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Blunting Effect Boring Certified Source Comments Common Names Common Uses Countries of Distribution Cutting Resistance Drying Defects Ease of Drying Environmental Profile Family Name Gluing Grain Heartwood Color Kiln Drying Rate Kiln Schedules Mortising Moulding Movement in Service Nailing Natural Durability Numerical Data Odor Planing References Regions of Distribution Resistance to Impregnation Response to Hand Tools Routing & Recessing Sanding Sapwood Color Scientific Name Screwing Steam Bending Strength Properties Texture Toxicity Trade Name Tree Identification Tree Size Turning Veneering Qualities Scientific Name Casearia battiscombei Trade Name Casearia Family Name Flacourtiaceae Common Names Casearia, Chapchabayet, Chepcharaiyet, Cheptokoriet, Forest sword leaf, Gusieruss, Liss, Mlikawandu, Mrikawandu, Muirungi, Munogo, Namasinzi, Servondet, Servwa, Sigikwa, Sihuling, Sikisiget, White matua Regions of Distribution Africa Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Zimbabwe Common Uses Boxes and crates, Cabinetmaking, Furniture, Joinery, Plywood, Pulp/Paper products, Turnery Environmental Profile Vulnerable Abundant/Secure Rare Questionable Heartwood Color Brown Green/grey Black Red Dark brown Sapwood Color White Yellow Red Brown White to yellow Different than heartwood Grain Straight Even Straight Texture Coarse Fine Medium Fine Natural Durability Durable Very durable Moderately durable The sapwood is susceptible to wood staining fungal attack Pinworms (ambrosia beetles) may be present in the felled log Perishable Non durable Susceptible to attack from termites (Isoptera) Susceptible to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles Susceptible to marine borer attack Odor Has a taste Toxicity Respiratory effects Kiln Schedules Dry at a moderate speed Kiln Drying Rate (in days) is fairly rapid Dry at a slow speed Drying Defects Uneven Moisture Content Internal Honeycombing Possible Collapse Discoloration Checking Moderate twist/warp Moderate cupping Slight twist/warp No surface checking Ease of Drying Fairly Easy Slowly Moderately Difficult to Difficult Kiln Drying Rate Fairly rapid (11-17 days for boards under 32 mm, to 31-51 days for boards greater than 63 mm) Tree Identification Bole/stem form is buttressed Bole/stem form is straight Bole/stem form is cylindrical Tree Size Tree height is 30-40 m Tree height is 20-30 m Trunk diameter is 100-150 cm Tree height is 0-10 m Trunk diameter is 150-200 cm Certified Source Certified Source Comments General finishing qualities are rated as good Blunting Effect Little Boring Fairly easy to very easy Fair to good results Cutting Resistance Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult to saw Easy to saw Cutting Resistance with green wood is easy Cutting Resistance with dry wood is easy Gluing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Mortising Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Finishes satisfactorily Moulding Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Satisfactory moulding results Movement in Service Excellent Stability - Small Movement Nailing Fair to Good Results Pre-Boring Recommended Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Very Good to Excellent Results Easy to nail Holds nails well Planing Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Planes well, to a good finish Resistance to Impregnation Sapwood is permeable Heartwood is moderately resistant Sapwood is moderately resistant Heartwood is resistant Response to Hand Tools Easy to Work Easy to machine Routing & Recessing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Sanding Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Screwing Pre-boring recommended Fair to Good Results Turning Fair to Good Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Veneering Qualities Good gluing qualities There is slight to moderate drying degrade and the potential for buckles and splits Suitable for peeling No steaming needed during bolt preparation. Moderately easy to veneer Steam Bending Poor to Very Poor Results Strength Properties Density (dry weight) = 38-45 lbs/cu. ft. Density (dry weight) = 31-37 lbs/cu. ft. Bending strength (MOR) = low Shrinkage, Radial = very small Max. crushing strength = low Hardness (side grain) = soft Max. crushing strength = medium Shrinkage, Tangential = moderate Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = low Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = low Shrinkage, Tangential = very small Shrinkage, Tangential = small Shrinkage, Tangential = fairly large Shrinkage, Radial = small Modulus of Elasticity (stiffness) = very low Work to Maximum Load = very low Shrinkage, Radial = moderate Shearing strength (parallel to grain) = very low Max. crushing strength (stiffness) = very low Hardness (side grain) = very hard Bending strength (MOR) = very low Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Bending Strength 5752 8992 psi Density 36 lbs/ft3 Hardness 898 lbs Maximum Crushing Strength 2762 4743 psi Shearing Strength 1425 psi Stiffness 1222 1420 1000 psi Work to Maximum Load 5 7 inch-lbs/in3 Weight 35 28 lbs/ft3 Radial Shrinkage 2 % Tangential Shrinkage 7 % Item Green Dry Metric Bending Strength 404 632 kg/cm2 Density 576 kg/m3 Hardness 407 kg Maximum Crushing Strength 194 333 kg/cm2 Shearing Strength 100 kg/cm2 Stiffness 85 99 1000 kg/cm2 Work to Maximum Load 0.35 0.49 cm-kg/cm3 Weight 560 448 kg/m3 Radial Shrinkage 2 % References 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. and Kitambi, G.,1960,The Air-drying Properties of some Tanganyika Timbers Technical Note No 23,Tanganyika Forest Department Utilisation Division Technical Note Bryce, J.M., Norcross, H.,1961,The Resistance of Tanganyika Timbers to Impregnation,Tanzania Forest Dept. Util. Sec .Tech. Note,No.28 Chudnoff, M.,1984,Tropical Timbers of the World,U.S.A. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Forest Products,Laboratory, Madison. Dale, I.R., Greenway, P.J.,1961,Kenya Trees and Shrubs,Buchanans Kenya Estates Ltd. Nairobi Hatchards London France - C.T.F.T./C.T.B.,1982,Guide pour le Choix des Essences Deroulables-pour la fabrication du,contreplaque,C.T.F.T./C.T.B. France Kenya Forest Department,1941,Strengths of Kenya timbers,Kenya Forest Department Bulletin No. 36 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,1960,The Natural Durability of Local Timbers,Tanzanian Forest Dept. Tech. Note,No.14 Tanzania Forest Division,1966,Kiln Drying Schedules for Tanzania Timbers Technical Note no.38,Tanzania Forest Div. Util. Sec. Moshi Tanzania Forest Division,1967,The Weights and Shrinkage of some Local Timbers,Tanzania Forest Div. Util. Sect. Technical Note,No.25 Tanzania Forestry Department,1961,Timbers of Tanganyika - Casearia battiscombei (mlikawandu,Tanzania Forestry Department, Utilisation Section, Moshi - Timbers of,Tanganyika Wimbush, S.H.,1950,Catalogue of Kenya Timbers,Govt. Printer Nairobi Kenya