientific Name Screwing Silica Content Strength Properties Texture Trade Name Tree Identification Tree Size Turning Veneering Qualities Scientific Name Carapa grandiflora Trade Name African crabwood Family Name Meliaceae Common Names African crabwood, Agogo, Alla, Bete, Crabnut, Crabwood, Dona, Gobi, Kowi, Krupi, Muhumbulia, Mujogo, Mutongana, Omuruguya, Toon-kor-dah, Uganda crabwood Regions of Distribution Africa Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Angola, Uganda, Zaire Common Uses Boxes and crates, Cabinetmaking, Flooring, Furniture, Heavy construction, Joinery, Light construction, Mine timbers, Paneling, Poles Heartwood Color Brown Purple Red Reddish brown Pale red to pink Yellow to golden-yellow to orange Dark brown Sapwood Color Brown Different than heartwood Paler than heartwood Clearly differentiated from the heartwood Grain Interlocked Straight Even Closed Wavy Interlocked Straight Wavy Texture Medium Fine Medium Coarse Medium coarse to coarse Fine Fine to medium Luster Medium Low Pronounced Lustrous Natural Durability Durable Very durable Resistant to termites Susceptible to insect attack Moderately durable Resistant to marine borers Resistant to powder post beetles Moderately resistant to termite (Isoptera) attack Durable Silica Content Siliceous Drying Defects Checking Distortion Moderate end spitting Ease of Drying Rapidly Difficult Kiln Drying Rate Naturally dries quickly Tree Identification Bole/stem form is fluted Bole/stem form is straight Bole/stem form is cylindrical Tree Size Tree height is 40-50 m Bole length is 20-30 m Tree height is 30-40 m Bole length is 10-20 m Tree height is 50-60 m Trunk diameter is 100-150 cm Trunk diameter is 150-200 cm Comments General finishing qualities are rated as good Blunting Effect Moderate Little Cutting Resistance Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult to saw Cutting Resistance with green wood is difficult Cutting Resistance with dry wood is difficult Gluing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Easy to glue Movement in Service Excellent Stability - Small Movement Small Medium Nailing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Planing Planes well, to a good finish Moderately easy to plane Easy to plane Resistance to Impregnation Resistant heartwood Resistant sapwood Permeable sapwood Heartwood is extremely resistant Response to Hand Tools Easy to Work Fairly Difficult to Difficult to Work Easy to machine Screwing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Turning Good results Easy to turn Veneering Qualities Suitable for peeling Veneers easily Suitable for slicing Veneers moderately easy Painting Fair to Good Results Polishing Very Good to Excellent Results Fair to Good Results Good results Strength Properties Density (dry weight) = 38-45 lbs/cu. ft. Bending strength (MOR) = medium Max. crushing strength = medium Max. crushing strength = high Density (dry weight) = 46-52 lbs/cu. ft. Density (dry weight) = 31-37 lbs/cu. ft. Bending strength (MOR) = very low Bending strength (MOR) = low Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Bending Strength 7310 11382 psi Density 39 lbs/ft3 Maximum Crushing Strength 5408 8171 psi Weight 38 31 lbs/ft3 Item Green Dry Metric Bending Strength 513 800 kg/cm2 Density 624 kg/m3 Maximum Crushing Strength 380 574 kg/cm2 References Bryce, J.M.,1967,Commercial Timbers of Tanzania,Tanzanian Forestry Division Util. Sec. Moshi Chudnoff, M.,1984,Tropical Timbers of the World,U.S.A. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Forest Products,Laboratory, Madison. Eggeling, W.J., Harris, C.M.,1939,Fifteen Uganda Timbers,Forest Trees and Timbers of the British Empire, Imperial Forestry,Institute, Oxford,Part 4 Erfurth, T., Rusche, H.,1976,The Marketing of Tropical Wood A. Wood Species from African Moist Forests,F.A.O. Forestry Department Tack, C.H.,1969,Uganda Timbers,Govt. Printer Uganda 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